I walked into attorney Jeannette Schmidt’s office the next day determined to show Trina and anyone else who thought I didn’t have it in me to be a good dad, just how serious I could be. Jeannette was a couple years older than me. In high school, Wyatt and I had lusted after her, although Wyatt had been the one to win her during her senior year when he and I were sophomores.
“Hey Ryder, how are you?” she asked as she greeted me.
“Good.” I don’t know why I said that except it was an automatic response. Truth was, I felt fucking horrible. I was so pissed at Trina and at the same time so incredibly miserable that I’d lost her. Except I never really had her, I reminded myself.
“What can I help you with?” she asked as I took a seat in her office.
“I need advice on asserting my legal rights as a father.”
She quirked a brow. “You have a child?”
“Not yet. She’s pregnant and I want to make sure she can’t keep me away from the baby.”
She sat back. “It sounds like things have gone south in the relationship.”
I don’t know if they were ever north. “At the moment, things are contentious.”
“Well, in Nebraska we have the Biological Father Registry. Does she want to place the baby for adoption?”
“What? No.” At least I didn’t think so. I couldn’t imagine Trina putting the baby up for adoption, and yet, I wondered if she was capable of loving a child. After last night, I was convinced she was incapable of loving me and perhaps anyone, although until now I hadn’t considered she might not want the baby. With that said, she spoke of preparing for having a child, so I had to assume she planned to raise the baby.
“The registry is designed to notify potential fathers of legal cases regarding their child. Are you sure you’re the father? You can request a paternity test when the child is born.”
“I’m sure.” At least that I knew for certain.
“How far along is she?”
I didn’t know for sure, but it couldn’t be that far long considering we’d only been together for a month. “A few weeks, maybe.”
“Okay. So, there’s time. You can sign a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity with the birth mother in front of a notary. It can be sent to vital records so you’ll be included on the birth certificate. If she’s not willing to do that, we can file a paternity petition. You’d need to do a DNA test then, but that would establish paternity if it came back with you as the father.”
I sat back, all of a sudden feeling so fucking sad at the state of things. My child wasn’t even born yet and I was in a lawyer’s office fighting for my rights.
“These things tend to be done just before or right after the child is born,” she said. “If you do this, it means you’re taking legal responsibility for the child. That includes child support—”
“You don’t think I can take care of my child?” Jesus, did everyone think I was a loser?
“I’m not saying that, Ryder. I’m just letting you know that with rights there are responsibilities, that’s all.”
I nodded feeling like an ass for jumping on her. “I want to take care of my child. Is there anything I can do now?”
“Is there a reason you’re concerned?”
I shook my head. The truth was, I just wanted an acknowledgment that I was the father. That I was significant to this child. To Trina.
“But I’d feel better if I could have something. Can’t you make some sort of official document that I can sign?”
/> She smiled sympathetically. “I’m a lawyer, I draw up all sorts of documents, but it’s not needed with the other options you have.”
“Okay.”
“Perhaps by then, you and the mother will be on a more even keel.”
I was royally pissed at Trina right now, but over time, I’d have to let that go. I’d need to find a way to be around her in a civil way for the good of my child.
I stood. “What do I owe you?”
“Nothing now. Come back in eight months and we’ll review.”