I don’t really want it, but I reach for it anyway. My hands shake as my fingers wrap around the glass.
“After the surgery, and once she’s able to safely travel, I want you and her here.”
His quiet demand has my head whipping his way. “What?” I shout.
“You heard me. If the surgery is successful and her doctor says she can travel, I want you both here.”
“Judge, we can’t just up and move. We have a life back home.”
Resting his palms on the countertop, he leans forward. Even with three feet separating us, it feels like he’s looming over me.
“I don’t give a fuck. You’ve deprived me of every second of her life. I’ll be damned if you take any more. You’ve got two choices. Either you come with her, or I’ll take her away from you in court. And don’t think I won’t win.”
“I hate you,” I hiss through numb lips, anger making my cheeks flush red.
“The feeling is fucking mutual,” he snarls.
With a growl, I throw back the brandy, the burn of the alcohol not registering through the haze of my anger, slam my glass down on the counter, and spin on my heel to go upstairs.
“Don’t take my demand as anything other than a promise, Ellie,” he calls out. “You had Maisy for almost twelve years. You don’t get to come back into my life with this bombshell and ask for help and expect me to simply let you walk away with her. She’s mine too.”
I spin back around, steadying myself on the banister when I wobble from the effects of the alcohol. “Fuck you, Judge,” I spew. “Are you going to deny her what she needs if I say no?”
“No. Maisy will get what she needs to get well. You’ll be the one losing something. It’s up to you if what you lose is important enough to get over your personal shit against me.”
I swear, if I was brave enough, I’d strangle the man. How dare he imply Maisy isn’t the most important thing in my life? I’d do anything for her. Anything. I went against my promise to myself that I would never tell Judge about Maisy. Aside from watching the pain my little girl goes through every day, this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Coming here, I knew he would want to be a part of her life. I figured we could share summers and holidays, like most divorced parents do. It never crossed my mind that he would demand we move here. And it will be us, as I won’t let her move here without me. There’s no way I’d let him take Maisy away from me. And I know he could do it too. He has the means and money behind him.
“You would really disrupt her life? Take her away from everything she’s ever known?”
“Yes, because she can build a life here that she loves just as much.”
“She has doctors at home who’ve been overseeing her care.” I try one last time.
“Trouble will be her primary care physician, and if she needs specialists, we’re not far from San Antonio.”
I bite my lip to keep from screaming at him.
“Fine,” I bite out. “I’m going to bed.”
I turn back to the stairs, but stiffen at his next words. “And don’t think I’m going to ignore the fact that you didn’t give me the full explanation as to why you never told me about Maisy. I’ll give you a few days, but after that, I want an answer.”
I’m tempted to turn around and do something stupid and immature, like flip him off while telling him to fuck off. Instead, I straighten my spine and continue up the stairs, silently cursing him every name under the sun as I make my way to the room I’ll be sharing with Maisy.
Chapter Four
JUDGE
“HOW BAD IS IT?” I ask, gripping the arms of my chair.
Instead of answering, Trouble continues to look over the medical records Ellie had faxed to his office this morning. He flips to the next page, his eyes flying over the information, his frown deepening with each page he passes. Irritation and impatience play havoc on my nerves.
Fucking finally, he drops the papers and looks up, running his hand over his mouth and chin.
“It’s not good. Her kidneys are only functioning at 10 percent. She started hemodialysis a couple of months ago, but it hasn’t increased her kidney function. That infection she developed from strep throat really fucked up her kidneys. Even with the dialysis, her prognosis is shit. Unless she gets a new kidney, she, at best, has six months left.”
“Fuck,” I mutter, my chest suddenly feeling tight.
I spring up from the chair and walk over to the window, shoving my hands into my pockets. Trouble’s office window has a perfect view of the big playground in the center of Malus. I spot Maisy and Ellie immediately. Maisy’s on a swing, and Ellie’s behind her, pushing her gently. It’s too far away to see their faces, but I imagine Maisy smiling as her mother pushes her. With her illness, I’m sure Maisy hasn’t had a normal childhood in months. Simple things such as playing on the playground would be too tiring for her.