Chapter 13: The Settlement

The judge had ordered one mediation session before the hearing, and Carter's lawyer set it for Thursday.

It was held in a conference room in Lakewood, with a long table and a plate of grocery-store cookies.

The mediator was a gray, tired man who had clearly seen every kind of divorce there was.

Charlie slept in the carrier on my chest.

My lawyer sat on my left, and across the table sat Carter, Simone, and Carter's mother.

His mother wore pearls and had brought her own tissues.

"We're here to see if we can spare this family a trial," the mediator said. "Mr. Nordstrom, you made a proposal."

Simone slid a single page across the table.

"My client is willing to withdraw the claim that Mrs. Nordstrom is unfit," she said. "He'll agree to a shared schedule for the child."

"And in return?" my lawyer asked.

"Mrs. Nordstrom signs an administration agreement. Mr. Nordstrom manages the trust funds on Charlie's behalf. He sends her a monthly allowance."

I read the page twice.

It said allowance, and it said discretion, and it said nothing at all about five thousand dollars a month going to me.

"So I keep my son," I said, "and you keep the money."

"The money is for Charlie," Carter said.

His voice was soft, and it was the voice I had listened to for four years.

"I'm his father, Libby. I want to provide for him."

"You called the trustee on January eighth."

"I was excited. I wanted to understand our finances."

"Two days after I told you I was pregnant."