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“Are you coming or not?” She asked it like his answer didn’t matter. “If you’re too busy, my mom will be more than happy to take him, but don’t expect her to hand him over when it’s more convenient for you.”
True story. The only person who hated him more than Patty these days was her mother. If he missed this chance to pick up Jimmy, there was no telling when Patty would offer again.
“I’m on my way.” He hung up quickly and turned the car toward her apartment.
For the millionth time, he imagined how much better his life would be if he could just get custody of Jimmy all to himself. He’d let Patty see him, of course, but no more of this twisted back and forth where he could only see his son when it was convenient for her.
A judge would make the decision soon enough.
He’d saved every cent he could. Paid an attorney to force a paternity test to legally establish himself as Jimmy’s father. Then, he’d paid even more to file for primary custody.
Mr. Bolton was the best lawyer he could afford, but the man had warned him not to get his hopes up too high. He’d said, in most cases, a judge would side with the mother.
Poor Patty. Had a baby with the man she thought was her best friend, the man who not only let her think they’d get married and backed out but wanted to take their child away from her to boot.
She turned on the tears, and everyone wanted to comfort her. And, somehow, he became the villain in this piece. He’d loved Patty once, but never the way she wanted, and she’d never forgiven him for it. He blamed himself for the destruction of their friendship, but he couldn’t let it excuse her behavior.
Pulling to stop at a red light, he squeezed his eyes closed.
He’d lost things too.
Three and a half years on scholarship at Georgia Tech had left him so close to his dream. He needed only nine more credit hours—basically, three classes—to finish his bachelor’s degree in architecture. The dumbest part: they were all electives. He’d already finished with the core curriculum, but he needed a full-time job to pay for diapers and food and daycare.
The scholarship he’d earned had only applied if he was a full-time student, and he couldn’t carry a full course load while working forty hours a week. Off scholarship, it cost hundreds of dollars to take an individual class at night. He’d finally saved up enough to take one this semester. The computer science class required very little studying or effort. Math and sciences had always come naturally. After this, he had only two classes left, and really, they could be anything. If his life hadn’t taken a turn, he’d be finished by now. A familiar pang of regret thumped in his chest.
Not for having Jimmy, but for the timing of it all. Just a few more months and he could’ve been safely ensconced in an internship instead of hefting beams and nailing up sheet rock.
He shook his head against the familiar thoughts as he turned onto Patty’s street. His dreams weren’t over. They’d just slowed down. It wasn’t a question ofifhe’d finish school…but when.
Jimmy had to be his priority, though. The custody battle meant he needed money for the lawyer, a good home, and a steady income. His dreams had to take a backseat, and it would be worth it if it meant more time with his boy.
When he pulled up outside the apartment complex, two minutes remained in the fifteen-minute window it usually took him to get there. Still, she already stood in the parking lot, a crying child perched on her hip.
The little boy reached for him the moment he stepped close. Tears stained his chubby toddler cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” Matt swept Jimmy into his arms and rocked him gently.
Patty rolled her eyes. “He’s teething, Matt. Stop overreacting.” She thrust the diaper bag at him and flipped her braids behind her right shoulder.
His heart lurched at her venomous tone, and he wished for the thousandth time he could’ve been the man she’d wanted him to be. Her life—their lives—would be so different now if he could be like everyone else. If he could just feel some attraction, some desire for her…for anyone. But he never felt a spark. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t force it, not beyond the one night that had resulted in Jimmy. And trying to fake it afterward had only made things worse.
He sighed. “You ever going to tell me about this new job of yours?”
“Back off. We’re not friends anymore. My life is my business.” She turned and headed toward the curb where the bus came to a stop. Not so much as a second look at him or the little boy, whose cries had mellowed to an occasional hiccup.
It wasn’t that she didn’t love Jimmy. Matt knew she did. It was the boy’s father she hated.
“Da!” Jimmy proclaimed, his sticky hand patting Matt’s cheek.
He hugged the baby close. “Yeah, Jimmy. Daddy’s here.” His heart settled, breathing in the smell of his son.
He strapped Jimmy into his car seat and headed back to his apartment. There, he’d have everything to meet his son’s needs, from a bath to a sippy-cup to his favorite stuffed giraffe.
Jimmy whined from the backseat—a telltale precursor to more unhappy tears.
“Hey, buddy.” Matt put as much cheer into his voice as he could. “Wanna sing with Daddy?”
The whining stopped.
