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“But there’s still the matter of who’ll have legal custody—”
“Wendy,” he said.
“Wendy Sugihara?”
“That’s the plan, Doctor. If you—if you tell the judge and the judge says it’s okay. She already has three adopted kids so she’s used to the whole adopted thing. And Jack agrees. They told me it’s what you call a consensus.”
“Ah.”
Broad smile. “That’s why Wendy wanted to talk to you first. Why she said it would simplify everything. When you insisted, I didn’t say anything because I figured you had a good reason.”
“I did.”
“But not anymore, huh?” he said. “Now that you know about Wendy.”
“On the contrary, Derek. Especially now.”
He squinted. “I don’t get it.”
“This is all about you,” I said. “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t hear what you had to say first.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Also, I need to make sure that you really are comfortable with the arrangement.”
“Oh yeah, for sure. I am, promise. Her oldest is thirteen. Miles, very cool little kid. We like the same things. I won’t be hanging withhim that much because he’ll be here and I’ll be at school but we’ve been FaceTiming for a while and we’ll keep doing it.”
“How old are Wendy’s other kids?”
“Elizabeth is eight and Sidney—that’s a girl, too—is six.”
“Is there a dad in the house?”
“William,” he said. “He’s a foot doctor. Has these giant shoes from Lakers and Rams in his waiting room. My feet used to point out, he made me these insoles.”
He unlaced a sneaker, removed it, and drew out something black and foot-shaped. “My feet point the right way, now.”
“Nice.”
“Super-comfortable.” He put the sneaker back on.
I said, “Sounds like a great situation all around.”
“It is,” said Derek Ruffalo. “It will be, I’ll make sure of that.”
“How?”
“By being a good person.”
“Sounds like you take on a lot of responsibility.”
“I do, Doctor. But that’s good, right?”
“If it doesn’t overburden you.”
He laughed. “Why would it?”
—
