Alana forced out a laugh. “That’s howyoulook when there is no chocolate around.”
“Which is why I said it.”
Kelsey could be trusted. Brennan gave her permission to say what was going on, but there was only so much she’d volunteer. It wasn’t her story to give.
She moved to her desk and sat behind it again. Kelsey getting comfortable in the chair Brennan was in.
“Becca’s mother has never been in the picture. For several reasons. Basically, her choice. She used her job as an excuse but never reaches out to see her daughter or visit more than a few times a year. Birthday, holidays. Things like that.”
“Bitch,” Kelsey said. “I wondered about that.”
“She came to the island the weekend before Christmas, barely spent two hours with Becca, then left. Dropped off gifts and went on her way.”
“How is Becca around her and did you meet her?”
“No, I haven’t met her. Becca loves everyone she sees, so from what Brennan has said, she’s fine with Rene but doesn’t ask to see her more when she’s not around.”
“That’s very telling,” Kelsey said. “I bet she asks to see you.”
She smiled. “All the time.”
“So what has changed, because something has? You’re looking like you want to purchase Iron Man’s armor to cover Becca in.”
“I feel that way. Rene called and said that she wants to have custody or split custody of Becca.”
“Out of the blue like that?” Kelsey’s bottom lip came out.
“Oh, she’s pregnant too. Forgot to mention that part.” She’d keep Rene’s whoring status to herself. “Guess she wants the siblings to know each other. Or maybe the new guy in Rene’s lifewants to see her be a mother. Or Rene wants to prove she can be one. Too many things for us to guess.”
“What a nasty move,” Kelsey said, crossing her arms.
“There you go. He was on the fence if he should just ignore this.”
Her phone buzzed on her desk. She looked over and saw the text from Jonathan, frowned, and ignored it. It’d been months since he’d sent her anything. The last one was just a hi that she ignored.
“No way,” Kelsey said. “You can’t sit back and just assume she’s going to blow it off like she’d been doing for years.”
“That’s what I said. I told him to be proactive. He will. I pointed out that most judges will want to let Rene prove herself. If she changes her job and is around more, will come here and try, there isn’t much he can say. It could be argued that he was working in Boston before and can again to make the transitions easier.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Kelsey said. “But we would accommodate him. He could work at both locations and it wouldn’t be a problem. He has clients there still.”
“I know. I brought that up to him.”
“And this is where someone just stole your peanut butter cups,” Kelsey said. “You could go there too to be with him. I’d never hold it against you.”
She didn’t want to leave the island though.
Would she do it for a man she loved?
She always said she’d do anything for love, but at two months in, it was a difficult decision for her to make.
“My mind isn’t thinking along those lines now. One step at a time. I can’t push even if I want to. This is something he has to do.”
Her phone buzzed again. Another text from Jonathan.
“But not on his own,” Kelsey said. “Van tried to pull that shit with me. Nope. Didn’t work. Stand with your man.” Kelsey put her fist in her hand.
“I’ll stand with him. Don’t worry.”
