He Accused Me Of Stealing But I Heard The Truth Chapter 30
After the court established paternity, he did not file the sole-custody petition he had prepared. Instead, a new parenting plan was approved: I retained full legal and medical decision-making authority, and Derek could have supervised visitation only at locations agreed upon by both of us.
He paid child support as ordered by the court and set up an independent trust for Maisie’s medical care and education. The trustee was jointly selected by our lawyers, and Derek could not trade payment for visitation rights.
He only used the co-parenting app to ask about Maisie’s treatment and school arrangements. His messages were short, and he never demanded an immediate response.
By the following spring, Maisie’s condition had stabilized.
The doctors cleared her to start kindergarten after a year lost to treatment. She wore a little backpack with cows on it, and every time she walked out of our apartment building, she would look back several times to make sure I was still there.
The cherry trees on the corner had just started to bloom.
When the wind picked up, petals drifted across the sidewalk. Maisie spun around in them, then suddenly pointed across the street.
“Mommy, it’s Derek.”
I looked up.
He stood by his car, making no move to come closer.
He was thinner than before, his skin a little darker. After the Weston Group board removed him from active duties, he had spent most of his time working with charities for pediatric immune diseases and programs for victims of illegal clinics.
He remained outside the agreed-upon public visitation point, waiting for me to decide if today was a good day for contact.
Maisie looked up at me.
I asked, “Do you want to go over?”
She thought about it, then nodded.
She took a fruit candy from her pocket and ran across the street to him.