I nodded.
“You and Mr. Hyatt haven’t been married very long. In fact, it looks like you married after you were served papers about the custody.” She didn’t say it, but her tone indicated she found that suspicious.
“Tessa and I were dating a year and were engaged when Veronica showed up again.”
I hoped the woman didn’t ask my roommates or parents about that. No one could verify our story because of course, it wasn’t true.
“And you were the babysitter before that?”
“I met Dylan when I moved in next door,” I started.
“I was immediately smitten,” he said taking my hand. If only that were true.
“As it turned out, I worked at Maisie’s school too, so it all happened together … my being her sitter and Dylan’s girlfriend.” The lie sat at the pit of my stomach making me nauseous. In fact, this whole situation over the last couple of weeks made me sick. I loved him and Maisie, and I wanted to help them, but the stress of the situation and the tension growing between me and Dylan was difficult to manage. Because I had to portray a loving marriage, I had to keep all those emotions inside, and clearly, they were starting to impact my physical health.
“So, will you be working again?”
“No.”
Dylan’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. “Tessa is planning—”
“I’m going to stay home.”
“Maisie will be in what grade …?” the woman looked at her paper.
“First grade,” I said.
“You could work.”
“I like making a home. I know it’s very unmodern for a woman today, but for now, I enjoy it.”
She turned to Dylan. “I see you can afford to live on one income. In fact, you live quite modestly considering your income.”
I understood how important it was for child welfare to investigate families to make sure they had the means and emotional stability to care for a child, but it felt invasive. Did they look into my financial records too?
“I don’t need much. Maisie. Tessa. A roof. That’s it,” Dylan said, and that I did believe. Well the Maisie and roof part anyway.
“Were you raised in a traditional family?” she asked us.
“I was. My parents live in Brooklyn,” I said.
“What brought you here?”
“I came here for college and stayed,” I said. I smiled at Dylan, hoping I looked like a woman in love. “I fell for my neighbor.”
Dylan brought my hand to his lips. It was so strange how the gesture both made me happy and so sad at the same time. It wasn’t real, I had to remind myself.
“What about you, Mr. Hyatt?”
“I was raised by a single mom, mostly.”
“Mostly?”
“She remarried a few times, but none stuck.” I heard the edge of tension in his voice, but he worked to maintain a smile.
“It sounds like it wasn’t as steady as what you’re providing Maisie,” she said, apparently hearing his tone as well.
“No. It was difficult, to be honest, which is why I’ve worked so hard to provide Maisie with a stable home.”
I wished I could know what happened to him as a kid, but now wasn’t the time to ask.
“Single fatherhood isn’t as unusual now as it used to be, but I need to ask how it was you got custody the first time.”
“Veronica wanted out. I stayed.”
The social worker studied him as if she were waiting for him to elaborate. “She wanted a divorce but didn’t take Maisie?”
“Veronica and I married young. I think we were caught up in the idea of a fairy tale. The reality, at least for her, was very different. I was happy to live in a small town, run my business, and raise my child. Veronica wanted more. So, she left to get it.”
“And you were okay with that?”
He shrugged. “By the time it happened, I could see it coming. She was unhappy. Life here with me was boring, at least that’s what she said.”
“And what about Maisie?”
He took a minute and I had to admire his restraint in choosing his words carefully. “Maisie didn’t fit into Veronica’s plans at the time. She had a dream to pursue.”
“So, you were left to care for Maisie alone.”
He scowled. “It wasn’t like that. I’d have fought her then if she tried to take Maisie. I love my life. I love being Maisie’s father. I’d choose it over anything and anyone. So no, I wasn’t left with her. I didn’t get her by default.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest that. I can see you take fatherhood very seriously.”
The social worker spoke to us a little longer and then asked to see Maisie, who’d gone next door to play beauty shop with Corrine and Allison. Maisie was her usual friendly, curious self with the social worker. She presented as a well-adjusted, happy child, which had to bode well for Dylan. I didn’t want her to be unhappy with Veronica, but I did hope that Maisie’s level of ease and comfort with Dylan was more obvious than with her.
Later, when Maisie was in bed, Dylan went to his home office. I’d have liked to discuss the day with him, but since he didn’t seem to want to talk, I read a little bit and then went to bed.
When he came to bed, he rolled to his side and set his hand on my hip. “Tessa?”
“Hmm?” I turned my head back to look at him.
“Are you not planning to go to school in the fall?”
I shook my head. “I think until this is resolved, I should stay home. It will give you bonus points, especially if Veronica plans to work some.” I didn’t know if that was true. I wasn’t sure if judges held work against mothers these days.
He watched me for a moment. “I hate for you to lose time.”
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” The truth was, I couldn’t imagine getting my brain to work academically with all this going on. When I agreed to help, I figured things would go along as usual, and for the most part they had. I watched Maisie while Dylan worked, and
