Chapter 10 - THE PETITION OVER MAX
Daniel filed for a protective order regarding Max and property access.
Lauren did not oppose.
That surprised him.
Then she asked for something.
Supervised visits with Max.
Daniel stared.
“He’s not a child.”
“I know.”
“Then why supervised?”
“Because I don’t want you thinking I’ll keep him.”
That hurt.
Also made sense.
They agreed:
Lauren could see Max at a public park.
No Evelyn.
No property disputes.
No using visits to discuss divorce finances.
First visit lasted twenty minutes.
Max nearly knocked Lauren down with excitement.
She laughed.
Daniel forgot, for one second, why they divorced.
Then remembered.
Not bitterly.
Just accurately.
Lauren said:
“I miss him.”
Daniel nodded.
“I know.”
“Do you hate me?”
“Sometimes.”
She smiled sadly.
“Same.”
Good.
Then they discussed the deferred-equity note.
Lauren surprised him.
“I don’t want to invalidate it.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
“It’s part of the settlement.”
“You spent a year saying it trapped you.”
“It feels like it does.”
“Then why keep it?”
“Because feeling trapped isn’t the same as being cheated.”
There.
Lauren was separating emotion from legality.
That was growth.
Then Daniel said:
“I used Max to text you too much.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.”
No reunion.
No romantic reset.
Then Lauren asked:
“Do you think Evelyn knew we might reconcile?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“You told her.”
Lauren closed her eyes.
Of course.
Then:
“She made me think you were mocking me.”
Daniel nodded.
“And you made it easy by being angry.”
“Yes.”
They both hated that answer.
Still true.
Then Max dropped a tennis ball between them.
They laughed.
May you like
Some relationships could become smaller and healthier.
Maybe theirs could too.
