Chapter 7: The Grandmother Who Came to Take My Babies
"Emily, sweetheart, open this door.""
Linda's voice floated through the hallway again.
I instinctively moved closer to Piper and Poppy.
Sarah stepped between me and the office door.
"Nobody opens anything until we know why she's here.""
Rebecca checked the security camera on Sarah's computer.
Three people stood outside.
Linda was in the middle, wearing a beige coat and carrying an oversized handbag. On her left was Tyler. On her right stood a woman in a gray business suit holding a leather briefcase.
My husband had returned.
And he'd brought reinforcements.
Sarah zoomed in.
"Do you recognize the woman?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Neither do I.""
A moment later, the receptionist called.
"Sarah, the woman says she's representing Tyler in a family custody matter.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"Custody?""
Sarah looked at me.
"Stay here with the girls.""
She opened the door but kept her body positioned in the doorway.
"Can I help you?""
The woman in gray stepped forward.
"My name is Patricia Lawson. I'm representing Mr. Carter.""
Sarah folded her arms.
"Then you should know that entering my office without an appointment is inappropriate.""
Patricia offered a tight smile.
"We're here to resolve an urgent family matter.""
Linda pushed forward.
"I want to see my granddaughters.""
Sarah blocked her.
"Not until we establish why you're here.""
Tyler appeared over Linda's shoulder.
"Emily, stop hiding behind people and come out.""
I stood.
My legs felt weak, but I walked toward the doorway.
"What do you want, Tyler?""
His eyes moved past me toward the carriers.
"I want my children.""
"You had the opportunity to meet them at the cruise terminal.""
"That was a misunderstanding.""
I stared at him.
"You kissed another woman in front of them.""
Patricia cleared her throat.
"Mrs. Carter, my client is concerned about the children's welfare. He believes you're making decisions based on anger rather than their best interests.""
I almost laughed.
"His concern started after I discovered he opened insurance policies on our newborn daughters?""
Patricia's expression flickered.
Linda immediately interrupted.
"Those policies were my idea. I wanted to make sure the girls were protected.""
"Then why did you give their Social Security numbers to Tyler without my permission?""
Linda's face reddened.
"I am their grandmother!""
"That doesn't give you the right to steal their documents.""
Tyler stepped closer.
"Emily, enough. We can settle this privately.""
Sarah held up her hand.
"One more step and this conversation is over.""
Patricia opened her briefcase.
"My client has prepared a temporary custody petition. Given Mrs. Carter's emotional state and her refusal to cooperate with the children's father, we believe immediate intervention is appropriate.""
I stared at the papers.
"You're asking a court to take my babies?""
"No one is asking to take them permanently," Patricia replied.
"We're requesting temporary shared custody.""
Sarah accepted the documents.
"Has this been filed?""
Patricia hesitated.
"Not yet.""
"Then it's a proposed petition, not a court order. You have no authority to demand access to these children.""
Tyler's face darkened.
"You're making a mistake, Emily.""
I looked at him.
"No. I made a mistake when I trusted you.""
Linda suddenly began crying.
It was the same performance she'd used countless times during family arguments.
"After everything I've done for you," she said, "this is how you repay me?""
I remembered her holding Piper in the hospital.
I remembered her bringing casseroles and folding tiny blankets.
I remembered thanking her for helping me survive those first exhausting weeks.
"Linda, I trusted you with my daughters.""
"And I love them!""
"Then why did you help their father arrange insurance policies without telling me?""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Tyler said you were unstable. He said you were spending too much money and that he needed control of the finances before you ruined everything.""
I stared at her.
"Did you believe him?""
She looked down.
That was enough.
Rebecca stepped into the hallway.
"Linda, you accepted money from Vanessa, didn't you?""
Linda's crying stopped.
"What?""
Rebecca took out her phone.
"I have the bank records. Two payments. Five thousand dollars each. Both deposited into your personal account.""
Linda's face went white.
Tyler turned toward her.
"Mom?""
She grabbed his arm.
"Don't listen to her.""
"Did you take money?""
"Tyler, I was helping you!""
He pulled away.
For the first time, I saw him look at his mother with the same disbelief I'd felt at the cruise terminal.
Patricia closed her briefcase.
"I think we should leave.""
Sarah shook her head.
"Not yet. I want the names and contact details of everyone involved in this proposed custody action.""
Patricia looked annoyed.
"You're overreacting.""
"Then filing it should be easy.""
Tyler stepped toward me again.
"Emily, please. I just want to hold Piper and Poppy.""
I looked at his outstretched hands.
He had never changed a diaper.
Never prepared a bottle at three in the morning.
Never sat beside a hospital bed wondering whether a tiny fever was something serious.
Now he wanted to walk into my life and act like five months of absence could be erased by one afternoon.
"No," I said.
His hands dropped.
Linda started crying again.
But I was finished listening.
Sarah escorted them toward the elevator while the receptionist documented the incident.
When the door finally closed, I sank into a chair.
Rebecca handed me a glass of water.
"You did well.""
I looked at her.
"I'm terrified.""
"I know.""
Sarah returned a few minutes later.
"There's one more thing. Patricia left a copy of the proposed petition.""
She placed it on the desk.
I skimmed the first page.
Then my eyes landed on a paragraph describing me as emotionally unstable, financially irresponsible, and incapable of providing consistent care.
There was even a statement claiming I'd suffered from severe postpartum depression that made me a danger to the children.
I looked up.
"Who told them this?""
Sarah turned the page.
A witness declaration was attached.
It was signed by someone I knew.
Someone who had been inside my house.
May you like
Someone who had held my babies.
My own mother.
