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Ruby.“Get the hell off my property!” I shout at her. “You’re not welcome here.”
Ruby cowers, playing the victim, but I see through the facade. She had so many opportunities to be a protector, a role model, a mother when Elise didn’t have her own. Instead, she remained an enabler, making excuse after excuse for her son as she watched him break an innocent woman down almost to nothing. How dare she come here to offer her condolences.
“Are you Nathan Hatcher?” the officer asks.
“Yes. And this ismyresidence.” I point to Ruby’s forehead. “She’s trespassing. Remove her immediately.”
Ignoring my demand, the man continues, “I’m Officer Reynolds. Is Elise Maynard’s daughter, Claire, here?” He takes a step forward but I extend my arm across the doorway, blocking his advance.
“Of course she is. This is her home. Where else would she be at nine o’clock at night?”
Suddenly unable to meet my stare, Officer Reynolds ducks his head. “Mr. Hatcher, I’m sorry this is so abrupt, but we’re here to collect Claire, immediately. Legally, she can’t remain in your custody.”
Now the panic spreads. The tremor of nerves starts in my neck and pulses through my entire body like living electricity. “Wh-wh-what… I don’t…” Unable to form a coherent thought, I shake my head, saying no, but looking at the gun in his holster, the severity of the situation seeps in slowly.
“Luckily, Claire can skip the discomfort of staying with Child Protective Services. Her grandmother”—he looks over his shoulder at Ruby—“is here to take her home.”
My heartbeat thumps in my temples. “What the hell are you talking about? Thisisher home. She’s lived with me for over a year. We painted her room together, for fuck’s sake. This is where she’s staying.”
“That’s not up to you anymore,” Ruby cuts in. “Now that Elise is gone, I’ll be taking care of Claire.”
There’s more rage inside me than my body can contain. I’m going to erupt any moment. “How dare you speak her name?” I turn my attention to the officer. “Do you know this woman left her daughter-in-law practically for dead as she helped her son escape the state? And you think I’m letting her anywhere near Claire?”
“Oh, screw you. That’snottrue. Yet another story Elise invented. I haven’t seen Claire in years because that witch keptmy only granddaughter from me. Do you know how bad that hurts?” Her smile turns sinister. “You’re about to,” she whispers.
“Witch?” I ball my hands into tight fists. “She’s not even in her grave yet. You miserable, evil?—”
“Mr. Hatcher,” Officer Reynolds interjects. “According to the law, Mrs. Barber is next of kin. I’m sorry, truly. But you need to surrender the child.”
“Dad?”
My throat tightens when I hear Claire’s small voice behind me. I do my best to use my frame to block her from view, but Ruby pushes past me.
“He’s not your dad, sweetheart.” She opens her arms for Claire, but she steps away. “Don’t you remember your real daddy?”
“Dad?” Claire sidesteps Ruby and puts her hand in mine. “Why is Mrs. Barber here with the police?”
“I’m yourgrandma, Claire. Don’t call me Mrs. Barber.”
“See? She’s basically a stranger to Claire.” I’m begging the officer to see reason. “She belongs with me.”
There’s an unmistakable snarl on Ruby’s lips. She smooths her gray bob-cut hair behind her ears. “Claire, where’s your room? Let’s grab your toothbrush and pillow for tonight. We’ll come back for the rest later.”
She makes her way down the hallway, but I don’t stop her. Hopefully she gets lost in my mansion and keeps herself busy exploring all the things I gave my girls that her son never could. She can take whatever she wants. I squeeze Claire’s hand tightly. I’m holding on to the only thing that matters to me.
“This isn’t happening,” I tell the officer. “You need to wait while I get my lawyer on the phone.”
“Mr. Hatcher, please understand that this is above you and me. I really am sorry, but you’re not Claire’s biological father nor her legal guardian. There’s nothing to justify her staying here.”
“What about the fact I’ve been providing for her and her mother for years now? What about the fact I love her? How can you do this? Her mom died yesterday! How can you attack us like this while she’s in mourning?”
As understanding sweeps over Claire, she clings to me with both arms. “No,no,” she whimpers. “I don’t want to go. Please don’t make me go.”
Ruby returns to the foyer empty-handed. “I couldn’t find your room, but it’s fine. We’ll buy you new things, honey. Come on, it’s time to go.”
When Claire refuses to release me, Ruby intercedes, roughly removing my daughter’s arms from me, one by one. It takes everything in me not to strike her across the face. Every part of me wants to. But I don’t hit women. I’m not her son.
“Daddy,please.I don’t want to go. I want to stay here.” There’s fear and panic in her eyes. I know in my heart this is inevitable. I always meant to adopt Claire officially after I married her mom. The date was set… We just didn’t make it. Hot tears burn tracks down my face as I do the only thing I can right now, which is to not make this worse.