Do Not Pass Go 07 - Conclusion

Not because of the awesome sex, and it was awesome, but because we fit. We had so much more in common. She only lived fifteen minutes away. We worked in the same building. We both had been through a lot, we had kids of similar age. I could easily see us melding beautifully, even if the thought was a little bit scary.

"What are you thinking?" she asked nervously, her hand stroking my side.

"I'm thinking I'm damn lucky to have met you, beautiful. I'm a mess, and you know it. You're still willing to give us a shot?"

"More than anything. I think we could have something special."

It sure seemed like we did, and by the time I left the following morning, I was more convinced than ever, that we were a great fit for each other. Damn, that complicated things.

~ * ~ * ~

Traci

I think we broke Mom.

Once she came home Saturday, she didn't even speak to us. Not a word. She ignored us completely. It was obvious she was royally pissed. I noticed she was checking her cell phone often. It kept going off like she had messages or calls. She would stomp around angrily, her thumbs flying over the phone keyboard. I told myself it was her new 'friends' checking in on her, from all of her online dating profiles.

We all kept our distance from her. I was afraid that she might really snap. I remembered how she'd slapped Jenna, and she seemed much worse now.

Monday night she didn't come home again. For once even Grandma was upset, yelling at Mom over the phone while smoking up a storm out on the porch. The whole neighborhood heard her telling the Momster to grow up.

It might not have been a big deal, except the CPS lady showed up again on Tuesday morning. The nanny hadn't even arrived yet, and it was just the three of us at home. We were eating frosted corn flakes with chocolate milk when she arrived.

I met her at the door. "My Dad says we can't let you in, without an adult here."

She looked surprised. "Has your mother already left for work?"

"I don't know. She didn't come home last night. Nanny Anne should have been here already, she'll probably show up in a couple of minutes. She's pretty good at being mostly on time."

"Can I speak with you and your brother and sister?"

"After we eat and Nanny Anne gets here. Dad would get really mad if we let you in without someone here."

I closed the door on her and smiled. Then frowned. This could be the last straw, and it was possible that we'd be taken out of the house. That wouldn't be good. We really needed Dad to take over.

The nanny showed up just a few minutes later. The CPS lady took a few minutes to talk to each of us, then walked around the house, looking at everything. I don't know what she expected to find, but she was taking a lot of notes. She examined the new locks on our bedroom doors. Then she spent a long time talking to Jenna. She should have been talking to me, but you know how it is. Jenna was the oldest. I was just a kid.

One thing I knew for sure. Things were about to change. That much was obvious. I could only hope that it went the right way.

~ * ~ * ~

Peter

It was Tuesday, and I had a date with Lily. I was confused and worried about it. She was great to be with, but even though she was okay with a friends-with-benefits relationship, I doubted Pia was.

By lunch, I was a bundle of nerves but decided I needed to talk to Pia. I insisted we eat lunch out, my treat. Then I explained that I'd been dating someone else, and I had a date for that night.

"Is it serious?" Pia asked.

"No. We've both made that clear. But we are . . . intimate. I'd like to go out with her one more time. We usually go dancing. I need to tell her what's going on."

"What is going on?"

"I'm starting a new relationship," I said, taking Pia's hand in mine. "I think it's serious. I won't be dating anyone else anymore."

"Is that what you want?" she asked softly.

"Definitely."

"This is your last date with her?"

"As long as I'm seeing you," I said.

"Are you going to have sex with her?"

"I don't think so. Not anymore. Lily's and my relationship was casual. Yours and mine isn't. As least I hope not."

She nodded. "Good. Go ahead and see her. It's only right you end things cleanly. Don't hurt her."

I thought it was interesting that Pia cared how I ended my relationship with another woman. "I'll try not to. I don't think it will be a problem."

She smiled. "Have a good time. I don't want to know about it. Starting tomorrow, you're mine, Peter Wilkes. No more slutting around for you."

I hadn't been back at my desk for an hour before I got a call. It was Thomas Myers, aka Santa Lawyer. "We're on for Friday. It's a slam dunk. Be here by nine a.m., so we can brief you. We're on the docket for one-thirty."

"Friday? You're sure?"

"One-thirty. Make sure everything's lined up so you have a place for the kids. As much information as possible on housing, schools, money, hours you'll be working, caretakers, everything you can think of. We'll email you a list."

That afternoon I was useless at work. What with getting the info I needed together, my upcoming date with Lily, and the changes in my relationship with Pia, my mind was a mess. I stopped in to see the boss and told him that things were coming to a boil. I'd be leaving Thursday after work, and taking Friday off. If the results worked out like I expected, I might need additional time.

Tate was good about it. He always was. A great boss. "What did I tell you, Peter? Do what you need, take the time off as required. Family's first, I understand that. Just make sure you're caught up, and you have someone lined up to handle any emergencies in your absence. I would appreciate you checking in on occasion if it becomes more than a couple of days. If you run out of vacation, we'll work something out."

While I had his ear I wanted to bring up another issue. "I'm dating Pia. Will that cause any issues?"

He laughed. "Hell, Pete, I suggested you give her a chance. You don't even work in the same division. No, I don't think there'll be any problem, as long as you keep the PDA to a minimum."

At home before my date, I caught Billie up once more on the latest news. She was quick to confirm that she'd be happy to have the kids move in if that's how things worked out. For as long as I needed. She even wrote out a piece of paper to document I had a place for the kids, with ample room, and a more than reasonable rent.

I made the long drive out to Lily's, feeling nervous. We went dancing as usual but ended it early for a late dinner. After we'd ordered our food, I broached the subject that had my stomach in knots.

"I have a problem, Lily."

She stopped sipping her iced tea and raised her eyebrows in expectation.

"I'm dating someone, and it might be serious."

She looked a little surprised, then smiled. "The office friend?"

I nodded.

She took another sip from her drink, then a slow quirky smile appeared on her face. "That was fast. Man, I guess I blew it."

I shook my head. "It was fast, I'll admit, but it had nothing to do with us, or who you were seeing. Things back in Virginia blew up, and she's been helping me a lot. We've been spending a lot of time together."

She sighed, leaning back in the booth. "I should have known, I guess. You're a catch, Peter, someone was going to figure it out."

I was surprised to hear that. "Me? A catch? Who are we kidding? You are so far out of my league, Lily, I'm amazed every time we get together."

"I guess you're telling me this because our time together's over? Or is this just letting me know what's going on?" she asked softly.

"I ... I'm going to be exclusive. This is our last date. You've been a Godsend, I swear. Everything I needed. But if I'm going to give this thing with Pia a chance, I don't want to put any obstacles in our way, and you, dear girl, are a huge obstacle."

Our food was delivered as I finished my statement. It didn't look quite as appetizing as it had when I ordered it. Funny thing, Lily didn't seem to have any problem digging into hers.

After we'd had a few bites, she paused, setting her utensils down and watching me. "Is this the end of our date? Or can we still go back to my place for a sendoff?"

I was surprised she even wanted to. "It's your date. Your decision. I wasn't sure you'd even want to."

She shrugged, going back to her food. "I'm a little bummed, I'll admit. You are a lot of fun, both on the dates and after. But if you have a chance at finding the real thing, who am I to stand in your way? I hope things work out for you, but if they don't look me up. If I haven't moved on, I'd love to be your dance partner again."

"Yeah, me and my two left feet."

She giggled. "You're getting better. I appreciate the effort. Now don't eat too much, I don't want you feeling too bloated before our last hurrah."

Our last 'hurrah' was pretty fantastic. A little sad, I'll admit, and more emotional than I thought it would be. After my third go, she climbed off and laid down beside me. "Jesus, I'm gonna miss you," she said.

"No kidding. You are beyond amazing."

"Friends?" she asked.

"God, I hope so. No benefits, though."

She giggled. "Understood. Maybe we can go dancing sometimes when I'm in town."

"Maybe," I said, but I think we both knew this was probably the end.

The drive home was a bit melancholy. She really was a great girl, and absolutely stunning. Dynamite in bed. But there were too many issues for us to ever be anything more than we were. And as great as she was, I couldn't help but think that for me, Pia might be even more. Not as beautiful, nor as wild in bed, but everything else was ideal. It was definitely worth giving a try.

The best thing was that for a period of about five hours I didn't spend more than a few minutes worrying about what Friday would bring.

~ * ~ * ~

Traci

Something was up. No doubt about it. The Momster was acting sneaky, suddenly all lovey-dovey and forgiving. She was home early, but still spent a lot of time on her phone, leaving the room when she got a call. The way she talked it didn't sound like one of her boy-toys.

Jenna and Tommy tracked me down. "What's going on with Mom?" Jenna asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with Dad. I'm pretty sure she's talking to her lawyer," I said.

"She's up to something," Tommy said.

No kidding. "I know. I just don't know what. Something's definitely up. I think we need to lay low for a couple of days. That CPS lady that came by might have something to do with it. Getting the Momster to straighten up is one thing, but the last thing we need is to get stuck in foster care. No hijinks for a while. We continue playing the perfect children, with no sabotage, agreed?"

They agreed and we played it cool. It was Thursday when the truth came out. I heard it from both sides at nearly the same time.

Dad's announcement was first. He was flying down, and we were going to court the next day. He didn't say much in his email, except to tell us to be good, and that he had a new lawyer and things might be different. It sounded good, but I wasn't going to get my hopes up. At least he was doing something. That was a pleasant change.

Mom made dinner that night and hit us with the news. "You won't be going to school tomorrow. We're going back to family court. Your father is causing trouble again. You children need to be on your best behavior. You've been nothing but a pain in my ass for the last few months. This is your last chance. Play right, and we can let your antics in the past slide, but don't mess with me. I won't have it."

"Why are we going?" I asked. "The last time we weren't even allowed in the room with you guys?"

Amazingly, I think she was honest with us. "I don't know, but I was told you need to be there. You will be on your best behavior. Screw around with me anymore, and you all are going to boarding school, a different one for each of you. We'll see if they can't straighten you out."

Admittedly, that put a damper on dinner. I knew she was serious. She couldn't let Dad win, not at any cost. She'd rather send us away than let us be with him. She really was a Momster.

I turned to my sister. "Jenna, why don't you and Tommy take your dinner into the living room. Mom and I need to talk."

"Traci...," Jenna started.

"Please, Jenna?"

She heaved a big theatrical sigh, but a minute later Mom and I were alone. She was sipping her drink, smirking, watching me.

"You know what, Jessie? You were a pretty good Mom for a long time. Not great, but not horrible. You were doing a crappy job for the last year before things blew up when Dad found out you were a cheating slut."

Mom's face turned crimson. "You won't talk to me like that! I'm still—"

"The worst Mom in America, and a cheating, lying, cruel slut? Was that what you were going to say, Jessie? Cause it's true you know."

"You don't know what you're talking about. You have no idea what a marriage is like. You think you're so smart, but you're only thirteen. You've never had to have a job, raise kids, put up with a loser husband. You think I'm the worst? How'd you like to live on the street, homeless, hungry, cold, and scared? What if I put my cigarettes out on your arm, or really did beat you like you'd have everyone believe. What if I sold your precious virginity to a bum off the street for a case of beer? What do you know about bad Moms? I'm fucking Susie Homemaker compared to what I could be, and you'd be wise to remember that."

I got up and walked over to grab her wine bottle, before taking it back to my seat. "And you'd be wise to remember that your precious job is too important for you to really fuck up. If things were to get ugly, I might go to juvie for a few years, but my slate is wiped clean when I turn eighteen. You would go to a real jail, and never work at anything better than minimum wage again. So don't get in a pissing match with me Mom, cause you'll lose. I'm not Dad." I took a long sip of my wine. It still tasted pretty crappy, but I was making a point. "Honestly, I'm about ten seconds away from beating the crap out of Jenna, and calling the police on you for more abuse. With three witnesses and your past history, you'd be doing hard time."

Mom looked surprised. "When did you become such a monster?" she said.

I grinned. "I had a great role model. It's not a title I craved, but I'll wear it proudly, just for you."

~ * ~ * ~

Peter

Thomas Myers, aka Santa Lawyer was right. Dumping my old lawyer and working with the big league guys made a hell of a difference.

We spent a couple of hours organizing and collating the information I was supposed to get about schools, living arrangements, hours worked, etc. Then they presented the information they had on what my evil ex and the kids had been up to. It sounded devastating, but I still had no faith in the legal system. Once burned, twice shy, and all that.

We had lunch which might have been a mistake. My stomach was in knots when we entered the conference room where the meeting with the family court judge was to be held.

I was pleased to see the kids there, and they were up out of their seats, running to me and hugging me so hard I thought they'd break something. They were dressed nice, tamely in Jenna's case. They looked so good it brought a tear to my eye. I looked up and saw that Jessie was glaring at me. Same ol' Jessie. I also enjoyed watching her primping and smirking lawyer lose his smirk when he saw my new lawyer and his team enter behind me.

There was a subtle cough from across the room, and I was shocked to see a new judge entering the room, not the 73-year-old mint julep drinking curmudgeon from our previous bouts. I'd been told they rarely changed judges so this was a complete surprise.

"If you'll take your seats, I think we can take care of this rather quickly," the judge said.

I guess I could spend an hour gloating over how everything went, but that might seem excessive. Honestly, it was pretty straightforward.

Thomas, my lawyer, presented the case for an emergency change in supervision. The CPS lady in charge of our case spoke at length about the disaster that was my children's home. How my ex was never there, the calls they had, the amoral boyfriends, the abuse, the issues with the kids. My alcoholic, chain-smoking, porch igniting mother-in-law was presented as an unsuitable caretaker. I couldn't have agreed more.

Each of the kids was given a turn to speak. They made it clear that they thought their mother was a cruel, abusive monster, who punished them by keeping me away. They stated they wanted to be with me, Jenna breaking down in tears when she told her story, how she lied at the first meeting and hadn't known that her mother had been cheating on me forever. Traci was much less emotional, outlining the list of atrocities, being grounded forever, the beating of her sister, the abusive boyfriend, and seeing them having sex.

Then Santa Lawyer began, challenging the original findings, the lies about my wife's working hours, the issues with my being considered a danger to my own kids, my mother-in-law's lies about her daughter's role in my children's upbringing, all of it.

Jessie's lawyers rebuttal seemed almost comical. I began to wonder just how bad my original lawyer was, to let this little pissant ruin my life for a year.

The judge asked a few questions as we went along, but not all that many. He took a few notes, clarifying some things, before taking the final stage.

"I have to admit, it's a mystery to me how this ever happened. From all evidence I can see, Mister Wilkes was an excellent father and primary custodian during his marriage. An episode of sadness at his mother's death, at six years old no less, was grounds for finding him unsuitable, and restricting visitation? This is a complete farce." He was glaring at my wife's lawyer as he said this.

"It's always sad when one parent uses the children as a weapon in divorce. Using visitation as a punishment, and contriving to keep the father from his kids for four months after the divorce is an abomination. That alone should have been grounds enough to revisit this. Finding out that on top of that, we have an immoral, absentee mother, and poor supervision makes this decision easier than most."

"It has been proven to me that the children's best interests would be served by giving Mister Wilkes full and total custody of the three children."

My ex-wife appeared to be in shock as he continued, setting the child-support at nearly $1600 a month, along with continuing the alimony, and requiring that Jessie pay all legal expenses.

~*~*~*~

Traci

It was glorious, seeing all my plans and efforts coming to fruition. The Momster had gone down in flames, finally.

The judge was still talking, telling her how much she'd have to pay, including paying for a court-approved caretaker while we finished school for the year.

I leaned over and whispered to her. "I told you not to screw with me, Mom. Haven't you figured it out yet? I learned to be a vengeful bitch from you."

I wasn't expecting the result. She turned in her seat and slapped me across the face. In court. In front of the judge. I thought she was smarter than that. Of course, I cried like a little girl, I look like one after all. The guy in the gray uniform rushed over and knocked over her lawyer before taking Mom to the ground, handcuffing her.

Then Dad was there, holding me, brushing my tears away, and apologizing for letting things get out of hand. Still being Dad, I guess. Taking the blame. I'll admit, it was nice in his arms. I'd missed him.

The judge guy was very angry. Apparently he was also going to revisit the original division of assets. Something about selling the house, so Dad could buy a new one for us, and Mom having to help pay the mortgage until we were eighteen. I think that slap was going to get pretty expensive.