Page 14 of Last Wish Wedding

Their eyes met in the dim light, and something shifted in the air between them, it carried something deep, a recognition, an understanding between two people who had known loss.

Kelsey’s heart thundered in her chest. A gust of cool evening air brought her back to herself. She stepped back.

“I should go,” Mac whispered, though he made no move to step away.

“Yes,” Kelsey agreed, equally motionless.

Finally, he took a step back and turned down the shore path.

She watched as his figure disappeared into the gathering dusk.

Chapter 6

Kelsey’s hands shook as she set her phone down on the kitchen counter. The afternoon sun streamed through the window, catching dust motes in its beam, but she felt cold despite the warmth.

“Ms. York?” Her attorney’s voice continued from the speaker. “Are you still there?”

“Yes.” The word came out barely above a whisper. She cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m here.”

“As I was saying, Maine law is very specific about grandparent rights. They would need to prove an existing relationship with Noah, which from what you’ve told me...”

“They see him every other month for a weekend.” Kelsey pressed her palms flat against the counter to steady herself. “Noah tells me the last time he was there, he barely saw his grandmother.”

“That works in our favor. And Jason Prescott, he’s David’s brother?”

“Yes.” The memory of Jason at David’s funeral surfaced—standing stiffly beside his mother, not even looking at her. “He does plan activities with Noah, but it’s things like a business meeting over golf, and Noah’s his caddy. Noah tells me he spends most of his time with Jason’s wife Jennifer, or with the staff instead of with his uncle.”

“His involvement in this suit is peripheral at best. It would be Margaret Prescott who’d need to prove standing.”

Kelsey sank into a kitchen chair, the familiar scrape of wood on linoleum grounding her somehow. “David used to tell me stories about how his father would make problems… disappear. About judges who suddenly ruled in their favor despite all indications. Businesses that mysteriously failed after crossing them.”

“Ms. York, Kelsey, those kinds of tactics don’t work as well as they used to. Especially in family court. Everything’s too public, too scrutinized.”

Her eyes drifted to Noah’s school picture on the fridge. His father’s smile, his father’s eyes. “They’re going to say I can’t provide for him. That I work too much, that I can’t care for him adequately.”

“You’re a nurse practitioner with a stable income. Noah’s in school, he’s healthy, he’s well-adjusted. There’s nothing here that suggests unfitness.”

“But they have money.” Her voice cracked. “So much money.”

“Money isn’t everything in these cases. The courts look at the child’s best interest, and uprooting a child from their only remaining parent to place them with virtual strangers even for partial custody is a stretch.” Papers rustled over the line. “You’ve been cooperative with the visitations so far, so that’s also in your favor. It would take extraordinary circumstances for them to be granted custody.”

Kelsey wiped her eyes, forcing herself upright. There would be time to grieve, but not now. “David never wanted them involved. He said his mother only knew how to love things she could control. But for Noah’s sake, I tried. I’ve documented every visit, every call, every excuse they made not to see him.”

“Good,” her lawyer said. “Keep it up. Save everything. And Kelsey—”

“I will,” she cut in, her voice steadier. “If they want a fight, I’ll give them one.”

She pressed her phone to her ear, mentally composing a list of details and allies to contact. There was power in action. She would not sit in this kitchen and simply wait for her son to be taken from her.

“That’s good, but don’t let them provoke you. That’s probably what they’re hoping for.”

“They have asked for him to spend spring break with them.”

There was silence for a moment on the line. “Maybe that’s all they are looking for, a chance to spend more time with him? And get to know him a bit more? If you let it happen, maybe they will stand down on the full custody.”

“I don’t know. I don’t trust it.”

“It may make this whole thing go away, if you allowed additional visits as an alternative to any custody rights. It might be something to consider. Think about it, and we can talk again.” With that, her attorney ended the call.