Chapter 160
Brainstorming with Lucian 2
Clam
Brainstorming with Lucian-2
“He doesn’t think of it as
“I know he doesn’t,” I said. “That’s what I said about my mother with the grocery shopping and the hospital visits. I know they don’t think of it as a burden but something they want to do. But I’m not just managing their experience of it. I’m managing my own experience of what I’ve needed from everyone.” I paused. “I need this one to be mine for a while longer. My research, my call, my understanding of what I’m facing. Before I hand it to someone else’s competence.
Lucian looked at me steadily and nodded his head.
“That makes sense, it was the same way I felt when I had Lake. I was told to give him up, that a woman was more suitable, that he would cramp my lifestyle and a single father wasn’t what ladies were looking for. It’s not the same, but the same feeling is present. ” he said.
“You don’t think I should wait,” I said. It wasn’t a question-I could hear the thing underneath his agreement
“I think waiting has costs,” he said. “Time is relevant in custody matters. If Logan is making legal inquiries, or has his lawyers already up to date about the whole thing, then the whole thing is shifting while you’re gathering information p>
He paused. “I’m not telling you to rush. I’m telling you what I know, which is that the window for certain approaches narrows over time p>
“I know,” I said.
“But you’re not ready,” he said.
“I’m almost ready,” I said. “I’m almost ready to bring Cameron in. I just-” I stopped. “I need to understand it first. I need to be able to say: here’s what I know, here’s what I think the path is, here’s where I need help. Rather than: here’s a problem, fix it p>
“The difference matters to you,” he said.
“The difference matters to me,” I confirmed.
He looked at the notes on my table. Then at me.
“Document everything,” he said. “The calls with Nick. The card. Keep records of the dates, the content. If he sends anything else, keep it. Build the evidence of ongoing attachment before you need it.” He paused. “That part you can do now, without a lawyer, without Cameron p>
“I’ve been keeping the card,” I said.
“Keep everything,” he said. “And Sedona-” He stopped, choosing. “The health documentation. Frank’s records. The treatment timeline, the marker trajectory. That’s the strongest part of your changed circumstances argument. Make sure you have complete copies. Make sure you have double of it, timestamped with dates. If you can get additional notes like the doctors notes on your case from the day you were admitted when things were not looking too good till the current checkup, this will help sway the judge as well because he would be seeing this from a complete different view”
“I do,” I said. “Frank gave me a full summary at the last appointment p>
13
Brainstorming with Lucian 2
“Good.” He nodded once, the nod of someone checking a task as complete. “Then you’re further along Than you think.
I looked at the notes.
The shape of what I was building which looked blurry when I was alone suddenly got clearer with him here.
“Thank you,” I said.
“You don’t have to thank me,” he said. “You would have gotten there yourself p>
“Slower,” I said.
“Probably,” he agreed.
He picked up the coffee cup he’d apparently brought from the coffee shop, which I’d only just noticed- he’d arrived with it and set it down and hadn’t mentioned it.
“Cameron,” I said.
He looked at me.
“Not yet,” I said. “But-” I paused. “Soon. I’ll tell him soon p>
“Okay,” he said.
“You can tell him-” I started.
“I won’t tell him anything,” he said. “It’s yours to tell p>
“I know,” I said. “I was going to say you can tell him I’m working on something. Not the what. Just that there’s a thing I’m working on.” I paused. “So he’s not caught completely off guard p>
Lucian considered this. “I can do that,” he said.
“In the way I tell Cameron things he needs to know without telling him things he doesn’t yet p>
“Yes,” I said. “In exactly that way p>
He nodded.
We sat in the kitchen, me reviewing what I had and Lucian helping me while drinking his coffee.
It was good coffee. I’ll give him that.
Claim
I thought about what Janet had said. Not impossible and how I had a chance
I thought about the card on my nightstand, that Nick had emailed with the help of Mrs Peterson and I had cherished it with the same way I cherished anything he gave me.
I thought about Nick’s voice on the phone, the way it had said Mom and how he wants to see me and be
with me.
.3
Brainstorming with Lucian 2
wasn’t waiting for December.
twas building towards something everyday that passed.
I was almost ready. Almost was not the same as not ready.
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Florence
A passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.