Chapter 6 - Derrick’s Missing Weekends
Attorney Simone Price did not flatter Derrick.
He appreciated that until she started asking questions.
“How many parenting days have you missed in the last twelve months?”
“Missed or rescheduled?”
“Both.”
Derrick shifted in his chair.
“Maybe eight.”
“Eight days?”
“Eight exchanges.”
“That could mean more than eight days.”
“Probably twelve total.”
“Why?”
“Work.”
“What do you do?”
“Facilities supervisor at a hospital campus.”
“Emergency coverage?”
“Sometimes.”
“Could you refuse?”
“Sometimes.”
“Did you?”
Derrick’s jaw tightened.
“Not always.”
Simone wrote something down.
He hated the movement of her pen.
“My son was physically disciplined by his mother’s boyfriend and you’re asking about my overtime?”
“I’m asking what the other side will ask.”
“Aisha admitted Terrence did it.”
“Good. That matters. So does your credibility if you ask the court to change parenting time.”
Derrick leaned back.
“I’m not trying to erase his mother.”
“Then don’t behave like you are.”
He exhaled.
“What can I do tonight?”
“Keep Malik safe. Document the disclosure. Avoid leading questions. Preserve school records and messages. If a mandated reporter makes a report, cooperate.”
“Can I keep him?”
“You can act reasonably in an emergency, but you do not have unilateral power to permanently alter the schedule. We can seek a temporary modification.”
Derrick stared at the custody order on her desk.
“What about Terrence?”
“We can ask for an order prohibiting corporal punishment by nonparents and possibly limiting unsupervised contact depending on facts.”
“Possibly?”
“The law deals in evidence, Derrick, not fury.”
He looked away.
She softened slightly.
“Your anger makes sense. But courts care about what protects Malik going forward.”
Derrick nodded.
Simone turned her laptop toward him.
“Now tell me about these schedule changes.”
He showed her photographs of the marked calendar and screenshots from the school portal.
She raised an eyebrow.
“Did Aisha authorize Terrence to manage communications?”
“She says not like this.”
“Do you believe her?”
“I don’t know what I believe.”
“That’s not a legal answer. It’s an emotional one.”
“She let him discipline Malik.”
“Yes.”
“She knew he grabbed him before.”
“That’s more significant.”
Derrick rubbed his face.
Simone pointed to the calendar.
“You also need to own your part. Terrence appears to have exploited a real vulnerability.”
“What?”
“Your inconsistency.”
Derrick bristled.
“I provide for my son.”
“I didn’t say you don’t.”
“I call every day.”
“Good.”
“I pay support on time.”
“Good.”
“I coach basketball in the spring.”
“Good.”
Simone folded her hands.
“But every time you changed a weekend, somebody else had to absorb that change.”
“Aisha.”
“Yes.”
He looked at the floor.
“And eventually Terrence.”
The words disgusted him.
Simone continued.
“That doesn’t give Terrence parental authority. It does explain how he may have gained functional influence.”
Derrick thought about Malik saying, Mom says Terrence is strict but he’s helping.
“Can I fix it?”
“You can become more reliable. That helps legally and, more importantly, personally.”
Derrick left with a plan and a bruise to his pride.
That evening Malik sat at the dining table doing multiplication.
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you mad at Mom?”
Derrick paused.
“Yes.”
“Are you gonna take me from her?”
He stared at his son.
“Why would you ask that?”
“Terrence said dads who get mad in court try to take kids.”
Derrick’s chest tightened.
“When did he say that?”
“After you missed my science night.”
There it was again.
A real disappointment turned into a weapon.
Derrick sat beside Malik.
“I’m going to make sure you’re safe. That doesn’t mean I want you to stop loving your mom.”
Malik nodded.
“Do you still love Mom?”
Derrick almost laughed.
Children asked impossible questions with complete sincerity.
“I care about her because she’s your mother.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“No,” Derrick said gently. “It isn’t.”
Malik returned to his worksheet.
After bedtime, Derrick opened his work calendar.
He counted every exchange he had changed.
Fourteen nights.
More than he told Simone.
Two were emergencies.
Five were voluntary overtime.
Three were because he had assumed Aisha could handle it.
Four he had forgotten were connected to school holidays.
Derrick stared at the number.
His phone rang.
Simone.
“The court set an emergency conference for Monday.”
“That fast?”
“Because there’s a child safety allegation.”
Derrick stood.
“What else?”
“Aisha retained counsel.”
He expected that.
But Simone was silent.
“Who?”
“Not the issue.”
“What’s the issue?”
“Her lawyer says Aisha is willing to agree Terrence should not physically discipline Malik.”
Relief should have come.
It didn’t.
“Then why the conference?”
“Because she is also asking the court to address your repeated schedule violations.”
Derrick’s eyes closed.
Terrence had crossed the line.
Aisha had failed to stop him.
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