The days after the hearing passed slowly.
I kept our routine as normal as possible.
Nolan went to school.
I looked for work.
I handled the bills that needed attention.
And every evening, I made sure we had time to sit together.
Sometimes we talked.
Sometimes we didn't.
I had learned that children didn't always explain what they were feeling.
Sometimes they simply needed someone nearby.
One afternoon, Nolan came home carrying his schoolbag.
He placed it beside the table.
Then he looked at me.
"Mom, are we still going to court again?"
I put down what I was holding.
"There's still a custody matter to resolve, sweetheart."
He looked worried.
"Does that mean Dad can take me away?"
I knelt beside him.
"I can't promise you exactly what will happen, but I will always do everything I can to protect you."
He nodded.
I could tell he wanted a simpler answer.
So did I.
That evening, I checked the blue shirt.
It was clean.
The little moon was still stitched above the pocket.
I folded it carefully and placed it in his drawer.
I didn't want that photograph to become the way Nolan remembered his favorite shirt.
It was a birthday present.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
But I couldn't forget what had happened in the courtroom.
I remembered Grant's expression when Nolan spoke.
I remembered Carroway lowering the photograph.
And I remembered the judge refusing to treat one picture as the whole truth.
Those moments gave me strength.
Still, I knew that strength alone wouldn't solve everything.
I needed to keep rebuilding our lives.
I needed to find work.
I needed to make sure Nolan felt safe.
Most importantly, I needed to stop allowing Grant's wealth to determine how I saw myself.
That was harder than I expected.
Click here to continue reading: PART 18: The Expensive Watch No Longer Frightened Me Because I Had Finally Remembered What My Son Was Worth
The Photograph That Made Me Question Everything I Had Done to Keep My Little Boy Safe
Part 17 of 20
