Pregnant By My Ex-Boyfriend's Father의 모든 챕터: 챕터 121 - 챕터 130

January. Week eight back at work.Henderson trial was three weeks away.Pre-trial motions filed. Discovery complete. Witness prep starting.David had me handling half the witnesses. Four depositions scheduled.This week alone.It was exactly what I'd wanted. Real work. Trial work. Partnership-track work.It was also impossible.---Monday morning. 6 AM.Evie woke up screaming. Not hungry-crying. Pain-crying.I ran to her room. Picked her up.She was burning up."Marcus!" I yelled.He appeared. Groggy. "What's wrong?""She has a fever. Feel her."He touched her forehead. "That's high. Get the thermometer."I grabbed it. Under her arm. Digital reading.101.8°F."Shit," Marcus said. "That's too high for daycare.""What's the cutoff?""100.4. Anything over, they send kids home.""So she can't go today?""No."We stared at ea

February. Two months into the new schedule.It was working.Not perfectly. But working.I left the office at 5:30 PM every day. Home by 6:30. Dinner with Evie and Marcus.Bedtime routine. Adult time. Sleep by 10 PM.Repeat.Boring. Predictable. Sustainable.---Evie was seven months old now. Five months adjusted.Thirteen pounds, eight ounces. Growing steadily.Sitting unassisted. Babbling constantly. Eating solid foods.Well, attempting solid foods. Mostly wearing them."Mama," she said regularly now. Her favorite word.Still no "dada." Marcus pretended not to care.But he definitely cared."Say dada," he'd encourage every night. "Da-da. Come on."She'd smile. Say "mama."He'd sigh dramatically. "Your daughter hates me.""She doesn't hate you. She just loves me more.""Not helpful."---Thursday evening. Dinner time.Evie in her h

Week three. Morrison trial started Monday.I was ready. Prepared. Terrified.David had drilled me relentlessly. Opening statement. Witness order. Objections. Strategy."You good?" he asked Sunday night. Final prep call."I'm good.""You sound nervous.""I am nervous. First trial in six months.""You'll be fine. Just remember: we control the narrative. They react to us.""Got it.""See you at 7 AM. Courthouse. Don't be late."He hung up.I sat in the nursery. Watching Evie sleep.Eight months old. Peacefully unaware her mother was about to spend a week in court.Marcus appeared in the doorway."You should sleep.""Can't. Too wired.""Come to bed anyway. Lying down counts."I kissed Evie's forehead. Whispered, "Mama's got a big week. Be good for Daddy."She didn't stir.---Monday. 6 AM.I was dressed. Suit. Heels. Hair perfect. Makeup prof

April. Three weeks into appellate work.I was adjusting. Slowly.The work was different. Entirely different.No courtroom. No juries. No cross-examinations.Just research. Writing. Deadlines measured in weeks not hours.Boring. Predictable. Sustainable.Exactly what I'd asked for.So why did I feel so... empty?---Monday morning. 8 AM.I sat at my desk. Reading a circuit court opinion.Dense. Technical. Important for the brief I was writing.Also mind-numbingly dull.My phone buzzed. Text from Marcus."Evie took three steps this morning. WALKING!"Video attached. Evie standing. Wobbling. Three tiny steps. Then sitting down hard.My heart stopped.Her first steps.And I'd missed them.Because I was reading a circuit court opinion on administrative procedure.I watched the video five times.She was walking. My eight-month-old daug

June. Two months into partnership limbo.The committee hadn't decided yet.Walter said they were "deliberating." Considering the precedent. Discussing implications.Translation: debating whether a part-time partner was worth the trouble.I tried not to think about it.Mostly failed.---Evie was ten months old. Eight months adjusted.Walking everywhere. Running, really. Toddling at speed.She'd discovered climbing. Everything. Couch. Chairs. Coffee table."We need to bolt the furniture to the walls," Marcus said one Saturday."Already ordered the straps.""When did you become the safety-conscious parent?""When our daughter became a mountaineer."Evie climbed onto the couch. Stood up. Proud."Look, Mama! Look!"Well, not actual words. But the intent was clear."I see you, baby girl. Please don't fall."She jumped. Landed on the cushion. Laughed maniacally.