That's My Baby: Season Three

Lawyers & A Date

I never expected myself to be dressed in a tight black pencil skirt in large office that wasn't for a job, but for a meeting with fancy lawyers. Daniel and Jack both dressed in suits along with the lawyers. They look good.

I sit quietly as the two lawyers talk back and forth with Daniel and Jack bickering along side them. I let them handle this, I don't care for this.

"Mrs. Seavey, my client wants to give you the child support you will need to raise Harper, how much are you looking into getting?" Jack's lawyer acknowledges my presence for the first time since we sat down.

"I don't want any" I look to Daniel, who's sitting beside me, with his lawyer on the other side

"Mrs. Seavey, you haven't had a job, in.." He looks down at his papers. "Three years-"

"Don't talk to my wife in a tone like that. She's a stay at home mom, she's free to get a job if she likes but with my job, she'd prefer to stay at home with the kids" I mean, I never said that, but I'm all for staying at home with the kids until they're off to school

"My apologies, my client just wants to make sure his daughter is well taken care of when she isn't in his care" My eyes shoot to Jack, does he not think I've been taking good enough care of Harper?

"Y/n is the best mother out there, I can assure you that Harper is well taken care of" Daniel places a hand on my knee, helping with the anxiety

"Jack wants Harper 50 percent of the time unless work comes up, then Y/n takes care of her until he's back, correct?" Daniel's lawyer speaks

"Yes" Jack states

"Is that okay with you?" Daniel looks over to me, making sure I get what I want from this, but personally, I don't know what I want, so I nod in agreement

"We'll have her for four days, then Jack can have her for the next four. Sound good?" Daniel looks at Jack and Jack nods

"So it's settled then. No child support is needed and time is split to 50 percent each. Anything else needed to be discussed?"

"No"

Slowly but surely we all start to gather our things when Daniel's lawyer starts sifting through papers in his brown leather briefcase.

"Daniel, did you still want to-" He pulls out a small stack of papers

"No" Daniel's voice is cold

Before the lawyer gets a chance to hide the papers away, my eyes get to glance at the bold words written at the top. My heart aches as my body shivers with numbness. I have to blink quickly and look away to avoid letting tears fall.

Divorce papers.

I scurry out of the room as my body begs for fresh air. My legs hurry, just a few feet from the door when a hand grabs my wrist. I sigh as I spin around, assuming it's Daniel but my eyes meet Jack.

"Can I drive you home?" Jack says in a hushed tone

I look behind Jack, seeing Daniel walking down the long hallway with his hands in his dress pants pockets. His eyes are on me and he lightly nods his head. He must imagine Jack and I have things to talk about but I don't really think we do.

"Yeah, sure"

I give Daniel a convincing smile and walk out the lawyers office with Jack. He opens the passenger side door for me and I slide in the ease.

The drive is silent for a moment, until I realize we aren't going towards our street.

"Where are we going?" I shift lightly in my seat to be able to look at Jack

"I figured we could get some lunch. I know you're hungry, you only pick at your nails when you're hungry" I look down at my hands in my lap and sure enough, I'm picking at my nails, and I'm starving. I can't help but wonder if Daniel notices these things too.

I nod and Jack pulls the car over to a fancy restaurant and I can't help but laugh, thinking Jack planned this since we're both dressed nice enough to actually go inside.

~

Jack pulls out my chair for me before sitting across from me. He orders us a bottle of wine before I let him order our meals. He orders exactly what I would've for myself.

Jack nervously picks at his food before placing down his fork and wiping the corners of his mouth with his napkin.

"I do hope you know.." He starts, so I place down my fork so he knows he has my full attention. "That I didn't want to get lawyers involved. It was my moms idea"

"Kristin?" I don't hide the surprise in my voice

"Yeah... Kristin.." He whispers his mother's name as if it's a curse word he's not allowed to say

"I'm okay with how we settled things, I want you to have equal time with Harper, so I get it, I understand where your mom was coming from" I give Jack an encouraging smile but I don't think he's having it. His eye brows squish together and his mouth forms a slight frown

"I'm not okay with it. We can still raise her together-"

"And how's the lovely couple?" Our waiter comes to the table as my jaw drops slightly open

"Oh, we're not-"

"She's not my-"

"I'm married"

"Does your husband know you're on a date?" This waiter has some nerve

"I'm her husbands best friend" Jack chuckles but his words don't help

"Oh- Uh-" The waiter jogs off with red cheeks

Jack and I burst into a fit of laughter until I abruptly stop as Jack's hand grabs ahold of mine

"This could be a date, you know?" Jack's voice lowers

"Jack, you know we can't" I pull my hand away

"When was the last time Daniel took you on a date?"

"Um-"

"Exactly. Call this our first date"

After an awkward moment of silence, Jack and I over all have a nice time. When he drives me back to my house, he rests his hand on my thigh and I let him. I feel guilty until I remember the divorce papers.

When Jack pulls into the driveway, Daniel is standing outside, leaning on the front door.

"Where the hell were you?" Daniel walks across the grass, getting in Jack's face

"Daniel"

"No, don't 'Daniel' me. You've been gone for three hours with him. I've controlled my anger towards him for long enough"

"We went out for lunch" Jack doesn't back away as Daniel gets closer and closer to him

"I can't do this anymore, Y/n. It's either him or me, you don't get both" Daniel looks at me for a split second before focusing back on Jack

"Don't give her an ultimatum. You know she'll choose me" Jack plasters a smirk across his face.

"I'm not choosing" I shake my head and Daniel balls his fists

"Go on, tell him you'll pick me" Daniel pushes Jack into the side of his car

"Y/n, please just pick him. I know I was never good to you and I know you deserve more than I've given you. It's okay, you can choose him" Daniel voice is soft, seeming like he knows the outcome.

Daniel backs away from Jack, he gives me a soft smile before he turns himself around and walks inside.

I watch in awe as my husband shuts the door and I question if I should chase after him or not.