Personal Chef

Chapter 80

Shawn's knee was bouncing up and down as we sat in the back seat headed to a Los Angeles County courthouse for the child custody hearing. Andrew was in the front with the driver and I was sitting next to Shawn, holding his hand as I tried to calm him down. I was breaking inside knowing he was so anxious, but I fought to maintain a cool demeanor.

"It should be quick," Andrew said, turning around. "I think each of their lawyers will question you and then you'll be free to go."

Shawn just nodded.

"When it's done, we're celebrating the end of all this Kat bullshit," I said.

"Fuck yes," he muttered as he stared out the window and the crazy California traffic.

It was strange to think that for a brief period this had been his home and that he'd thought he was starting a life with his baby here. It was also strange that this was where we'd acknowledged that there was something between us and where we'd shared our first kiss. It felt so foreign and uninviting right now.

The car pulled in front of the ugly gray utilitarian building and I immediately spotted a small crowd of photographers. It was like when you see a bunch of vultures on the side of the road gathered around a carcass.

Two days before, news broke about the custody hearing. Andrew suspected that Kat leaked the story to garner sympathy for her side of the fight. Pictures of Kat holding baby Jayce were all over the Internet with articles saying that Coulson Reyes was trying to take him from her. Coulson refused to comment, which I thought was wise.

"Goddamnit! I should have hired security," Andrew said. "Here's what we're going to do. Chelsea, you'll be on one side of Shawn and I'll be on the other. We're going to head straight for the door as fast as we can. Do not make eye contact with anyone and don't respond to any questions."

We got out of the car and followed Andrew's plan. The vultures, or rather paparazzi, descended on us and started taking pictures while shouting questions.

"Shawn! Are you here to support Kat Adams?"

"Is there bad blood between you and Kat after what happened?"

"How does your wife feel about all this? Does she hate Kat given your history?"

"Who do you think should get custody?"

"Shawn, is it true Kat tricked you into thinking the baby was yours?"

We were holding hands, and when the last question was asked, Shawn squeezed mine tightly.

Once we got through the doors, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. When we got through security at the courthouse entrance, we checked in at a desk and were told to go sit outside of Family Court Room 9. Shawn would be called in when he was needed.

We took seats on the wooden benches and sat there in silence, as Shawn and I held hands. About forty-five minutes later, a court officer stepped out of the closed door.

"Shawn Mendes?" she said.

Shawn stood and looked at me. I gave him a smile which he tried to return before going into the room.

Andrew turned to me and said, "He'll be fine. I spoke with a lawyer and the questions they are asking will be fairly straightforward. I'm going to call a security company to see if someone can meet us here, since it could be worse when we leave. No doubt more of them will show up now that they know Shawn is here."

He got up and walked down the hall to make the phone call. I opened my phone and was greeted by a barrage of pictures and blurbs of the scene outside the courthouse less than an hour ago. I had to laugh at how angry I looked. No one fucked with my husband if I could help it.