Drown #13: the story we tell, part 5.1

August 2086. Stephanie Nova and Justin Kim are 26. Willow is 5, Lily is 4, Benji is 9 days old. 



At less than two weeks postpartum, Stephanie was advised against any attempt to make the four-hour car ride to Lakeside Heights herself. But someone had to bring Willow down to meet Jeremiah for his visitation. Stephanie was still bleeding and tender from the labor, and she was sure the baby wouldn't have loved the trip, either. Stephanie's parents had volunteered, but she knew that Justin had to be the one to do it.


"Are you sure you'll be okay here?" Justin asked.

"I have to be, because I need you to be with her. My parents don’t understand what he’s capable of like you do."

"I won’t let her out of my sight," Justin said. "I promise."

—

Stephanie woke up the next morning with a deep pit of gloom in her stomach. It was never going to be a great day. At best, it would be something she endured because she was legally obligated to. She didn't look forward to it and she didn't have much hope that it would be for the best. It would just be something that they all got used to. Willow could not divorce her father, after all.


Stephanie's mother called early with her concerns. "Should we come up and sit with you? I don't know if you should be on your own with Lily and a newborn all day. How will you rest?"

"I'll sleep when the baby sleeps," Stephanie said.

She had not slept all night, but that was because of nerves, not the baby.

"It's okay, Mom. It's just one day. They should be back by dinnertime."


Stephanie got dressed and stepped outside for a minute to breathe the dewy morning air and feed the birds.


Even the birds had it in for her today.


She made a special breakfast to send them off.

Stephanie tried not to let her worries show. She had no hopes that Jeremiah would surprise them all and turn out to be an amazing father. But, if nothing else, Stephanie knew that Willow was braver and stronger than she ever was. And that would serve her well.


"Do you want to ask me any questions about today?"

"Yeah," Willow said, "Is there gonna be cotton candy? Or maybe popcorn?"

"Do you want to bring some with you, just in case there's not?"

"Good idea, Momma." Willow said. "I wanna be smart like you when I grow up."


Sweet, sweet girlie. She deserved everything that was good in the world. So Stephanie did have just one hope for today.

I hope that he’ll be nicer to you than he was to me.

—

footnotes: visitation day