Chapter 9 - THE PETITION THAT CAME BACK
Three years after the hot-car incident, another petition arrived.
Alio almost laughed when Victor carried it into his office.
“What now?”
“Grandparent visitation.”
Arthur Halver.
Elise’s father.
He had barely seen Tommy since Cassandra’s case.
Now he wanted regular access.
Alio’s first instinct:
No.
Then he stopped.
Asked Tommy’s therapist.
Asked family counsel.
Asked himself whether he was rejecting Arthur because he was unsafe—
or because Arthur had insulted him outside court.
Annoying distinction.
Arthur had not endangered Tommy.
He had defended Cassandra longer than Alio liked.
But grief distorted him too.
Eventually mediation created supervised visits.
Then unsupervised afternoons after months of stability.
Tommy gained a grandfather.
Not perfect.
Still family.
One afternoon Arthur brought old videos of Elise as a child.
Tommy watched his mother running through sprinklers at age six.
Then looked at Alio.
“That’s Mommy?”
“Yes.”
“She runs funny.”
Arthur laughed.
Alio did too.
For the first time, they shared something instead of fighting over it.
Later Arthur said:
“You’re a better father than I thought you’d be.”
Alio looked at him.
“That may be the worst compliment I’ve received.”
Arthur almost smiled.
“Take it.”
“Fine.”
Yolanda finished nursing school that year.
Graduation.
Mercy screamed louder than anyone.
Alio attended with Tommy sitting on his shoulders.
Yolanda saw them from the stage.
Three years earlier she had been cleaning floors in his house.
Now she had an RN badge waiting.
Afterward Alio offered flowers.
Reasonably priced.
She inspected them.
“Under the limit?”
“Yes.”
“You’re learning.”
Mercy interrupted.
“Are you going to marry Mama?”
Yolanda nearly dropped the flowers.
Alio froze.
Tommy shouted:
“Marry!”
Children.
No restraint.
Yolanda looked at Alio.
He looked back.
“Not today.”
Mercy frowned.
“Why?”
Yolanda answered:
“Because adults make decisions slowly.”
Mercy looked disgusted.
“You’re both old.”
Fair.
The question remained.
Alio thought about it.
Did not buy a ring.
That was progress too.
He talked to Yolanda first.
Months later.
At her apartment.
Mercy asleep.
Tommy with Mrs. Ariyaga.
“I want to marry you.”
Yolanda stared.
“That sounds like a statement.”
“Yes.”
“Try again.”
Alio sighed.
“Would you ever want to marry me?”
Better.
Yolanda thought for a long time.
“Maybe.”
Alio smiled.
“Maybe is not terrible.”
“No.”
“What would you need?”
“My career stays mine.”
“Yes.”
“Mercy stays Mercy Praau.”
“Yes.”
“No adoption conversation unless she brings it up when she’s older.”
“Yes.”
“Tommy never gets taught I replaced Elise.”
His face softened.
“Yes.”
“And I keep my own money.”
“Yes.”
“Prenup.”
“Yes.”
“You’re agreeing too fast.”
“I have an attorney addiction.”
She laughed.
Then:
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“If we marry, I do not become responsible for making you good.”
Alio went still.
“You change because you choose it.”
“Yes.”
“Not because I’m watching.”
“Yes.”
“And if we stop working someday, you don't get to say I ruined you.”
“No.”
Yolanda smiled.
“Then maybe can become yes.”
May you like
Six months later, it did.
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