Chapter 17 - An Unexpected Visitor
A month after the divorce was finalized, business at my apartment was interrupted by a sharp knock on the front door. It was a Tuesday evening, and my kids were back with Lauren for her week of custody.
I opened the door, expecting a package delivery.
Instead, Andrew stood on the welcome mat. He wasn't wearing his federal suit or his casual hoodie; he wore a simple navy button-down shirt and slacks, looking calm and collected as always.
"Andrew," I said, my voice tightening involuntarily. "What are you doing here?"
"May I come in?" he asked politely.
I hesitated for a second, then stepped aside, holding the door open. "Yeah. Sure. Come on in."
Andrew walked into the sparsely furnished living room, taking a quick survey of the minimalist space before turning to face me. "You've made some adjustments, I see."
"It's temporary," I replied defensively, crossing my arms over my chest. "Look, if you're here to gloat about winning Lauren and the kids, you can save your breath. I know I lost them. I earned every bit of this."
"I'm not here to gloat, James," Andrew said smoothly, sliding his hands into his pockets. "In fact, I'm here to talk about Lauren."
"What about her?"
"She's struggling," Andrew said, his tone dropping its professional detachment and turning genuinely concerned. "Not because she misses you—don't misunderstand—but because the stress of rebuilding her professional life while managing the kids' emotional transition is taking a massive toll on her. She's working late hours at her accounting firm, trying to prove she can handle everything on her own without asking for help."
"She was always like that," I muttered bitterly. "She never asked for help from anyone."
"Which is why I'm here," Andrew continued. "She would never ask you for assistance because she's afraid it will complicate your co-parenting dynamic. But the kids need stability, and Lauren needs someone to pick them up from soccer practice on Thursday evenings while she finishes her audit reviews."
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I stared at him in disbelief. "You came here to ask me to help your girlfriend take care of my own kids?"
"I came here because I respect your role as their father, and because putting the kids first means swallowing our mutual history," Andrew replied evenly. "Do you want to help Lauren, or do your own bruised ego and past mistakes still take priority?"
