CHAPTER 17: THE FIRST COURT DATE
At the initial family court hearing, Grant arrived with two attorneys and the same navy suit he had worn at the party. He did not look at me. Our lawyers presented temporary proposals about the house, parenting arrangements, and financial disclosures. The judge was clear that allegations needed evidence and that June’s welfare came first. We requested safeguards around communication and financial decisions while the facts were examined. Grant’s attorney argued that he had been under stress and that the party was a misunderstanding. My lawyer did not argue about adjectives. She submitted the public announcement as described by witnesses, the disputed documents, and the pending lender inquiry. The court issued temporary orders preserving property and establishing structured parenting contact subject to further review. The details were not everything I wanted, but they gave us stability. Outside the courtroom, Grant approached me. “You could have handled this quietly,” he said. “I tried,” I answered. “For years.” He looked at the floor. I had once loved the man who could make a room laugh. Standing there, I wondered how many of those jokes had been at someone else’s expense. I did not ask him to explain himself. There would be opportunities for explanations under oath. I had a daughter waiting at home who needed dinner and a bedtime story.
