Chapter 7 - Thomas Vale
I expected to hate Thomas.
In divorce stories, stepfathers are convenient villains.
Thomas disappointed me.
He was reasonable.
Thirty-nine.
Civil engineer.
Married Caroline eighteen months.
No history of interfering with my relationship with Odelia.
He called me personally.
“Leander.”
“What?”
“I didn’t know about Morwenna’s recordings until Caroline told me.”
“Did you know about the relocation filing?”
“Yes.”
“Did you support it?”
“Yes.”
At least honest.
“Why?”
“Because my job is moving, Caroline wants to come, and she believes Odelia can have a good life with us.”
“That doesn’t mean she should leave me.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
He sighed.
“I’m not going to pretend this isn’t a conflict.”
Good.
“Did you want evidence she was miserable with me?”
“No.”
“Did Caroline?”
“You should ask her.”
“I did.”
Then Thomas said:
“I’ve watched some of the videos now.”
I stiffened.
“Why?”
“Caroline showed me after learning the context.”
“And?”
“They look different when you know what came before.”
Exactly.
He continued:
“I told her I don’t want our relocation case built on this.”
That surprised me.
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because whatever happens with custody, I’m going to be in Odelia’s life if Caroline and I stay married. I don’t want her thinking I helped scare her away from her father.”
There.
Thomas and I never became friends.
May you like
But from that call onward, I stopped assigning him motives for convenience.
Caroline and Morwenna were enough complexity.
