Chapter 17 - Mike and Molly
Mike’s relationship with Molly became formal after everything surfaced.
Rebecca filed for a court-established support order and parenting schedule.
Why now?
Because secrecy had ended.
She wanted no more informal arrangements dependent on Mike’s mood or relationships.
Good.
Mike agreed to paternity.
The existing DNA result was accepted appropriately or new court testing confirmed.
Support was calculated based on income.
Arrears?
Not enormous because Mike had been paying voluntarily, though records required reconciliation.
He received regular parenting time.
Molly did not lose her father because he had lied to adults.
But she gained something Daniel had never had.
Truth about where she fit.
No more being the child Mike could not mention in half his life.
Rebecca told me Molly once asked:
“Does Daddy have two houses now?”
Rebecca answered:
“Daddy has his house. You have mine.”
Simple.
Then:
“Does he have another baby?”
“Yes.”
“And Daniel?”
“Daniel is someone Daddy helped raise.”
Molly said:
“That’s a lot.”
Exactly.
Daniel met Molly after several months.
Neutral park.
Mike not present for the first meeting because both mothers thought the children deserved a relationship unburdened by his explanation.
Daniel brought a soccer ball.
Molly brought sidewalk chalk.
She stared at him.
“You’re tall.”
“You’re little.”
Excellent beginning.
Then:
“Did you find me on Dad’s tablet?”
Daniel looked at me.
I nodded.
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“I saw you too.”
He froze.
“What?”
Apparently Mike had shown Molly old Disney photographs of Daniel.
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Children had been made secrets from each other while both knew shadows existed.
That broke my heart more quietly than the affair.
