Temporary Win
796 Words
Chapter Nine
Kendrick thought winning custody would buy him peace.
It bought him two weeks.
The leak hit on a Tuesday at 6:42 a.m.
Daniel was at the kitchen table, eating cereal, when Kendrick’s phone exploded with notifications. Texts. Missed calls. News alerts.
LOCAL MOM IN EMBEZZLEMENT SCANDAL CHILD AT CENTER OF CUSTODY BATTLE
The article had screenshots.
Clara’s texts to Rig.
The invoices marked “Consulting Fee – Rig Enterprises.”
A cropped photo of Kendrick in the hospital lobby, clutching the envelope. Caption: Father fights for son he may not have fathered.
Daniel looked up. “Dad? Why is Mom’s name on the news?”
Kendrick shut his laptop too fast. The screen went black.
“Don’t worry about it, buddy. Go get your backpack. I’ll drive you to school.”
Daniel hesitated, then nodded. But he didn’t look away like he usually did when Kendrick said “don’t worry about it.” He looked scared.
At school drop-off, two other parents stared. One whispered into her phone as Kendrick walked past.
By noon, Cole was on the line.
“We need to file an emergency motion for a gag order,” Cole said. “This is a violation of the court’s order. Someone leaked sealed documents.”
“Someone with access,” Kendrick said. “Rig’s lawyer. Clara’s lawyer. Or Rig himself from jail.”
Cole was quiet for a second. “Jail phones are monitored, Kendrick.”
“Since when has Rig cared about rules?”
That afternoon, the school called.
Daniel had been pulled out of class.
“He asked to see the nurse,” the principal said, voice low. “He said his stomach hurt. But Kendrick… he’s asking about the article. Kids saw it on their phones.”
Kendrick was in the parking lot in twelve minutes.
Daniel was sitting on the edge of the nurse’s bed, hugging his knees. He didn’t cry when he saw Kendrick. He just said,
“Am I not yours?”
The question hit harder than any text message, any court filing.
Kendrick sat on the bed next to him and took his hand.
“Daniel, listen to me. Biology doesn’t make a dad. I changed your diapers. I taught you to ride a bike. I’m the one you call when you have a nightmare. That’s not gonna change because of a news article.”
Daniel stared at him. “But is it true?”
Kendrick’s throat tightened. He could lie. He could say it was all made up.
He didn’t.
“The test said I’m not your biological dad,” he said quietly. “But you’re my son. That’s the only thing that matters to me.”
Daniel didn’t answer right away. He just nodded, small and slow, like he was testing the words to see if they fit.
“Okay,” he said finally. “Can we go home now?”
They didn’t make it home.
On the drive, Cole called again.
“Bad news. Rig posted bail this morning. Bond was posted by an LLC we can’t trace. He’s out.”
Kendrick pulled over. His hands went cold on the wheel.
“Where is he?”
“Unknown. But his lawyer filed a motion to modify custody. Claiming you’re a flight risk and that Daniel’s ‘emotional well-being’ is at risk due to the media exposure.”
Kendrick looked at Daniel in the passenger seat, staring out the window, pretending not to listen.
“He’s not done,” Kendrick said.
“No,” Cole said. “He’s not.”
That night, Kendrick didn’t sleep.
He installed cameras. Changed the locks. Called Daniel’s school and arranged for him to be picked up only by him or Nana.
At 2 a.m., his phone buzzed.
No number. Just a text.
A photo.
Daniel asleep in bed, taken through the window.
Underneath, one line:
I can get to him anytime I want, Kendrick. You can’t protect him from everything.
Kendrick didn’t call the police. Not yet.
He walked to Daniel’s room, sat in the chair by his bed, and waited until morning.
When Daniel woke up and saw him there, he smiled sleepily.
“Dad? What are you doing here?”
Kendrick forced a smile back.
“Just making sure you’re safe, buddy.”
“Always are,” Daniel mumbled, rolling over.
Kendrick stayed until his breathing evened out again.
Then he went to his office and opened a new file.
Case: People v. Rig Enterprises.
Subject: Harassment, Witness Intimidation, Violation of Court Order.
He wasn’t going to wait for Rig to make the next move.
This time, Kendrick was going to end it before it started.
But to do that, he’d need help from the one person he wasn’t sure he could trust.
Clara.
- Writer
