Trapped Read online

  Then it would just be up to the judge to decide. I hoped and prayed that we could get a sympathetic judge who would look at the evidence and decide that the best interest of the child would clearly not be with a man who was married to me for only like a month, even if he did have all kinds of money.

  Then there would also be the idea that we might have to get down into the mud with this guy. I might have to bring out the beating that he gave me, the one that caused me to flee his house. Not to mention how he tried to frame Luke. And there might be any number of things that we would need to bring out in order to win this case. To show the judge that nobody’s interest would be served by letting Nottingham anywhere near this baby in the future.

  As much as I wanted this all to be a slam-dunk, I knew, in my heart, that it probably wouldn’t be.

  Luke wanted to go with me to see Marissa, but I encouraged him to go and see about his new co-op instead. I knew that the co-op was important to him, too, because it was his best chance to start making a good income and get some excellent contacts. With the boost that he already got through his premiere, he would have a good footing with those other artists, even if Nottingham had poisoned the well. He might not have the same chance to make it huge in the art world that he would have had Nottingham not pulled the rug out from under him, but he did have a chance to slowly make a name for himself with other unknowns.

  To say that he was excited about this prospect underestimated the issue.

  “Oh, Dalilah, come on,” he had said, when I told him to go and see about the co-op. “I need to be there with you when you talk to your lawyer.”

  “I love you, Luke, but, really, I can handle this. Besides, if you go with me, there would be no confidentiality in anything that she and I say to one another. That might be a factor in the coming months. So, you would just have to wait out in the waiting room, and that’s no fun for you.”

  So, Luke reluctantly went to the co-op instead of going with me.

  And, as I sat on the bus that would take me to Marissa’s office in Midtown, I wondered to myself why I didn’t want Luke to come with me. Truth be told, despite the fact that I craved his protection, love and the sense of security he brought me, there was also just a little part of me that also craved independence still.

  I was such a dichotomy, even to myself. Being in a relationship had changed me, for sure, because I definitely felt like a part of a unit. But this new me always fought with the old me. The old me, who really didn’t need anybody, nor wanted to depend on anyone at all. The old me was buried, as much as I could bury her, but still, she came out at some inopportune times.

  Like right then, going to Marissa’s law office.

  I got to her office, and went to see her. She summoned me almost as soon as I got there, and I followed her into her office and sat down across from her, feeling very nervous.

  “Here,” she said, giving me a glass of water. “You look like you might need this.”

  “I do,” I said. “Well, okay, then. I’m going to file for divorce, and I’m going to admit on the divorce petition that I’m currently pregnant.” I took a deep breath. “Why am I so terrified of this?”

  “Well, don’t be terrified just yet. Number one, we don’t know what judge we’re going to draw. Number two, I really don’t know whom Nottingham is going to use for his attorney. I mean, he has always used Steve Singleton, but it’s entirely possible that he’ll use someone else who specializes in family law.” She shook her head. “I’d rather have Steve Singleton, to tell you the truth. Steve might be an aggressive jerk, but I think that I could run circles around him as far as knowing the law in this area. But, if Nottingham gets somebody who specializes in family law, then all bets are off, even more than before.”

  I drew a breath. “I’m sorry. I was hoping that you might make me feel better about my prospects, not worse.”

  “Well, I just wanted you to be prepared, that’s all. Now, let’s get down to business.” She turned to her computer and started typing. “You and Blake Nottingham were married on what day?”

  I took a deep breath. “December 10 of last year.”

  She went on, asking me the basic questions for the petition. She asked when we were separated, how much property or assets were accumulated during the time that we were living under the same roof, when I conceived, and other questions that would help her compose the basic petition for divorce in New York State.

  After about an hour of the housekeeping business that she needed to do to get the ball rolling, she printed out the petition for divorce and had me look it over. I approved it, and she signed it as my attorney and summoned her courier. She gave the courier the petition, along with my filing fee.

  “So,” she said, looking at my face after she gave the courier my petition to file at the courthouse. “What are you thinking?”

  “To be honest? I’m trying very hard to stop myself from tackling that courier and snatching my petition away from him.”

  “That’s a common feeling,” she said. “Most of my clients are so happy to be doing this, yet absolutely dreading it at the same time.”

  “Well, that would certainly describe me,” I said. “Especially the dreading part. I don’t really know what to expect to happen when Nottingham gets that petition. I only know that it probably won’t be good. Especially when he finds out about the baby.”

  “Well, you might actually find yourself relieved when Nottingham gets it. No matter his reaction. Because what’s done is done.”

  “That’s very true. At least the unknown will be known by then.”

  Marissa nodded. “If you don’t mind my asking, why did you and Mr. Nottingham get married? I’m always curious about that when I get a client who wants to end a short-term marriage.”

  “I married him to help the man that I really love,” I said. Then, seeing her confused expression, I went into the whole story of why Nottingham and I got together.

  “I see,” Marissa said, after I told her the sorry tale. “That’s very noble of you, really, to do that. I’m very sorry that it came to this, though.”

  “I know,” I said.

  “Well,” she said. “I need to know more about Nottingham and Luke. One of the factors in judging the best interest of the child in this situation, of course, is the relative merit of both of the potential fathers. What would you say that would be negative about Luke?”

  I put my hand on my chin, thinking about that. “Not much, to be honest. He’s really an awesome guy. Just a stand-up person. He has integrity, he’s very even-tempered and patient, and he’s very supportive and loving.” I also could have told her that he’s the sexiest man alive, but that wouldn’t exactly be relevant here.

  “Sounds good,” she said. “I’m also going to have to know more about his financials. The judge is going to want to see if he has the finances to support a baby.”

  I briefly started to panic when she said that. Because Luke’s financials, so far, were far from steady. I really hoped that he could blossom in his new co-op, assuming that these artists would allow him in, but it would be a hard slog. Unless, of course, Luke could parlay at least one of the wealthy benefactors who attended his premiere, and loved him, into a steady gig. But, since most of those wealthy benefactors were tight with Nottingham, that didn’t seem likely.

  “Well, right now, he has about $60,000 in the bank. He’s an artist, of course, but he’s also a song-writer. He just sold four of his songs to a group that just signed on to Gallagher Records, so the royalties from that could be substantial.” I looked down at my hands, and tried to stop them from nervously fluttering.

  Marissa nodded her head. “Well, that could be our Achilles Heel. It sounds like his future financial prospects are far from certain right now. I hope that I don’t cause offense by saying this, but artists often aren’t looked upon kindly by judges who are trying to ascertain the ability to support a child long-term.”

  I opened my mouth, about to protest that Luke was different
, because he had enormous talent, then shut it again. I knew that she was right.

  “So, what do you think we should do?” I asked.

  “Drag out the proceedings as long as possible, which would give Luke a chance to find his footing, career-wise. You say that he just started with his co-op, correct?”

  “Yes,” I said, weakly. “I hope to do the same. It’s just been so difficult concentrating and trying to get motivated with all these messes hanging over my head. I’m sure you understand.”

  “Of course,” she said. “The problem, of course, is that Nottingham has substantial resources. I hate to say it in such a crass way, but judges do look at that type of thing in considering a case like this.”

  “I figured that.” I rolled my eyes. “I think that’s crass, of course. That type of thing shouldn’t matter as much as the fact that Luke and I will love this baby very much, and Nottingham, well, I don’t see him in quite the same light.”

  “There are other things that the judge will take into account, of course. Such as the fact that you and Luke appear to be in a solid relationship, while Nottingham isn’t, from what I can tell. And I can certainly bring up the issue of Nottingham beating you. That would weigh in your favor as well.”

  I twiddled my thumbs and took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about that. And I’m still too scared to use that. I don’t know what Nottingham is capable of. If I make that public, then he might do something really rash.”

  “It’s up to you, of course. But, as your counselor, I would strongly suggest that the beating become a part of you defense. It could very well be something that could change the course of proceedings.”

  There was a lot, really, that I could bring into the custody case, if I wanted to get down and dirty. Nottingham’s sexual proclivities, for instance, and I was quite sure that there was much more to be known about him. But I still wasn’t entirely sure that I was going to be up for such a fight.

  Which was why, really, I ran in the first place. I didn’t have the energy for a fight. I was still scared of that man, and I still couldn’t quite fathom the depths of what he was capable of to get exactly what he wanted from me.

  And I still had no desire to find out.

  Chapter

  Luke

  I made my way to the artist’s co-op, which was just a few blocks away from Serena’s home, conveniently enough. I still felt badly about not going with Dalilah to her appointment with her attorney, but she insisted that she didn’t want me there. For whatever reason. I was a tad bit hurt, but, at the same time, I knew that she was probably right. I probably should go and meet the other artists in this group, to make sure that they want me as a part of their cooperative and to also see what they were like.

  I got to the building, which was a renovated commercial building that had been turned into studio lofts ranging in square footage from 1,500 to around 5,000 square feet. There was one artist, in particular, that I was supposed to make contact with. Her name was J.J. Mullens, and her medium was sculpting. So, when I got to the building, I immediately found her studio and went to introduce myself.

  “Hello,” I said to the petite and attractive woman. “My name is Luke Roberts. I was referred here by Marcella Taylor. She told me that she had talked to you about joining your cooperative.”

  She shook my hand. “It’s very good to meet you. I remember you, too. I remember the show that you had back in December. You drew quite a crowd, and a lot of attention. I really love your aesthetic, too.”

  “Well, thanks,” I said, looking around her enormous studio at some of the pieces she was working on. “I think that the feeling is mutual.”

  “Let me tell you about our cooperative,” she said. “Basically, we’re 20 artists who are pooling resources. We all got together to rent spaces in this building, and we have also invested in a gallery down the street from here – the Thiessen Gallery, which is named after one of our prominent members who took his life last year. We require a buy-in of $20,000, to offset the costs of buying the gallery, as well as monthly dues, assuming that you want to rent a space in this building.”

  I swallowed, hard. I wondered to myself just how long Serena was going to allow Dalilah and me to live with her, and if she soon was going to require us to pay some type of rent.

  “How much are the monthly dues?” I asked.

  “It depends on how large of space you want. We charge by the square footage. Basically, we start at $1500 for the smallest studio and go up from there. Included in your dues, though, is all the advantages of being a part of this co-op. Our group organizes fund-raisers on a monthly basis, and we really talk each other up on social media. The gallery has events almost every week, and they’ve become more and more popular each week. They’re usually cocktail parties and wine-tasting, but we’ve also hosted retrospectives of prominent artists and poetry readings. We also try to find opportunities for tie-ins with large New York events. We’re constantly looking for new, fresh ways to get the word out about our artists.”

  “Sounds like there are lots of opportunities here for exposure. I really like the idea of cross-promotion.” Still, even as I talked to her, I felt a well of nervous energy bubbling up. Paying this cooperative $20,000 up front, plus $1500 a month, on top of paying Dalilah’s legal bills….unless I got hustling soon, I was going to be broke within a matter of months. Perhaps I would be broke even sooner than that.

  JJ continued. “Well, there are lots of good opportunities here. And, I’ll confess, when Marcella told me about you, I got excited. You do have the ability to generate a lot of enthusiasm for your work. I was wondering, though, what happened with your premiere. It seemed that you were going to take off, but then I never heard more about it.”

  “Well, that’s difficult to explain,” I said. “It has something to do with the gallery owner being obsessed with my girlfriend, and apparently getting me blackballed with the elite benefactors who can make or break an artist in this town. So, now, I’m starting from square one, just like you guys.”

  “Oh, that’s a shame,” she said. “Tough break, huh? Well, at any rate, if you’re interested in getting a leg up, you should consider joining us. We have the perfect studio for you, and everybody in this group is cool and chill. And I know that your girlfriend is also an artist, and a substantial one at that. She could join us, too, for the same fee.”

  “Well, that might be difficult to swing,” I said.

  JJ looked at me questioningly. “Her parents are super-rich, aren’t they?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “But she won’t allow them to support her. She’s very proud like that.”

  Of course, Dalilah didn’t mind staying with people while we figured everything out. I never asked her about this apparent discrepancy in how she thought about being supported, and wondered if she thought about that one herself.

  “Well, maybe if she broaches it in terms of an investment for her parents or a loan or something like that. You should talk to her about that.”

  “I certainly will.”

  I went back to Serena’s and waited for Dalilah to return. The information at the cooperative was certainly good to have, but I needed to talk to Dalilah before I made this commitment. I was sure that she would be supportive, but we had to look at our finances to make everything work out.

  She got back around 5 that evening, looking tired and blue. I went over to her, and put my arm around her, and led her onto the couch.

  “I did it,” she said. “And the wrath of the Nottingham will soon be upon us, I predict. I’ve spent this past three hours just wondering around the city in a daze. I’m so apprehensive about this, you just have no idea.” She looked around. “Where’s Serena?”

  “She left a note. She’s out visiting a sick friend, and will be back later on tonight.” I stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead. “I wish that there was something that I could say to you that will help you. I know how stressed you are, though, and I admit that I worry about you and about Olivia.”


  “I know, Luke. This stress isn’t good for me. I have a pre-natal checkup tomorrow, the first one with this particular doctor, and I’m quite sure that things are going to be okay. But I do think about the fact that the doctor in London told me that I might have a difficult pregnancy because of my hormone levels not being in check. I’m trying to do everything right, Luke, but it’s hard. It’s hard because of the stress.”

  We talked a bit more about the lawyer, and I told her about the co-op.

  “That sounds great, Luke,” she said. “I think that you can really take advantage of that. Cross-promotion with other artists is always a good thing. Also good is the fact that it sounds that they actively promote their gallery. I’ve read stuff about the Thiessen Gallery, and it sounds like it’s up and coming. I say go for it.”

  So, it was decided. I would buy into the cooperative and try to get one of the smaller spaces until things started to roll.

  Dalilah was quiet for a few minutes. “Well, I don’t want to put further pressure on you, but I feel that I have to. Your finances are going to come into play in the custody issue. I’m sure that probably isn’t news to you.”

  I nodded. That wasn’t news to me at all. I expected that, in fact. “I know. That means that I probably need to get going, doesn’t it? I mean, the judge might rule against terminating Nottingham’s rights just because there’s such a disparity in resources between him and me. As much as that sucks.”

  “Well, yes, but, as you know, there are lots of other factors that come into play. She wants me to go balls to the wall and bring in Nottingham’s visits to the sex clubs and his beating of me, and she’s looking into his background to find out any other dirt that might come up. I’m nervous about all that, though. I don’t know, Luke, I just have a bad feeling about doing all of that. I’m not at all sure that I want to really unleash the beast, so to speak. He might really find a way to get down and dirty if I do.”