Shelley continued to pace back and forth across her living room floor. Before this day was over, she wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a well-worn path between the windows overlooking the front lawn and the telephone on the coffee table that sat silently staring back at her. This waiting was getting on her nerves, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it.

After a night out with the girls at Spritzer’s, which she had enjoyed, Shelley was back to watching the clock tick away the time until Robert brought Christopher home again.

“Five o’clock cannot get here fast enough to suit me,” Shelley mumbled for the countless time.

“Staring at that clock isn’t going to do a thing for you and it’s going to make us both crazy, so stop it!” Maria ordered, marching into the living room. Knowing this was going to be a tough day, Maria invited herself over and had been keeping Shelley company for the last two hours.

“Maria, in my head I know that, but it’s all I can do. I want my son home now. Not two hours from now.”

“Shelley, come sit down already. You were telling me about going out with the girls last night. You went to Spritzer’s and had a good time, right?” Maria asked, trying to change the subject a little and give Shelley something else to think about.

“Yes, going to Spritzer’s was fun and I was able to relax a little, take my mind off everything for a while.” Glancing at Maria, she smiled.

“What?”

“You’ll be delighted to know that Talonda practically ordered me to get the visitation arrangements in writing last week, just as you did. See, you were not the only one who had doubts about Robert’s motives.”

“You did get it in writing then? Just like we talked about? Shelley, you can’t be too careful when it comes to your son, you know.”

“I do know. So, I am glad that I listened to you both and had my lawyer file a copy with the court. That way it is on record that although I have agreed to allow Christopher to spend time with Robert, I am the custodial parent. That is something Robert cannot dispute.”

“Right, but don’t let your guard down. He is in law enforcement and no doubt has a few favors he could pull in if he chose to make things messy. It wouldn’t matter to him if he actually won in the end as long as he was certain of making your life miserable.”