In the hallway outside the courtroom, she suddenly became quiet. Nixx was speaking with Ms. Salazar, and Benny was checking where we could leave the extra bag. I sat beside our daughter and took her hand.
“Nervous?” I asked.
“What if the judge says no?”
“Then Ms. Salazar will explain what needs to happen next. And we’ll all go home together, just like we planned.”
She glanced across the hall at Nixx. “He’d still be my daddy?”
“He’d still be your daddy. So would Daddy Benny. Nothing about that depends on whether today goes the way we’re hoping.”
“Okay.” She leaned against me. “I just really want my new X.”
I kissed her hair. “I know, baby.”
When we went inside, the hearing was quieter than Millie expected. There were no surprise visitors or courtroom arguments. The judge reviewed th
