Chapter 6: They Were Taking My Children Away
I called James back immediately.
He declined it.
I called again.
Declined.
Again.
This time the phone rang twice before going to voicemail.
“James!””
My voice echoed through the kitchen.
Rachel was already pulling out her phone.
“Call Caroline.””
I called Sophie’s tablet instead.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
My stomach twisted.
Ten minutes earlier, my daughter had been smiling at me from a hotel room.
Now I couldn't reach her.
And the last word I had heard before James ended the call was:
Costa Rica.
Rachel got Caroline on speaker.
“Tell her.””
I didn't waste time.
“They're planning to take the kids to Costa Rica.””
Caroline went silent.
“How do you know?””
“Sophie said they were going somewhere else. Noah shouted Costa Rica. Vanessa is at the hotel with them.””
“Vanessa Cole?””
“Yes.””
“Do you know when they're leaving?””
“No.””
“Do the children have passports?””
“Yes.””
“Who has them?””
“James.””
That answer made my stomach drop even further.
I had packed them.
Of course I had.
Three nights ago, James had stood beside me while I checked everyone's travel documents.
I remembered holding Sophie’s passport.
“Why are we bringing these?”” I'd asked.
“We're not leaving the country.””
James barely looked up from his phone.
“Mom said bring them in case we decide to do one of those day cruises.””
I had laughed.
“A cruise to where?””
“No idea.””
Then he'd kissed my forehead.
“Just humor her.””
So I had.
I had put my children’s passports into the black travel wallet.
And handed it directly to my husband.
My knees weakened.
“They planned this.””
Rachel looked at me.
“Maybe.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“James specifically asked me to pack their passports.””
Caroline's voice sharpened.
“Emily, listen carefully. You are their stepmother, correct?””
“Yes.””
“You never formally adopted them.””
“No.””
“Do you have any guardianship order?””
“No.””
My heart began pounding.
“Then legally your ability to stop their biological father from traveling internationally with them may be limited.””
I closed my eyes.
“But I'm their mother.””
“I understand.””
“No, I mean—I've raised them.””
“I know.””
“I've taken them to doctors. School. Soccer. Sophie calls me Mom.””
“I believe you.””
Her voice softened.
“But right now we have to separate emotional reality from legal authority.””
That sentence hurt.
Because Linda had spent years making sure those two things were different.
“What can we do?””
“We determine whether James is actually planning permanent relocation or simply travel.””
“He has half a million dollars in Costa Rica with Vanessa.””
“Potentially.””
“He prepared divorce papers.””
“Yes.””
“He tried to borrow six hundred twenty-five thousand dollars against my house.””
“Yes.””
“He tried to sell it for less than market value.””
“Yes.””
“And Vanessa runs an international relocation company.””
Silence.
Then Caroline said:
“I'm calling someone.””
“Who?””
“A colleague who handles international family law.””
The call ended.
I stood there holding my phone.
Rachel looked at me.
“Call Sophie again.””
I did.
No answer.
Then my phone buzzed.
A text from James.
*Stop calling the kids. You're upsetting them.*
I typed:
*Where are you taking them?*
His reply came quickly.
*They're with their father. They're safe.*
*Are you taking them to Costa Rica?*
Nothing.
I waited.
Then:
*Our travel plans are none of your concern.*
I stared at the words.
My children.
None of my concern.
I took a screenshot.
Another message came.
*Mom was right. This is exactly why we needed space from you.*
Rachel read it.
“He wants you angry.””
“He's succeeding.””
“Don't give him what he wants.””
I put the phone down.
Then something occurred to me.
“School.””
“What?””
“The school emergency forms.””
I ran upstairs.
I kept copies of everything.
Medical records.
Report cards.
Permission slips.
Six years of being the parent who remembered things had turned me into a walking filing cabinet.
In the hallway closet, I found a plastic storage box labeled *KIDS*.
Inside were school forms.
Emergency contacts.
Medical authorizations.
Then I found one from the previous year.
*Parent/Guardian 1: James Parker.*
*Parent/Guardian 2: Emily Parker.*
Relationship:
*Mother.*
James had filled it out.
His handwriting.
His signature.
It wasn't legal adoption.
But it was evidence.
Evidence that when it benefited him, I was their mother.
Rachel photographed it.
We found more.
A pediatrician authorization naming me as caregiver.
A summer camp form.
A soccer registration.
A letter James had signed authorizing me to make emergency medical decisions when he traveled for work.
Then I found an envelope.
My name was written on the front.
Not James's handwriting.
Sophie’s biological mother’s name was printed in the return corner.
*Anna Parker.*
I stopped.
Rachel saw my face.
“What is that?””
“I don't know.””
I had seen Anna's handwriting only a few times.
Old birthday cards.
Notes tucked into baby books.
Anna had died from cancer when Sophie was four and Noah was barely one.
I never met her.
But I had lived with her memory every day.
Not as competition.
As part of the children.
I opened the envelope carefully.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
At the top:
*For James, when you're ready.*
My hands trembled.
I shouldn't read it.
It wasn't addressed to me.
But then I saw my own name halfway down the page.
I read.
If you ever remarry, please don't let Mom make the new woman feel like an intruder.
I stopped breathing.
Rachel whispered, “What?””
I kept reading.
She will try. You know she will. She struggled with boundaries even with me, and I was your wife.
My eyes filled.
Anna had known.
She had known Linda.
If someone loves Sophie and Noah enough to raise them when I can't, please let them love her back without guilt.
I covered my mouth.
Rachel sat beside me.
The next lines blurred through my tears.
Don't let the children grow up believing loving another mother means betraying me. I want them surrounded by love, not trapped inside grief.
I pressed the letter against my chest.
For years, Linda had told me that stepping fully into motherhood would disrespect Anna.
Anna had wanted the opposite.
At the bottom was another paragraph.
If that person becomes their mother in every way that matters, make it legal. Give her the ability to protect them if something happens to you.
I couldn't speak.
Rachel whispered:
“James had this?””
The envelope had been inside his files.
“Yes.””
“He knew.””
I nodded.
He had known Anna's wishes.
And he had done the opposite.
My phone rang.
Caroline.
I answered immediately.
“I have David Chen with me,” she said.
“He handles international custody matters.””
A man's voice joined.
“Emily, I need quick answers.””
“Okay.””
“Are the children U.S. citizens only?””
“As far as I know.””
“Any dual citizenship?””
“No.””
“Any known residency status abroad?””
“No.””
“Does James own property in Costa Rica?””
“I don't know.””
“Does Vanessa?””
“I don't know.””
“Do you have evidence suggesting permanent relocation?””
I told him everything.
The account.
The house.
The attempted loan.
The divorce petition.
Vanessa's business.
The passports.
David became quiet.
“This is concerning.””
“What can we do?””
“Because you aren't their legal parent, your options personally are complicated. But there may be another person with standing.””
“Who?””
“The children's maternal family.””
I froze.
Anna's parents.
Margaret and Thomas Ellis.
They lived three hours away.
We saw them twice a year.
Linda hated them.
Of course she did.
After Anna died, Linda had slowly pushed them out of holidays.
James always said traveling was difficult.
I suddenly wondered how much of that had been his choice.
“Anna's parents are alive.””
“Call them.””
“Now?””
“Now.””
I found Margaret's number.
My hands shook as I pressed call.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Emily?””
“Margaret.””
Something in my voice must have scared her.
“What happened?””
I told her.
Not everything.
Just enough.
James had taken the children.
Possible international travel.
Costa Rica.
She became very quiet.
Then she said:
“He promised me he would never do this.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“James promised.””
“When?””
“After Anna died.””
“Promised what?””
“That he would never take the children out of the country permanently.””
I looked at Rachel.
“Why would you ask him that?””
Margaret started crying.
“Because Anna was afraid he would.””
The room went still.
“What are you talking about?””
“There were problems before she died.””
“What problems?””
“James wanted to move.””
“Where?””
“Costa Rica.””
My blood turned cold.
“He talked about it years ago?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“He said he wanted a fresh start.””
“With Vanessa?””
Silence.
Then Margaret whispered:
“How do you know that name?””
Everything inside me stopped.
“You know Vanessa?””
“I haven't heard that name in years.””
“Margaret.””
My voice shook.
“Who is she?””
She took a breath.
“Vanessa was James's girlfriend before Anna.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Of course she was.
“But Anna told me they started speaking again during her illness.””
My stomach turned.
“Were they having an affair?””
“I don't know.””
“Did Anna think they were?””
“She was afraid to find out.””
I looked down at the letter in my hand.
Anna hadn't just been writing about Linda.
She had been trying to protect her children from something she knew might happen.
“Margaret, can you come here?””
“We're leaving now.””
“Bring anything Anna gave you about James. Letters. Messages. Everything.””
“I will.””
Before hanging up, Margaret said:
“Emily?””
“Yes?””
“Don't let him take them.””
My throat tightened.
“I won't.””
At 10:11 p.m., Sophie finally called.
I answered before the first ring finished.
“Mom?””
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Sophie?””
“I'm in the bathroom.””
My heart pounded.
“Are you okay?””
“Yes.””
“Where's Dad?””
“Talking to Grandma.””
“Where's Noah?””
“Asleep.””
I closed my eyes in relief.
“Listen to me. You haven't done anything wrong.””
“I know.””
“Do you know when you're leaving the hotel?””
“Tomorrow morning.””
My stomach dropped.
“Where are you going?””
“I heard Dad say airport.””
Rachel grabbed a pen.
“What time?””
“I don't know.””
Then Sophie whispered:
“Mom, something weird happened.””
“What?””
“Vanessa gave Dad an envelope.””
“What kind of envelope?””
“Brown.””
“What did he do with it?””
“He put it in his suitcase.””
“Did you hear what they said?””
Sophie went silent.
“Soph?””
“Vanessa said, ‘Once we cross the border, Emily can't stop anything.’”
Every muscle in my body locked.
Then I heard pounding on Sophie's bathroom door.
“Sophie?””
James.
“Open the door.””
Sophie whispered:
“I have to go.””
“Don't be scared.””
The pounding came again.
“Sophie, who are you talking to?””
“Mom—”
The call ended.
I immediately called back.
No answer.
Then my phone buzzed.
A text.
Not from Sophie.
From James.
*You have no legal right to interfere with my children.*
I stared at it.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*By tomorrow, this won't be your problem anymore.*
