“This court is not concerned with whether a spouse wishes to support a parent. It is concerned with whether one spouse had access to and control over another spouse’s income without consent, and how that affected the household and minor child.”
Ryan said nothing.
The temporary custody order gave me primary physical custody of Ben.
The financial accounts were separated.
The court ordered an accounting of the money transferred from my earnings.
And the marriage moved toward its final end.
Outside, I stood on the courthouse steps with Ben holding my hand.
Dad stood beside us.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
I looked at the sky.
“Scared.”
He smiled.
“Anything else?”
I thought about it.
“Free.”
He nodded.
“Good.”
Months passed.
Life didn’t become perfect.
There were still bills.
Still paperwork.
Still difficult conversations.
Still nights when I woke up wondering if I had made the right decision.
But there was food in the refrigerator.
