For 4 years, I picked up my sister’s kids from school for free. One day I was 37 minutes late, and she screamed at me in front of them: “Not with my children!” Then she shoved me out of her house. I stopped picking them up. 11 days later, the school called me. Then my sister called 6 times. I turned my phone face down.

That was roughly how much Dan had contributed toward the supposed payments.

Money Nicole had claimed was going to me.

Money I’d never received.

Then Dan told me something even more disturbing.

He’d been trying to arrange Wednesday overnight custody for years.

He had changed his work schedule to make it possible.

But Nicole repeatedly argued that moving the children away from their established afternoon routine with me would be harmful.

And Dan had believed her.

He’d backed away from earlier requests because he didn’t want to upset the children.

I struggled to understand.

Nicole had used my relationship with her children to keep their father from having more time with them.

And she’d told the court she was paying me for the privilege.

At halftime, Caleb ran over.

He hugged me first.

Then his father.

“Dad, are we going to spend Wednesdays with you now?”