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 evening, Nicole called six times.

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I sat at my kitchen table looking at a white envelope that had arrived a few days earlier.

A process server had delivered it.

Inside was a subpoena.

I had been ordered to appear on October 22 in connection with a custody modification hearing involving Nicole and her former husband, Dan.

The document instructed me to bring records of any payments I’d received for providing childcare since August 2022.

That seemed strange.

I’d never charged Nicole anything.

Not once.

Then I turned to the second page.

It contained a copy of the financial information my sister had submitted to the court.

There were expenses for groceries.

Medical insurance.

School activities.

Dance classes.

And after-school care.

Halfway down the page, I found my name.

**Childcare provider: Micah Kimball. Monthly payment: $950.**

Underneath was a note claiming Nicole had paid me since August 2022, initially $650 monthly before increasing the amount.