Went to the Courthouse

I ended up having to call out of work Monday because Little Bitty was up and down all night sick and then woke me up at 6 something in the morning puking all over herself and the bed beside me. I got her a shower, cleaned up the bed and took her back to bed. I was up and down trying to call work to tell them and trying to get a hold of my friend that my oldest was spending the night with. I needed them to stop and get me something for her fever because we used the last of it in the night. She finally came home around 12 or so and we were still laying down because I had not slept. Every time I start to go to sleep I had to get up for something. I was going to take her to the doctor that after noon before they closed we were trying to nap before we went because I could’t hold my eyes open. I couldn’t drive I was so tired at that point. I heard someone knock on the door and told my oldest to get it. I figured it was the church people who come around every so often. I told her to tell them I couldn’t come to the door. She came back and said there was a man at the door wanting me. I ask her if it was the church people she said no some guy she never seen before. I ask her what he looked like what he was wearing or what. She said just jeans and a company shirt. I was in a t-shirt I put on a pair of my jeans that were laying here and went to the door. It was a friend of mine I haven’t talk to in forever, Father of the Years boss.

I closed the door and went outside to talk to him. He handed me an envelope with money in it and said it was from Father of the Year. There wasn’t even a months worth of support there. He said it was for the last three weeks that he had been working for him. He said something else and he said yeah I guess he got MARRIED last Friday. I didn’t act surprised, shocked or like I even cared. I laughed and said that should turn out good. He looked at me funny said why? I told him everything, how he met her, how they did all this behind my back, how I helped her and helped her, how he took the kids to school told them all this he was going to do, how he told them he was going to go get a place so he could see them and things, how he had his other job making $18 an hour and had a grand in his pocket the day he left and another grand or close to it every day after that but was still homeless and car less, how he didn’t go and lost his job everything. I told him how the kids have not seen him on over three months he had not paid me refused to and all his excuse. How he told me to take him to child support that he couldn’t pay me because he would have no record of it. I said why couldn’t he get a book for me to sign he did and I did a few times but then he stop bringing it, he could get a money order keep a copy/picture of it the stub, he could take that money he makes open a bank account and write me a check. So not being able to keep a record of it isn’t why he isn’t paying. I told him how he sold his truck for $500 to pay for a room. I told him that I knew for a fact that he has a drug problem and how he goes through $150 to $250 every day or two. How many people have ask me what he is on what happen to him and told me how every time they see him he is high as a kite. He said well now that I know that I am going to have to keep a close eye on him because he is working for him and he is responsible for what happens if he messes up or gets hurt and things.

I told him he would be getting paper work from child support to take it out of his check. He said he would have to fire him if that was the case because he didn’t want to deal with them. He said he pays them under the table and things he didn’t need to be involved with all that. I said well you can tell them he is fired don’t work there all you want. There are plenty of people who see him all the time working and there. He said no I mean I am going to go home and get rid of him I am not just going to tell them that. I said well if that is what you have to do but I have to watch out for my kids and get things set up to make sure my kids are taken care of. He said if I take out much more then it is going to leave him with only about $100 a week to live off of, I am trying to leave him and his new family (he has no family it is him and her) money to live on and make sure you are getting your part too. I said oh well if that is all it leaves him with not my problems. He hasn’t cared all these months and the months before when he would only pay what he wanted and when he wanted and the last three he has left them with nothing. If that is the case then maybe she needs to go get a job too. He just looked at me said yeah your right but at least this way you are getting something if I fire him he will not have anything to give you. I said if I don’t do this now then it will take months to do and I don’t have months to play with this down the road when he decides to stop coming to work for you or you decide you get tired of him not calling or showing up and being late all the time. I said then I have to start all this court stuff over. I told him I want to move after the first of the year and need it in place so that when I am not here and can’t go to court it is done and if he stops they will just go after him and make him pay. He said well I guess I am going to be going home and telling him he has to find a different job then because he comes with to much baggage and drama I don’t need to be tied up in that. I said it isn’t you it is him and all he has done the last few years. I said I am done playing his games, I am having to do this with no help from him, I am having to work in order to pay his part and take away from me being here for my kids, taking a way time I could be doing my school and doing my school on top of it all. He knows all this he left here the day he left knowing he was supposed to give me money for food and pay the lights when I ask him he said he wasn’t giving me anything to bad and go to child support so that is what I have done.

We talked a little more about it all he said please don’t tell them he was working or is working for me I am going to go home now and tell him he has to find something else. I give you my word, he said we meet at my house every morning at 8 am you are welcome to come by any day you want and check for yourself he will not be there he is not working for me anymore. I know he is right but about not getting anything if he gets rid of him but at the same time if he tells him not to pay me and he wants the money he has to give it to him because he has no paperwork saying he has to take it out and pay me or that he can keep it and give it to me other than what he told him. When he isn’t making money or don’t make anything hardly one week then he will tell him oh don’t give her, hers this week. He said something about what he is making and things I said well he is capable of making that and he is capable of making more with you too but you see just like he took off last week to get married and whatever else he has taken off for he takes off all the time. When the judge looks and goes oh you could have worked x hours these weeks but you chose not to then he going to say you could have made x amount of money but didn’t want too. You knew you had to pay your child support and would need money for yourself if you were worried you would have worked the hours you were given but you didn’t so you must not be worried about making the money or must not need it that bad or you would have. He said yeah that is true, he said I think he needs to go and find another job making what he was because I can’t pay him that and he needs to have something on the books and someone who is willing to take it out of his check.

Before he left he said if you change your mind and just want me to take it out and bring it to you then let me know and I will give him his job back and we will do it. He said I am going to tell him he needs to come talk to you and try to work out something with you, if you and him decide on an amount to take out and for me to just take it out and bring it to you and you yourself call me and tell me hey we talked we agree to this or that then I will too but I am not taking him back if I don’t hear from you. I said but he won’t contact me. He said I don’t know I think he will, I said he hasn’t this long to even see how his kids are he won’t for that. He said I think you will be hearing from him in the next day or so. I just said okay and he left. It’s now what Wednesday night and he has yet to try and get a hold of me and talk to me to try and work anything out. I have thought about it and I probably messed up by taking the money because I was looking at going to court on abandonment if he didn’t pay or contact them for the 6 months or what. But now I took the money it will probably start over. I have been thinking about it the last few days and I am thinking that I should just tell him he needs to get a hold of me figure his child support by his new rate of pay then add a little to it for the back pay he owes me, tell him he has to pay that much a month I need it every week given to me. I am also going to tell him I need to have his address and phone number like he is supposed to give me per court order and try to get him to give me so much of the back pay upfront. If not then at least get him to give me his phone number and address so that if anything happens he decides to try and take the kids without me knowing then I will have a place to start looking for him. I bet he will agree to everything but the giving me his information. I am also going to tell him if he wants it to be figured right then he needs to give me proof of rent and bills not just his word and that when he comes to talk to me we will meet at x spot and he is not to bring her with him because it has nothing to do with her. When he tries to play but she is my wife card it does, I am going to say and these are your’s and mines kids not hers so therefor it has nothing to do with her. We are going to decide this not us, her, your boss, my friends, and yours. Once we agree to it then that is that it isn’t being changed unless we go to court. If he wants to agree to it all then I will go talk to his boss, if he don’t then he can be jobless.

I don’t want to do it at all but if I do I can tuck that money away and not touch it unless I have no other choice, then when I get enough to pay a lawyer I will just go get one and tell his boss look it is getting close to time for me to move so I am going to have to go get this done through the courts just letting you know so you can do what you have to or want to do. Then go talk to the lawyer. I still have a feeling that he is working there. I don’t know what to think. My friend lives like two blocks away from him. School starts back next week she will be going by that way she is going to sit at the store on the corner by his house see if she see’s father of the year over there or in one of the trucks when hey all leave and head out.

A bunch of them come into work just about every day, I will make it a point to get away from the back and into the lobby and start chit chatting with them and after a little bit be like yeah I think my ex husband works with you guys, you know father of the year? See if they say he don’t work there no more or oh yeah he on a different crew or what. Like I told my friend the boss’s brother likes me always has, he tried to talk to me and get with me when he would come over to me and Father of the years house when we were together and things were good between us. I told him no that wasn’t right and he couldn’t come back around. I will get a hold of him and see how he has been, tell him lets go out have some drinks or something. He will spill his guts before we get to the first place. Then I be like thanks for the information, oh got a call, oh got go home something up with kids we will have to do this another time. He will tell me if he is working, where he is living and everything. If he isn’t working for them but somewhere else he will tell me if he knows.

I am thinking about calling him telling him I have checked into some things if Father of the Year wants to meet and agree to something then we can meet and do it this way. Just so I can save the money for a lawyer. I am not going to tell anyone that I am even getting it if I do decide to do it.