As promised, I will start to tell what happened during the last week of December.
Part 1
Child called me on my cell. Child said my ex wanted to talk to me. I asked child why child did not know. I asked if there was an emergency - the answer was no. I told child that I would call my ex later, when I was home.
Later, I called my ex. He told me “they” talked with the lawyer and lawyer said child could (a) J would return Home and stay until child decided to return to ex's; (b) child would return home and then return to ex's as soon as school year was over; or (c) child would stay with ex and not come home. Ex said child told him child wants to stay with him and not return home. Ex also this because I had "no right" to "sue" for custody. I explained that I was not “suing” – I just wanted legal documentation that showed me as the primary custodial parent. I also ex that child told “us” (me, husband, counselor) that child wanted to be with me for at least one more year. Ex said, “I think you need to talk to child about that.” So, I did.
Child gave me the same "speech" – “they” talked to the lawyer, what the options were…but, child wants to come home and, at the end of school, discuss what to do next. I told child the ex had a different idea. Child said that didn't make sense because child told ex the same thing. I told child she needed to have another talk with my ex. She put ex back on phone.
Ex said child doesn't want to leave him. I asked about certain legal restrictions about child's travel; he said lawyer could have those changed in a day. I said I was not OK with this and that child should return to finish her commitments. Ex said nothing. I said, “You aren’t going to allow her to return, are you?” Ex said he wasn't. Ex put child back on phone.
I told child what ex said. Child said, “No, that’s not it.” I heard her ex in the background yelling at child. Suddenly, child said, “I’m not coming back.” I said, “OK. When did you change your mind?” Child said she didn’t know. I asked if it was before or after she arrived in at ex's. Child said it was after because “we did a lot of thinking about it” and it made the most sense to stay. I asked to talk to ex. Ex got back on the phone. I asked when I would see child again and he said, “I dunno; I’ll have to think about that. Goodbye.” and hung up.
