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Sw,

Chapter Twenty-Five

Candice Hart opened her rental car's door she had pulled into a empty spot next to a double cab truck. She couldn't remember the last time she was here if the same truck had been parked there are not. But really it would not surprise her none if Wade Kinsella had a pickup truck. He was as southern and country as you can get. What her daughter saw in that man other then looks Candice had no idea. What did a bartender and a heart doctor even have in common to talk about? Not allowing herself to even think about the child the pair shared.

She was disappointed when she got closer to the porch of the Carriage house and the man that stood up wasn't Wade, instead it was his friend. The one that came to New York City with him. What was his name again? She was sure Zoe had been friends with the man as well.

"Mrs. Hart" George greeted giving her his nicest smile the one he saved for when he went before a judge that he hated. "I didn't know you would be visiting today"

"Well it's really none of your business now is it?" She replied back, walking past him to get to the Carriage house front door.

"Zoe is not home, that's why I was setting on the porch waiting" George shot back at the older woman. There was so many things he would like to yell at her but he wasn't a lawyer for nothing.

"You must think she will be returning soon are you would not be setting here waiting for her" Candice declared trying to remember exactly what this man's before her name was.

"I'll give you some advice when I tell my client you're daughter what you've been keeping from her, you might not want to be around for that" George announced, it was then that Candice Hart remember just who stood before her. George Tucker probably was the only lawyer the small town of BlueBell had.

"I'm sure Zoe understand why I filed the custody petition" Candice replied back "once she is given custody we can return to New York City where they belong"

"You are really something aren't you?" George uttered "I'm not talking about your failed attempted at getting custody from Wade. How you could ever think Zoe would take Jack from his Father is beyond me"

"Jack would have a better life in New York where he could go to the best schools" Mrs. Hart then added "make important friends growing up. Instead of being raised by a bartender what kind of friends could Jack make here?"

"The lifelong kind that have each others backs" George answered "the kind that find out when a trustee in charge of a fund as been using some of that money for their own"

Staring Mrs Hart in the eyes George finishes with "I think it would be best for you to leave now before Zoe gets back don't you?"

"I will be back" Candice replied showing that she wasn't allowing anything George told her to scare her away.

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As they pulled into the driveway of Lavon's Plantation road Wade said "I have to be at the Rammer Jammer by three because I haven't been there a lot the last few days and have a lot of paper work that needs done. I hate doing paper work"

"Awe you poor baby all that paperwork" Zoe laughed looking over at Jack who was surprisingly awake looking at his Mother smiling. It must have been all the sugar in the Icee.

"You wound me, Doc" Wade said laughing all that stopped though when he seen George setting on the porch of the Carriage house.

Why would he be waiting for them instead of calling. He must have news he thought he had to give in person instead of over the phone. That worried Wade, what news did George get back from the state on the custody petition that had him come to tell them in person.

Pulling into his spot Wade made sure to put the Suv in park before jumping out he had to find out just what George was here to tell him. He would not let Candice Hart take his son from Zoe and him.

"George did something happen with dropping the custody petition?" Wade asked with fear in his voice. He had literally run from the Suv to the Carriage house porch.

"I haven't heard anything on that yet. I'm sure our request will be granted Wade don't worry" George reassured his friend "I'm here actually to talk to Zoe about something she asked me to look into for her"

Wade looked towards the Suv Zoe was still inside he walked back towards it just in time to open the door for Zoe who had Jack in her arms having already gotten the toddler out of his carseat. "Sorry about leaving you to get Jack out" Wade shamefully admitted.

"It's okay what did George want?" Zoe asked just wanting a answer to why George was there just as much as Wade had.

"It isn't about your Mom's custody suit, George said he needs to talk to you about something else. Here give me Jack I'll take him inside so you can talk to George" Wade said taking Jack from Zoe's arms so she could talk to George without the toddler in the way.

"But you have to get to the Rammer Jammer" Zoe said following Wade to the Carriage house "To do your paperwork"

"I can be a few minutes late Doc, I'm the owner no one can yell at me about it" Wade proclaimed then he walked past George into the house leaving Zoe to talk to her lawyer alone.

"Hi George" Zoe said as she walked up to him "Wade said you needed to talk to me"

"Yes I found something out that shocked me, but first I should tell you about ten minutes ago your Mother was here" George informed his client. "I talked to her told her that I was going to tell you something she had done. She left but said she will be back"

Zoe took a breathe in and let it out what ever George had found out she knew it had to be important for her Mother to run away for now. But Zoe was sure whatever it was her Mother would come up with a reason for it in her crazed mind. Zoe knew wasn't even sure she wanted to know what George had found out. But if it would help keep her Mother away she knew she had too.

"What did she do?" Zoe inquiry.

"Mrs. Hart on you're behalf sued the driver that hit you in your car accident. She settled the suit and was appointed the trustee" George stopped so that Zoe could take in what he had just spoken.

"What?" Zoe just could not believe what she was hearing. It was a whole new betrayal from her Mother one she never thought to even ask about. Because suing the driver who caused the accident did not ever enter her mind because all she had wanted to do was get better. But Zoe should have realized her Mother as a business woman would have thought of that. To much sure that Zoe would be compensation for her injuries.

"Your Mother is the trustee or she was until you woke up" George continued with "Some of the money from the account is not account for"

Zoe just shook her head not really believing what George was saying at all. Her Mother was a lot of things a lair sure, controlling yes, but she had never been a thief. Yet Zoe hadn't thought she was any of the those other things either. It seemed that Zoe Hart really did not know her Mother at all.

"How much is in the account?" Zoe questions as she sets down on the porch trying to let the news George just told her sink truly in.

"Half a million, also the company the driver who hit you works for pays your health insurance for life. They were paying for your Nursery Facility" George told Zoe trying to remember everything Zoe's lawyer in New York City had shared with him.

"So how much of the money from that amount is missing?" Zoe ask trying to wrap her mind around some company paying for her health insurance for the rest of her life.

"Oh no that's the amount that is left" George said having gotten confused by Zoe's earlier question "You were award seven hundred and fifty thousand to you're end. You being a young doctor and pregnant made you have a strong case so it was all settled out of court hush hush"

"So there is over two hundred thousand missing?" Zoe asked shocked at the amount. That was a large amount of money to go missing what could her Mother have spent it on? "Was it used for my needs while I was in the Nursery Facility?"

George shook his head 'No' while it was good news Zoe had a big bank account, telling her that her Mother embezzled some of it wasn't. "No the money was taken out while you were living with her in New York City"

Zoe stood up from setting on the porch and started pacing back and forth it didn't make any since her Mother had a ton of money why would she take Zoe's accident money? This was while she had been living with her, how could she do something so slumming as steal from her child?

"Zoe I would advice you to move your money to a new Bank that your Mother doesn't know about" George supplied "If you want I can look into banks around Alabama see which ones offer the best rates?"

"Yes thank you George I can use all the help I can get" Zoe stopped pacing to say then she hugged George fast before starting to pace again.

"I will head out now get started looking into Banks around here for you" George said as he took a step off the Carriage house's porch.

"Hey George make sure to keep track of the hours your spending on my case. It seems like I now have the money to pay you for them" Zoe noted knowing George had been helping her out for free so far.

"Zoe your my friend" George said hating that he had to charge his friends money when they needed his help. "I will send you a bill when I'm done" one that George knew would not be all the hours he worked on her case but enough to make her feel like she wasn't taking advantage of their friendship.

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Wade was looking out the window spying on George and Zoe's talk, Jack was watching tv laughing at something on the screen. Wade knew George had to give some news to Zoe. But it seemed it was bad because of Zoe reaction to it first she setting on the porch then she was pacing back and forth. Then she had hugged George before pacing again. What could be so important to cause Zoe to freak out like that?

Seeing George leaving Wade left the window and joined Jack in watching the tv, hoping Zoe hadn't known he was spying on her earlier. He heard the front door open and then Zoe walked into the living room. She looked a little pale so whatever George had just told her must have not been good, Wade thought once again.

"What did Tucker want?" Wade ask as Jack run up to his Mother with his arms up wanting her to pick him up.

Zoe bent down and picked up Jack always putting being Jack's Mother first before answering Wade "It seemed that my Mother sued the car that hit me on my behalf. She settled the case and got me a big reward"

That wasn't what Wade thought Zoe was going to say so his mouth dropped open, Mrs. Hart had sued the person who had hurt Zoe. That did make since the woman was hell bent on making anyone who hurt her daughter pay. But most of that money was likely spent already on Zoe's medical bills and care. Wade hoped there was enough left over for Zoe to get another car out of.

"How much is left?" Wade questions "because after all your medical bills I'm sure it can't be a lot"

"I'm not sure of all the details but George said that the company the driver worked for is paying my health insurance for life for me. And I have five hundred thousand left" Wade just looked at Zoe his mouth going up and down no sound coming out.

"Left?" finally Wade uttered out?

"Yes seems my Mother was the trustee and took over two hundred thousand out a few weeks ago" Zoe proclaim feeling anger raised up at the thought of her Mother, the woman was a lair, a thief, and controlling. How could Zoe have not known those things about her Mother before now?

Wade let out a whistle hearing the amount that Mrs. Hart had taken out, had literally stole from her daughter. That was a lot of money. Zoe it seemed had a lot more but Mrs. Hart had no right to take Zoe's money from her. The Woman had not only kept Jack a secret from Zoe now it seemed she had also kept Zoe's money from her as well. Did Candice Hart have any redeeming qualities?

"Plus if that wasn't bad enough she was here today. George told me she told him she will be back" Zoe fumed out making Jack in her arms laugh thinking she was being funny.

"I'll call the Rammer Jammer tell them I'm not coming in tonight" Wade said he did not want to leave Zoe and Jack alone to face Candice Hart if she did return tonight.

"No, no" Zoe said "let me just grab a few thing and Jack and I will come to the Rammer Jammer with you for a few hours"

Zoe knew Wade had to keep running his business she would not let her Mother keep him for doing that. "I'll catch a ride back with Lavon or George tonight"

"Doc nothing is as important as Jack and You, the Rammer Jammer will not fall apart if I miss going in for a few days" Wade replied.

Zoe walked up to Wade with Jack in her arms she lovingly kissed him on the lips pulling back she smiled at him. "You have to close the Rammer Jammer tonight don't you?

Wade nodded his head yes but then answered with "I can leave here at eight o'clock and still close for the night. So let me just spend sometime with the both of you"

"Okay" Zoe said loving that they had come to a compromised. She really needed Wade at the moment she needed his lay back attitude to help her clam down. Smiling Wade bent down to kiss Zoe then Jack on top of their heads. This is what Zoe wanted this was the only family she needed along with her true friends here in BlueBell. Zoe just hoped when her Dad showed up tomorrow he wasn't going to cause more problems for her. She just wanted to live her life being a mother, girlfriend, doctor, and friend and if her Father proved himself a daughter to him. Zoe had no room in her life for Candice Hart and all her lies.