Chapter Twenty-Four

Margo arrives at Kenny and Shyanne’s condo to apologize and declares she’s quitting her account and pursuing real estate. Shyanne is icy but warms while showing off a new Labrador puppy and enthusing about Margo’s career shift, even inviting Margo inside for an energy drink and styling plans.

Shyanne blurts that CPS’s visit was a “wake-up call,” revealing Kenny initiated the report—and that she went along. Margo, terrified she could lose Bodhi, confronts Shyanne for masking judgment as concern. The argument escalates, and Margo tells Shyanne to stay out of her life before leaving with a crying Bodhi.

At home, alone while Jinx apartment-hunts and Suzie is in class, Margo receives an email from Ward containing Dr. Sharp’s 730 evaluation. The report finds Margo psychologically fit, praises her parent–child interactions, notes the clean home observation, and recommends she retain full legal and physical custody, with Mark receiving optional weekly visitation and paying child support for a year.

Relieved and elated, Margo tends to a cheerful, well-rested Bodhi and takes pride in being deemed “optimal.” She realizes that if Shyanne and Kenny called CPS, Mark likely did not, subtly shifting how she views the conflict and strengthening hopes of avoiding court based on the favorable evaluation.