11

Christina

There was hardly anyone inside the Family Court. There was Faye and me, her husband, his lawyer, and Faye's sister, who held the baby in her arms while the other two children sat next to her.

I had called this emergency custody hearing the day after Faye left her husband. I knew the sooner we started the process, the better the outcome would be for Faye and the kids.

I presented my case to the judge and the opposing attorney objected unnecessarily several times. "Mr. Rhodes, you will have your opportunity to rebut. Please sit down," said the judge.

I finished my arguments and sat down next to Faye, folding my hands across my middle. While the posture was relaxed, my heart raced inside my chest. I'd been working night and day on this case and I rarely lost, but losing wasn't an option in this case.

There was one piece of evidence that I couldn't present because the judge had suppressed anything that didn't have to do with the children. Will had found it through one of his background checks. I'd asked the police for one, but they said I wouldn't have it in time. But Will had come through for me.

I listened as the opposing attorney presented his case. It was weak, and he knew it, so he tried to undermine my client's ability to support the children financially on her own. I raised my hand to object, but the judge waved for me to sit down. "I know what you're going to say, Ms. Polito, and yes, your client is not asking her husband to be absolved of any financial obligations. He will still have to pay for his children."

"That's bullshit. I can't have them, but she wants me to pay for them," Faye's husband shouted.

I fought back my smile at his callous words. I knew they would only hurt his case.

"Mr. Rhodes, please advise your client from making any further outbursts in my courtroom or I will hold him in contempt."

"Yes, your honor," said Rhodes.

The judge nodded. "Now, continue."

Rhodes attempted to present a case of a hard-working father, but my earlier photographs of him drinking with friends after work and hanging out with strippers refuted that argument. He had time. He just never made it for his wife or kids.

His lawyer also tried to show him as the doting husband after I presented diary entry after diary entry journaling the emotional abuse Faye and the children had endured. The handful of family photos his lawyer presented hardly stood up next to our evidence. It went on like that until it became clear that he would lose this case. And powerful men like him didn't like to lose. That's when all hell broke loose.

He slammed his hand on the desk and seemingly forgot where he was when he sneered, "You fucking cunt. I gave you everything, and you gave me nothing. You couldn't even keep those brats under control. You're the terrible parent, not me."

"Mr. Rhodes!" said the judge.

"I know, your honor. Give me a minute to confer with my client."

"I think I've heard enough."

My heart leaped out of my chest.

"I am issuing emergency temporary orders that will award sole custody in this case to the mother of the children."

Faye gasped next to me and covered her mouth. I reached for her hand. "Don't say anything," I whispered.

"We will set a new court date to assess if these orders will be extended or replaced. But Mr. Rhodes, I suggest that if your client's attitude does not change, I don't see my orders changing. I expect him to seek counseling and have him assessed by an expert. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your honor"

"This is bullshit. I don't need a shrink."

Mr. Rhodes turned to his client and muttered something in his ear, and Faye's husband immediately shut his mouth. That was unfortunate, as his big mouth was working very much in our favor.

We all stood up when the judge did and waited for her to exit the courtroom. As soon as she was gone, Faye turned to me and asked, "What does this mean? Do I get to keep the kids?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"But she called it temporary."

"Yes. But unless he can demonstrate to her that he's changed, she won't reverse the order. In most of the cases I've seen, the temporary orders stick. I won't let you lose them. You don't have to worry."

Faye fell into her chair and dropped her head into her hands. Sitting down next to her, I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

She cried, and her shoulders shook. "Faye?"

"Yes," she said between sobs. "I'm ok. Better than ok. I don't have to go home to him tonight or any other night. I'm free of him. My children are free of him. This is the happiest day of my life."

I knew I should put my arms around her and I wanted to, I did, but my body hesitated, unsure if she would welcome my embrace. I was only her lawyer, after all.

Fortunately, her sister and the children rushed to her side and hugged her. I smiled.

Faye took the baby in her arms and held her tightly against her chest. Then, with her free arm, she pulled the other two closer.

Her sister wiped tears from her eyes. "Is it over?" she asked. After interviewing the sister in preparation for the trial, I realized how much she knew about Faye's situation and how desperate she was for her to leave him.

"It's not over," I cautioned. "But I'm optimistic that when it is finally over, the verdict will be the same as today's."

"Do you need a ride back to the apartment?" I asked Faye.

She shook her head. "My sister will drive me. I hope it's all right if I stay in the apartment a little longer."

"I'm sure it is."

"Will did say I could stay as long as I need to, but I don't want to take advantage of his hospitality."

"He wouldn't have offered if he didn't mean it. He's a straight-up kind of guy."

The words came out of my mouth before I even had time to process them. But they weren't false. I believed them wholeheartedly, and I'd never said that about a man before.

The strange feeling was unsettling.

Because Will was the first person I wanted to call to share the good news about Faye. Normally, I would call Gabby after a positive hearing, but today, I wanted nothing more than to tell Will that we had won.

Would that be weird?

Fuck it. I'll just call him.