Chapter 18

Raya

"Your honor, you can't be serious. You're letting her have custody?" Joseph blurted out in the courtroom even though his attorney tried to stop him.

The judge slammed down his gavel three times and shouted, "Mr. Davison. If you interrupt me again, you will find yourself in a heap of trouble. Understood?"

Joseph didn't sit. Instead, he turned and shot me an evil glare. "I don't want him anyway. Never did."

"Then why are we here?" I asked and attorney placed his hand on mine trying to quiet me.

"Because my family wanted me to have an heir. You're the only woman who refused to have an abortion when you got pregnant. None of the others kept theirs so I had no choice but to take him from you. Give my family what they want," he snarled. "And now they are going to cut me off because of you," he snarled. "I don't care if you and Joey fall off the face of the earth. I don't want to see either of you ever again."

To my and my attorney's surprise , the judge asked Joseph, "Mr. Davison, are you saying that you would like to sign off your parental rights?"

Joseph looked at him and asked, "Why would I do that?"

"Because this court is still in order, and I haven't made my final judgment yet. There is still the question of support."

"Support? What support?" Joseph asked.

"For Ms. Davison and your son. I believe you owe them ten years of child support," the judge said.

Joseph's jaw dropped. "Hell no. I haven't even seen him since I left."

"That does not mean you are not responsible for their support, Mr. Davison. Now sit and I will determine with Ms. Davison what the amount will be." He paused for a moment and then asked again, "Unless you have decided to sign off your parental rights. Then there will be no judgment for a support order."

Joseph looked at me, and then behind me where Joey sat with Kathy. He shook his head and said, "There is no way I am giving you a single penny."

It took everything in me not to scream out that I didn't want anything from him, but my attorney had instructed me to keep my composure no matter what. And now I was glad he did.

"Mr. Davison, do you have an answer?" the judge asked.

"Give me the papers. I'll sign them," he said as though he couldn't be rid of us fast enough.

Funny, because that's how I felt about him. The judge called both attorneys up and whispered something to them. I had no idea what was going on. But I was more worried about Joey behind me. Turning around I saw Kathy with her arm around him.

"It's okay, Mom. I already knew he didn't want me. Doesn't matter. Because I know you do," Joey said.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I fought them back. "I love you, Joey."

"I love you too, Mom."

The gavel dropped again, and I turned to face the judge. "It is final. Mr. Davison has signed off on his parental rights. Ms. Davison, you now have full custody of your son." He added, with another drop of the gavel, "These proceedings are over."

He rose from his chair and so did the rest of the courtroom. I was still stunned as the judge walked out. My attorney turned to me and said, "Mr. Davison will not be contacting you or your son again. And his family will not either. This is over. You and your son are free to go and live wherever you would like."

I smiled and hugged him. "Thank you."

Turning I got the biggest hug from Joey that I could ever remember. "Does this mean I can go with you to Tabiq now?" he asked.

"It does," I said. "Are you sure you want to go?" I asked.

"I do," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I see how happy you are when you talk about it. I like you being happy."

I hugged him even tighter. "And I love you being happy too. I think you're going to love it there."

"Can Kathy still come and visit?" he asked.

Kathy smiled and said, "At least once a year, for sure."

I pulled her in and all three of us stood just holding each other, grateful it was over. When we parted, it was time for us to go and celebrate.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked. "Want to go out for pizza?"

Joey shook his head. "Mom, I know we are going to be moving. Would it be okay if I just went and hung out with my friends?"

"Of course. That is a great idea. And we won't be leaving for a few days. So, I think you should spend as much time with them as you can. But Joey, we will be coming back here too. We're not leaving for good," I said. "You will still see them."

"I know. But it won't be the same," he said.

No, it won't. But I'm hopeful that in time, it will be even better.

The next few days both Joey and I needed to spend time with our friends. Because we were about to start another chapter of our lives, and I hoped it was going to be as bright as I thought it was going to be.

I couldn't wait to be alone so I could call Orion with the news.

As soon as I dropped Joey off at his friend's house, I told Kathy that I needed a few minutes to make a few calls. She only laughed and said, "Tell Orion I said hello." It was nice not having to explain myself to her.

There is a lot I will miss in the States, but you're top of the list.

I knew Orion would be asleep at this time, so I sent him a text first to see if he was free to talk.

ARE YOU BUSY?

He had more going on in his life than I did. Between his new job and his sick grandmother, I wasn't sure he was getting any sleep at all. Maybe I should've waited until it was morning in Tabiq. A moment later, I got a response.

NEVER TOO BUSY FOR YOU.

Comments like that brought a smile to my face. I knew packing up the rest of my things and going to Tabiq was the right decision. Not because of the job, but to be with Orion. He'd shown me what I had been missing in my life. Unconditional love.

Dialing his number, I felt my heart rate increase with anticipation of hearing his voice. It didn't matter what the topic was, I could talk to him for hours and never grow bored. I chuckled to myself because that sure wasn't how I felt on my first day on the job. I wanted him and his opinions as far away from me as possible. Now I hated being apart.

Life sure can throw you a curveball when you think you have all the answers. Just never expected that the answer I needed was love.

"Hi Raya. Is everything okay?" he asked.

No wonder why he was so agreeable to talking. He thought there was something wrong. I should've started my text with ‘want to hear some good news'. Too late now.

"More than okay. You would never believe what happened today," I said, the excitement to share the news bubbling over. "I still can't believe this is all over."

"Details, please," he said. I didn't miss his yawn, even though he tried to cover it up.

"First, sorry for waking you," I said.

"Raya, never apologize for that. I miss you. I've been dying to hear about your day," he said, sincerely.

"Well let's just say that Joseph lost his temper in court after the judge basically denied his request for sole custody. I could tell when the judge was speaking that he hadn't been impressed with Joseph's the choice of words in the courtroom. And when Joseph stood up and cut the judge off while speaking, it was a huge mistake. One that I am very grateful for."

"What did the judge do?" he asked.

"He told Joseph that he could either retro pay me spousal and child support for the past ten years, or sign off his legal parental rights to Joey," I stated.

"Holy shit. That would mean he would have no legal rights to even claim Joey as his son."

Even though he couldn't see me, I smiled. "That's correct."

"What did Joseph say?" Orion asked.

"I won't repeat the cruelty he used, but let's say that Joseph will never be in my son's life," I said, joyfully.

"Congratulations! I know you must be thrilled at this. But how is Joey handling the outcome?" he questioned.

"My fear was he'd be hurt deeply by the rejection. I mean to hear first-hand that your flesh and blood father doesn't want anything to do with you must be painful." I regretted saying that as I recalled the fact Orion's mother left him and never made contact again. "I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me," I said. Damn. I knew his mother had left him. I never should have said that.

"Don't worry about it. My mother madeher choice. Joseph made his. I don't hate my mother. And after twenty-plus years of longing for her to reach out to us, I stopped caring. My only wish was that she'd have bid us goodbye instead of just disappearing from our lives."

That made sense. "Maybe that explains Joey's reaction. After having to sit in the courtroom and hearing how his father spoke to me and about him, somehow it seemed to have made it easier for him to accept the rejection. Strange because I would've thought the opposite would've happened. I had been prepared to console him, but instead he was the strong one telling me that we don't need Joseph. Never even called him dad, or father. Just Joseph." I was so proud of him. Glad that he was nothing like that sperm donor of a father.

"That's amazing. But from how you speak about Joey, it doesn't surprise me. He's got courage from his mother," he said.

I wished we were having this conversation in person because I'd be wrapping my arms around his neck and telling him how much I love him. With everything he has said and done, him complimenting Joey is my favorite.

How can I not love someone who I know already loves my son?

"I really can't wait for you to meet him. And he seems excited to be going to Tabiq too and I haven't even told him about you taking him fishing yet." I said, jokingly.

The truth was, I hadn't told Joey anything about Orion. Not because I was afraid of what he'd say, but because I wasn't sure where Orion and I were headed yet. But through all these difficult things we had faced, we bonded and supported each other in ways that neither of us expected. I felt closer to him than even Kathy, and that said a lot.

"When I have a chance, I'll go and dig the supplies out of the shed. Haven't used them in years," he said. "Not sure what shape they are in, but I'll make them work."

That was perfect. I wanted to shop for something with Joey to bring to Tabiq. Tonight, I would sit him down, and tell him everything about Orion. Explain how he'd been there for me, and how even though they didn't know each other, Orion had been there for him too. If all that went as I expected, I'd take Joey out shopping tomorrow. I now knew what would be the perfect gift for him. Fishing poles.

The good thing about being flown in a private jet was not having to worry about overhead storage or what would fit in one suitcase. Shaun made sure to let me know I could bring anything and as much as I wanted. Not that I had an abundance of things, but I was nostalgic and kept a lot of Joey's things from over the years. Those things mean a lot to me.

"Don't worry about the pole. There will be a lot of other things for him to do when we get there." That hopefully would put him off searching for something he won't need. "Now, tell me, how is your grandmother?" I had been waiting for an update on her, but I knew he also didn't want to disturb me while I was in court.

"She is awake, but in a lot of discomfort. Finn said she will be in the hospital for at least another week, if not more."

"I am sure that they are just trying to make sure she is strong enough to go home," I said.

"Unfortunately, I need to deliver her some bad news when I go to see her in the morning," he said.

That scared me. "What is that?" I asked.

"Finn said she cannot go back to living alone. You know how she feels about that," he stated.

"I do. It's going to be very hard for her to accept, but if anyone can make her understand, it is you," I said. I witnessed the bond they had. She adored both of them, but Orion held a special place in her heart. I know that feeling. He does for me as well.

"I am not so sure about that. But I have done some serious thinking and...and I have decided that it is best that she lives with me," he stated.

I smiled. "Good. I know it won't be easy, but you have one of the biggest hearts of anyone I ever met. She's lucky to have you. And I know you will take better care of her than any stranger would."

"I hope she sees it that way," he sighed. "She was adamant about living alone."

I knew it wasn't going to be an easy conversation, and she was going to argue with him. "If she doesn't, I'll be happy to talk to her for you. And Orion, I will help in any way I can. You don't have to feel as though you need to do it all on your own," I said truthfully. Then it hit me. He needed space and his apartment might not be the right place for that. "Are you bringing her to your apartment? Because I don't think that is going to be very convenient. You need lots of space. And also, someplace that will feel like a home to her. She might not be able to do a lot, but she said she loves to sit in her rocker and knit."

"About that. I have something to tell you," Orion stated.

"What about it?" I asked.

"I don't have one."

"Don't have what? An apartment?" I questioned. He surely wasn't sleeping in his SUV. And hopefully not at the office either.

"Yeah. I meant to, but time ran out of time and I...I ended up on my brother's couch," he admitted.

"Wait. I am living in your house with all those bedrooms and you're on a couch? That makes no sense at all. I can go back to the resort, and you take your home back. You will need it for your grandmother anyway. I saw her place. It is nice, but the rooms were small, and I am sure you're going to want your own space. Besides that, if she needs assistance in getting around it will be more difficult for you to manage that with her narrow doorways. Yours are much wider. I'll pack my stuff as soon as I return to Tabiq. And I'll even help you get your house ready for her too if you'd like," I rambled off.

"What I'd like is for you and Joey to stay at the house," he said firmly.

"Orion, that doesn't make any sense. You need it. Joey and I can live anywhere," I stated.

"No. Joey needs a home. Not a hotel room. I'm not taking no for an answer. The house is yours to do what you wish," he said.

"Then I wish you and your grandmother lived there," I said.

"With you and Joey?" he asked.

I wasn't sure if he was joking or not. How do I even respond? I mean, this was too fast. He couldn't be serious, could he?

"Raya? Are you there?" he asked.

"Yes. I...I..." couldn't even think of the next words.

"Breathe. It was a joke. Well, not totally. I have thought a lot about what a future with you would look like. Me, you, Joey and maybe a few more added to the family. But at no point has the thought of my grandmother living with us entered my mind."

Somewhere along the line, I stopped breathing, and was unable to speak. This was not something I thought we would be discussing right now. Not for some time, actually. But what does time have to do with anything? I already knew that I was in love with him, even if I hadn't told him yet. My heart wanted to scream and shout those three words. I thought they would scare him, but after his comment, maybe they wouldn't.

"Orion, I...I've had similar thoughts." Why pretend as though I hadn't?

"Good. Because I meant what I said. You mean more to me than you realize. I can't picture my life without you." I heard him let out a long exhale and then say, "I planned on taking you out for dinner when we had this conversation, but why not now? Unless you'd rather wait?" he asked.

"No. Now is fine," I said.

"Raya, there has been something between you and me from the moment we met. The more time I spend with you, and talk to you, it just grows. I don't want you to feel as though you must respond, and I'm not trying to pressure you in any way, but I need you to know something. I'm in love with you," he said, then didn't say anything else.

"Orion, I have felt it as well. I wanted to tell you after the night I spent snuggled up in your arms, but I wasn't sure how you felt. I was afraid that if I said the L word, you would run, and this would be over. I couldn't even bear thinking about that. Now the only thing I'm afraid of is you not being in my life. I love you too, Orion," I said.

"Damn it! We should be kissing and making love. Not talking on a phone. But this doesn't make it any less real," he said.

"No, it doesn't. But...we really should finish this conversation when we're together," I suggested.

"Agreed. Because I'm sure there is a lot more for us to say," he replied.

"I'll be traveling with Joey, but Alex and Ziva said their children would love to meet him. Looks like we might have a babysitter when we need it." And I know I need time with you.

"I knew I liked Alex for some reason," he laughed then yawned.

"Orion, you're tired and I know you have a long day tomorrow."

"And you've had a long day today," he said.

"True. And I should go and pick up Joey from his friend's house. But call me after you talk to your grandmother. Let me know how it went," I said.

"I will do that. Good night, Raya. I love you," he said.

"Sweet dreams, Orion. I love you too."

"Damn, that sounded good. Care to say it again?" he prodded.

Smiling I said, "Mr. Orion Moyer, I love you more than words can say, and plan on showing you when I see you."

"Oh, that will definitely provide me some sweet dreams now," he moaned.

I giggled and said, "Good night, Orion."

"Good night."

Slipping the phone in my purse. I had been so stressed today that my body actually hurt as though I'd gown to the gym and completed a boot camp workout. But once Orion said he loved me, my entire body relaxed. The weight of the day vanished. I no longer felt as though I was returning to Tabiq. I felt as though I was going home. And ‘at home' is something I hadn't felt, even as a child.

There were things we still needed to work out, like living arrangements, but that was going to take time. I wanted Orion to move right in, but I needed Joey to feel comfortable with that first. He might be stronger than I thought but this wasn't just my home, I wanted him to feel like it was his too.

I knew Orion understood that. He'd always taken Joey into consideration, so I didn't need to worry. The universe seemed to have a plan for Orion and me, and so far, I wasn't complaining. I was going to continue to trust it, and let it guide our way because Orion's vision for our future sounded very much like mine. And there was no way all this happened just by coincidence.

Although I could sit here and smile the rest of the day just thinking about Orion, I knew there was something very important I needed to do. I pulled out my car keys and headed out the door. I knew Joey wanted a little more time with his friends, but it was getting late. I wanted time with him too. Maybe play a little bit of video games, a board game or two, and have dinner.

But before bedtime, he and I needed to talk. If I thought I had things to tell him before, I got a lot more to say now.

I better pick up pizza and ice cream for dinner. Because I have a feeling, this is going to be a long night.