Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Emiko
Today is the day that a total stranger gets to decide what’s best for my babies. Having our support team behind us makes it a little easier. But it’s still the second worst day that I’ve woken up to. I can smell the breakfast my mom is making. I roll over and see that Rhett is gone. But there’s a note on his pillow and I smile as I read it.
My love,
I wanted you to sleep as long as you could. I’m downstairs with our babies and whoever else is up.
I love you,
Rhett
I stretch, get into the shower and get dressed. Then I follow the smell of food into the kitchen. I chuckle at the sight of all these huge men sitting at the table with my family. Also knowing that Valentino is here to help protect my babies is such an overwhelming feeling. To know that someone who doesn’t even know me or them is willing to protect them.
“Morning, Mommy.” Kaito smiles.
“Morning, baby.” I smile back.
Rhett stands up and gives me his seat as he kisses me. I thank him as I sit down.
“Breakfast smells delicious, mom.”
“Oh my god. It’s so good,” Francesco says. “Thank you again for making all this.”
“We appreciate all of you coming to help us.”
“We’re family. And that’s the one thing we do best is protect our family,” Salvatore says.
“I’ve been considering a move back to Illinois. Would you by chance have any openings in your department?” Tadashi asks Salvatore.
“We do. Our department is really small, but I could find a position for you if you want to join us.”
“We’ll definitely have to talk more about this after we take care of my sister’s case.”
“I’ll be here for as long as I’m needed.” Salvatore nods.
“We need to get going to the courthouse. The judge sent a message to everyone. He wants to speak to the twins before we present our cases,” Lorenzo says as he’s looking at his phone.
“Are we all allowed to be in the courtroom?” my dad asks.
“Yes. All of you can be there. In fact I was going to ask everyone to come. Showing that Emiko has such a huge supportive family shows that if she really was abusing the twins, someone would notice.”
“I keep hoping that they’ll give up and drop this. I can’t believe this is where we’re at,” Kentaro says.
“I don’t think any of us can believe it,” our mom says.
We all agree as we help clean up and grab our things to head to the courthouse.
“I also wanted to say that I think some of you should take the stand. Mr. and Mrs. Yamaguchi, Kentaro, Tadashi and Rhett. The judge needs to hear from all of you. I’m going to ask you about when Seth applied for emancipation and how he lived with you. You’ll be able to tell the judge how you felt about all that. The judge needs to know how tight-knit your family is. And how much you embraced Seth.”
* * *
After we check in, we wait for the judge to call Kaito and Miyuki in. Lorenzo has kept his word and he will be in the room with them. The only part I don’t like is that the Summerses’ lawyer will be there too. And they are both allowed to ask the twins questions.
When they’re finally called in, they both give me a hug.
“I love you both so much. Remember. Tell the truth. There’s no need to lie about anything.”
“We will, Mommy. I love you,” Kaito says as he hugs me tighter.
“We will tell the judge the truth, Mommy. I love you,” Miyuki says hugging me.
I watch them walk away and I wipe away the tears that are falling. I hate that the Summerses are putting my babies through this. Who the fuck do they think they are? I can see them sitting with Seth’s two sisters and two brothers.
“Is that their whole family?” Francesco asks me quietly.
“Yes. Seth was the baby.”
“They all look like assholes.”
I snort and turn my head.
“Did you just snort?” Kentaro asks.
“No.”
“Liar.” Tadashi snickers.
I love my brothers, this is how they were when we were kids. Always trying to make me feel better through humor. I miss them so much, but hearing Tadashi say he’s considering moving back? I love that. I love Wintervale, and I don’t want to leave. Unless it’s something that Rhett and I decide together. But I’d never ask him to leave his family.
It feels like we’ve been waiting forever. Finally Lorenzo comes out with the twins and they’re sobbing. They both run to Rhett and he scoops them up in his arms and holds them. It probably should make me sad that they didn’t come to me. But it doesn’t, I love that they find comfort in his arms. Before I can ask them if they’re okay, we all get called into the courtroom.
We all sit down, my family behind Lorenzo and me. We’re sitting at the table together.
“I think we got a good and fair judge. He was very concerned about what the Summerses told the twins. They told him everything. And they told him about losing their dad and how happy they are with Rhett,” Lorenzo whispers to me.
“What about this witness they talked about before?” I ask.
“I still don’t know who it is and they’re being allowed to bring this person in. They said it was for their safety that it’s being kept a secret. But after they’ve been questioned, we’ll have a recess, and I can get some questions together.”
“I don’t like that they claim to have someone who says they saw me abuse my kids. I would never, no matter how angry I get. Never.”
“I know that, and everyone here with you knows that. Don’t worry, Emiko. We got this.”
“ALL RISE,” the bailiff says.
We all stand as the new judge walks in.
“BE SEATED,” the bailiff says.
“Since you’ve had your opening statements at your first hearing, we won’t be going over that again. I have read all the transcripts from that day. And as you know, I have spoken to the two minor children, Kaito and Miyuki Yamaguchi-Summers. Which I will go over after all statements and after witness are heard from. You may call your witnesses,” the judge says to the Summerses’ lawyer.
We watch and listen as Gordon and Sheila are asked the same questions. They’re saying that Seth was brainwashed by me and my parents. That if they had been able to talk to him, he never would’ve left their family. How my parents forced him to stay and take care of me and the twins. And how they’re really not sure the twins are Seth’s children. Lorenzo countered that by saying if they didn’t think that the twins were Seth’s, why are they petitioning for custody? And their answer was that no child should be abused so even if they’re not his, they would take care of them anyway. They’re so full of shit.
We finally get to see who their ‘witness’ is.
“Our final witness is Miss Sabrina McCann.”
We all gasp. That bitch. Whatever she says is a fucking lie and I’m not even allowed to say that out loud. I turn and look at Rhett. His face is turning red. And I can see him clenching his fists. He finally focuses on me and I can see him relax. He leans forward.
“I love you,” he whispers to me.
“I love you, too.”
I face forward as we watch Sabrina take the stand. We listen to her tell the judge that she saw me strike my twins on several occasions. And that I called them names and told them they were idiots. She even said that Rhett has been with her off and on since high school. And that the last time they were together was last week.
Kaito screamed that she’s a liar. We had to settle him down and explain to him that he can’t yell in the courtroom. He asked why she’s lying. My dad had to take him outside for a minute. I could see that it affected the judge. And I hope that it works in our favor. Because listening to her is making me want to punch her out.
When it was our turn, Lorenzo called each of my family members up and they told the judge how much they loved Seth and how I have never, and would never, strike my children. Or call them names and degrade them.
Lorenzo’s final witness is Rhett.
“Please state your name for the court.”
“Rhett Vandenberg.”
“And you are Emiko’s boyfriend?” Lorenzo asks.
“Yes.” He smiles at me.
“Have you ever seen Emiko yell at the twins? Or strike them?”
“Never. Emiko has never raised a hand to those kids.”
“How do you know Sabrina McCann?”
“She’s my ex-girlfriend. We dated for two years in high school. I broke up with her five years ago.”
“Have you been with her at all since you broke things off?”
“Nope. Never.”
“Thank you, Rhett.”
Lorenzo sits down as the Summerses’ lawyer stands up.
“So you’re saying that you’ve never seen Emiko yell at the children? Ever?”
“All parents yell at their children. What I said was that she’s never hit them or degraded them.”
“Uh-huh. Okay. So she has yelled at them.”
Rhett sighs. “If my parents were alive, they’d still yell at me for doing something wrong. All kids get yelled at. It’s part of growing up. The difference is Emiko doesn’t yell at them for being kids. Or tell them things that will hurt them.”
“You also said you haven’t been with Sabrina McCann for five years? Then can you explain this?”
He brings out a picture of Sabrina leaning over the pharmacy counter. And it looks like she’s kissing Rhett.
“Your Honor, we’ve never seen this picture. And obviously, it’s been staged. How else would they have a picture that someone else took?”
The judge asks to see the picture up close.
“Your Honor, that picture looks photoshopped. The counter at my pharmacy doesn’t look like that. In fact, I have a picture of me behind my counter that Emiko took and sent to me. Can I show it to you?”
The judge says yes and has Rhett show him the picture that I took of him. It’s obvious that the picture the Summerses’ lawyer has was doctored. The judge scolds their lawyer for not doing his job and making sure that it was a real photo. That’s one for us and zero for them. I’m silently cheering.
After everything is done, the judge looks at all of us. And starts reading from his papers.
“Earlier today, I was able to talk to Kaito and Miyuki. They are very well behaved and know how to express how they feel. They told me how they had never met Mr. and Mrs. Summers before the day they were forced to go and see them. Those were their words. Forced. They said they did not want to go without their other grandparents. But that they had to. So they did and spent the whole day with them. They were told to call them ‘Grandpa’ and ‘Grandma,’ even though they didn’t want to. And then when it was time to go home, they were told that they would be living with them from now on. That their mommy was a bad person and that she didn’t love them. When they saw their other grandparents outside, they said they screamed for them. And then the police came. But before the policemen came, they were told that their mommy was the reason their daddy was dead.” He takes a deep breath and faces the Summerses’ table.
“I understand that you’re still angry that your son chose his girlfriend and their unborn children over you. But that’s not a reason to say the things you said to those children. Maybe if you had been more compassionate when they came to you at the start, none of you would be here now. And after talking to the children and seeing their reactions to the questions that were given to them? I don’t think they’re lying about any of it. Their mother has been their rock since the day their father was killed in the line of duty.”
The judge looks at me.
“Your boyfriend gave his life in a way that no one can repay you for. And I believe that you’ve done everything you can for these children.”
The judge stops again and looks at everyone.
“My judgement is for Emiko Yamaguchi. Mr. And Mrs. Summers? Maybe one day you can find a way to make it up to her and you’ll be able to see your grandchildren. But lying about her and trying to kidnap them is not the way to do it. And for you, Sabrina McCann? There are consequences for lying in court. I’ll leave it at that.”
The judge bangs his gavel and we all stand as he walks out. Rhett jumps over the rail and holds me tight. I can see the twins jumping up and down.
We. Won.