Chapter 11
T he court date was set, and it was like a giant ball of flames looming on the horizon, threatening to burn down everything Blue had built for himself and his child.
That same ball of flames lived in the pit of his stomach, and half the time he couldn’t even swallow.
Anne fretted over him and the kids tried to tempt him, but he just couldn’t eat.
He couldn’t sleep either. Exhausted and nerves frayed, he worked hard every day to keep going like he always had, but it was difficult. Nothing was the same with that big bundle of raging destruction hanging over his head.
The night before the custody hearing, Blue lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Anne wasn’t in any better shape. “What will I do if they find in favor of her?” Blue asked her in a whisper.
“I don’t know. I really don’t know,” she said, her fingers wandering through the little patch of hair on his chest. “I don’t know what any of us will do.”
The next morning, he seemed almost like he was watching a play, like someone else was acting in it and he was just a spectator.
It was beyond surreal, knowing as he dressed her that it might be the last time.
Glen had told him to make sure he packed up things for her because if the court found in Cindy’s favor, there was a good chance they’d award her custody immediately and she could leave the courthouse with the baby.
He’d also said he wasn’t going to let that happen, but Blue knew all too well that it had happened to dads in the past and it could again.
Anne drove separately in case she needed to leave for any reason, especially since she’d have to spend hours just sitting in the hallway.
They’d been assured there would be an uninvolved social worker at the courthouse to watch her while they were in the courtroom, so they carried her things into the building as they went in.
The woman took Indigo from Blue, but he reached for her and said, “Let me have her for just a second.” When Anne started to follow him out, he shook his head. “No. Just me and her.”
When the door closed behind him and he found himself alone with his little girl in the hallway, he sat down on one of the benches and sat her on his lap facing him.
Bouncing her just a little on his knees, he smiled down at her.
“Indigo?” he said, and she looked up into his face.
“I want you to remember this, please? Just know that Daddy loves you more than anything in this world, my little angel. Every time you hear Hank sing that song on the radio, I want you to remember that it’s your song.
You may not remember me, but I hope you remember that song.
” He leaned down to her and kissed her forehead, taking in that baby smell, the one he’d grown to adore.
When he took her back into the room for the social worker to watch her, his heart screamed as he acknowledged silently that it might be the last time he ever touched her.
Since the proceedings were regarding a minor child and confidentiality was required, he, Cindy, their attorneys, the court stenographer, and the judge were the only ones allowed in the courtroom.
Everyone else had to wait outside until they were called.
He knew Anne was fretting out in the hallway, but there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.
Glen accompanied him into the courtroom, but Cindy and her attorney were already there, having entered through another door. In seconds, the judge and the court reporter were there, and everyone stood until the judge told them they could sit.
Cindy’s attorney went first, and Blue steeled himself for what was about to happen. After the judge had her swear her oath, Cindy sat in the witness box and her attorney approached to ask her questions. “State your full name for the court, please.”
“Cynthia Denise Holland.”
“And Ms.Holland, the infant child, IndigoDarling Wallace―is she your child?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And did you, on April twenty-eighth of this year, leave her in a basket on the front porch of one BrentAlan Wallace?”
“Yes, sir, I did.”
“Can you state for the court why you did this?”
Cindy shifted in her chair and looked a little uncomfortable. “I was going to California to work and I didn’t have enough money to take her with me.”
The attorney paced away from her and then back. “Did you have any intention of abandoning her?”
“No! Absolutely not! I left her with Blue because I―”
“I’m sorry, but could you explain to the court who Blue is?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Brent. We all call him Blue because of his eyes,” she said and smiled.
“I see. So you left her with Mr.Wallace.”
Cindy nodded. “Yes. I knew he’d take care of her.”
“And you always intended to come back for her?”
“Oh, yes sir.”
“And then what happened?”
Cindy fiddled with the hem of her top. “Um, I got to California and the job wasn’t as good as they’d said, so I came back.”
“And approximately how long were you gone?”
“Six months.”
The attorney looked at his notes. “And how old was the infant when you left her?”
“About six months.”
“So she’s approximately one year old now.”
Cindy nodded again. “Yes, sir.”
“And why do you think the court should award you custody of the minor child?”
“Because I’m her mother!” Cindy exclaimed and started to cry. “She should be with me!”
Blue was sure the attorney would ask her more questions, but he didn’t. He told the judge, “That’s all right now, YourHonor.”
“Mr.Baker?” JudgeHargrove said, pointing to Glen.
Glen stood, took his notepad in hand, and walked straight up to the witness box. “So you were going to California for a job?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Don’t people take their children with them all the time when they move for a job?”
Cindy squirmed a little in her seat. “But I didn’t know what kind of living conditions I’d have or anything.”
“So you went to California for a job you didn’t know much about, to live somewhere you hadn’t determined, and can I assume this was with someone you didn’t know very well?” Cindy started to open her mouth, but Glen said, “Strike that question. Ms.Holland, how many other children do you have?”
Cindy looked confused. “None.”
“This is your only child?”
“Yes, sir,” she said and squirmed again.
“How many other children does Mr.Wallace have?”
She chuckled under her breath. “Blue? No telling.”
Glen’s glare was wilting. “How many that you personally know of?”
“None.”
“So you left this baby with a man who had no other children?”
“Yes, sir. He’s her father.”
“And you knew this how?”
Her eyes widened just a little. “Because he’s her father.”
“Are you saying you’d had testing done so you knew he was her father?”
“No, but―”
“So it could’ve been someone else?”
“Objection, YourHonor!” her attorney shouted.
“I’ll allow it. Answer the question, Ms.Holland.”
Cindy sat for a few seconds almost like she was trying to formulate a lie. Finally, she said, “No. I didn’t have any testing done. He was just the only guy I was, well, you know, when I got pregnant.”
“Oh. I see. Okay, so you took the baby and left her on his doorstep, but you called first.”
“No.” She giggled just a little. “No way. He would’ve run.”
“Oh. So you set her down and knocked on the door.”
“Yeah.” Blue could see she was confused.
“But no one came to the door?” Glen asked.
Cindy shook her head. “No.”
“So you left her there, not knowing if he was even home.”
“His truck was in the driveway,” she said, trying to explain.
“But you didn’t know for sure. He could’ve gone somewhere with friends.”
“Um, I suppose so,” she mumbled.
“And you left a bag with formula and diapers, blankets, clothes, socks, all those kinds of things,” Glen said, and Blue saw exactly where he was going.
“Um, no. I just left her in the basket.”
Glen stepped over to the table where Blue sat, tossed his legal pad on its shiny surface, and turned back to stalk up to Cindy.
“So let me see if I got this straight. You took a six-month-old infant, put her in a basket, and left her on a porch of a man you assumed is her father, unsure if anyone was at home, with no supplies, no food, no clothing, nothing, and took off for California for a job you knew almost nothing about, to live in an undetermined location, and didn’t know if you’d ever be back. Did I understand that correctly?”
“Objection, YourHonor!” her attorney shouted again.
“I’ll allow. Answer the question, Ms.Holland.”
Cindy’s eyes darted from Glen to her attorney and back to Glen before she answered, “Uh, I guess.”
“And did you, at any time while she was in your care, take her to the doctor?” Glen asked, and Blue’s heart leaped in his chest.
“Uh, yes, sir.”
“And when was that?”
“Her two-month checkup.”
Glen leveled his gaze at her and Blue wanted to cheer. “Any other times?”
“Um, she had a cold. And she had a stomach bug.”
“Did you take her for the rest of her recommended immunizations?”
“No. I didn’t have the money.”
Glen stepped away from the witness box and headed back to the table, then turned and looked at Cindy. “Your insurance didn’t cover it?”
“I don’t have insurance,” Cindy told him, her cheeks pinking up.
“And you didn’t ask her father to chip in?” She didn’t answer, but her bloodred cheeks told the story.
Blue’s chin almost hit the floor when Glen asked, “And did you, at any time, call Mr.Wallace and ask about how she was doing?” When she balked, he added, “And remember, MissHolland, you’re under oath and we can pull phone records if need be.” Blue had to give it to Glen, the guy was good.
Cindy squirmed miserably. “Uh, no, I didn’t.”
“No more questions, YourHonor,” Glen said and took his seat beside Blue.
“Anything else, Mr.Casey?” the judge asked Cindy’s attorney.
“Yes, thank you, YourHonor.” He marched up to Cindy. “So did you really think leaving her with the defendant was the best thing for your daughter?”
“At the time, yes,” she answered and nodded.
“No more questions, YourHonor,” he said and sat back down.