Chapter 11 #5
Blue nodded. “Yes, sir. I’m taking the money I’ve been making on the songs I write and sell and putting it into an account for all three kids to use for college.
If she wants to go, I want her to go. If she wants to go to vocational school, I’ll support her in that too.
I just want her to be happy and have a good life. ”
He was surprised when the judge interrupted the questioning. “You write songs?”
“Yes, sir. I write songs. Been doing that all my life. One of my teachers in grade school taught me to write down my feelings to help me deal with them, and I’ve been doing it ever since.
When I started playing guitar, I started putting them to music.
Now I work for Tidal Wave Records and I’m under contract to write for HankChamberlain. ”
JudgeHargrove’s eyes went wide. “ The HankChamberlain? You’re kidding!”
“No, sir. I’ve written several songs for him, and I’m working on some for a new album now.”
“Anything I’d recognize?” the judge asked.
Blue nodded and smiled. “Yeah. The one I sang to Indigo from the first day she came to me. I sang it to her every night. Still do.”
There was a collective gasp in the courtroom, and Judge Hargrove asked, “‘Indigo’s Lullaby’? That’s yours?”
“Yeah! You’ve heard it? I wrote that. Went to number three on the country charts the first week it was out! It hit number one the second week. I got a little bonus out of that. But I wouldn’t let them change the name, though. It’s her song, and it’s going to stay that way.”
When he glanced at Glen, the attorney had a smile a mile wide plastered across his face. “No more questions, YourHonor,” his attorney said and took a seat.
“Do you have any questions for Mr.Wallace?” the judge asked Mr.Casey.
“Yes. I do.” He approached the witness box and Blue wondered what he was about to ask. “So if the paternity test had shown the baby wasn’t yours, what would you have done, Mr.Wallace? Just walked away? Would you have been able to turn her loose?”
Blue shook his head. “Wouldn’t have made one bit of difference.
That little girl is mine. Even if I hadn’t been her biological father, I’m still her daddy.
She doesn’t know about genetics or blood tests or any of that stuff.
All she knows is that I love her.” Blue summoned every ounce of strength he had left when he said, “And I do love her. With all my heart.”
Mr. Casey looked a little disappointed when he said, “That’s all I have, YourHonor.”
“Very well. Since there are no more witnesses―”
The courtroom doors burst open and a woman yelled out, “Am I too late?”
JudgeHargrove’s head popped up and he scowled. “Ma’am, this is a closed proceeding. I think you’re―”
“Oh, I’m in the right place all right. I want to testify in this case, sir,” she told the judge.
A bailiff who’d been standing outside the courtroom doors stepped in, but the judge waved him off. “And who are you?”
“I’m DeloresBingham, Cindy’s mother.” Blue felt everything in his body turn to mush. With a grandmother who was willing to help, he’d be fucked for sure.
“Counsel, approach the bench,” the judge called out, and both attorneys joined him. Blue couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Glen looked none too happy, and Mr.Casey looked like a cat with an open can of tuna.
“What’s going on?” Blue whispered when Glen sat down.
“The judge is going to allow her to testify. I don’t like it, but it’s his decision.
I hope to god she doesn’t ruin this for us.
” Glen twiddled his pen and Blue started to shake.
It had gone so well and, just like so many things in his life, it had tanked at the last minute.
Why? What had he ever done that was so terrible that he couldn’t catch a single break?
“Which of you gentlemen would like to question our witness first?” JudgeHargrove asked. When Glen swept a hand toward Mr.Casey, the attorney stood and stepped to the witness box where Ms.Bingham had already been sworn in and seated. “So, Ms.Bingham, you’re CindyHammond’s mother, correct?”
“Yes, sir. I am.”
“And how often do you see your daughter?”
“Hell, I haven’t seen her in about five years.
She doesn’t even call me on Mother’sDay.
I’m here because I didn’t even know I had a granddaughter until yesterday.
She never bothered to tell me. She could’ve left the baby with me, but she took it and left it on a doorstep.
On a doorstep! I swear, Cindy, I raised you better than that! ”
Blue heard a noise and turned to find Glen choking down laughter. That made Blue break into a wide grin. Holy shit, the woman was going to settle the thing for them and all they had to do was let her!
It looked like Mr.Casey was about to have a stroke, his face red and his eyes bulging. “Um, Ms.Bingham, would you like to see your daughter gain custody of your granddaughter?”
“Hell no! She doesn’t have the sense God gave a goose! I saw that baby out in the hallway when the sitter lady was taking her to the restroom to change her diaper and the kid’s healthy and happy. I’m sorry, but my daughter is an idiot.”
Mr.Casey was so rattled he could barely speak and Blue was having the time of his life. Awesome. This is so awesome. You can’t make this shit up , Blue thought as he listened. “So if you don’t think your daughter has any business with the baby, why are you here?”
“Well, first off, I want to make sure nobody ruins this baby’s life by giving her back to my daughter.
Cindy gave her away once, and she’ll do it again,” she said, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the young woman sitting in front of her, glaring.
“And I’m hoping her daddy will see his way clear to letting me at least visit with her.
I’d like that. I don’t know what family he’s got, but no kid can have too many grandmas and grandpas, I don’t think. ”
Casey turned to the judge. “I think I’m finished here.”
“Mr. Baker?”
“No, sir, but I’d like to thank Mr.Casey for requesting that Ms.Bingham be allowed to speak her mind. It’s been quite enlightening,” Glen said, unable to keep from chuckling a little.
“Very well. Fifteen-minute recess, and then I’ll render my decision.” With that, the judge disappeared into chambers, leaving the rest of them sitting there.
“Come with me,” Glen whispered and took off out the courtroom door. Blue had to jog just a little to catch up. The attorney ducked into a stairwell and stopped on the landing.
“Well?” Blue asked.
“If he rules against you, there’s a serious problem. Did you get a load of that woman? That was priceless!” Glen said, laughing.
Blue wasn’t laughing. It wasn’t over, and he knew it. Anything could happen and with his luck, it could still go badly. “If I win, do you think I could give Cindy’s mother visitation?”
“Sure,” Glen said, his laughter finally calming. “I think that would be good. He’s going to give Cindy some kind of visitation, I’m sure, but it’ll be supervised. He won’t want her to be alone with the baby.”
“Good. That would be okay with me,” Blue said, his hands still shaking. “Can I see her? Just for a minute?”
The eyes that met his were sympathetic. “Sure. No reason why not. Come on. You visit with her. I’m going out front to tell Anne she can go on home. I won’t be needing her again.”
Blue opened the door to the holding room and the social worker’s head turned. “Hey, Indigo, look who’s here!”
“Hey, baby! You okay?” At Blue’s voice, Indigo turned toward him and held out her hands. He picked her up and kissed her cheek. “You being a good girl?”
“She’s being a very good girl. Over yet?” the social worker asked. Blue shook his head as he gazed down at the baby, her tiny hands busy with a toy. She was oblivious to the tension around her, and he was thankful for that.
The door opened and Glen stuck his head in. “We’ve got to go back for the judge’s decision. Someone will be out pretty soon,” Glen said in the social worker’s direction, then turned back to Blue. “Come on, Brent. Time to hear what he’s decided.”
They’d no more than sat down when the judge stepped into the courtroom and they had to stand.
“You may be seated,” he told them, then looked from Blue to Cindy and back to Blue.
“I want to thank you all for your patience today. Deciding the fate of a child is something I take very, very seriously, so I hope you understand that the decision I’m about to render was made with great care and consideration. ”
Blue held his breath. How could one person have the ability to snatch his precious daughter from him?
He wasn’t a praying person, but for the first time in his life, he found himself asking whatever or whoever was in charge of the universe to please help him and if not, to help Indigo no matter what happened.
“I’ve listened to both sides. MissHammond,” JudgeHargrove said, “I’m not sure what you were thinking in leaving a six-month-old infant in a basket on a porch, but I would hope you’d never do anything that careless again.
After that, I’m surprised you’d have the nerve to come and ask for custody.
” Blue wasn’t surprised when Cindy burst into tears.
“Mr.Wallace,” the judge said, and Blue sat up tall and looked him straight in the eye.
“I was astounded when Ms.Newsome gave her testimony. To see you sitting here, a fully functioning member of society, holding down a good job and raising a baby with minimal help, is a wonder to me, considering your background. I can see why you’d never want your child to go through what you went through.
In this courtroom today I’ve heard more than one person say that they’re proud of you, and I want you to know that I am also.
You’ve beaten the odds. You’re not in jail, you’re not on drugs, and you’re raising a little girl that the social worker has reported to be happy, healthy, and well cared for.
You’re to be commended for rising above your raising and doing what needs to be done.
” Blue nodded with respect to the judge.
“Here is my ruling. The infant IndigoDarling Wallace will remain in the custody of her father, BrentAlan Wallace, who will be her sole custodial parent.” Blue let out the breath he’d been holding and didn’t try to stop the tears that streamed down his face.
“As for the mother, CynthiaDenise Hammond, MissHammond is granted two hours of supervised visitation per month with her daughter. When the child is five years old, this will be revisited by the courts to see if it needs to be changed. Mr.Wallace?”
“Yes, sir,” Blue said, almost unable to speak.
“I think it would be in the child’s best interest if she were able to see her grandmother, Ms.Bingham. I’m not going to rule on that, nor am I going to set some kind of visitation. From what I’ve seen, you’re a decent, reasonable man. I think the two of you can work out something between you.”
“Yes, YourHonor. Thank you, YourHonor,” Blue said quietly.
“Thank you all for coming. Family court is dismissed.” Without another word, the judge stood and made his way back to his chambers.
“Glen?” Blue said.
“Yeah?”
“Can I hug you?”
The attorney began to laugh and embraced Blue in a bear hug.
“We did it. She’s safe.” He pressed Blue back with his hands on the younger man’s shoulders and looked into his face.
“Thank you for letting me be a part of this. I haven’t handled family law in years, and it’s been a pleasure working with you.
Write me a song, wouldja?” Glen asked and laughed.
“I’ll do that! ‘Ode To a Barrister!’” Blue said, laughing.
“That’ll work! Come on. Let’s go get your daughter,” Glen said as he headed down the aisle and out the courtroom doors with Blue right on his heels.