Chapter 37
CUSTODY HEARING
The courthouse in Atherton had twenty-one steps. The atrium floor looked like white marble laced with dark veins. Madonnas arrived wearing the polyester-blend outfits they wore to funerals and weddings. Ronnie hugged them one at a time, absorbing anxiety from concerned upturned faces.
Nev wasn’t coming to the courthouse—something about the bank and visiting a neighbor.
Mikey and Jesse had slept over with Ronnie at the purple house on Pademelon Road last night and had carpooled with Reg and Blaise this morning.
The stocky mechanic looked handsome in a suit and tie, short brown hair combed to one side.
Mikey and Jesse wore matching green bowties.
Mikey’s strong, solid energy made Ronnie breathe a little easier, as did having two-year-old Jesse there.
They filed into the courtroom where the judge, a woman Ronnie had never seen before, was presiding over other people’s problems. On a long bench near the back, she sat down between her dad and her lawyer, then dissociated while she waited for her case to be called.
Nothing good had ever happened to her in a courtroom.
This was the place you went to be slapped in the face in front of a crowd of onlookers; a stage of public humiliation.
She recognized the back of Maude’s auburn hair in the second row. Her ex had arrived early, which she told herself was a good sign.
Rainbow’s little head next to Maude’s shoulder. Dark pigtails.
She couldn’t let herself think about Rainbow now, but couldn’t look at anything else.
So much trouble to get back the best part of her.
Someone in the row behind her flicked her earlobe. Mattie.
Reg put his arm around her and squeezed.
Her rock. “Breathe.” They had met all of Maude’s requirements and checked all the boxes on her list. They had done all they could do.
Now it was out of their hands. “It’ll be fine.
You’ll see.” So long as the social worker for the state agreed that living with Ronnie was best for Rainbow’s wellbeing, the judge should approve their joint petition.
It was a good sign that Maude had brought Rainbow.
Their lawyer from Mareeba had submitted proof of Ronnie’s income and housing ahead of time. The state had done a safety review of her dad’s house, which he said had gone well. She assumed she had passed the drug test.
When it was their turn, the court officer called their case. “Madonna and Green?” Strangers from the previous hearing filed out. Ronnie and her lawyer walked up the aisle to the front, joining Maude, and followed her through the little gate to the front half of the room with the magistrate.
The judge addressed basic administrative questions to Ronnie’s lawyer first, then to a woman in a suit dress who must represent the state of Queensland.
Ronnie’s stomach burbled and her mind went blank. Her face tingled and her chest felt tight. She hoped she wouldn’t faint.
Her lawyer confirmed the judge’s statements. “Correct, your honor.”
The other lady confirmed similar statements about documentation and approvals that went over Ronnie’s head. Everything sounded mechanical and impersonal. She had no idea what they were talking about. No one looked at her. She couldn’t believe they were talking about her.
It didn’t feel real.
Poor Rainbow sat beside Maude’s parents in the front row, biting her nails, looking worried.
Ronnie wanted to go to her, put her arm around her.
She felt guilty for subjecting her to this.
She never wanted Rainbow to know the stress she had known, didn’t want her daughter to grow up shell-shocked by legal spaces and afraid of sirens.
The grey-haired judge shuffled papers around her desk.
Ronnie cracked her knuckles. Her hands were sweaty. The judge looked at the woman in the navy skirt. “You received the fax from the social worker?”
“Yes, your honor.”
“No problems?”
“No, your honor.”
“Does your office have concerns?”
“No, your honor.”
Ronnie held her breath. That sounded good. Like, ‘game over’ good.
“Any limitations your office would like to add?”
“None, your honor.”
The room faded. She inhaled. She had to stop holding her breath or she would actually pass out. Mattie squeezed her shoulder. She hoped she didn’t get bubble gut from the stress and have to run for the bathroom. Courthouses gave her the runs.
“In that case,” the judge said, shuffling papers around, “petition granted.”
Reg sobbed big man sobs, loud and urgent, but Ronnie could barely hear him. The courtroom frosted over.
She settled back into her body with a hot flush, drunk with relief. All around her, smiling people touched her and patted her arms.
On autopilot, floating above the courtroom, she hugged her dad and kissed the top of his head. He was the reason she was a halfway functional human being.
Ronnie’s lawyer shook her hand. “See how easy? I told you not to worry.”
“Is that it?” Ronnie asked.
“That’s it,” the lawyer agreed, shouldering her purse. “Shared parental responsibility means joint custody. You got equal time, which is what you both asked for. Go home and celebrate.”
Blood rushed out of her head and back in. She held onto the back of the bench. “No conditions?” she asked, unable to believe it. This whole thing disoriented her. Nothing had ever gone her way before. She wasn’t used to it. She wasn’t used to anything being easy.
The lawyer shook her head.
Ronnie hugged her. “Thank you.” Hopefully this would be the last time she saw her. She never wanted to step foot here again.
Maude and Rainbow had already slipped out through the crowd. She didn’t blame them. She wanted to get out of here.
She put her arm around Mikey, then followed the tide of smiling faces out of the courtroom.
She couldn’t wait to see Rainbow. Hoped her daughter was happy.
Please let this be as good for her as it is for me…
Out in the hall, Maude walked over alone and hugged her. Maude had dressed the part of the sophisticated urban professional in a tight shirt with a plunging neckline, short black pencil skirt and heels. She smelled like vanilla. Maude pulled back first.
Ronnie straightened. “Listen.” She swallowed. She needed to get this off her chest. It was now or never. “That time you squashed me with the frozen corn, my wrist was broken. You probably didn’t know that.”
Maude’s expression fell. “No, I didn’t.”
“You scared me. You shouldn’t do that to people. It was really upsetting.”
“Sorry. I had no idea. I feel terrible.” Maude’s neck flushed and her eyes got a glazed look in them.
“I was joking around. I thought you could take it. You should have said something. You were acting tough and macho, like riding a kid’s board wasn’t idiotic, and I wanted to teach you a lesson.
People pretending they’re fine when they’re not is one of my pet peeves.
I had been drinking wine and arguing with my mother.
I’m sorry I over-reacted. It won’t happen again. ”
Reg inserted himself between them and led Ronnie away towards the open doors. With her peripheral vision she saw Maude say something to Mattie and receive the cold shoulder.
Finally, there in the bright lobby, she saw the reason for all of this—wearing a sparkly purple mermaid backpack. Her favorite person in the world.
She picked her up.
Rainbow hugged her around the neck.
She carried her across the marble floor covered in dark veins, out of the courthouse and down the twenty-one steps.