Chapter 18
Marcus
“After careful consideration of the evidence presented, including the testimony of the minor child, the court finds that it is in Noah Mitchell’s best interest to remain in the care of Marcus Hayes, his legally designated guardian.”
The judge’s voice boomed in the courtroom, each word landing with the weight of finality.
Then he continued, “The petitioner has failed to demonstrate that removing the child from his current placement would serve his welfare. Mr. Hayes has provided stable, loving care, and Noah has formed a significant bond with him. The original guardianship designation made by the deceased parents will stand. This court’s ruling is final. ”
The gavel came down with a sharp crack, and air rushed from my lungs, relief hitting me so hard my body sagged forward, and my head dropped into my hands.
Noah was staying with me. He was mine.
Eric clapped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Congratulations, Marcus. You did it.”
I lifted my head as a small, softer hand squeezed my other shoulder from behind.
Julia.
Across the aisle, Zenobia shot me a look of pure venom before muttering something to her attorney. She gathered her belongings with sharp, angry movements and stormed out of the courtroom.
I didn’t care how angry she was. Noah was staying with me. That was all that mattered.
I gripped Eric’s hand. “Thank you,” I said, which seemed insufficient after what he had accomplished.
“You don’t have to thank me. You had a strong case, and you’re a good father.” He began to pack up his briefcase. “My office will file the final paperwork next week, and I’ll have a courier send over a copy for your records.”
After he left, I stood and faced Julia. She reached for me, and I pulled her into my arms in the middle of the aisle, crushing her to me.
I was probably holding on too tight, but having her soft body pressed against me grounded me after the stress of the trial.
Fear and exhaustion were emotions of the past. Only overwhelming relief remained.
We held each other for a little longer as the courtroom emptied, and then I finally pulled back. “We should go get him. He’s been waiting out there long enough.”
Hand in hand, we exited the courtroom and found Noah in the hall sitting next to Mrs. Patterson, an older woman wearing a hat and glasses. He wore a suit, and his tie—royal blue and gold—matched the one I wore under my jacket.
As soon as we appeared, his anxious eyes searched our faces for answers.
He had testified, sitting in the chair at the front of the courtroom and answering questions.
The judge had been kind, but I knew the entire experience had scared Noah.
I had to sit quietly in my chair, unable to protect him, with a neutral expression on my face while my insides twisted into knots.
After his testimony, they removed him from the courtroom, and he had been waiting out here ever since with the babysitter, neither of them knowing what the outcome would be.
“Ready to go home?” I asked.
For half a beat, he seemed dazed. Then his face crumpled, and he launched himself off the bench and into my arms. I lifted him from the floor, and he wrapped his arms around me. Then he started crying, releasing all the pent-up emotion he had been holding inside.
He might not have understood everything that was taking place, but he understood enough to be afraid and know he might lose what was familiar to him—again.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, cradling the back of his head. “We’re going home, buddy. Together.”
Noah sniffed. “I thought...” His voice broke. “I thought she was gonna take me to Tennessee.”
“She can’t. You’re staying with me forever.” I kissed his temple. “I promise. That’s not changing. Okay?”
He nodded and wiped the tears from his cheeks.
Mrs. Patterson dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Congratulations, Marcus. This is what Brandon and Stacey wanted.”
“I appreciate you being here,” I said sincerely.
“Of course. Any time you need me.” She smiled and said goodbye to all of us.
Noah had stopped crying, but he still clung to me, so I didn’t put him down. Real talk, I didn’t want to. We headed toward the exit—me, Noah, and Julia.
Walking together into our future.
Noah screamed, laughing, twisting, and turning on the bed as I attacked his ribs. His laughter bounced off the walls—one of my favorite sounds in the world.
“Uncle Marcus, stop!” he choked out.
I finally quit, and he settled down.
“You’re gonna be good now?” I asked.
“Yes, I promise,” he said, still giggling.
When I had told him it was time for bed, he had sassed me back and said he was going to bed when he wanted to. I chased him around the condo and into his bedroom, where he slipped under the covers, prompting one of our tickle fights. It wasn’t much of a fight since I always won.
I straightened the sheets around him.
“Are we going shopping for camping stuff tomorrow?” he asked.
“Yes. I have to work first, though, so you’ll spend the day with Miss Julia. She’s going to the supermarket to pick up a few items for dinner. When I get back, we’ll buy your camping gear, okay?”
“I want a Robin sleeping bag,” he said.
“We’ll see if we can find one,” I said. If they didn’t have one at the store, I could probably find one online.
He grinned at me. “Can I have my own water thing? What’s it called?”
I knew exactly what he was doing by asking questions, purposely trying to stay up later. “A canteen. But you know what? If you keep asking questions, we won’t go shopping for any camping gear, and Miss Julia and I will go camping without you. Then we’ll leave you here in the condo all by yourself.”
“No!” he shrieked, laughing.
“Yes. Now go to sleep.”
He squeezed his eyes shut.
“Perfect. Good night. Love you.” I kissed his forehead and stood.
As I reached for the light, I heard him say, “Uncle Marcus?”
“Yeah, buddy?”
“I love you too.”
I smiled. “See you in the morning.” I turned out the light and eased the door shut.
Julia was in the kitchen putting away the leftovers from dinner. I walked up behind her as she was snapping the lid on one of the containers. Slipping my arms around her waist, I kissed the curve of her neck.
“Is he asleep?” she asked.
“He will be in a few minutes.”
She turned and looped her arms around my neck. “What time will you be finished with work tomorrow?”
“Let’s see... I have two listing appointments in the morning. Then I need to check on a couple of empty properties. My buyer’s assistants are handling the showings, so I should be free by mid-afternoon.”
“Then we can go look for camping gear. Ever since you told Noah we’re going camping, he hasn’t stopped talking about it.”
I let out a quiet laugh. “He just asked me about going to buy the gear while I was tucking him in. I’m still learning that I need to be careful what I mention to him because he never forgets.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
Silence settled between us as I looked down into her dark eyes. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Yes, you could have, but it might have been a lot less enjoyable.”
“No doubt.” I kissed her, tasting the softness of her lips. I ran my hands over the curve of her spine. “Ready for bed?”
“Mhmm. Let me put this last dish away.”
I watched as she placed the last container in the refrigerator.
She had been my calm in the middle of a storm.
Steady. My rock. Her presence truly made everything better.
That’s why, now that the custody ordeal was behind me, I was going ring shopping next week.
I wanted to marry her. I had already told Jashaun and Elijah my intentions, and they were happy for me.
I wanted Julia permanently in my life and Noah’s. Despite what she’d said about not wanting to be a mother, recent conversations confirmed she had changed her mind. She loved Noah, too, and she loved me. I wanted us to be a family.
“Have I told you lately that I love you?” I asked.
“No,” she said softly.
“I do. I love you so damn much.”
Her hand caressed my jaw. “I love you too.”
How did I get so lucky?
I kissed her again, but deeper this time, lifting her off her feet. She wrapped her legs around my waist and gently stroked the nape of my neck. Her touch was both an aphrodisiac and soothing.
As I walked with her in my arms toward the bedroom, I marveled at how much my life had changed in the past few months. I had been living in a vacuum, hopping from bed to bed, not realizing how empty my existence was and what I had been missing.
By terrible chance, my world changed when Noah became my responsibility. Then I met this woman in my arms, who made a tough, winding road easier to navigate.
I had outgrown my old life and become the man I was today. I still had a lot to learn, but I was confident that with her by my side, anything was possible.