Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“Thank you for joining us today, Ms. Valentino, despite your obvious discomfort with your ex-husband.” Kensington really turned on the sympathy.
James’s eye ticked.
“We had a very tumultuous marriage. I mean, I’m sure you can just imagine, given the types he fraternized with. He’s a very violent man,” Allison replied, her voice trembling.
“Oh, come on,” James yelled.
Ms. Loveless squeezed her eyes shut. “James, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down.”
“Mr. Valentino, one more outburst like that from you, and I will hold you in contempt!” Judge Hopper said.
“Your honor, it’s slander, and what’s more, it’s not true,” James argued, even while Ms. Loveless and I were hanging onto his wrists.
Judge Hopper went almost purple. “Mr. Valentino, your attorney will have an opportunity to cross-examine the witness. For now, please, SHUT UP.”
James looked about ready to leap over the table and throttle Judge Hopper, but Ms. Loveless and I finally managed to get him back into his seat.
“Good. Now, before this interruption, Bruce, you were going to question the witness?” Judge Hopper said.
“Yes, your honor.” Kensington turned to Allison. “You have already said, before this court, that your exhusband is a violent man who fraternizes with unsavory types. Can you expand on that?”
“He was involved with the mafia, and the mob, and God only knows who else,” Allison sniffled. “He kept a gun under his desk. I was always afraid to visit him at the office.”
“Has he ever threatened you personally?” Kensington asked.
“All the time,” Allison hiccuped. “He threatened me all the time. If I hadn’t been in prison, thanks to him, all this time, I’d probably be dead by now.”
James growled deep in his throat, but I dug my nails into the back of his hand to remind him to stay silent.
“And you are sure your exhusband was or is involved in the mafia?” Kensington went on.
Allison nodded vigorously. “He was definitely in the mafia while we were married. I mean, how could he not be? He might not have been active, but his whole family was mafia. I knew that even before I married him. I’ve even heard he’s Don of the Valentino Family now.”
“Objection. Speculation,” Ms. Loveless barked.
“Sustained. Ms. Valentino, just stick to the facts you’re sure of,” Judge Hopper coached.
Allison batted her eyelashes at him. “Of course, your honor. I apologize.”
Judge Hopper blushed a little.
“Ms. Valentino, getting off the subject of your exhusband for a moment, what are your impressions of Ms. Woods?” Kensington asked.
Allison scowled at me. That, at least, was sincere. “She was a terrible friend to my daughter. She was always criticizing the way Tally lived her life, and when Tally tried to set her up with a nice boy, she beat him up! That’s a fact, your honor. I heard it from Tally herself.” She dabbed her eyes. “It’s just so awful Tally isn’t here to tell it herself.”
“Your honor…” Ms. Loveless said.
Judge Hopper held up a hand. “I’ll allow it.”
“Tally tried to include her in activities with her friends, but Becca was always so antisocial. It boggles my mind that she chose Becca to adopt Alessandro. I can only guess my husband put her up to it. You see, I was unable to support her when she got pregnant, and I’m sure James instilled some very unreasonable rules if he was going to take care of her…” Allison rattled on.
“Your honor, more speculation,” Ms. Loveless objected.
Allison choked on a sob. “Well, who’s going to say it if my baby’s not here to tell it? Maybe it’s not a fact I know, but I do know we were so close, and then suddenly we weren’t. I don’t have any other explanation than that James forbade her to see me.”
“Speculation—” Ms. Loveless said again.
“Sustained,” Judge Hopper responded. “I’m sorry, Ms. Valentino. I know it must be heartrending to speak about your daughter, but you must stick to the facts.”
“Well, here are the facts. My daughter moved in with her father, and then wouldn’t see me anymore,” Allison sobbed, covering her face with her hands. “We were two peas in a pod, and then she wouldn’t even take my calls…”
Kensington made a big show of handing Allison a handkerchief from his inner suit pocket.
Allison dabbed her eyes with it. “Nothing prepares you for losing a child. Nothing.”
“Bruce, do you have any further questions?” Judge Hopper asked.
“No, not of this witness, and not at this time, your honor,” Kensington said, a sad lilt in his tone.
Judge Hopper nodded. “Well then, it’s getting late. We will adjourn for the weekend.”
We all stood for Judge Hopper’s exit. I looked at Ms. Loveless, who had the edge of the table in a death grip.
“We’re in trouble, aren’t we?” I whispered.
“Yes,” Ms. Loveless replied. “We’re in a lot of trouble.”
Becca.
James had to take a call as soon as we got back to the house. He said he would be a while, so I decided to take the kids to the park.
Layla came with me, pushing the double-stroller with Dahlia in it while I carried Alessandro. I was honestly afraid to put him down, afraid he might be snatched away.
I saw Antoinette sitting on the bench again, watching her little girl. I walked over, Layla and the stroller in my wake.
Antoinette stood suddenly and looked around. She put her hands on my shoulders. “Becca, you can’t be here. They’ve gone all Stepford Wives—”
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Rebecca Woods,” a new voice sneered.
I turned around, noting that Layla had been pushed aside with the stroller and that I was now staring at five blonde, perfectly manicured women who looked as though they had just come from a tennis club.
“Yes?” I said, while Antoinette fell silent.
“I hear they’re planning to take that little one away from you,” the ringleader at the front said, opening her perfectly pink botoxed lips again. “That you’re an unfit mother.”
“I can’t believe you took little Alexander from the Cartwrights in the first place. Especially after what happened to their poor son,” another sniffed.
“Who’s Alexander?” I asked.
Five fingers pointed at Alessandro, who was blinking his dark, uncomprehending eyes at all of them.
“His name,” I said testily, “is Alessandro.”
“Ew, that is SO ethnic,” a third woman grimaced, holding her nose.
