Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
I was sure of it.
After I was dismissed, the session carried onward, but I didn’t pay much attention to what was said. My focus was on Bruce, who kept a deep scowl plastered on his face as he frequently side-eyed me. My way of undermining that ‘cuss’ card he tried to play was clever, but also dripped with meaning.
I thanked myself inwardly that I didn’t become tongue-tied regarding one of Alessandro’s words. What was somewhat of a joke nearly became a nightmare. I hoped I presented my case well enough to counter that, because Alessandro’s life being ruined over an adult cussing around him would be horrible.
It would be partially my fault for encouraging him, too. Some people took that sort of thing far more seriously, and if anyone on the jury took great offense, this case was even further in a bad spot. Especially after James’s blunder yesterday.
I needed to have faith.
It was very hard holding onto hope right now, but after pouring my heart out and getting all of that off of my chest, I had to keep confident that not only did I do a good job, but James would be right about everything working out.
It should help us that there was an actual jury, which was unusual for a custody hearing, but the Cartwrights must’ve pulled some strings. Now, I hoped it blew up in their faces.
It had to work out. If Alessandro went with the Cartwrights, he would get no love, never mind the life he deserved.
With that in mind, I refocused on what was being said in court and told myself to calm down.
We would get through this. We had to.
Janet.
Sitting at a restaurant near the courtroom, I went over all that had happened over the past few days through my head. James had a terrible testimony, and I knew it sank the case farther from victory at the end of that day.
Things really hadn’t been looking good.
After all, him reacting to his past being brought up showed the child was in a very dangerous situation. Or, at least, had the potential to be in one. I knew that the past was in the past and could be left behind under the right conditions.
That wouldn’t be the case for either the judge or jury. So much was on the line here, and no matter how headstrong I tried to be, I couldn’t bully my way into the hearts of people through a situation like this. Not easily.
Those weasels were scheming, I knew it. I thought we were done for when the cuss word was brought up, but somehow, Becca pulled through. Smart woman. My hand encircled a glass of red wine, and I took a sip. A plate of steaming steak was placed in front of me, something that I eagerly dug into.
This was one of the most difficult cases I’d faced yet, and a child’s life was on the line. Death would be more merciful than being brought up in the condition I assumed he would be should the Cartwrights win. I’d seen so many kids failing horribly in life due to bad upbringing.
They were all rotten, but Chad was especially egregious. The thought of him twisted my stomach and caused a fire to billow in my soul. I couldn’t even believe it was a dispute that an idiot like him, who played Russian roulette and paralyzed himself, had a chance to get the child.
Yet, here we were.
I let out a sigh and cut into my steak, telling myself to relax. There wasn’t much I could do other than immerse myself in the case. I ate dinner quickly, only opting for one glass of wine to grace my system.
I had alcohol at home, so I’d let myself relax more there. Besides, it was unwise to drive after more than one glass, and I couldn’t save lives while also putting so many at risk.
My mind was going several miles a minute as I arrived at my car, getting inside and clutching the steering wheel. I told myself not to get too cross about cases like this. You won some, you lost some. Lives were ruined on the regular, though my purpose in this profession was to avoid that as much as possible.
Damn old money, causing situations like this. The law was a whore and could be bought so easily. That wasn’t why I got into this, and yet, here I was, still working as an attorney. This recent situation just made me sick to my stomach.
On the road, I put on some blaring music. Rock was a great way to drown everything out sometimes. It distracted me from the reality that we were all just puppets to a corrupted law system that may be dooming an innocent child soon enough.
Could Becca’s performance tonight hope to cut those stringers? I hoped so.
After pulling into the driveway in front of my house, I let out a grumble and got out of my car, slamming the door. I didn’t know what to expect, and that frightened me. It was cut and dry. The Cartwrights were undoubtedly going to win after James’s poor performance.
Then, Becca, spoke, and for the life of me, I actually had hope. That woman had gumption, something I could appreciate. That speech clearly moved the jury. Hell, it moved me, and I wasn’t even a mother. Couldn’t be. Sterile, no lover, no interest.
As I entered the house, my mood brightened just a little. I felt something bump my leg, and I smiled, looking down to see a small black cat purring as loudly as a lawnmower. Chuckling, I picked the cat up, holding him close to my chest.
“Hi there Panther. How are you doing, little guy?” I asked, getting a happy ‘meow’ in response. The kind feline always helped my nerves settle down. After giving him much-needed cuddles for a while, I placed him on the ground and went to grab him some wet food.
I was supposed to relax after sessions like that. My mind was strained, and I stressed too much otherwise. Unfortunately, I kept going over the details over and over again. Tonight, I should be resting, but that wasn’t going to happen.
After feeding Panther and my other cats some dinner and ensuring they were settled, I sat myself at the computer and began typing away, organizing my thoughts, making plans on what to say tomorrow through a bunch of different scenarios. I would need to tell Becca and James how things went.
Did they go well? I wasn’t sure. I bit my lip and kept typing, organizing, staring, obsessing. Then, I remembered I could pour myself wine to calm my nerves. Just a few more sentences and I’d do just that. I longed for the red liquid, but I needed a few more sentences. That was it.
My eyes grew heavy as I kept on typing. I felt something thump on my lap and subconsciously reached down, running my fingers through Panther’s fur. He was so soft, and I was so comfy. After giving him the pettings he demanded, it was back to work.
Was I going to get some wine? Right, yes. After a few more sentences, of course. I had thoughts I needed to organize, ways to fix this puzzle, aid I could give Becca and James if the ship sunk. It very well might, and I needed to put my best foot forward.
It was morning when I realized I’d fallen asleep at my desk. I gasped, the first rays of sunshine hitting my face from the window peeking out from the curtains.
I rubbed my eyes, staring at the now blank screen before me. The computer had put itself to sleep. How much work had I gotten done?
I clicked, scrolling through the document before letting out a sigh. Well, I’d gotten down nearly all I’d wanted to, at least. A few more paragraphs later, and my papers were ready. The information was all in one place, organized, clean. I got my printer going, then glanced over at my phone.
It was blinking, and I realized I had an email from the courtroom. We were to meet at the judge’s chambers around 3:00 PM. Right now, it was 10:00 AM. I’d have ample time to meet with Becca and James so we could discuss the happenings.
A few phone calls later, and we had organized a place to meet. Somewhere quiet, where we could get lunch, but also discuss how the case went. I clapped my papers on the table so they could all be organized, put a paperclip on them, and went into the kitchen.
The cats were treated to their usual high-quality breakfast, meowing happily toward me at the typical delivery. I was almost late feeding them today, given I’d fallen asleep at my desk. Hell hath no fury like a cat unfed. Thankfully, I’d gotten plenty of sleep.
A short shower and drying off my hair later, and I was in my suit, tailored and professional. I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment, noting the circles under my eyes. The Cartwrights could seek revenge on me for my work here, if Becca and James won.
Old money could be as sharp as a knife, after all.
I could vanish at any time, really, without a trace. I smiled at myself in the mirror. I’d go down kicking. I wasn’t called as stubborn as a mule for nothing. What would I do? My job. Regardless of the risk. Occupational hazards didn’t deter me. That child would go to a loving family.
Even if I had to pay for it with my blood.
A couple of hours later, I arrived at the restaurant, cordial with the two of them. I probably came off as colder than intended, but that didn’t matter. Dipping my head to James, then nodding at Becca, I kept silent as we were led to our table.
Then, in a low voice, I said, “Look. I think the proceedings have all right so far. From my perspective, and given my notes, Becca’s speech may have swayed the jury. However, I’m not completely sure. James’s performance was not satisfactory, which will be a hindrance. Of course, Sasha’s testimony was also helpful.”
James winced at Becca’s sideways glance. He knew he’d f*cked up. I sighed, then ran my fingers through my hair. “All is not lost. Becca, keep doing what you’re doing. James… don’t do what you pulled a couple days ago again. This should be coming to a conclusion, so there’s little chance to mess up like that, at least.”
“Thanks,” Becca said, letting out a sigh. I could tell the poor woman wasn’t getting much sleep from her end, either. She paused, her worried stare fixing on me again. “How did they find out about Alessandro’s cussing?”
As if I knew. I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. “Could be any number of ways. If you have the child around people you do not trust, well, it was probably spilled. I assume you aren’t surrounded by incredibly friendly people.”
“Supposedly, no, not really,” Becca sighed. “I don’t know how much they are aware of the Cartwrights and how toxic they are, though. They are ‘in the know,’ though, so I don’t think they want what’s best for the child like I do.”
“Could be a bribe, then,” I mused, taking a bite of my lunch. This was an incredibly tangled mess, and I wondered just how much trouble followed both James and Becca lately. So many enemies. Thankfully, I was on their side, not actively trying to sabotage them.
Noting her worried expression, I softened my gaze for just a moment. “You touched the heart of someone without children. Me. Like I said, I’m not sure. Some cases have outcomes that are completely obvious even before we hear the verdict. That’s not the situation here. There’s your bright side.”
I wasn’t the best at comforting people, but she needed to face reality. That said, things could be way worse, especially after her speech, so she had that going for her. The kid had hope yet.
