by Kris Jacen
“Is that all?”
“He doesn’t have anyone to watch the babies when he goes out at night.” Harry was sitting there with a smug smile on his face. Jack had always thought that Harry was stupid but never thought that he’d prove it so vocally.
“I’m done, your honor,” Jefferson said and sat down.
“Ms. Davis-Miller, would you like to question Mr. Perry?” the judge asked.
“Yes, please, your honor.” Barbie stood and approached Harry. “Mr. Perry, can you tell me how old the children are?”
“No,” Harry answered snidely. Jack saw the judge frown at that.
“Can you tell the court their current diet?” Jack wasn’t completely sure where Barbie was going with her questions.
“Milk,” he said with a ‘duh’ tone to his voice.
“Is that all?” Barbie prompted.
“Well, yeah, they’re babies.” Harry rolled his eyes when he answered this time.
“Your honor, if it please the court, I’d like to have all take note of the children sitting on the laps of Sergeant Martin, Mr. Kent and Mr. Long in the first row. The children are currently amusing themselves with carrot sticks. The children have a varied diet that consists of more than just milk.”
“Point noted, Ms. Davis-Miller. Do you have any further questions?”
“Yes, please, your honor. Mr. Perry, how do you proposed to raise the children without access to the trust funds that will be established when the wills of Thomas and Sandra Perry are through probate?” Jack knew where she was going now. She was leading him to admit that he was on the verge of being broke without having to show the evidence she had.
“There’s no trusts. I’ll get the money and it’ll be fine.”
“It will? Do you have a plan in place for the childcare of the minor children when your wife next goes to rehabilitation?”
“Elaine isn’t in rehab. She’s sitting right there.” Harry pointed at the shrew who looked to Jack as if she wanted to be anywhere other than here.
“For now.” Barbie looked at the judge. “I have nothing further at the moment but would like to retain the right to call Mr. Perry back to the stand if necessary in the future.”
“So noted. You may step down, Mr. Perry,” the judge instructed. “Next, Mr. Jefferson.”
“I want to call, Mr. Martin,” Jefferson demanded.
Jack looked at Tank, sitting there in his full uniform and couldn’t help but wonder if the lawyer was blind.
“Your honor,” Barbie said.
The judge held up his hand. “Yes, Ms. Davis-Miller. Mr. Jefferson, again please use the correct titles when referring to those in the court room.”
“How am I supposed to know what the—”
“I’m not one-hundred percent certain of the next word to come out of your mouth but just in case I’m correct. Don’t even think that word in my court room, Mr. Jefferson, or I will have the bailiff place you in handcuffs faster than you can say ‘your honor’, is that clear?”
Jack just couldn’t fathom how this guy passed the bar.
“What wor—”
“Bailiff? Please stand next to Mr. Jefferson and if he utters a racial slur, please follow my instructions and remove him from my court room.”
“Certainly, your honor,” the bailiff said as he moved from the back of the room.
“Now, would you like to make your request again?”
“Umm, yes. Private Martin?” Jefferson said, hesitantly.
§ § § §
Tank stood and went to hand Ethan to Carter but Ethan grabbed hold of Tank’s medals and wouldn’t let go. Tank looked at Jack then to the judge.
“Your honor, Sergeant Richard Martin. If you don’t mind, I’ll hold Ethan while I answer Mr. Jefferson’s questions. Ethan is fascinated with the textures and colors on my uniform,” Tank said.
“That is fine, Sergeant Martin. It will give me a chance to observe the child closer.”
Tank walked up and stood for the bailiff to swear him in; Ethan held in his other arm, ignoring everyone else but his favorite.
“Sergeant Martin, isn’t it true that you have a sexual relationship with Dr. Dillon?” Tank was shocked that Jefferson was going to go there right off the bat.
“I would hope so, Mr. Jefferson. As far as I know, sexual relations are an important part of marriage,” Tank stated as his leg bounced and it wasn’t completely for Ethan’s benefit.
“You’re not married,” Jefferson corrected.
“You are correct…” He started to answer but trailed off for a minute to shift Ethan. “Dr. Dillon and I are engaged to be married. With all that has occurred in the past month, we have been focused on the stability and safety of the triplets, so we haven’t finished planning our wedding.”
“So you admit—” Jefferson stopped talking with his mouth hanging open. Tank didn’t think that was the answer he’d been expecting.
“Isn’t it true that you are just living off of Dr. Dillon and don’t have a job?”
Tank looked down at his uniform. “Mr. Jefferson? Can I ask you a question?”
“Me? I guess?”
“Do you think I got this uniform from a costume shop? I am a sergeant in the United States Army, stationed with the President’s Firing Battery. I have served for the past seven years to include a tour in the Middle East. I have graduated from Basic, Advanced Artillery training and jump school. I am currently enrolled in college working toward my bachelor’s degree in nutritional counseling focusing on adolescent obesity while I serve the last few months of my enlistment. Upon graduation, I’ll be working with the non-profit organization here in Virginia that supports different programs in the schools to assist children in making good eating choices. Does that sound like I’m living off of Dr. Dillon?”
Tank raised an eyebrow when he was done speaking before leaning to place a kiss on Ethan’s head. Ethan looked up from the ribbon he had a death hold on and made a happy sound before smacking Tank’s mouth. “Easy, little man. Gentle.”
The judge chuckled which made Ethan turn his head and babble at him. “Mr. Jefferson, do you have an answer for Sergeant Martin?”
“Uh, I guess not?” Jefferson didn’t sound like he was completely sure of his answer.
“Do you have any further questions?” Combs asked and when Jefferson shook his head, he looked at Barbie. “Ms. Davis-Miller?”
“Not at the moment, your honor, but do reserve the option of calling on Sergeant Martin,” Barbie said, obviously happy with his answers.
“Noted. You may step down, Sergeant Martin and Ethan.”
§ § § §
Jack liked that the judge included Ethan in his directive. “Mr. Jefferson? Anything else?”
“Uh yeah…yes. Dr. Dillon.” Jefferson stammered out.
Jack looked to Barbie. When she nodded, he stood and walked to the chair to be sworn in.
“Dr. Dillon, is it true you go out all hours?”
“Yes, I do leave the house at all different times of the day,” Jack answered.
“So you’d leave the babies alone?” Jefferson asked.
Taking a deep breath, Jack eyed the lawyer. “Do I look stupid? Of course, not. My fiancé, soon to be husband, would be with them.”
“But he’s in the Army and wouldn’t be there.”
This guy really wasn’t intelligent. “Mr. Jefferson, did you miss the part where Sergeant Martin said he was getting out?”
“Your honor,” Barbie interrupted as she stood.
“Yes?”
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable the direction of Mr. Jefferson’s line of questioning. Dr. Dillon has answered completely already.”
“Sustained, Ms. Davis-Miller. Mr. Jefferson, make your point swiftly.” The judge seemed to be losing patience with this whole façade.
“My point is that he doesn’t have any care for the children and he works full-time,” Jefferson whined and whipped around at a loud squealing from Grace. When he turned, something sm
acked him in the chest.
Ooh, looked to Jack like Grace had an arm on her as it appeared to be her carrot on the floor at Jefferson’s feet. Jack snorted trying to keep in his laughter and stared at the back wall of the room because if he met anyone’s eyes, he would lose it. Then he heard it. Judge Combs was trying not to laugh, too. Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.
“Then ask the question, Mr. Jefferson,” Combs said through his constrained laughter.
“Well, who’s going to watch the children when you leave?” Jefferson demanded. Jack looked at him and then noticed it. There was some carrot on his tie. Jack wondered if he should tell him. Nah, let him find it later.
“Mr. Jefferson, in the advent that Sergeant Martin is unavailable to provide care for the triplets, we’ve hired Mr. Neil Long as a full-time nanny for them. He is seated behind Ms. Davis-Miller, holding Faith against his chest. Looks like she might have fallen asleep. And before you question his qualifications, until recently, Mr. Long was a charge nurse that was dismissed under budget cuts and holds his RN.”
Jefferson folded his arms across his chest. Jack just sat there; he wondered if Jefferson was going to stamp his foot.
“I’m done.” The lawyer turned and stomped back to his chair.
“Ms. Davis-Miller, do you have any questions while your client is on the stand?”
“I do, your honor. Dr. Dillon, can you tell me the circumstances of why and how you went to Mr. Perry’s residence in February of this year?”
“Certainly. My sister called me, hysterical. Seems they had trusted Harry and his wife to watch the triplets for them while they attended a work function for Tom’s office. Tom had gotten a call from his brother yelling about the triplets needing to be disciplined and he was going to do it. When several of my friends and I arrived, Elaine answered the door and we could hear the bugs crying.”
“Hold on,” the judge said. “Bugs?”
Jack could feel a blush covering his cheeks as he apologized. “I’m sorry, your honor. That’s a shortened form of the nicknames I have for the triplets. Ethan is my Jitterbug because when he was a newborn, he always needed to be moving, swaying, like he was dancing. Grace and Faith are my little ladybugs.”
Judge Combs smiled and motioned for Jack to continue his story.
“We pushed our way into the house and found the triplets lying on the floor. The blanket that they were on didn’t appear to be the cleanest. They were picked up and calmed down. I approached Harry and informed him that he was not going to stop me from taking the triplets home.”
“The fag hit me,” Harry yelled.
“Order.” The judge banged his gavel. “After the cautioning that I gave your attorney regarding slurs in my court room, you didn’t just use one, did you?”
“Well, the fag hit me. He assaulted me.”
“Bailiff, please stand behind Mr. Perry. He will be remanded to custody when we are finished here. Now, Dr. Dillon, did you hit Mr. Perry?”
“I did, sir, after I blocked a strike from him. He didn’t land his shot, but I did, and he collapsed.”
“They threatened my wife, too. That one there.” Harry pointed at Bree.
“Miss, could you please stand?” Combs asked Bree, and when she did, he continued. “Your name?”
“My name is Briana Nelson, sir. I completely admit that I did tell Mrs. Perry that if she stopped us from removing the triplets, I would take action.”
“And what action would that be?” he asked.
“I would have probably put her on the ground with me in a back mount until the babies were outside, then let her up.”
“Back mount?”
“Yes, your honor. I, along with several others here today, are black belts in sports jiu-jitsu and study at a local academy.” Bree shrugged as she finished.
“Thank you, Miss Nelson.” The judge turned to Jack. “Dr. Dillon, please return to your seat.” When Jack got to his seat the judge addressed them. “I think I’ve heard enough to make a decision regarding this matter. In the petition against Dr. Jack Dillon regarding him being a fit guardian for Ethan Ryan, Faith Amanda and Grace Natalie Perry, I find against the petition. Dr. Dillon appears to have a wonderful support system in place and loves the minor children immensely. He has shown to this court that although he is grieving his sister and brother in law, he has the best interest of the triplets in mind through his actions.”
Barbie reached over and squeezed Jack’s hand and he leaned over to whisper, “We’re done?”
“Not yet, Dr. Dillon,” the judge pointed out. Oops, guess he wasn’t quiet enough. “I will be forwarding my case notes to the clerk of courts to be entered into record and consulted in the other case that Mr. and Mrs. Perry have brought.” Jefferson jumped up and opened his mouth but before he could say anything, the judge spoke, “Enough, Mr. Jefferson. If you had two brain cells to rub together, you would have never brought this petition forth. Those children are well-adjusted and in a loving environment. You and your client have proven to me that you have some prejudice against not only Dr. Dillon but a member of the Armed Forces that, looking at his uniform, tells me he has served admirably.”
Faith started to fuss from behind Jack. He needed his bug, so he turned and took her from Neil. She cuddled right into him and he placed a kiss on her head.
“Dr. Dillon? I wish you and your fiancé a long and happy marriage. Raise those babies with all the love and affection that I’ve witnessed from you and him today. Case dismissed.”
“All rise,” the bailiff called out. Jack looked and as Harry stood up, the bailiff pulled his hands behind his back and cuffed him.
“Get me out of this, Jefferson. You said we had this,” Harry demanded.
Jack watched as Harry was led out of the court room and Jefferson picked up his briefcase.
“Aren’t you going to get him out?” Elaine asked.
“Ah, no. I’m done with you two.” Jefferson stalked out of the court room with Elaine trailing after him yelling.
“Thank you, Barbie, everyone,” Jack said as he stood and looked at Tank. “Ready to go home?”
“Absolutely,” Tank answered with a smile.
Epilogue
May
Tank looked around the backyard. There were streamers in the trees, and a pile of presents in the corner for the triplets that was taller than they were.
They’d held off on their first birthday party until things settled a bit. Everyone needed time to adjust to new schedules. Tank still had about a month left before he was discharged and was finishing up his second semester. Finals were next week and he’d been hitting the books late into the night after the bugs were asleep. More than one night Tank had looked up from his books to see Jack fast asleep on the love seat with the TV sound almost off.
He heard the triplets squeal and turned to make sure all was okay. Tank smiled when he saw what the cause of their noise was. Randolph had the hose out and was sprinkling them with water. Ethan was using his new skill of walking to try and get to him while the girls were moving as fast as their crawling would allow, to help their brother.
Tank felt someone come up beside him. Briar was standing there with a sad smile on his face. “Are you okay?” Tank looked down and BB didn’t seem to be on alert.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Brand’s PCS order came. He’s got to be at Fort Lewis in six weeks.” Briar let out a sigh. “Brand hates the rain.”
“He’ll be okay. You can visit him often. If your boss gives you any problems, let me know I’ve got a bit of influence,” Tank teased which made Briar chuckle.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Briar had been observing everyone in the backyard. “When did your mother get here?”
“Did you seriously think she would miss their first birthday party?” Tank pointed out. “She got here last night. Jack picked her up when he was done at FLSH.”
“Cake time,” Bree yelled.
“Just in time!” a new voice said from behind Tank. He turned an
d saw the twins and their parents standing there. Wait a minute, when had the twins gotten so big?
“Mooney, Debbie,” Tank said as he shook Mooney’s hand. “See? I can learn something new.”
“You’ll get there,” Mooney agreed. “Did we interrupt something?”
“Bree’s got the cakes ready. Time to watch the bugs smash some cake.”
“But if they—” Cam started talking
“smash the cake—” Cal continued. Look at Tank go. He could tell which twin was talking.
“we can’t eat it,” Cam finished.
“Bree made separate cakes for each of the triplets and then one for the rest of us to eat.”
“Whew, there could have been an uprising if the boys didn’t get cake,” Debbie teased. “You two go see if you can help. Luny, take these presents over to the pile.” Debbie hooked her arm through Tank’s and said, “You can introduce me to your mother.”
Tank groaned and led Debbie to his mama. “Yes, ma’am.”
§ § § §
Jack backed up after buckling Faith into her high chair. Siah bumped Jack’s hip as he put a party hat on Faith. Grace was pulling at her hat and the elastic snapped on her chin making her sniff. Ethan kept shaking his head, trying to knock his off.
“Okay, everyone ready for cake?” Bree said as she and Neil placed a block-shaped cake in front of each of his bugs.
“Building blocks?” Tank asked as he appeared next to Jack.
Bree must have heard Tank because Jack watched her turn and scowled at him. “Do you have a problem with my choice?”
“Not one bit. I just thought you were going with sandcastles.” Tank held up his hands in surrender.
A sad smile appeared on Bree’s lips. “Yeah, well, that was something that Sandy wanted and… yeah… I couldn’t make them.”
“It’s okay, Bree. Let’s light the candles and sing. Cal? Cam? Can you help the triplets blow out their candles?”
“Yes!” they agreed together.
Neil lit the candles and they all started to sing. Just as they got to the end of the song, Jack watched as a butterfly flew down and land on Ethan’s tray before moving to Grace’s and then Faith’s.