“There's no need,” the judge said. “I've seen this same couple in front of me before, and I have to apologize, sir.”
She was looking right at Parker.
“What?” he asked. “Why?”
“Her lawyer was very good, and I was convinced that the children belonged with her. She was their mother, and she was always home, but I have since seen the light. I do not need your wife to step forward to speak. We've already spoken.”
“My client would like to speak as well,” the other lawyer blurted out.
“Oh, she already has,” the judge said. “You see, being a judge is an amazing job. I get to help people. I also have big decisions to make. The one thing I do that is just like you is use the bathroom.”
“What?” the lawyer asked.
“I had the pleasure of being in the bathroom earlier today with your client,” she said, and I heard the word shit fly loudly from Parker's ex's mouth. “While I was in there, something very interesting happened. Should we tell Mr. Parker what it was?”
Parker's ex was shaking her head so hard I thought it was going to fly off of her body.
“You know the small cracks in the stall doors?” she asked, and Parker's ex nodded. “I saw you the entire time.”
“What is she talking about?” Parker whispered over toward me.
“You have an amazing wife, Mr. Parker,” the judge said.
“I do,” Parker said, as he grabbed my hand.
“You are also granted full custody of your two children,” she said, and Parker's eyes widened. “You deserve it. There will no longer be any child support due from you, and if you'd like to set a date to come back and file for child support from your ex wife, I'd be more than willing to work through that with you.”
“That's not fair,” Parker's ex said, as she stood from her chair. “It's bullshit.”
“Say it again, and you'll be going to jail,” the judge said.
“Are you serious?” Parker asked.
“Very,” the judge said. “I am going to give her the same visitation you were supposed to have.”
“I don't want it,” Parker's ex shouted.
“What?” Parker and her lawyer both snapped out.
Her lawyer walked toward her, but she shooed him away.
“If I don't have them all the time, I don't want them at all,” she said.
“Hold on,” Parker said. “You want to see them. Do not be like that.”
“I don't,” she said. “If you're getting custody, I'll sign over my rights.”
“The twins are your kids too,” he said. “How can you say that?”
“It's easy,” she said. “I'd like to sign over my rights. My new boyfriend doesn't like them anyway.”
“Very well,” the judge said. “They are to be turned over to Mr. Parker in the next two days.”
“You can come get them on your way home,” his ex said.
Parker sat down, and I could see tears in his eyes.
“I wasn't trying to cut her off from them,” he said. “How could she hurt them like this?”
“She is a very evil woman,” I said.
“I'm getting the twins,” he said, and I nodded. “This is because of you. I'm not sure how or why, but you did it. You have no idea how happy I am to know that I can see them. Having them with me is honestly one of the very best moments of my life.”
“I know,” I said.
We walked out of the courtroom and waited for the lawyer. Parker's ex stormed by us.
“Be there in an hour,” she snapped out. “I can't wait to get this over with.”
“I don't know what happened,” our lawyer said, as he walked up to us. “That was unlike anything I've ever seen. Go get your kids. I'll have everything ready by the end of the week. Call me if you need anything before then.”
We walked out of the courthouse hand in hand.
“Jeff was the one that went to the magazine,” I said. “She told him where we lived. He was the one that took the picture.”
“How do you know that?” Parker asked, as he opened my door for me.
“It was part of the bathroom conversation,” I said. “I've never been so happy in all of my life to have someone in the bathroom when I was.”
“What did she say?” he asked. “Why did the judge change her mind?”
“Enough for the judge to know that she was using the kids to get money,” I said. “Let's just leave it at that.”
“We're really getting them?” he asked.
“We are,” I answered.
“How do you feel about that?” he asked. “I know it's a lot to take on two more kids while I'm not home.”
“Happier than I ever thought I could be,” I answered. “Guess my mom and grandma should have thought things through before they moved in two doors down.”
We both burst into laughter.
“Let's go get our kids,” I said.
“I would love to,” he said, as he pulled out of the parking lot and turned toward our destination.
When we pulled in, she had the kids waiting on the front porch.
“You're not getting any of their things,” she said.
“That's fine,” Parker said. “They have things at the house, and we'll get them everything they need.”
Without even looking back at their mom, the kids ran to the car, jumped in, and began talking to me about their new home with us. I didn't know what she'd told them, but they were more excited than I'd ever seen them. I promised myself that I would do whatever it took to take away any stress or worry that came up along the way. We were their home, and they were going to feel more safe and loved than they ever had before.
Chapter 9
Lance Jr.
At seven months, Lauren was put on bed rest by her doctor, and it scared the shit out of me. She was huge, and she still had two months to go. No matter what she said about not having any more of my babies and no matter how crabby she got, she was still the most beautiful woman to me.
I had no idea how I was going to work, take care of her, and take care of three kids, but I knew I had to find a way. She was my woman, and I was going to be the best damn man I could be for her.
Without telling my parents, I'd called James, and he'd said I could work from home for the rest of her pregnancy. Did he question me about not telling my dad and mom? Hell no. He knew exactly what would happen if I told them.
After the first couple of days, I could barely get out of bed in the morning. I'd been a hands on dad before, but being the only one caring for the kids all day and night was a different story all together. I'd never done anything so hard in all my life. Lauren was a great mom. That was something I'd always known, but as I looked up at the ceiling, knowing I needed to get out of bed, I promised myself that I'd do so much more for my family than I'd been doing before. With two more little ones on the way, something had to give. There was no way I could be gone all day, expecting Lauren to handle everything at home. We either needed to get some help, or I needed to be home with her. I worked all day at the office and came home to work on government stuff at night, but I couldn't do it anymore. I just needed to decide which of the two had to go.
When I heard the doorbell ring, I was so damn happy. I honestly didn't care who was standing on the other side of the door. I was going to pull them in and beg them for help, even if it was my dad, and that was saying a lot. When I swung the door open, I found my sister on the other side.
“You look like shit,” she said, with a laugh.
“So not funny,” I said. “I don't know how Lauren does it.”
“Appreciating your woman?” she asked.
“You have no idea,” I said. “I'm going crazy, and it's only been a few days, Sammie. Please tell me you're here to help.”
“I'm here to help,” she said. “It's only three kids, Lance. Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?”
“And a very grouchy, pregnant wife,” I added.
“I'm telling her you sai
d that,” she said.
“Please don't,” I begged. “She'll cry, or yell, or eat me.”
“You are something else, little brother,” she said, and she walked by me and toward the kitchen.
“Where are the kids?” I asked.
“James has them,” she answered. “He said you'd surely need me by now.”
“Oh, I do,” I said, as I watched her pulling things from the fridge. “What are you doing?”
“I figure the kids haven't eaten anything but cereal in days,” she answered. “I'm making breakfast. Go get them up.”
As I walked out of the room, I looked up and said a silent thank you. Sammie was just what I needed. On the way up the stairs, I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket and sent James a thank you text. I didn't care what my dad said about him, that man was the best brother a guy could ask for. He wasn't a bad boss either. That was going to be a hard decision to make, the government or James.
By the time Sammie left, I felt like I'd figured things out a bit more than before. She'd helped me clean, cook a few meals, and even let me take a nap. That was a victory in my book. The only thing I wasn't sure of was how I was going to make it two months on my own.
I fell into bed that night and looked over at my sleeping wife. She had no idea how damn scared I was that the doctors were concerned enough to put her on bed rest. I thought about my dad. When my mom had gone into labor with Sammie, my dad hadn't had two months to worry, but that didn't change how much that day changed his life. If he knew about Lauren, he'd be freaking out just as much as I was.
Two more days went by before the doorbell rang again, and I ran to get it, hoping more than ever that Sammie had come back to rescue me again. Lauren was driving me crazy. She wouldn't keep her ass where it belonged, kept saying she'd be fine. I felt like I had to watch her more than I did any of the kids.
“Thank you, Sammie,” I said, as I pulled the door open. “You have no idea.”
When it was open far enough for me to see who was standing on the other side, I froze.
“Not so excited now, are you?” my dad asked in a stern tone. “You're home. You don't need me to visit. You've got it covered. I should have known you were full of shit.”
“Sammie,” I hissed.
“Don't even go there,” he hissed back at me. “She didn't throw you under the bus. We were having an innocent conversation, and her ass slipped up. The second she did it, she tried to get out of it, but I wasn't having it. Where's Lauren?”
“In bed,” I answered, as I hung my head. “I didn't want to worry you.”
“Didn't want to worry me, or didn't want me around?” he asked, and I felt so damn bad.
“Dad,” I said, but he held his hand up, cutting me off.
“I'm worried,” he said. “I'll be back.”
He walked by me and headed toward the stairs.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“To see Lauren,” he said. “I didn't hear her calling me either.”
“You can't go up there,” I said. “At least let me make sure she's decent.”
“Grandpa,” Jackson yelled out, as he came around the corner with Jessica crawl walking right behind him.
“Hey there,” my dad said, as he scooped Jessica up in his arms and leaned down to hug Jackson. “How are you? You being good for your dad?”
“Yeah,” Jackson said. “Come play with me.”
“Can you watch the baby?” I asked. “I'll be right back.”
It wasn't seconds later that I heard his ass yell up the stairs.
“I'm on my way, so hurry your ass up.”
As soon as I walked into the bedroom, Lauren smiled.
“Is he pissed?” she asked.
“He is,” I answered. “He's coming up to give you shit too.”
“Tell him I'm asleep,” she said.
“Bullshit,” I heard come from behind me.
“I told you I wanted to make sure she was decent,” I said, as I looked back to see him with a little one in each arm.
“Is she?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Lucy is on her way,” he said, as he stepped into the room.
“What?” I asked. “She's at work.”
“Doesn't matter,” he said. “She is on her way, and she is no happier than I am.”
“Dad,” Lauren said.
“Do not dad me, Lauren Smith,” he snapped. “We would have been here. This is crap, and you both know it. I don't give two shits if you want me here or not, but I'm here now, and I'm not leaving.”
“Not leaving,” I said. “What do you mean?”
“When those two babies come into the world, that's when I'll leave, and not a second before then,” he said.
“That's two months,” Lauren said.
“I know,” he said, with a smile wider than I'd seen from him in a very long time. “Get used to this face.”
“What about Cassie?” Lauren asked, and I silently gave her a high five for that one.
“I'll visit her when Lucy is here,” he answered. “Have you been downstairs?”
“No,” she answered. “Your son won't let me go down there.”
“Smart man,” he said. “At least he did something right. It's a mess. You're better off up here.”
“Dad,” I said.
“No,” he said, as he shook his head. “You should have called us. This is not okay. You lied to me, Son.”
“I didn't lie,” I said.
“You surely didn't tell the truth,” he said, before turning his attention back to Lauren. “How are you feeling?”
From that second forward, it was all about Lauren. He was running down to get her things and waiting on her hand and foot.
“You finally learn your lesson now?” my dad asked her.
“I have,” she answered. “Your boy is getting snipped or I'm not touching him again.”
“Am not,” I said. “We will not be having this discussion in front of my father.”
I turned around, took the kids, and went down to let my mom in. She was no better than he was. The second she saw me, she shook her head.
“I know he gets on your nerves, but this was not okay,” she said. “That man called me in such a panic. You two don't understand. You scared the shit out of him today, Lance. It was really bad. You can't do that to him. It's love. He might be up your ass, but it is all out of love. Big mistake.”
She walked by me and hurried up the stairs to Lauren and my dad, and I sat down on the couch, feeling like complete shit.
When my dad walked down the stairs, I stood up.
“I'm sorry,” I said. “I hadn't really thought about how you'd feel when you found out. I should have told you.”
“So, your sister was here to help you the other day?” he asked, completely ignoring what I'd just said.
“Yes,” I answered. “It's a lot, Dad. Taking care of her and the kids is harder than I thought it would be. As much as I didn't want to call you and mom, I'm glad you're here. I really do need help.”
“Glad you can admit you made a mistake,” he said, and I didn't reply. “Your mom and I will be here to help. Just tell us what you need. I'm sure your grandma will be here too.”
Just like that, his anger was gone and I had a whole team behind me. The more I thought about things, the more I wondered why I hadn't told them myself. Every single one of them chipped in to help us in one way or another. They watched the kids, cleaned, cooked, and just visited. My grandma came over to sit with Lauren every other day, and I knew Lauren loved every second of it. None of them would ever know just how much I loved them and how thankful I was to have been brought into their family.
My dad stayed true to his word, he didn't leave, and neither did my mom. She'd go to work and come right back. He'd run over to check on Cassie and go by the house to get clothes or whatever he and my mom needed. They'd taken over our spare room and made themselves at home. By the end of the month, I wanted them to go home
. They were doing so much, and I appreciated every single bit of it, but I needed a moment alone with the kids and with Lauren.
“One more month,” I said to myself, as I looked back at myself in the bathroom mirror. “You can do it.”
Then I heard Lauren scream out from down the hall, and I took off running.
Chapter 10
Lance
When Lauren yelled out, I was sitting downstairs with Lucy and the kids. I heard my son run down the hall above us, and I instantly got to my feet. What the fuck had the woman crying out so loud, was my first thought? It couldn't be time. She had one more month to go. Was something wrong? Shit! Before I'd even taken one step forward, Lucy's hand was on my arm. She'd gotten up too, and I hadn't even noticed.
“You're shaking,” she said. “You need to calm down. I know you want to run up there, but he's there. If they need us, he'll let us know.”
“We've been lucky,” I said. “They've all been fine. I don't know why it still scares the shit out of me each time they tell us they're having a baby. Not one of them has had sympathy for me.”
“It's not all about you, hotshot,” she said. “You can't stop them from having babies. Just be happy they're almost done and that every single one of those babies have been perfect.”
“You're right,” I said, as I sat back down on the couch.
Just as Lucy's ass hit the seat next to me, Lance Jr. came running down the stairs. When he turned the corner and walked into the living room, I saw the fear in his eyes and jumped right back onto my feet.
“What's wrong?” I asked.
“She's in labor,” he said. “It can't be time yet.”
“Not necessarily,” Lucy said, as she stood back up and walked over to our son.
Looking at him reminded me of one of the most amazing things that came from fear. When we'd adopted him, he was just a tiny baby, and he needed a good home. The first moment I saw his face, I knew that I'd do anything it took to keep him safe and make him feel loved. Seeing him do the same thing for a baby that was in his same position made me more proud of him than ever. Spending that last month with him made me even prouder. He was an amazing man, husband, and father. I'd done my job right. He felt safe, and he felt loved, maybe even a little too loved at times. Was that even possible? I didn't think so.
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