Emma sagged against the wall, thankful she’d stood her ground—but more afraid than ever.
****
Kendra patted Emma’s cheek the day of the hearing, her large brown eyes guileless yet solemn. Emma pulled the little girl into a hug, forcing herself to smile. “Everything's going to be fine, okay?”
Kendra leaned back to study her expression as if needing confirmation. Her big smile seemed relieved. Emma blew out a breath as Kendra wriggled off her lap and waddled to where her twin sat playing with toys on the floor.
Despite her confidence in her lawyer, a qualm of unease plagued her, twisting her stomach in knots. What if her part in the girls’ life was only temporary? What if God had intended them for another family? Had she forced His hand and bought love as Stephen once suggested?
I wish I knew the answer. But I don’t. I just don’t.
A knock at the door made her jump. She went to the door and opened it to find Travis on the other side of the screen. Her heart gave a painful lurch. She put on a smile and opened the screen door.
“Hello, Emma.”
She stepped aside to let him enter. “Thank you for coming.”
He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding her gaze. “Are you ready then?”
Emma blamed herself for his obvious discomfort. She smoothed down the front of her blue blouse and took a deep breath.
“Charlotte and Rosemary should be here any minute.”
Travis nodded and glanced toward the twins. Katrina looked up from where she sat on the couch and held out a cardboard book to him.
“Story!”
Travis walked over and lifted her into his arms. “Maybe later, okay, Sweetheart?”
Katrina stared at him for a moment, then rested her head on his shoulder. While he rubbed her back, Kendra toddled over and jerked on his pant leg. Travis bent down and scooped her up as well.
“My, you girls are getting big, I can barely lift you!”
Emma smiled, glad for a diversion. “You know you should never mention a female’s weight, regardless of age.”
He let out a low laugh. “Uh oh, sorry if I offended you two!”
The girls didn’t seem to mind. Katrina kept her head nestled against his shoulder while Kendra played with his shirt collar.
“So, your lawyer thinks this will be a piece of cake, right?” he asked, his smile disappearing when he looked at her.
Emma tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “He says he’s confident that this will be wrapped up today—but to be prepared in case it gets ugly.”
He frowned. “So which is it?”
“I guess he’s heard some things about the judge who will be at the hearing.”
“What’s his name?”
Emma closed her eyes, trying to remember. “Um, something like Bremer, or—”
“Brenner?”
“Yes, that’s it. Do you know him?”
Travis walked over and set the girls back down on the couch and shoved his hands in his pockets. His expression became tense. “Um, yeah. At least I’ve of heard him.”
Emma’s heart rate kicked up. “What do you know? Is there a problem?”
He cleared his throat. “Shouldn’t be any problems.”
She put her hands on her hips. “If you know something, Travis, you have to tell me, because with Stephen in the picture, I have enough problems as it is.”
“I thought you said he’d gone back to Florida.”
“I said I hoped he’d gone back.”
Travis’s brows drew together. “Has he been bothering you?”
“You could say that. He actually tried to blackmail me.”
“What!”
Emma shoved down the residual fear from Stephen’s unexpected visit. “He said if I didn’t give him money, he’d make sure unsavory things became known about me to the plaintiffs’ lawyer.”
The storm in Travis’s eyes took her breath away. “If he shows up at this hearing, so help me, I’ll—”
“He wouldn’t dare, Travis, so don’t worry. He was just trying to scare me.” Emma blew out a breath. “It was kind of weird that he knew as much as he did about the case. Aside from glancing at some of the documents I had out while he was here, he wouldn’t have access to that kind of information, would he?”
“Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if somehow Lucy wasn’t mixed up in this,” Charlotte said from behind.
She swung around to see the older woman coming through the open door, with Rosemary who held her arm. Charlotte was to accompany them to the hearing while her granddaughter watched the twins.
“Now, Mrs. Evans, it won’t do to start any conspiracy theories,” Travis said in a chastising tone.
Charlotte sent him a gimlet look. “It’s hard not to when her uncle, Nathan Brenner, is the judge in the hearing.”
Emma stared at Travis. “Lucy’s uncle is the one hearing the case?”
He flushed slightly under his tan. “I didn’t know anything about who was assigned to the hearing until now.”
She bit her lip to stop unfortunate words from tumbling out. This was not good news. Travis seemed to read her mind.
“Look, Emma, Lucy’s not the type to get involved in something like this.”
“I saw her leaving her uncle’s office just two days ago when I was down at the salon getting my hair done,” Charlotte said, her gaze swiveling between them.
Travis grimaced. “I’m sure that was just a coincidence, Mrs. Evans.”
She shrugged. “I’d heard she wasn’t on good terms with that side of her family. Maybe she was there because of the man she was with. Some blond Yuppie type who drives a red sports car.”
The knot in Emma’s stomach wrenched hard as the implications hit her. “It couldn’t be Stephen. I mean the coincidence would be unbelievable.”
Travis frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Emma sank onto the couch, vaguely aware of Rosemary pulling toys out of her backpack for the twins. “He drives a red Porsche.”
“That’s what it was,” Rosemary said. “I know because my friend’s boyfriend has one just like it, except that his is black. Black is so much cooler. Red’s kinda showy, don’tcha think?”
Emma nodded in a daze. She looked at Travis. “You didn’t tell Lucy about any of this, did you?”
His stricken expression answered her question. “Now, Emma, listen to me. I called her asking her for help and—”
“You called the woman you broke up with?” Charlotte asked in obvious amazement. “Not too smart.”
Travis kept his gaze fixed on Emma. “I was trying to help, and none of it matters anyway, since not even her uncle would countenance such a travesty of justice.”
“It got this far, didn’t it?” the older woman groused.
His face turned a dark red and he looked away.
“Well, that’s enough. It’s time to go.” Charlotte held out her arm. “Travis, I’ll need your assistance to get down the stairs, if you please.”
He hesitated before crossing the room and taking her arm. When he looked back at Emma, she avoided his gaze and went to hug her daughters goodbye. She squeezed them tight, struggling to keep the dark swirl of thoughts at bay.
With one last lingering look at their sweet smiles, she followed Travis out the door, hoping the black clouds boiling up against the horizon didn’t foretell a turbulent time to come.
****
Travis fought the wave of fury and misery threatening to sweep over him. The idea that Lucy might somehow have influenced anything to do with Emma’s case shook him to the core.
He especially bemoaned Emma’s new obvious lack of trust. She refused to meet his gaze and had been silent on the drive to the courthouse. Lord, help me be a support to Emma. Please let Your will be done.
After parking and going through security, they headed for the hearing room. Travis longed to take her hand, but didn’t dare at the moment. They walked the long corridor without speaking—only the sound of their footst
eps echoed down the hall.
When they arrived at the right room, Travis opened the door and allowed Emma and Charlotte to precede him. When he heard Emma’s quiet gasp, his stomach tumbled to his feet.
What now?
He walked in behind him and saw Lucy...with Stephen, sitting in the few chairs at the back of the room.
Lucy glanced up at him, chin at a defiant angle, her expression hard. Stephen smirked as he sent Emma a once-over before turning his stare to Travis.
Emma grabbed Travis’s arm and tugged him forward. He looked at her—at the appeal in her wide blue eyes—and a sliver of his tension eased. He allowed himself to be drawn along, sitting behind the table where her lawyer sat leafing through documents. Blowing out a haggard sigh, he leaned against the back of the chair, glancing at Charlotte who settled in next to him. She patted his hand, offering him a comforting smile.
Travis slunk down in his chair—comfort the farthest thing from his mind.
****
The room was small and modern with two utilitarian tables placed in front of the sleek, wooden judge’s bench. Behind the tables were two rows of metal chairs with dark blue upholstered seats, which matched the dark blue low pile carpeting. Two high windows and fluorescent lighting illuminated the stark space.
After being seated at the left-hand table, Emma stiffened at the sound of the door opening behind them, dreading the thought of who might be coming in the door. Her lawyer leaned close.
“Here they come.”
She swallowed, refusing to look behind her. It might also mean she’d see Travis, whose morose expression she just couldn’t bear at the moment.
Suddenly, a couple and their lawyers seated themselves at the table opposite. Emma chanced a peek around Mr. Belling’s shoulder. The man was tall, with iron-gray hair, undoubtedly salon-styled. His tailored suit fit his imposing form to perfection. His wife, with her artfully tinted long blonde hair, a sculpted face, and the latest designer fashions, was the perfect counterpart.
Emma tore her gaze away. They might as well be her own parents—powerful people who always got what they wanted.
“He’s a plastic surgeon and his wife is involved in several society charities. They hired an expensive lawyer, and because of that, they think they can win this.”
She nodded at Mr. Belling and looked down at her folded hands, struggling to steel her resolve.
“All rise!”
She glanced up and saw the bailiff step aside to let the judge pass. As she stood, she took the judge’s measure. He was a large man with a mottled complexion, shrewd eyes and, and a down-turned mouth. This is the man who thinks he’ll decide if I can keep my daughters? Suppressing the urge to glare at him, she shot up a silent prayer for him to be just.
After they’d returned to their seats, Judge Brenner called the hearing to order and outlined the case.
Emma listened to the disinterested, bored, tone of his voice and wondered how anyone could sound so blasé when a family was on the line. Surely he didn’t see contested adoption by unrelated parties every day.
She glanced at the plaintiffs and their lawyer, who emanated power and prestige. Was that enough to sway the judge? Am I the only one who knows this is ridiculous? She took a deep breath, wishing this day was over with so she could be home with her children. Dear Lord, please have mercy.
****
After opening statements, the plaintiffs’ lawyer stood and shared a knowing smile with the judge.
“Your honor, my clients have been married for twenty-one years. Their marriage is rock-solid, they have two beautiful homes, and are well-respected in their communities. The tragedy is that they are unable to have children of their own. And after researching many adoption agencies, they found Kidcare International on the Internet. The home page featured a picture of beautiful twin girls who were available for adoption.
“Your honor, when my clients saw those little girls, they knew in their hearts that they were meant for them. Imagine their dismay after they entered the adoption process to find that the girls had been taken mere weeks earlier.
“Not only did this break their hearts, but it also brought to bear the inefficiency of the orphanage. Needless to say, my clients were even more concerned. If Kidcare International could not manage a website advertising regarding who and who wasn’t available for adoption, how could they possibly perform a legitimate adoption?”
“Objection. Miss Hayes’ adoption documentation adheres to all domestic and international laws.”
A pause. “Sustained.”
The other lawyer raised his brow. “That remains to be seen. But we also fear the orphanage has made a poor choice in your client. The girls deserve better.”
Emma gasped at the accusation.
“Objection. Personal judgments have no place in this hearing.”
“We have evidence that will be presented to show that your client is not fit to be a parent and that the orphanage erred in its parental selection process.”
Mr. Belling cleared his throat. “Then your argument should be with the orphanage itself and not my client.”
“Kidcare International is currently subject to legal suit also filed by my clients.”
“That’s horrible!” Emma cried. “They’re an organization that depends on the gifts of others and barely has enough money to make it as it is.”
“Mr. Belling!” the judge barked. “I suggest you counsel your client to control herself.”
Emma’s lawyer sent her a meaningful look. “Take it easy, Miss Hayes,” he said in a low voice. “We’re going to do okay. Even if things go badly here, there is an appeal process. Can you trust me to take care of this?”
She nodded and eased out a breath, fighting back the urge to throw a major temper tantrum. A glance back at Travis confirmed the same thing. Leaning forward in her chair, she grabbed hold of a pen and began writing notes, more to distract herself than anything.
“To continue, your honor,” Petersen said, “it’s our contention that the twin girls, Kendra and Katrina, were wrongly placed with Miss Hayes, and we will be showing evidence to support that contention.”
Emma bit her lip hard, longing for Travis’s touch. Just holding his hand would surely bring her blood pressure down several notches.
After several minutes of hearing Petersen sing the praises of his illustrious clients, he finally sat down. Emma’s lawyer stood, shuffling through his paperwork, and addressed the judge.
“It is the defendant’s contention that this case is spurious and injurious and moves to see it dismissed.”
Judge Brenner stared at his hands for a moment, then looked up. His gaze seemed to rest on someone in back of the room. Emma twisted around and saw Lucy. When she turned back around, the judge licked his lips.
“Motion denied.”
“What?” The words flew out of Emma’s mouth before she could stop herself.
Petersen smirked at her outburst. Emma blinked as a wave of anger surged within her. Her lawyer touched her arm. She shook it off. “This whole hearing is a charade!”
Emma heard Travis behind her utter her name in strangled tones. She didn’t care. There was no way she was going to sit here and watch a miscarriage of justice at the expense of two innocent girls.
She pointed her finger at the other lawyer. “If your clients are so eager for children to adopt, there are hundreds of needy children waiting to be adopted at Kidcare International and other charities. I’m sorry the novelty of twins may be out of reach at the moment!”
Judge Brenner pounded his gavel. “Order!”
Emma slumped against the back of the chair as her small stock of courage fizzled and died. Suddenly fear of unbearable repercussions filled her.
Petersen raised a brow. “Your honor, this is the type of thing we’re talking about. Not only does Miss Hayes have obvious emotional issues, but we have proof that she cannot provide a stable environment for two special needs children.”
“Objection,” said
Mr. Belling.
Judge Brenner ignored him. “Proceed, Mr. Petersen.”
“Well, her life story is unique to be sure, but the outcome has been unsatisfactory. She was raised by affluent parents who offered every comfort money could buy. Miss Hayes received an excellent education and was well-traveled and exposed to many cultures. How did she repay this privileged upbringing? By becoming estranged from her parents, dropping out of college, drifting from job to job, breaking off an engagement just as she was about to adopt the twins, and even now, she doesn’t have a permanent living situation.
“I ask you, is this the environment adopted children should be brought up in? She is single, has no home of her own, no job, is new to the community, and based on her lifestyle, will probably up and move on a whim. My clients, on the other hand, have a secure, loving home, a committed relationship, deep roots in the community, and even medical understanding that could prove vital to children with developmental delays.”
“He’s a plastic surgeon, not a pediatrician,” Mr. Belling mumbled under his breath.
“In conclusion, for the good of the children, we move to contest Miss Haye’s custodial rights and transfer those rights to my clients.”
Mr. Belling stood, his face flushed and tie askew. “It’s hard to know how to proceed when the entire foundation of this hearing is misleading. My client’s adoption was completed with rigorous adherence to every law both internationally and domestically and is not subject to contestation!”
“Are you denying the claims made by the plaintiffs as pertaining to your client?” the judge asked.
Mr. Belling opened his mouth to speak, but Emma jumped up, the tears she’d been trying to hold back, hot on her cheeks. “Your honor, everything they said about me is true.”
Her lawyer put his hand on her shoulder. “Please, Miss Hayes,” he said in a low voice. “Sit down.”
“So, you’re admitting you’re an unfit parent?” Petersen asked.
She remained standing. “No! You’re twisting the facts to make them seem sinister.” She turned to the judge. “And you should never have heard this ridiculous case in the first place!”
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