“How are you doing?”
“Well, I’m weirdly at peace and terrified about this hearing today. You know it’s been Angel and me against the world for a long time now. The thought that I could lose custody…I just haven’t been able to wrap my mind around that. But, win or lose, I’m going to have to deal with Ryan for the rest of my life. No matter how much I wish he wasn’t her father…he is. The one thing that gives me solace is that no matter what, he can’t erase me out of her life. I’ll always be there fighting for her.”
“If I haven’t told you, you’re an amazing mother…and friend.”
Vicky’s eyes misted “Thank you Sandy. Thank you for loving me through the pain and always having my back.”
Sandy dabbed at her eyes too. “We’ve come a long way haven’t we? You remember the day we met?”
“Are you kidding me? Yeah…you scared me half to death. I’d never worked in customer service before and I thought you were going to fire me for sure after dropping those calls.”
Sandy laughed about that day, “I thought about. I was thinking to myself, I don’t want Joshua to see this exotical looking girl. I knew he was going to be sniffing up behind you just like all the other women he was chasing. I would have loved to have seen his face when he found out his competition was the CEO and owner.”
“My goodness…I was not looking to date him or anyone else for that matter. Ryan had done a number on me.”
“Then, you do understand what I’m feeling right now about Franklin? Vicky, I just need some time to lick my wounds and get my soul together. But, I’m happy that you and Jason seem like you’re getting things back on track. That’s good to see; gives me hope. ”
Vicky dressed in front of the mirror as she spoke and a soft smile spread across her face, “Let me just say you were right. Jason and I finally had a well over-due conversation…about everything. There were so many misunderstandings and both of us trying to deal with…so much on our own. The bottom line is we both want our marriage to work and we’re committed to doing everything we can to make that happen. Can you help me zip this?”
Sandy walked over to zip her dress. She was really happy for them. It reaffirmed that sustained love between two people was possible. She was also a little solemn because just because love was possible, it didn’t mean it would happen for her. She’d hoped Joshua was it and then, she’d thought Franklin was it too. In both relationships, she gave of herself only to have it thrown back into her face.
Even though Joshua claimed to want her back Sandy knew he didn’t understand love; that love was selfless. He was anything but selfless. And after tasting what she thought was love with Franklin, she could never go back to anything less.
Vicky saw the sadness on Sandy’s face from their reflection in the mirror.
She spoke softly, “Sandy, have you talked to him?”
Their eyes connected in the mirror, “No.”
“You should. There is love there. I know it…I saw it.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I’m just so tired of fighting for men to love me. Damn it…either you do or you don’t. Right now, I’m focusing on me. There…all zipped.”
Vicky hoped that just as she and Jason had managed to work their way through a rough patch…that Sandy and Franklin would too. But, she had to put those thoughts on the back burner for now. It was time to leave for court.
At the same time that Vicky and Sandy were coming out of the bedroom, Franklin arrived. Like a magnet his eyes immediately found hers. But, she quickly turned away from him.
The energy in the room had changed dramatically and it was more than the tension between Franklin and Sandy.
Vicky looked from face to face, “What’s wrong?”
Jason cleared his throat, “John Lucas just called. There’s been a change. The judge wants to see you in his chambers in the next hour. He is going to meet us over there. And, she requested that Angel is in attendance as well.”
As good as it felt to beat the hell out of Ryan, it was in the back of Jason’s mind that it could hurt their case.
*****
The ride over to the courthouse in the limo was over too fast. Jason held Vicky’s hand tightly the entire way over. It was comforting to him and her.
“I’ve been waiting for the right moment to give you something. I think now would be good.”
She looked at him curiously, “What?”
Jason reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a velvet box.
“I bought this the same day I bought Pita for Angel. There was just so much going on I didn’t want you to think I was giving it to you because of Bridget.”
Vicky accepted the box and opened it. Her eyes sparkled, “Jason…it’s beautiful. Can you put it on me?”
Jason took the necklace out of the box and put it on her. “I know I can’t physically be with you in the Judge’s chambers but know that I’m with you in spirit. I’ll always be with you.”
Vicky touched his face before slowly pressing her lips against his.
They ended the kiss when the car pulled up in front of the door. He touched his forehead to her before whispering into her ear, “You know I can have the jet ready to take us anywhere in the world on a moment’s notice?”
Vicky gave him a shaky smile, “Tempting but I love you too much to let you do that.”
A moment later, the car door opened.
*****
Jason, Angel, John and Miriam, Shirley, Franklin, and Sandy were all in a private waiting room. Vicky and John Lucas had only been in the Judge’s chambers for about ten minutes but it felt like ten hours.
Sandy was coloring with Angel. However, she could feel Franklin’s eyes every time they landed on her. She did her best to ignore him. Except for one time when they made eye contact. His half-a-smile made her stomach do a little flip.
No. She wouldn’t return it. Sandy wanted no part of the classic ‘let’s be friends bullshit.’ He hurt her and they were over. She’d made a lot of decisions about her life and as soon as Angel’s custody fight was over she planned to discuss them with Vicky.
Franklin hadn’t seen Sandy since that night after they left the hospital. He kept sneaking glimpses of her. He’d hoped the need to see her, talk to her and be with her with be less with time. So far, it hadn’t and he hadn’t felt as alive since they’d been together.
The kind of passion he shared with Sandy was unrealistic. He needed a sturdy relationship. April wouldn’t demand that he give her more than he was willing to give at least not emotionally. As long as he spent time with her she was fine. Franklin felt safe with April.
Sandy made him feel things, hope, and want things. And, for what? To be disappointed, humiliated or even worse abandoned like his mother did him? If he really unleashed his inner feelings what would it look like? What if he turned out to be like his father? He couldn’t risk it.
It was safer this way for him...and for her.
*****
Vicky was sitting in the Judge’s chamber next to John Lucas. Ryan Carter was sitting next to his lawyer Ms. Abernathy.
His lawyer seemed pretty agitated, “Your Honor, I don’t’ understand why this meeting in your chambers was called?”
Vicky was surprised because she thought they’d called the meeting.
The Judge looked irritated, “Counselor, I’ve been given some new information that might weigh heavily on my decision. Due to the high profile and delicacy of this matter, I thought it was appropriate for you and Senator Carter to see if you can come to an arrangement with Mrs. Rutherford.”
“My client’s position is that Mrs. Martin…I’m sorry Rutherford is an unfit mother. Based on what we’ve shown the court already we feel sole custody to Mr. Carter is not only warranted but the only viable alternative.”
“Ms. Abernathy, might I suggest to you again that you and your client review this new information before you come to such a hasty decision.”
The tone of the Judges voice gave Ms. Abernathy pause. She
looked over at Ryan with an accusatory stare. “Of course, if you think this information is worth listening to then I don’t see anything wrong with having a discussion with my client, Mrs. Rutherford and her attorney.”
“Great. I’m glad we can agree on that after all it is the best interest of the child we’re all after. I’ll leave you to it then.”
They all stood as the Honorable Judge stood to leave the room. As soon as she’d left, Ms. Abernathy dropped all pretenses of discussing a rational agreement.
“Mr. Lucas, I’m not sure what type of shenanigans you’re trying to pull but you have nothing to offer that my client is willing to accept but full custody of Angel Martin.”
“Ms. Abernathy…if you plan to have longevity in this arena, might I suggest you find out what cards your opponent is holding before you determine what your client will or won’t accept.”
He pulled out an mp3 player and a single speaker. “This recording has been authenticated by well-respected experts.” Then, he pressed play.
“Alicia, I think I may know how I can salvage all of this.”
“And just how do you think you can fix this? This isn’t fixable!”
“What about if we beat them to the punch? We can call our own press conference to announce to the world that at considerable risk to myself, I selflessly donated blood to a daughter I never knew I had until the day of the accident.”
“That’s all great for you but how will you explain that she was conceived while we were married Ryan?”
“We can say that you and I were separated during the time Angel was conceived. But, we realized how much we meant to each other and decided to make our marriage work. Everyone can understand marriages going through problems.”
“There is one more piece to this that would definitely put us into the Governor’s mansion. The whole plan rests solely on if you can accept this.”
“And just what other sacrifices would you have me make Ryan?”
“We’d need to file for sole custody of Angel.”
John Lucas stopped the tape. Vicky sat incredulous.
“This was at the hospital Ryan! We didn’t even know if Angel was going to live or die back then!” Vicky jumped out of her chair and lunged at him. However, John Lucas was able to stop her before she was able to connect. “You are a cold-heartless bastard!”
Ryan’s attorney was stunned. She was clearly trying to calculate her way out of this. “Control your client Mr. Lucas!” Ms. Abernathy was furiously trying to find an out in this situation. You could see her mind thinking. “My client’s position is this tape was obtained illegally and therefore inadmissible evidence in this case.”
“This tape was obtained legally. I have a date/time stamped video that can prove it.”
“How did you get this tape?”
“The aunt of my client, Ms. Shirley Martin, had been in the same waiting room earlier in the day. She inadvertently, left her cell phone in the waiting room.
“Ms. Martin obviously knew Mr. Carter would be using the room.”
“Unfortunately for you, she never knew your client would be using the room. To my understanding and according to witness testimony, no-one knew where your client was or if he was even going to show up. Shall I continue?”
The look of defeat started to appear on her formally smug face, “Continue.”
“In the process of checking her home messages somehow she inadvertently pressed the button to leave a message instead of disconnecting the call. She then preceded to accidently leave the cell phone in between the seat cushions where her home voice-mail began to record your conversation. It was several hours later before her cell phone was discovered missing and ultimately located in the waiting room. Ms. Martin discovered she had the recording two days ago when she accidently listened to an archived message.” John Lucas gave Ms. Abernathy a manila envelope. “You’ll find a report inside authenticating the recordings.”
Ryan reached over and whispered into his lawyer’s ear. “I’ll need a minute with my client.”
John Lucas gave him a smile that said, I just won this case without even taking it to court. “I thought you might.”
Ryan and his attorney stepped out of the chambers the same way the Judge had left.
Vicky was both seething with anger and relieved at the same time. “Mr. Lucas? I…I can’t believe this.”
“Believe it. This nightmare is almost over. Even without this bit of evidence, we would have won this case. Mr. Carter has a nasty little past. We had a Plan A, B, and C. This just happened to drop in our lap.”
It didn’t take long for Ryan and his attorney to come back into the Judge’s chambers.
“My client and I would like to come to an agreement. Our terms are if the tape is destroyed, then he is willing to give up all of his parental rights.”
The surprises kept coming. Vicky didn’t know why she was surprised that this gutless piece of man would do this. “Ryan, are you serious? You’ve met her. She’s your daughter. What kind of man would do this?”
He wouldn’t even look at Vicky.
Ms. Abernathy experiencing defeat for the first time was cold in her response, “Those are our terms.”
Vicky spat out at him, “Don’t act like you hold any cards in this situation because you don’t. We all now know this whole stunt was about your political career and damn all the lives you’ve affected.”
Vicky gave herself a moment to breathe. After a second she exhaled, “She’s better off without you. We all are. Fine, I’ll agree to those terms on one condition. If and only if, when Angel is old enough and wants to meet you…you meet her. She deserves to get answers from you and hopefully she’ll be able to get closure on why you so willingly discarded her.” Vicky folded her arms across her chest to keep from trying to attack him again. “Those…are…my…terms.”
Ryan finally spoke for the first time since they’d entered the judge’s chambers. “I want a confidentiality agreement that you or anyone close to you won’t discuss the terms. If I can get that along with confirmation that the tape has been destroyed...I’m sure we can leave the attorney’s to wrap this up.”
“I will not agree to that. I won’t destroy the tape until Angel’s twenty-fifth birthday. Until then, it should be held in a safe-deposit box monitored by the courts.”
Vicky could see Ryan didn’t like that idea. His jaw muscles clenched as he turned to his attorney to agree to terms. “I think we can arrange that. If there is nothing else, I would say we’ve reached an amicable solution.”
Chapter 33
Ryan walked into his private waiting room with his lawyer, Ms. Abernathy. Alicia and Ryan’s campaign manager was sitting there waiting too.
As soon as they walked through the door, Alicia stood up, “What was the hearing about? What happened?”
Ryan sat down and put his hands in his head. “I just need a minute to think Alicia. I just need a minute okay?”
Alicia turned to his lawyer, “What is going on?”
“We’re withdrawing our petition. Ryan and Vicky came to an agreement.”
Alicia looked confused, “I don’t understand…what kind of agreement could you have possible made?”
Ryan turned to his wife and took a deep breath, “My run for the Governorship is over Alicia. I withdrew my petition because you and I were caught on tape discussing our plan to win the Governorship when Angel was in the hospital.”
“What…how?” Alicia looked at Ms. Abernathy, “Isn’t that illegal? I didn’t know I was being recorded and neither did Ryan.”
Ms. Abernathy was putting some documents into her briefcase, “It would have been illegal if the person who taped you knew she was taping you. She didn’t. You were accidentally taped and it wasn’t discovered until a few days ago.”
Alicia was stunned. His campaign manager was stunned. However, she quickly recovered and wondered if it was too late to get on Ryan’s opponent’s campaign team.
Alicia turned back to her husband,
“Ryan…I want a divorce.”
*****
On the opposite end of the courthouse, the only sound that could be heard in the Rutherford’s waiting room was the background noise of the local media station playing on the television. And, Jason wearing a hole in the floor pacing back and forth. They’d been in with the Judge for over an hour. He had no idea what was going on in there.
Just as he was about to go completely insane Vicky and John Lucas walked into the tiny waiting area. He couldn’t read either of their faces.
“Well? What happened?”
Vicky whispered, “It’s over.”
“What?”
Then, a slow but dazzling smile spread across her entire face as she shouted to roof tops, “IT’S OVER! Ryan is withdrawing his petition for custody and relinquishing all of his parental rights.”
After a moment of stunned silence, the room erupted into shouting and thanksgivings.
Jason picked Vicky up and spent her around before unabashedly kissing her deeply. He only put her down when Angel came running over to them wanting to be included in the celebration. He picked her up and spent her around too.
John Rutherford’s booming voice filled the room, “John Lucas thank you for what you’ve done for my family. What the hell happened in there?”
John Lucas threw up his hands, “I can’t take credit for this outcome. Shirley Martin gets it all.”
LOVE, LIFE, and VOWS Page 14