by G. Benson
“And Ella seemed to be improving a little?”
“Ella’s latest art work, when the teacher had them painting their families, has been showing her aunty, Doctor Foster, with Toby and Ella herself, sometimes with her parents on a cloud over her house.”
“Anyone else?”
“A Nurse Lane had appeared and a Kym, who I understand are friends of Doctor Foster and have come to mean a lot to Ella.”
“And do you see anything wrong with Ella forming attachments to these people?”
“No, of course not. In fact, it’s incredibly positive. These are new attachments, new bonds, all showing Ella that people are still there for her, in a variety of roles, after such a profound loss. It’s healthy. What is especially healthy is that Ella has more than accepted these new people in her life—she’s welcomed them.”
Scott leant against the desk, hands in his pockets. “Have you ever had any concerns about Ella’s living arrangement since her parents’ passing?”
“Never.”
The State’s attorney had no questions.
When Doctor McDermott, Anna’s boss, appeared, Anna was grateful she’d put her foot down in the interview and been so strict with the hours she could offer.
“Her work statistics are far lower than others in the hospital; however, I hired her knowing this would happen.”
“How so?”
“She walked into the interview and informed me that if she couldn’t have evenings free for at least the first year, as well as weekends, she couldn’t take the job.”
“She sacrificed her career to be home with her brother’s children?”
“Every day. Like most of the parents I employ do.” He paused. “More so, actually.”
When the state’s attorney asked him questions, he was as blunt as Anna had expected.
“Does Doctor Foster regularly work late?”
“No.”
“Not at all?”
“She has, I think, on one or two occasions. As I said already, when Doctor Foster interviewed for the position, she explained her situation with the children clearly and specified that long hours and regular late nights and weekend work would be off the table for her for quite a while.”
“Only for a while though?”
“We work most parents’ rosters to manage their children. It’s part of the job, but Anna has been more stubborn than most in maintaining hours that let her be home with the kids, as is completely understandable in the circumstances. And I believe the one time she had to stay late, her mother took the children. Like most parents who work at the hospital, or work at all, she has a backup system.”
The State’s attorney didn’t have any further questions.
Scott called in Tanya, and the coordinator of the day care bounced in, as peppy as ever.
“We miss Toby at the day care. He’s got a little network of friends. All the kids are there full time, five to six days a week. We have them all in a routine. They get to socialise, and the biggest bonus is that the parents, or guardians,” Tanya beamed at Anna, who couldn’t help but smile back; the woman was like a gerbil on Ecstasy, “are right there in the building, so they can visit during the day, something a lot of parents without provided day care miss out on.”
“And Doctor Foster was there regularly?”
Tanya laughed. “At first she was popping in constantly. We finally managed to reassure her that Toby was settling in fine, and she was visiting more like two or three times a day, shifts permitting.”
“How did Toby react to her visits?”
“With absolute delight. He adores her.”
Anna felt a tug in her chest.
“And he was adjusting fine? Considering that, before this, he had been at home with his mother?”
Tanya nodded. “Oh, he took some adjusting, though I think a lot of that wasn’t just because he wasn’t at home, but because of his loss. He was quite clingy with Doctor Foster at first, but this was slowly settling.” She paused for a second, then quickly added, “Lots of these kids come into day care, after being at home with their parents for up to two years. Parents coming back from maternity leave and so forth. They all settle in, make friends, and get to see their parents. Day care isn’t a negative experience.”
Scott thanked her, and the State’s attorney, again, had no questions.
The bailiff called Kym, and Anna’s stomach flipped. The clack of heels on the wood floor sounded out, and then Kym was seated. Scott, obviously deciding to beat the State’s attorney to it, asked about the nature of their relationship.
Without batting an eye, Kym threw her answer back at him. “She’s my best friend.”
Anna smiled when Kym caught her eye.
“Can you elaborate?”
“Anna and I met at work and bonded over mutual loss. I lost my husband about nine months ago now, and she had just lost her brother and sister-in-law, plus was going through massive life changes with taking on the kids. We supported each other.”
“How regularly were you and Doctor Foster seeing each other, outside of work?”
“Two or three times a week.”
“And you’d go out?”
Kym shook her head. “No. Mostly, we would be at Anna’s house, with the kids.”
“So Doctor Foster wasn’t floating off to have a social life to the detriment of the kids?”
“God, no. It’s getting her to take a break that’s the problem.”
Anna resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
“Do you get along with Ella and Toby?”
“A lot. I really miss them, actually.”
“And I’m sorry. I just have to ask blatantly, to save the State’s attorney the question. Have you ever been romantically involved with Doctor Foster?”
If the situation wasn’t so serious Anna was sure Kym would have laughed. “No, I’ve not.”
“Nothing further. Thank you, Doctor Drew.”
The State’s attorney stood. “I have on record that you’ve been seen leaving the property in the early hours of the morning. Has there really never been any romantic link? I’m sorry, Doctor Drew, but this is part of the complaints and we need to ask. Uh…again.”
Kym looked pissed. “Who’s spying on the house at six a.m.? That’s creepy.”
The judge cleared his throat and looked at her.
Kym quickly went back to the question. “No, there has never been anything more than friendship between Doctor Foster and me. Sometimes I stay the night on the couch, either because it’s one of the rare times I’ve babysat or because I don’t like to be in my dead husband’s home. Anna is nice enough to let me do that.”
Obviously not wanting to go down the deceased husband route, the attorney pried further elsewhere. “So you babysit as well? Does Doctor Foster regularly leave the children in your care?”
“Why? Do you believe that someone with a double medical degree majoring in psychiatry isn’t someone a responsible adult would leave two children with for a few hours?”
The judge actually smothered a laugh with a fake cough. “Just answer the question, please, Doctor.”
“Twice I have babysat the kids, for about four or five hours each time. Anna always has Toby settled and in bed, and I hang out with Ella, who is six. Between us, we manage not to get into a lot of trouble besides eating too much ice cream.”
Love for Kym filled Anna’s chest, and she was fairly certain Judge Gordon was covering a smirk again.
“Only twice?”
“Only twice, in the last couple of months.”
“For work?”
Kym sighed. “No, Anna went on two dates.”
“With Lane Bishop?”
“Yes.”
“What is the nature of this relationship?”
Scott stood up. “Your Honour, that’s not for t
his woman to proclaim. Miss Bishop is next to be called, and Doctor Drew is here as a character reference only and to clear up her own links to Doctor Foster.”
Standing straighter, the State’s attorney interrupted, “Your Honour, Doctor Foster’s ‘sexual promiscuity’ has been raised in the complaints put forth to child protective services. If we can clear some of the questions up now, I figure why not?”
Despite herself, Anna couldn’t shake the vibe that the guy was actually on her side. She glanced at the table and saw Lorna nodding, but George scowling.
Kym looked from one lawyer to another, then to the judge.
The judge spoke to the State’s attorney. “Continue.”
Smothering a sigh, Scott sat back down.
“Right. Again, what is the nature of their relationship?”
“As far as I am aware, they’re dating.”
“How long has that been going on?”
Scott stood up again. “These are still questions for Miss Bishop and Doctor Foster.”
“Stick to questions from an outsider view, please.”
The attorney took it in his stride. “Have you seen Doctor Foster dating various people?”
Kym shook her head. “No, just Lane.” She paused. “Um, Miss Bishop.”
“And does she regularly see her…that you are aware?”
“They see each other when they can, but Anna has always, to Lane, to me, and to work, made it very clear that the kids come first.”
“Can you give me an example of this?”
“I had to talk her into it being okay to date Lane at all. I had to talk her into letting me babysit for them so she could have a break and go out with Lane. I had to remind her that she is still allowed a life, to date, even if she has kids under her care.”
“She was reluctant?”
“Very. She didn’t ever want the kids to question their place in her life. And that’s a direct quote, by the way. When the kids got taken…” Kym hesitated and looked at Anna, who nodded. “When the kids got taken, Anna broke it off with Lane because she thought it might help. Considering the allegations, I think she thought her relationship was playing a role in having the kids removed.”
“But they’re together again?”
Kym grinned. “I talked sense into her.”
“Thank you.”
Dismissed, Kym stood up. Anna caught her eye as she walked out and Kym shot her a thumbs up.
And then Lane walked in, looking more anxious than Kym had. She took the oath, then looked at Anna. They shared a nervous look, though Anna tried to look encouraging.
Scott started the questions after the initial introduction and run down. “Can you tell us, in your own words, the nature of your relationship with Doctor Foster?”
“We’re together. We’re dating. Uh...we’re girlfriends.”
Sympathy flared in Anna. Lane looked extremely nervous and fidgety.
Scott smiled at Lane. “How long have you been dating?”
“We’ve been seeing each other about two months. It’s been, uh, very slow.”
“Why’s that?”
“When we met, Anna had only just taken on the kids. She didn’t want to rush into anything; the kids were her priority.”
“How exactly did she put it?”
A genuine smile played at Lane’s lips. “‘The kids are my priority.’”
“And you were okay with this?”
Lane nodded. “There was no reason to rush it, and I could understand where she was coming from. I slowly met the kids and then would have dinner sometimes, hang out with them.”
“You get along with them?”
“Ella and I got along instantly. Toby, though, he warmed up a bit slower. He likes to get a grip on people. Now he’s on me like a rash.”
“Do they know the nature of your relationship?”
“Um…we hadn’t gotten to talking to them about it. That was actually what we had just talked about doing right before this. I never stayed over, because we didn’t want to confuse Ella. And Anna repeatedly said she didn’t want the kids to think they weren’t her number one priority.”
“Does she prioritise the kids over your relationship?”
Anna flinched.
Without hesitating, Lane stated, “Of course she did. She still does. She prioritises the kids over anything. Anna has always thought of the kids first in everything she does.”
“And you support that?”
“I don’t think I could feel the way I do about her if she didn’t. It’s amazing, the bond the three of them have.”
“Thank you, Miss Bishop, that will be all.”
The State’s attorney stood up. “How often were you seeing Doctor Foster?”
“Almost every day. We work together.”
“Outside of work?”
“It would depend on my hours, or hers, but anything from twice to four times a week. She liked to spend one-on-one time with the kids.”
“And you hadn’t spoken about the nature of your relationship with the kids?”
“No. We were talking about doing that, but hadn’t gotten there yet.”
“And Ella never guessed? You weren’t overtly affectionate in front of her?”
“Not overtly, no. From what I know, though, Ella’s parents had explained that Anna dates women to her already, as Anna had a long-term partner the kids had met before. I think Ella’s at an age where she doesn’t think in terms of things like that, she just likes to hang out and watch movies and play games with us all.”
“Thank you.”
Shakily, Lane stood and caught Anna’s eye, mouthing something she couldn’t get. Anna looked at her, confused, but Lane was being ushered out.
The questions with Anna’s mother passed in a blur, and she raved for so long about how good Anna was with the kids that Scott had to interrupt her.
Her mother would always fight for her.
And then, her father was called up.
A nervous pull in her stomach distracted her from wondering what Lane had tried to mime to her.
“How much do you see Anna and the kids?”
Andrew looked down before answering. “Not very often. The kids have the odd sleepover with us. It’s something they’ve always done, since Ella was a baby, and I see them then.”
“Were you surprised when Doctor Foster got guardianship?”
“My son had spoken to us about it previously.”
“Do you think she’s suited to it?”
Her father hesitated. “I didn’t.”
Anna looked up sharply.
He was still looking down towards the ground.
The judge had his eyes on him. Anna reminded herself to breathe.
Andrew cleared his throat. “This may sound like a strange statement, but I didn’t think I’d raise a lesbian daughter. Yet I did.” He gave a self-conscious shrug. “But I learnt quickly that who she was dating had nothing to do with anything. Both my children were good people.” He paused, and Anna just wished he’d look at her. “Being the girl she is, she was career driven, brilliant at her job. She and her brother were fiercely close and incredibly loyal to each other. Jake was the family man, and Anna was ambitious. She adores her job.” He paused, clearing his throat. “Then Jake…and Sally…Well, I dropped off the face of the earth. Anna, she looks so much like him. And Toby, he does, too.” Voice cracking, her father cleared his throat. “Losing a child so young, it takes a part of a man away. Everything that reminds you of him just hurts. I, uh, I disappeared on my family.” He looked up, and, for the first time since Jake died, looked Anna in the eye.
They held each other’s gaze, and she felt her heart break for the grief she saw in his eyes.
“I disappeared.” He pressed his lips together. “But she didn’t.” He turned and spoke to the ju
dge directly. “Anna stepped up. I don’t think she planned on having kids, but my son, her brother, asked it of her, and here she is, fighting tooth and nail for them. Losing their parents could have destroyed those two kids. I’m sure it’s altered them, of course. But destroyed? Anna’s held them together. She’s held my wife together when I all but left her to her grief. And through it all, she’s held herself together for those two kids. She’s the best thing to happen not only to my grandchildren but to this entire family.”
Silence rang around the courtroom until finally Scott broke it.
“Uh—thank you, Mr Foster. That will be all.”
The State’s attorney shook his head when the judge looked at him.
There was a lump in Anna’s throat she could barely swallow past, and she watched helplessly as her father started to walk awkwardly out of the room. As he walked past her, Anna couldn’t help herself. She stood up and walked towards him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Only for a moment, he hesitated. Anna was fairly certain the last time he had hugged her had been when she was small, but she didn’t care. His arms wrapped around her, tight over her shoulder blades.
Anna pulled back and stared into eyes the same shade her brother’s had been. Her father’s hands rested on her shoulders for a moment. With an uncertain look, he nodded to her. Anna quickly slipped back to her seat.
The glare Scott gave her didn’t have much effect behind it.
Looking down at his papers, the judge acted like he hadn’t noticed someone standing up in the middle of court proceedings. “Right. I think we’ll take a ten-minute recess before resuming.”
They stood as he walked out, and Anna turned to Scott. “How are we going?”
“Good. We just have to see what Cathy and the caseworkers have to say.”
“George is speaking? He was only there once.”
Scott frowned. “I know. We’ll see.”
“This judge? Is he a good one?”
“He’s a religious man, but he has a lot of respect for the law. We could have done a lot worse.”
Religion made her nervous. “Can I talk to the others?”