“I will,” Troy said as he scribbled on a piece of paper. “This is my number and email address. If you ever need anything—or just need a friendly ear—please let me know, and please make sure to keep in touch. I won’t let any of our old congregation know your whereabouts, I promise.”
Tori smiled. “I definitely will. Let me give you mine.” She wrote her information down and went around the counter to hug him. “Thank you so much for stopping by. You don’t know how much it means to me that not everyone from that church thinks I’m the devil incarnate; it makes me feel like a little less of a freak.”
“You’re not a freak because of who you are,” Troy said sternly. “Don’t you ever forget that.” He placed his dirty cup in a nearby wash bin. “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon. Take care!”
“Bye! And thanks again!” Tori called as he left the shop.
“That was so freaking cool,” Meghan said, taking the box to the backroom for safekeeping.
Tori nodded. “It was a great idea. Do you know if the Center ever does clothing, toiletry, or food drives for the LGBTQ community?”
“Every now and again,” Meghan replied.
“I want to get involved the next time they have one, or maybe even start a drive on my own. It’d be great for someone in a situation like mine to have all this stuff when they’re first starting out, you know? They have enough to worry about; basic hygiene shouldn’t be part of that.”
A sad, distant smile crept onto Meghan’s normally jovial face, a hint that she understood more than she let on. “We’ll make it happen.”
Chapter 38
Cathy set the mail on the kitchen counter in front of Gwendolyn. “Your mail, Mrs. Reynolds,” she announced as she refilled Gwendolyn’s coffee mug.
“Thank you,” Gwendolyn muttered as she adjusted her weight on the seat.
She thumbed through the envelopes, dividing them into separate stacks for bills, business mail, and junk mail. A manila envelope with a delivery confirmation label caught her eye, and she noticed that the return address was the local courts.
“Cathy!” she called as she studied the envelope.
“Yes, Mrs. Reynolds?” she asked as she returned to the room.
“What is this?” Gwendolyn inquired, holding up the envelope.
Cathy shrugged. “I didn’t look at it too carefully,” she replied. “They had me sign for it, though.”
Gwendolyn nodded absentmindedly. “Thank you,” she said, tearing open the flap. The first paper she pulled out was a copy of the emancipation form that Timothy had torn up a few days prior. The second was a notice of the upcoming emancipation hearing.
Her heart began racing as she studied the form. Ever since Timothy had torn up the original copy, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. Though she didn’t want to give Victoria the impression that she supported her homosexual lifestyle, she felt a duty as a mother to make sure that she was taken care of in some capacity. By signing the form, she could ensure that she did her part to help Tori have a successful life, albeit a difficult one. Her hand trembling slightly, she signed the form and tucked it into the return envelope. She slipped the hearing notice back into the manila envelope and placed it on Timothy’s desk in the den. Her silk robe billowing behind, she hurried downstairs to find Cathy.
She waited patiently as Cathy finished dusting off the coffee table, and then she tapped her gently on the shoulder. Cathy jumped, startled, but quickly regained composure as Gwendolyn handed her the envelope. “I know I don’t usually send you on outside errands, but can you please take this to the post office for me?”
Cathy studied the envelope carefully, noting that it was addressed to the court. “I certainly don’t mind at all, Mrs. Reynolds, though usually Helen—”
“I’d prefer you to take this personally,” she insisted. She moved closer, her voice barely audible. “It’s to help Victoria. You’re the only one I trust to keep this between us.”
Cathy beamed, resisting the urge to hug her boss. “I’ll deliver it immediately,” she whispered excitedly. She retrieved her purse and keys from the hall closet. “Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds, not just for entrusting me with such a sensitive task—which I assure you will remain in the strictest confidence—but for also helping Victoria. I know it’ll mean a lot to her.”
“Not enough to see the error of her ways, I’m sure,” Gwendolyn replied sadly. “Still, hopefully, I’m doing the right thing in helping where I can.”
“I guarantee you are,” Cathy insisted as she opened the front door, smiling once more before she walked to her vehicle.
* * *
“I’m such a wreck!” Tori exclaimed during her group session at the Center. “The hearing is Thursday, and I feel like it’s coming too fast! I feel like I’m not ready, that I’m going to look like an irresponsible child and be denied emancipation!” She couldn’t help but begin to worry about the upcoming emancipation hearing. She was worried that her parents wouldn’t show up—worse yet, that they would show—or that the judge wouldn’t think she was enough of an adult to be on her own. She didn’t want to give up college for a semester; she just wanted to start with the rest of her classmates and have a normal college life.
“I understand your frustration,” Randy said. “It’s a difficult situation, and there’s a lot at stake. Consider, however, how far you’ve come since your parents threw you out. You’ve picked up the pieces of your life, and you’ve built yourself a new one with minimal assistance. We’ve all had help in our darkest hour, so please don’t think you’re not capable of being an adult just because Chloe and her mother took you in and helped you get started. You would’ve had to find shelter no matter what, so it was great that you had somewhere safe to go. Don’t ever forget how strong and determined you are, though; you got a job all on your own and are excelling at it, you bought furniture for your attic apartment, your grades have improved in school. You’re a responsible, young adult, Tori, and you should be very proud of your accomplishments thus far.”
“And you know that my mom and I are so incredibly proud of you,” Chloe added reassuringly, placing a hand lovingly on Tori’s knee. “I think that the hearing is going to go well, and you know I will be right by your side regardless of the outcome. Even if things don’t work out as planned, there’s no stopping the clock; you’re going to turn 18 in less than a year, and nothing is going to be able to stop you then!”
Tori’s face flushed. “Thank you both.” A few more votes of confidence echoed around the room, and Tori felt ready to fight the world. Regardless of whether or not she won the hearing, she knew that she’d be okay. She was an adult, and she knew that she would manage; even if the courts disagreed and she had to wait a few extra months, she knew that she’d eventually get her life together once she turned 18.
Chapter 39
“Do you have the folder?” Tori called to Chloe as she examined her appearance in the mirror.
The day of the hearing had finally arrived. Tori was wearing a charcoal suit with pale pink pinstripes, her hair was in a tight bun on the back of her head, and she wore simple jewelry and makeup. Her stomach was twisted into so many knots that she felt as if her insides were nothing more than a series of interconnected pretzels.
“Yes, I have it, dear!” Chloe replied impatiently from downstairs. “We have to get going soon, or you’re going to be late!”
Tori sighed, quickly smoothing down a flyaway hair before rushing downstairs and slipping on black flats. “Are you sure we have everything?”
Cynthia nodded. “We made sure everything was in the folder: the acknowledgment for the petition with the time and courtroom, the pay stubs, your latest report card, the letter from your boss, the copies of your bank statements, and the receipts showing that you pay your share of your bills.” She walked over and hugged Tori. “It’s going to be fine, honey. There’s no way the courts can say you’re not able to take care of yourself.”
&nbs
p; Chloe sat with Tori in the back seat as Cynthia drove, her arm around Tori as her other hand patted her knee. “We’ll be right there with you the whole time,” she said soothingly. “You’re going to be fine.”
Tori nodded, unable to speak. As much as she felt confident about convincing the judge, she worried that her parents would show up and make the judge change his mind about awarding her emancipation.
“Even if your folks show up,” Chloe began, reading Tori’s mind, “all they’ll do is help your case. They’re not going to support you, so it’ll just make the judge grant it faster.”
Tori sighed again, her heart racing. “I hope you’re right,” she muttered.
As Tori’s name was finally called and the three made their way into the courtroom, Tori felt like she was dreaming. She made eye contact with the judge as she made her way to the table, willing him to notice what a capable adult she was. She noticed that neither of her parents were present for the hearing, and she felt a surge of relief; it would probably be an easier process if they weren’t here. She clutched the folder nervously, waiting for the judge to say something.
The bailiff stood beside the bench, reading from a folder. “Docket number 45-67D now in progress. The Honorable Judge Warner presiding. Please be seated.”
The judge reviewed the file, looking to Tori’s table. “Victoria Reynolds, please stand.” She did as instructed. “You are here to petition for emancipation, correct?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” she replied, wringing her hands behind her back.
“According to the paperwork you have completed, you have been living without parental support since January 23rd and are currently residing in the home of Cynthia Summers where you pay rent and a portion of the utilities and other bills. You have been employed at the Rabbit Hole coffee shop since February 7th and are working there part-time. You are in your senior year at Pittsburgh High School, and your grades and attendance are acceptable. You have your own checking account and car insurance. Is this summary correct?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Tori answered. “My checking account, cellular telephone bill, and car insurance are currently co-owned by Ms. Cynthia Summers, but I plan to switch them into my name only once I am legally able to do so.”
“Do you have proof of your current standing?” the judge asked.
“Yes, Your Honor,” she replied, holding up the folder. “I have copies of my latest report card, pay stubs from work, a letter from my boss at the Rabbit Hole stating that I am employed and a valuable member of the team, and receipts showing that I have been reimbursing Ms. Summers for my share of the bills.”
The bailiff retrieved her folder and handed it to the judge. “And you have not, nor will you receive, support from your parents going forward. Is that correct?”
Tori nodded sadly. “Yes, Your Honor,” she replied. “The only time I have spoken to them since they threw me out was when I gave them a copy of the Consent for Emancipation form.”
Judge Warner took the folder from the bailiff and put it aside. He held up a packet with her school’s letterhead emblazoned on the top. “I see that you were involved in an altercation at school on January 23rd, the same day that you were evicted from your parents’ residence. Can you please elaborate on this?”
Tori gulped. “I was being harassed for being gay by the cheerleading squad. I was shoved into a locker, so I defended myself. That’s the only time I’ve ever gotten in trouble before though, Your Honor, not even detention.”
The judge nodded. “You may sit,” he instructed Tori as he took the folder from the bailiff. He examined the documents, the sound of shuffling paper echoing in the silent courtroom.
Tori’s stomach fluttered nervously. Every second seemed like days. Chloe sensed her tension and reached over to hold her hand under the table. Tori was worried that her hands were too clammy and would gross Chloe out, but she felt as if Chloe’s hand was the only thing holding back the fear that was threatening to consume her.
As the judge studied the documents in the folder, a light knock echoed from the courtroom door. The door opened slightly, and a guard popped his head through and looked nervously to the perturbed judge. “Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Reynolds have arrived for the hearing, Your Honor.”
He sighed. “Send them in,” he said impatiently.
Tori’s parents quickly entered the room, her father apologizing for the late arrival. He didn’t look in Tori’s direction, but Tori and her mother made eye contact before Gwendolyn lowered her eyes. They sat quietly at the table a few feet away, staring ahead at the judge to avoid contact with their daughter.
“Now that all parties have arrived,” the judge began, glaring at Tori’s parents for their tardiness, “I ask that Ms. Cynthia Summers please stand.” Cynthia obeyed, refusing to glance in Tori’s parents’ direction.
“Is it correct that Miss Reynolds has been living in your home since January 23rd?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” she replied.
“For what financial responsibilities is she currently accountable?” he asked, copies of the receipts in hand.
“Victoria is responsible for one-third of the utilities, and she pays $200 in rent each month,” she explained. “Her rent goes towards the upkeep of the residence as well as any other items the household may need. She also pays her portion of the car insurance, cell phone bill, and she reimburses me for her portion of the entire household’s groceries. Victoria has a bedroom in the attic for which she has purchased her own furniture, and she buys her own clothing and any other necessities that she may need. Finally, she assumes her part of the chores which are divvied out every month.”
“Does she reimburse you for all monies due to you in a timely fashion, and does she carry out her part of the household duties?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Cynthia replied. “She receives a paycheck bi-monthly, so she gives me $100 out of each check for rent and pays me for whatever bills are due in that pay period.”
“Thank you. You may sit.” The judge was quiet for a moment before turning to Timothy and Gwendolyn. “Since you have decided to grace the court with your presence,” he began impatiently, “is there anything with which you would like to address the court?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Timothy replied. “I do not believe that Victoria should be allowed emancipation privileges. She is living a reckless, unhealthy lifestyle, and she is not fit to be an adult.”
Judge Warner’s brow furrowed. “And to what do you contribute this alleged endangering existence?”
“She had abandoned her family by choosing a life of sin,” he replied. “Victoria is living with this woman and her daughter in a homosexual lifestyle. She has deserted her parents and God for her selfish, carnal desires.”
The judge sighed quietly, and Tori thought she saw him subtly roll his eyes. “Is it not true, Mr. Reynolds, that you evicted Miss Reynolds from your residence?”
“That is correct, sir, because she chose sin over the love and protection of her family. She refused our offer for conversion therapy at St. Jude’s Treatment Center for Wayward Teens, and I cannot bear to see my child follow the path to hell.”
The judge held up a piece of paper. “The form in my hand is a Letter of Parental Consent for Emancipation form signed by Mrs. Gwendolyn Reynolds. This states that Mrs. Reynolds believes your daughter is capable of being responsible for herself.”
Timothy took a step back. “That is impossible!” he bellowed. “I forbade her to sign it, and I tore the form to shreds!” He turned to glare at his wife whose face had grown so pale that it was nearly translucent—a stark contrast to Timothy’s crimson cheeks.
“Mrs. Reynolds, did you sign this form?” the judge asked impatiently.
Gwendolyn stood slowly, visibly shaken. “Yes, Your Honor,” she replied meekly. “We had received another copy in the mail the following Monday, so I signed it and mailed it in.” She snuck a glance in Tori’s direction. Tori looked at her mother, astonishe
d at her defiance. Never in her seventeen years had her mother done anything against her father’s wishes.
“This is an outrage!” her father bellowed. “This is mutiny! That form should not be considered as I did not give my consent!”
“The courts only need one parent to consent,” the judge interjected sternly.
“I will not stand for this!” Timothy continued. “My wife has betrayed me!”
“The court does not void documents based on civil disagreements,” Judge Warner said as he banged his gavel. “We are not here to arbitrate about with whom Miss Reynolds should and should not associate; this hearing is to determine whether or not Miss Reynolds is capable of taking care of herself as an adult.” He turned to Tori again. “The documents you have provided are sufficient, Miss Reynolds, but I do have one question for you.” Tori stood up again. “How is it that you have over a thousand dollars in your bank account? Surely a part-time, minimum wage position could not afford you that much if you are also paying bills.”
Tori gulped, looking over at her mother. Gwendolyn sat down, looking like she was going to faint. “My mom gave me that money on the day my dad kicked me out,” she responded.
The judge turned to Gwendolyn. “Mrs. Reynolds, is this true?”
Gwendolyn’s eyes fluttered, her head spinning. “Y-yes, Your Honor,” she replied quietly, still seated.
“WHAT?” Timothy bellowed, flailing his arms as he turned to Gwendolyn once again. “How dare you give away my hard-earned money to that abomination!”
Judge Warner slammed his gavel. “Mr. Reynolds, that is quite enough from you!” he yelled. “You will sit in that chair without making a sound for the remainder of this hearing, or I will find you in contempt of the court!”
His face purple with rage, Timothy reluctantly sat in the chair with his back to Gwendolyn. Tori’s mother sat quietly, her face turned away from her husband as she dreaded Timothy’s attitude after the hearing.
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