Chapter 64 – My heart in pieces

KIRA.

“Good morning everyone. This is the custody trial for young Maddie Reed. We have Mrs. Reed’s lawyer, Mr. Mark Johnson, and Mr. Gabriel Bates’ lawyer, Miss. Cindy Melling. And of course, we have Miss Kira Reed and Mr. Gabriel Bates, the two parents, and little Maddie, the child who is the subject of this custody dispute. Miss Reed, would you like to begin?” Judge Smith said, and my heart jumped. I didn’t expect to be the first to start.

Let the battle begin.

“Thank you, your honor. I want to start by saying that I am a good and respectable mother. I have always put Maddie’s needs first, even when Gabriel and I were together. However, Gabriel was quick-tempered and a womanizer. That is why I left him, even though I was already pregnant.” I started in a determined voice.

“Objection, Your Honor. These claims are unfounded and irrelevant.” Gabriel’s lawyer intervened.

“Overruled, Miss Melling. Please, Miss Reed, you may continue.” Judge Smith interrupted Gabriel’s lawyer.

“Thank you, Your Honor. Gabriel may not have been physically aggressive, but he had a temper. He would get angry out of nothing and he even was violent with my lawyer who is also my friend, Mark, just because he thought I was having an affair with him. That was so ridiculous. And even though he may have changed in recent years, I still don’t trust him to be a good father.”

“Your Honor, Kira is just trying to denigrate my character. She has no proof of anything she’s saying.” Gabriel spoke angrily. I had never seen him like that in my life.

“Mr. Bates, you’ll have your chance to speak. Miss Reed, please continue.” the judge said.

“Your Honor, I want to talk about my current situation. Yes, my former company went bankrupt, and I had to sell my apartment. But I have been working hard to get back on my feet. I have a stable job now, and I have always provided for Maddie.”

“Your Honor,” Gabriel spoke again. “Kira is clearly not an exemplary mother. She has had financial troubles and has relied on her ex-boyfriend, Mark, for legal representation.”

This time, he went too far.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I blurted out all the anger I accumulated over these few hours.

“Order in the court!” Judge Smith said and pounded his little gavel.

“I will have to object to that, Your Honor. Gabriel’s statement is a baseless accusation.” Mark helped.

“Sustained. Mr. Bates, please stick to the facts,” the judge said.

“Of course, Your Honor. The fact is that Kira is not a stable and reliable mother. I deserve full custody of Maddie.” he said briefly.

“Thank you, Mr Bates. Now, Miss Reed, do you have any evidence to support your claim that you are a good mother?”

“Yes, Your Honor. I want to recount an incident that happened not so long ago when Maddie got lost. Gabriel brought her back the next morning without calling me to reassure me that my daughter was safe. It shows that he doesn’t prioritize Maddie’s safety or my feelings as a mother.” I said, proud of my proof.

“Your Honor, that was a one time incident. I have always been a responsible man. And finding out she was my daughter the more reason I had”

“How did you find out Maddie was your daughter?” the judge asked.

That was something I never knew, so it was a first for me, too.

“Your Honor, over three months ago, I questioned and seriously considered the possibility that Maddie might be my daughter. I don’t know, it was the call of the blood or whatever you want to call it. The fact is that somewhere I felt it. When the incident Miss Reed is talking about occurred, I already knew she was my daughter.”

“You son of a bitch, you didn’t tell me that! That’s why you held her on purpose!” I yelled, turning the heads of everyone in the courtroom.

“Mr. Johnson, if you don’t restrain your client, I’ll have to ask her to leave.”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Mark said and turned to me. “Kira please control yourself or you won’t be able to take part in the trial. “

“I’m sorry, Your Honor!” I said and lowered my head. I had to admit that Gabriel had the upper hand now.

“You may proceed, Mr. Bates.”

“Thank you, Your Honor. I went to a testing lab and with a saliva sample taken from Maddie, without harming her in any way or compelling her, she was asleep the whole time. I went there and asked for the DNA test”

My blood was boiling and I could feel it. I could barely keep myself from bursting again. I had trusted him to give Maddie in his care and he had taken advantage of my kindness and her naivety.

“Your Honor,” Mark cut in. “Under the code of ethics, it is an offense to take such samples without the patient’s consent.”

“Objection, Your Honor. My client had no choice but to do this, since Miss Reed denied him the right to know his daughter. He did what he thought was humanly valid. “ Gabriel’s lawyer stated.

The judge seemed satisfied with her objection.

“Sustained. Mr. Johnson, even though we’re talking about a child here, it’s not in question how Mr. Bates procured that evidence. This is about the custody of this child.”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Mark said and sat down in defeat.

“Miss Melling, Mr. Johnson, we’d like to hear the closing arguments,” the judge said, leaning back in his chair. “Miss Melling, please proceed”

I watched Gabriel’s lawyer getting up from her bench and approaching the jury.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Today, we are here to discuss the issue of custody of this child. The father, my client, has come to this court to fight for the right to be a present and loving parent to his child. He is a responsible and caring father who has always been deeply involved in his child’s life, as long as Miss Reed allowed him to.

The mother has made several allegations against my client, but they have proven none of these allegations in court. In fact, many of these allegations are unfounded and based on hearsay. My client has never been convicted of any crime or charged with any wrongdoing. He has always acted in the best interests of his child and has never put his child in harm’s way.

We have presented ample evidence to show that my client is the best parent to take full custody of this child. It is clear that my client has the love, patience, and understanding necessary to raise a healthy and happy child. He has already shown his commitment to his child’s well-being, and he is ready to continue to do so as the sole custodial parent. The mother, on the other hand, has not shown the same level of commitment to the child. She has been inconsistent in her parenting, and she has not always acted in the best interests of the child.

We ask that you consider all the evidence that has been presented before you and make the right decision for this child’s future. We ask that you grant full custody to the father so that this child can continue to receive the love, care, and guidance that he or she deserves. Thank you.”

I could barely breathe after hearing what Gabriel’s lawyer said.

“Mark, please do something,” I begged him.

“Don’t worry, Kira. It will be ok,” he tried to reassure me.

“Mr. Johnson, your closing argument, please”

“Thank you, Your Honor. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I stand before you today representing a mother who is fighting for the custody of her precious daughter. This is not just a legal battle, but a mother’s fight to protect her child and give her the life she deserves.

The bond between a mother and her child is one of the most sacred and unbreakable relationships in the world. The mother, in this case, has been the primary caregiver for her daughter since birth, and she has always put her daughter’s needs first. She has provided a safe, stable, and loving home for her child, and has done everything in her power to give her the best life possible.

It is our position that the child’s father is not fit to have custody of their daughter. He has a history of bad temper and has shown a complete lack of responsibility and commitment towards his daughter by not calling the mother the night Maddie went missing. Our client has provided evidence that clearly demonstrates the father’s unsuitability as a custodial parent, and we ask the court to consider this evidence when deciding.

We ask the court to consider the best interests of the child in this case. We believe it is in the child’s best interest to continue living with her mother, who has shown a deep love and commitment to her daughter.

In closing, I implore this court to consider the facts of this case, and to make a decision that is in the best interests of the child. We ask that you grant our client full custody of her daughter, so that she may continue to provide the love, stability, and care that her daughter deserves. Thank you.” Mark concluded.

“Thank you both for your statements. I will take all of this into consideration before making my decision.”

After a short recess, Judge Smith returned to the courtroom. It seemed like an eternity, but it was time for the truth.

“After hearing all the variations and pleadings from both attorneys, I have decided that full custody should go to Gabriel Bates, effective immediately”