Chapter 6 - Something is Wrong with Louie
“I can’t put my finger on it, but something is bothering Louie.”
Willow and Steve take in the last few hours of the weekend, discussing the elephant in the room as they break away from the confines of the house and enjoy a late afternoon walk. Willow expresses an obvious change in her son and Steve doesn’t hesitate to agree.
“The dynamics in Mitch’s house are not good for him. Mitch’s girlfriend’s daughter is sleeping with the students and they allow it to happen in front of Louie.”
Steve tries to calm her nerves, grabbing her hand as they walk.
“Yeah, they’re a piece of work. Have you tried talking with Louie?”
“I have but he has been so distant lately. It’s as if he is afraid to talk with me. Just all of a sudden. He is reserved, quiet and not his fun-loving self.”
“I noticed it, too.”
“I’m worried about him. God knows the garbage Mitch has filled his head with.”
She stops walking and Steve trips, trying to catch his stride when she stops in her tracks. He notices the wheels are turning inside that hot mess of her mind.
“I think counseling will help Louie. I’ll let him know that everything he tells the counselor is confidential. That way, he will feel more comfortable opening up to an impartial professional.”
Steve nods and agrees.
“It couldn’t hurt.”
The next day, during her break at work, Willow makes some calls to counselors and finds a good match for Louie. The counselor is a man in his late forties with years of experience and remarkable reviews.
The first appointment is scheduled for next week – Willow feels good about the new direction.
Looking at her watch, she realizes the time, reaching to turn down the heater in her car and turning off the ignition. Taking her breaks inside her car has become a habit, preferring to keep her private life just that – private.
As she gathers her purse and keys, she nearly wets herself as a tall, slender figure stands outside her driver’s side door. Exuberant waving is all she can see – Willow notices it is Kelly, her co-worker.
“Hey, Willow.”
“Hey. I’m just going in. I have court in a few minutes, so I need to hurry back in.”
“Mitch still giving you problems, eh?”
“He wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The two walk back in to work through the alley side door, using Kelly’s key fob to get in. The burst of hot air hits their faces when they step inside.
“Dang the heater must be turned to full blast. I hope it goes well for you, Willow. It will end one of these days.”
Willow smirks as she wants to believe that but she has a stinking suspicion she needs to move away before he ends her existence.
Her friend, Jim, an investigator at the district attorney’s office, offers to escort her over to court as the threats to Willow’s life have increased. She needs all the support she can get during these tumultuous court hearings.
Jim was among one of her supportive friends that helped her move from her home when she was forced to move out and downsize. He has seen the violence one too many times when couples divorce and someone refuses to let them go.
“Are you okay?”
“I just want this to be over with, but I’m holding my own. Thank you so much for walking over with me.”
“Not a problem. Just don’t make eye contact with him.”
The court room is filled with litigants and the only seats available are beside Mitch and his girlfriend, Jane. Standing it shall be.
As Willow looks straight ahead at the judge, she can feel Jane staring through her, turned around in her seat, desperately trying to intimidate her.
After 30 long minutes, their case is called.
“I can’t afford my child support. After I pay my rent, food and bills, there is nothing left.”
The judge is difficult to read. Is she falling for this nonsense? Willow wonders.
“Mr. Williams – you were ordered to supply your business accounting records for the last three years. Do you have those documents with you today?”
Mitch whispers in Mr. Wynn’s ear, arrogantly pointing to something on the document.
“Your honor, Mr. Williams doesn’t earn a feasible monthly salary to pay the amount the court is ordering him to pay.”
But he can afford to hire an attorney. Willow whispers beneath her breath in disgust.
The judge listens to his arguments and then Willow, without an attorney beside her because she can barely afford to pay her rent, has her turn.
“Your Honor, I have with me copies of Mr. Williams’s tax returns, along with copies of his bank statements that prove he is not providing an accurate financial account to this court. There are Victoria’s Secret charges, $500 in dining at Benihana, monthly boat dock charges for his new boat, not to mention thousands of dollars to retain his attorney here today, Mr. Wynn.”
The judge suddenly becomes easier to read when she turns to Mr. Wynn and Mitch.
“Bailiff, please bring me the documents.”
It doesn’t take long for the judge to rule and render her decision.
“Mr. Williams you are ordered to pay the child support amount that has been ordered.”
More words of nonsense are mumbled by the two crooked monkeys when the judge dismisses Mitch’s motion to reduce child support to almost nothing.
Willow turns to Jim as they make their way out of the courtroom but not soon enough before Jane (who is sitting in the audience) whispers a few threats as she leaves.
“You better enjoy it while it lasts, because it won’t last long. You’ll be sorry.”
Normally Willow would keep walking and ignore the spineless excuse for a human being – instead she uses this opportunity to reveal she has been threatened.
As loud as Willow could, she asked her – “Was that a threat?”
She turns to the judge who has her undivided attention.
“Your honor, I would like to document that I have just been threatened by this woman.”
Again, if looks could kill, Willow would be dead.
Jim quickly takes hold of her arm and off they go, back to the office.
While she may have won that battle, the war is not over. She still hopes that a miracle may occur and Mitch will come to his senses and help support his kids, but he continues the fight and files for bankruptcy.
Months pass and Mitch refuses to pay a dime to support his kids and he is now in contempt of court. He is able to disguise his ankle monitor from parents at the dojo who are so fooled by this conman. His ghee is roomy and long enough that no one has a clue as to what this selfish man is really all about…HIMSELF.
Willow seems to scrape by through loans from her bank and other personal loans.
Spring has arrived and with that comes a brighter outlook and hopes for better days to come. On this bright sunny day she enters the bank as she normally does every month to make the house payment. Thank God she has reliable tenants to pay the monthly rent in order to keep the home out of foreclosure.
Willow approaches the teller and provides the home loan’s account information when the teller informs her of a rather ugly predicament.
“I cannot accept your payment.”
“What do you mean you cannot accept my house payment?”
“Since Mr. William’s name is also on the loan and he has filed for bankruptcy, your home will go into foreclosure.”
She tries to understand the logic in such a statement and realizes that yet another hurdle she has tried to leap over has struck her down.
Just then her phone signals an incoming text that reads – “If I can’t live in that house, you all lose the house.”
She leaves the bank looking like a ninja ready for someone to surprise her from the bushes or possibly from behind a car in the parking lot. She fumbles for her keys and once inside, locks the car doors.
He’s following me. He knows I am here at the bank, waiting for my reaction to this gut wrenching news.
She returns to work with only a physical presence as her mind is blown and has gone somewhere else. She knows that focusing on work matters will take some time today.
She manages to pull herself together for the next couple hours when her phone rings.
“Mrs. Williams?”
“I prefer Ms. Copekski, please.”
“This is Mr. Crandall. I am here in my office with your son, Louie. We have something serious to discuss with you when you pick up Louie.”
It is Louie’s counselor calling from his office after Louie’s session.
“Is Louie okay?”
She can hear Louie screaming the background.
“No. Please don’t tell her! Please don’t call CPS! He said he would kill my mom if I told anyone.”
Willow races from work to the counseling office and takes a seat beside Louie on the couch as the counselor tries to break the news as gently as possible. Louie is trembling.
“Louie’s father has been beating him. He has lost the peripheral vision in his left eye. Louie has kept it a secret because Mitch threatened to harm you if he told anyone.”
Willow breaks down as Louie tries to comfort his mother.
“That son of a bitch is a fourth degree black belt. He could have killed him.”
Louie begins to beg and plead again – “Please don’t call CPS, he said he would hurt her.”
Mr. Crandall tries his best to comfort Louie as he addresses Willow.
“If you do not call CPS on this man, by law, I have to. This is a felony child abuse matter.”
What does a monster do when he is backed into a corner – he only grows bigger.