Chapter 71 – I shall fight again!

KIRA.

I’ve been working as a consultant for a year now, helping mothers regain custody of their children. It has always been a fulfilling job for me, knowing that I was making a difference in someone’s life. But lately, something has been weighing heavily on my mind.

The more women I helped regain custody of their children, the more I realized how much I missed my own daughter, Maddie. She was six years old, but she had been living with her father, Gabriel, ever since he won full custody in court.

A year in which I cried every day. They prohibited me from seeing her up close for an entire year. I missed spending time with Maddie so much.

I had been living in denial, hoping that one day I would get her back. But as the days went by, I could feel time slipping away. The reality was sinking in that I might never have her back in my arms.

Every time I saw a mother reunited with her child, my heart ached a little more. I couldn’t help but think about all the missed milestones and moments I would never get back.

It was a constant battle between my desire to help others and my longing for my own child. But the more I helped others, the more I realized how much I needed to be with Maddie.

I knew I had to face the truth and come to terms with the fact that my daughter was with her father, and I might not get her back. It was a painful realization, but one that I had to accept. Or should I?

And then my phone rang.

“What’s going on? Is everything alright?” Alana asked, as she heard my worried voice.

“I’m okay, just feeling overwhelmed,” I told her.

“Did something happen, Kira?” she asked in a more worried tone.

“No, not really. I’m thinking about appealing Maddie’s custody trial.”

“What?! You’re kidding, right? You lost the trial a year ago and now you want to appeal it?” she asked.

“I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve been doing some research and I think I have a good chance of getting the decision overturned.” I explained.

“But why now? Why didn’t you appeal it right after the trial if you thought there was a problem with the decision?”

“I was too upset at the time and I didn’t have the resources to go through with an appeal. You know about Mark’s failure. But now I have a new lawyer who believes in my case and I feel like I owe it to Maddie to fight for her.”

“I understand you want what’s best for Maddie, but you need to think about the impact this will have on her. She’s been living with her dad for a year now and she’s probably settled into a routine. Upending her life again could be really hard on her.” Alana said, and although I knew she was right, I was sure Maddie didn’t forget me. She missed me just as much as I missed her.

“I know. I’ve thought about that. But I also think that it’s important for Maddie to have a relationship with both of her parents. I’m not trying to take her away from her dad completely. I just want more time with her. And I am sure she misses me, too.” I said, as my words got stuck in my throat.

“I get that, but I think you need to be really careful about how you approach this. You don’t want to put Maddie in the middle of a legal battle between her parents. That’s not fair to her.”

“I know. I don’t want to do that. That’s why I’ve hired a new lawyer who I trust to handle this in the best way possible. Besides, this time I will ask they should not summon Maddie. I’m going to talk to him right now and see what our next steps should be”

“Okay, just promise me you’ll reflect on how this will affect Maddie before you decide.” Alana ended the conversation.

“I will, I promise. Thanks for talking to me about this, Alana. I really appreciate your support”

I spent countless hours wondering if I made the right decision. The decision to fight for custody of Maddie, my beloved daughter, after a year had already passed.

It was not a simple decision, that’s for sure. But sometimes, the right thing to do wasn’t the easiest thing. It would have been so much simpler to just let things be and accept the way they were. But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t bear the thought of Maddie growing up without me.

Yes, it had been a year since I last saw Maddie. And yes, that might seem like a long time to some people. But for me, it felt like just yesterday that I held her in my arms and promised to always protect her. It felt like just yesterday that I kissed her forehead and whispered that I loved her more than anything in this world.

So no, I didn’t think it was too late to appeal for custody. Maddie deserved to have me in her life. She deserved to have someone who would always be there for her, no matter what. And I knew I could be that person. And she knew it, too.

Since the last time I saw Maddie, I’ve been working hard to get my life together. I had gotten a steady job, still had a stable place to live, and even started going to therapy to work through my issues. I was not perfect, but I was doing everything I could to be the best mother for her. Just like I used to be.

And I knew Maddie would benefit from having me in her life again. Even if the judge said otherwise. She would have someone who loved her unconditionally, someone who would always support her dreams and aspirations, and someone who would be there to guide her through life’s difficulties.

So yes, I believed that appealing for custody was the right decision, even if it came a year late. Because Maddie deserved to have the best life possible, and I knew I could make that happen.

In less than an hour, I was in the restaurant where my new lawyer, Mr. Michael Stone had agreed to meet me.

“Good morning, Ms. Reed. It’s nice to meet you. Please have a seat. How can I assist you?” Mr Stone asked.

“Good morning, Mr. Stone. Thank you for meeting with me. I am looking to file an appeal in the lawsuit dealing with the custody of my daughter. Last year, I was no longer in the position to keep custody of my daughter, which then went to my former partner, Gabriel.

“I see. Can you provide me with some information about your previous case? I’d like to know how it went and what led to the court’s decision.”

“Of course. I tried to show the court that Gabriel, because he was a busy CEO, didn’t stay home much. He sometimes had a violent temper. He attacked my teenage boyfriend without explanation. However, the court still granted him custody,” I explained.

“I understand. Can you tell me more about Gabriel’s temper and the incident with your former boyfriend?” my lawyer insisted.

“Yes, it all happened over five years ago, before I found out I was pregnant. We had a nasty fight and right around that time Mark, my teenage fiancé, showed up. I mean, that was years ago. Mark tried to comfort me, but Gabriel didn’t understand the gesture behind that hug and simply punched him in the face.” I said, recalling all that had happened back then.

“That’s concerning. Did you provide the court with any evidence of Gabriel’s behavior and his lack of time with your daughter?” he asked.

“Yes, I did. I presented a schedule of Gabriel’s work hours and his frequent business trips. Also, I explained to the judge what had happened with my former fiancee. Mark also testified, as he was my lawyer a year ago,”

“I see. It sounds like we have a good basis for an appeal. Can you provide me with any additional information or evidence that we can use to strengthen our case?”

“Yes, I have some witness statements from neighbors and friends who can attest to Gabriel’s behavior. I also have a therapist’s report that shows my daughter has been struggling emotionally since the custody change.”

“Interesting. What about now? Is she still struggling?” he asked.

My heart stopped because I had seen him carrying on with her in the park.

“Not really. I think now he is responsible. But she is my daughter and I haven’t seen her in a year and…”

“Calm down Miss Reed! That would be off the record. We would fight for your daughter’s custody,” he said, soothing my nerves. “We will use all of this information to build a strong case for the appeal. However, it’s important to remember that appeals can be difficult to win. We will need to show that there were significant errors made during the initial trial, or that there has been a significant change in circumstances since the trial.” he explained further.

“I understand. I just want to do everything I can to get my daughter back.”

“I will do my best to get a favorable outcome for you and your daughter. I will begin working on the appeal immediately, and I will keep you updated throughout the process.” he said and stood up from the table.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Stone. I appreciate all of your help”

“You’re welcome, Miss Reed. We will work together to get the best possible outcome for you and your daughter.”

I was so close, and this time I was sure fate would be on my side. Gabriel won’t win this time. I’ll get my daughter back if it’s the last thing I do.