A Battle's Beginning

The warm September air stung Mandy's eyes as the tears streamed down her cheeks. She swept her fingers through her hair and fixed her gaze on her enemy. Craig held her gaze and glared fiery hatred. He shook his hands in the air towards her with a raised voice, "What are you going to do when wrestling starts? What are you going to do when he stays with me for practice on Wednesdays and Fridays?" Mandy held her temper as best she could and retorted, "Screaming at me is not going to resolve anything."

They looked at each other both knowing that they wouldn't be able to resolve this issue. Mandy wanted equal time with their son of six years. Craig wanted to control Mandy with their son and to get financial support from her. Things could never work because of his controlling nature. Mandy recognized this and it ached that they would have to go to the next level, the court systems.

Mandy had worked with the police department for a year and knew how these things worked. She had her job and lived as a single mother in a decent area of town. Craig wasn't working but going to school. He now lived with a younger woman barely of age to drink who had her own son. She supported him and his two children. Mandy was thankful that she had left him when she had. She was once the woman he used to support him as he did what he wished. He tried and almost succeeded into beating her into submission.

The bruises were marks that had always faded to nothingness, yet her fears and her pain had always remained. She allowed him to think he had won this battle so that her son wouldn't have to see his father mark her again. She walked through his house and exited. As she walked through the front door his daughter, Kimitra asked, "Are you OK?" Mandy looked into the eyes of the twelve year old she once was raising as her own. She half smiled and replied, "Yes, of course."

Mandy climbed into her black Saturn. She blared the music to drain the ringing and echoes that chimed in her head. Tears streamed down as she made her way back to her parents house. The streets were bare as she pressed the pedal down further to accelerate.

Mandy left court that afternoon with her head down. The judge had ordered they maintain the custody where she could have her son, Gabriel for three days and Craig for four days. It was a start, Mandy knew this, but it just didn't seem enough or even fair. Mandy checked her watch; she had to pick up Gabriel in twenty minutes. Hopping into her Saturn she reached for her cell phone and dialed her best friend, Lucia. Mandy pulled onto 2nd street and listened to the childlike voice "Hello." Mandy smiled, she always felt reassured by Lucia. "Hey Lu, it didn't go exactly how I wanted it to. I get Gabriel on Wednesday afternoon until Saturday morning."

Lucia replied, "I'm sorry it came to this. I know you tried to work through this. It will be OK, we'll keep fighting."

"I know, Lu. It just hurts. I feel like he's taking my son away. First he took me away from my parents for four years, and now he's trying to take my child away from me. It's just not fair. He always gets his way. He's such a bully."

Lucia whispered, "I love you. I'm in a meeting right now. Call me back later after you pick up the baby."

"I love you too. OK. Bye."

Mandy turned off on Moon Street and pulled to the side of the road. She wiped her red cheeks with the back of her hand and stepped out of the car. It was now October and a slight breeze chilled Mandy's bare neck. She pulled her suit jacket closer around her and headed toward the school. Mandy made her way to the benches towards the back of the school and sat at the last one. She began to go into a daze.

Craig had flat out lied to the judge stating that she had agreed to the terms of paying him money and getting only Thursdays with Gabriel. Mandy shook with the lost feeling that took her. She had stood on the stand for forty minutes being ripped apart by his lawyer. She felt as if the court was rewarding Craig for his abilities to control people by bullying them. Mandy replayed the whole afternoon in her head when a voice broke through her thoughts.
"Did you just move here?"

Mandy looked into the eyes of a dark haired and brown eyed man. His dark skin shielded her eyes from the sun as she looked up. He was smiling down at her. She smiled sweetly back and replied, "No."

The man nodded, "What grade is your child in?"

Mandy hadn't been approached before by any of the parents before, and this wasn't a good day for her. With all her courage she pushed everything from her head and concentrated on the man. "He's in first grade. He went to kindergarten in a private school. He's in Ms. Jacob's class."

The man's smile widened, "My daughter is in her class too. She's a second grader though."

Mandy looked more closely at the man. His hair was perfectly in place, he wore a nice white sweater with a black stripe that slid down the sleeves. The color set his skin off and he appeared very well groomed and fashionable. Mandy peered down at her own outfit and realized this was probably the first time she looked grown up and professional. She looked back into the man's eyes and found she was lost for words.

The handsome man looked towards the building, "Are you going to the pumpkin patch next Friday?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"Yes. I've gone every year for three years."

Mandy was interested, "I've never gone, what is it like?"

The man sat down on the opposite seat and began to explain the simple pleasures of hayrides and pumpkin picking. Mandy was thankful for the distraction and barely heard the rings of the school bell.

Gabriel pounced onto his mother and shoved a paper pumpkin in Mandy's face. "Look Mommy, look what I made you!"

Mandy scooped up Gabriel into her arms, "You did, oh thank you baby. Are you ready to go home?"

"Yes, what are we going to do today?"

Mandy shook her head and shrugged. She turned back towards the man; he was now speaking to Ms. Jacobs. She set her son onto the ground and walked away looking once more over her shoulder at the handsome man.