Arthur's Ex has returned wanting custody of his daughter Darcy.
Apart of my little family series.
Set right after the events of :
20. "Ariadne's Memories"
19. "Arthur's Other Woman"
18."The Family Man"
17. "Arthur's Daughter"
16. "Dream Collapsing"
15. "Arthur's Betrayal"
14. "The Kick"
13. "Ariadne's Secrets"
12. "Ariadne's Birthday"
11."Arthur's Ghosts"
10. "Ariadne's True Love"
9. "Hostage"
8. "Bedtime Stories"
7. "Arthur's Secrets"
6. "Never Hold Back"
5. "Deception"
4."Arthur's Birthday"
3. "Ariadne's Thread"
2. "Arthur's Totem"
and...
1."A Week at This Level"
Please read them or else you won't know what's going on. Don't worry kids. There is erotica! I plan, when the series is done, to put it all in one BIG story.
But who knows if their story will ever be done?
Arthur's Fight
1.
~ Ariadne looked at the semi-precious gem stones that were neatly fitted into a simple ring. Arthur had given it to her that morning in New York before they set out to have their meeting with Beck and her lawyer.
She looked over the elegant art work of stones. Garnet for Darcy, emerald for Dominic, amethyst for Daniel and a diamond for Drew.
She had to admit, the idea of a mother ring was a little out of date, but Arthur wanted to prove a point.
"You know, you don't have to get me a new piece of jewelry every time you feel you've done something wrong." she told him.
"I know." Arthur said as he drove them to the law office where they would be having the mediation. "I just want to prove to you that Darcy is one of our children, and she isn't going to be taken away."
"Of course not. How that woman got out is amazing." Ariadne sighed. "I mean, she beat a helpless little girl, she tried to kill me and she wouldn't even lift a finger to save her own child who was dieing from cancer. I can't believe a judge is even willing to hear this."
"Well, he is. Hopefully we'll be back on a plane to Paris tonight." Arthur told her.
"You don't want to visit your mom's old friend, Tomas Ward?" she asked remembering the well toned dance partner of her late mother in-law.
"What is it with you and that guy?" Arthur said with a smile. "Not only is he in his 60's now, but he's gay."
"I know." Ariadne said sadly. "But I have to tell you, if he was strait and thirty years younger, I would leave you for him."
She looked longingly out the window as her husband took her hand.
"It's just so unfair such a good looking man is gay." she said at last as he kissed her hand to smother a laugh.
~ The law offices were well polished and pristine looking. Arthur had to admit that it was refreshing being back in America, even if it was only a day trip. Everything here was new and youthful. Anything old and outdated was cleared out of the way to make room for better things. He admired the marble hallways and perfectly working elevators as they reached the mediators office.
He noticed Ariadne was looking at her mothers ring again.
"There isn't room for another stone." she said at last. "What if we have another baby?"
Arthur looked startled. He eyes going wide as he felt his pretty wife must be pulling his leg.
"You're joking right?" he asked when she didn't laugh.
"No." she said at last.
"You know I had a vasectomy." he snapped.
"You could get it reversed." she told him casually.
"Ariadne-" he took a deep breath. "We're not having this conversation right now." he said rubbing his eyes.
"Alright." she said with a shrug as the elevator dinged to their floor.
"Arthur!" came a well groomed older man. "You must be Ariadne."
"Ariadne, this is Mr. Housman. He's the lawyer I hired to take over from McClain." Arthur explained.
"Good to finally meet you." Ariadne said.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to come in." Housman said to her nervously.
"I'm the one she tried to kill." Ariadne snapped. "She broke into my home, assaulted my child and tried to drown me."
"And if this were a criminal trial you would be able to face her. But this is a custody hearing to determine the fate of a minor child." Housman said.
"Who she abused." Ariadne barked.
"It's more complicated than we first hoped." Housman said looking scared.
"How so?" Arthur asked darkly. "We tell the judge about the years of abuse Darcy had endured, all of which is documented. We show the court records granting me custody of her. Then we round it all off with the police reports from Paris where she attacked my wife and tried to murder her." Arthur snarled.
"It's not going to happen that way." Housman told them.
"Well, then you need to make it happen that way." Arthur said in a tone that made Ariadne afraid.
Housman shook his head.
"The incident in Paris, where she broke in and tried to kill you has been thrown out." Housman said.
"What?" Ariadne gasped.
"It seems there were misfiling in the police reports and something about you being given a sedative before you gave your statement." Housman explained.
"To calm me down because some crazy woman tried to kill me!" Ariadne snapped.
"France and American judicial systems have never gotten along. The judge ruled that the assault is inadmissible, Becky claims she was attempting to visit her daughter and there was a fight." Housman told them sadly.
"She was in prison for this assault!" Arthur said sharply. "She went to prison for attempted murder."
"Technically, she didn't." Housman said sadly. "She went into a voluntary treatment facility for a few years to deal with anger instead of a trial or prison time."
Arthur and Ariadne wore twin face of rage that this had happened.
"I know, I know the assault on you was our ace in the hole. But we still have a lot to work with. We have the fact she is an abuser of children. She has documented anger issues, and you're a blood relation who has taken care of this child for over six years now." Housman told them. "All of that will work in our favor."
A bailiff opened one of the finely carved mahogany doors.
"The other party is ready." he said solemnly to them.
Ariadne took a deep breath as she caught a glance at Becky sitting at a conference style table. She suddenly felt dizzy.
"It's will be alright. We'll be done in ten minutes." Arthur whispered as he kissed her temple in full view of the conference room.
'He wanted Becky to see that he loves me, not her.' Ariadne thought as she was glad she wore an expensive navy blue dress suit and had her hair done special. She felt oddly protected by her fine clothes and her Paris address. She stayed out in the hall as the bailiff closed the doors to the proceeding.
~ "We are here to determine custody of the minor child Darcy Ann Lawson." the judge said as Arthur glared at his ex girl friend.
Becky looked more confident somehow. More stable and in control of herself as she listen patiently to the judge.
"It's Darcy Ann Rosenberg, Judge." Housman argued. "Her name was changed when my clients adopted her."
"In this petition, the child's name will stay as is for clarification, but your objection is noted." the judge said lazily.
Arthur felt his teeth grind as he wished Ariadne, Cobb or even Mr. Eames was here. He felt braver with his friends.
'Sadie. I wish Sadie was here right now.' he thought at the judge read over the dry legal matters and dates.
As if my magic, he had summoned the spider woman in his mind. His imagination telling him what Sadie would say about Becky.
'That's you're ex? Oh Arthur, you can do better. I would be embarrassed. No wonder the only time you see her is by court order. Did you see those shoes? Pay-less much? I mean, show some class. It's one thing to beat a child and try to kill a woman, it is just unacceptable to look like a crack whore while doing it.' Sadie would have said.
Arthur felt the tightness in his chest ease at the thought of all Sadie would say. Yes, and she would say it out loud for Becky to hear. Not even pretending to keep her voice down.
"Do you have any questions?" the judge asked.
"Yes, why weren't we notified about the lack of blood relation?" Housman thundered.
"We were given to understand your client already knew he wasn't the child's real half brother." Becky's lawyer said with a shrug.
Arthur snapped his attention to the proceedings.
Housman was looking at him.
"Wait, what?" he asked stupidly.
"Arthur isn't related to my daughter by blood your honor." Becky said. "He came to me when Darcy was under going cancer treatment. He was angry because he found out he wasn't her half brother. Apparently his mother was unfaithful to his father and he was the result of that affair." Becky told the room without looking at the Point Man.
"Your Honor!" Arthur said and almost stood. "I would like to point out that I went to this woman looking for her help to save her daughter. Darcy was undergoing cancer treatments and needed bone marrow. Becky wouldn't even hear of helping her."
"My client has suffered from sever anemia all her life. It would have made her bone marrow useless, as she tried to explain to Mr. Rosenberg." Becky's lawyer said.
"Bullshit!" Arthur shouted.
The judge looked angry.
"Sit down Mr. Rosenberg or you will be removed from these proceedings!" he huffed.
Arthur was breathing hard as he finally took his seat.
"Judge, the adoption is final, Miss Lawson signed over her parental rights." Housman argued.
"To enter treatment. At the time, Mr. Rosenberg and his new wife were the suitable alternative to foster care." Becky's lawyer said.
"The adoption can and will be overturned if it is proven it was based on fraud Mr. Housman. The fact your client is not in fact a blood relative is a very good reason to terminated his custody of the minor child."
Arthur was breathing hard. He saw his vision fading in and out as he was helpless to only listen to this judge.
"The mother has successfully completed two treatment programs for her anger. She had maintained a job and private residence. She has the means to support the child and wishes to do so. I am ruling that the minor child, Darcy Ann Lawson, be returned to her birth mother, Rebecca Ann Lawson thirty days from today. All parental rights to the child on behalf of Arthur and Ariadne Rosenberg will be severed." he said.
With a bang of the gavel, it was over. They had lost.