"What am I going to do??" Bri complained to her brother as they had a quick lunch at his trailer on the set of the show he starred in. She had just gotten the papers to go to court.
"I'll lend you the money for a lawyer" Bob gently told her. "It's gonna be all right. I'll talk to my agent and ask him about his lawyer. He recently got divorced, and got custody of the kids, even though the wife didn't drink or anything."
"I need someone ruthless" Bri said.
"I'll make the appointment, you just need to go to it." He took out his checkbook.
Two days later, she went to see a lawyer named Michaela Vargas. In the large office, she described the situation, and what she wanted. "I'm willing to give him more time during the summer, but that's it."
"I'll have one of our house PIs see if they can dig up something" the lawyer began. "Do you have anything that could be brought up against you? Remember we've got client/attorney privilege."
"Not really. I keep my boyfriends away from my kid, so that won't be an issue. I've used marijuana in the past...." she paused. "I used to change jobs alot, but that was before my son was born"
"Is that all?"
"Yeah"
"The first step, will be a hearing,and then, the actual battle begins."
"Is there anything I can do for now?"
"Keep your nose extra clean"
"I could do that. What are my chances?"
"Pretty good"
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Don, with Robin, went to see his lawyer, a friend of the latter from law school, Diana. She had a large office,with a large wooden desk, full different piles.
"Thanks for seeing us on such short notice" Robin said.
"No problem" she said. "Robin told me the situation, and I must say, you in for an uphill battle."
"I'll do whatever it takes" Don said
"I'm going to have our PIs see if she can dig something up."
"You want to air her dirty laundry in court?" Robin asked to clarify.
"We need to find something that will put doubt in a judge's mind as to her fitness as a parent."
"Is that really necessary?" Don's conscience would not let him do this.
"Custody battles can get very nasty. They are not for the faint of heart" Diana warned. "Her lawyer will be trying to find something on you. Is there anything I should know?"
"Like what?" Don asked.
"Something that might put doubts in a judge's mind as to your ability to take care of the child"
"I work alot, but I'd make time for him" Don said.
"Anything else?"
"I don't think so..."
"I'll need witnesses who can testify on your behalf"
"I've got my dad, brother, and sister in law"
"Good."
Diana asked a few more questions, and told the couple what to expect.
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As the date of the hearing approached, life went on.
One day, a friend of Bri, Gigi, asked, "How does a struggling writer hook up with a workaholic FBI agent?"
"Well, first off, I worked at crime scene cleanup" she explained as they partook in desert one Friday evening. "We could share, and joke about crime scenes. It was easy for me to talk about my day with him and vice versa. Then, we both love old movies. A lot of our dates consisted of watching them.
"but then he worked too much?"
"yeah. Once I had to stay at his place for a while, because mine was getting fumigated, and he started avoiding me. Anyway, that's all in the past. I gotta focus on the future."
"How's it going with the custody battle?"
"The hearing's coming up soon."
"I hope it works out well for you"
Thanks"
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"Don! Doug's been injured" Bri called Don's cell, one Saturday as he and Robin had lunch.
"What? Where is he?"
Bri told him the name of the hospital."I'll be right there!" Don, with Robin, rushed to the hospital. They met with her in waiting room near the ER
"Doug was at Aaron's house, and the two were trying to do skateboarding tricks." Bri, looking stressed, explained. "Doug has a broken arm, and a twisted ankle. Aaron broke his arm too"
"Where are they?"
"Inside" Bri pointed to where patients were being treated. "Doug's with Aaron and his parents."
The trio went into the ER itself, full of people in scrubs running around, phones ringing, patients in differing conditions laying in bed, sitting up, or protesting. Finally, they found Doug, in a wheelchair, sitting next to Aaron, and his parents.
"Hey buddy" Don kneeled in front of Doug, after greeting Aaron's parents. "How are ya feeling?"
"My arm hurt alot, but the doctor gave me some medicine" Doug said in the relaxed way of those under the influence of pain medication. "They're gonna put the cast on soon."
"They already did the X rays?" Robin asked.
"Right after I got here" Bri nodded.
"That was quick" Don said.
"It's a private hospital."
Eventually, they were all able to go home. The married couple, after getting the pain killers for Doug and renting some DVDs for him, went to Bri's Montebello apartment.
"I got you something you might like" Don said, getting out a DVD. "The three stooges!"
As Doug laughed at the antics of The Three Stooges in the living room, Don had a talk with Bri.
"Where were Aaron's parents, when those boys were doing dangerous stunts?" Don asked.
"Aaron's nanny was watching them while they played in the back yard." Bri explained. "But then she had to go inside for just one minute. That's all it takes. I've met this nanny; she's usually pretty responsible.
"I'm thinking maybe Doug could invite Aaron over, when he's at my and Robin's house?"
"Sure. You could do that." Bri said
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"You had some news for us?" Don asked, sitting next to Robin asked Diana at her office, a couple of weeks later.
"As you know, the PI found out that Ms. O'Brian was dating one of her brother's co stars" Diana began.
"Yeah so?" Don didn't care about who Bri dated as long as they stayed away from Doug.
"Ms. O'Brian's boyfriend was arrested yesterday for punching a reporter."
"This could help our case, even though her boyfriend has no contact with Doug?" Robin asked.
"It points to violent behavior. It could call to question her judgment." Diana explained "Judges have lots of leeway..."
Don's cell rang, and with a groan, he answered it. Upon hanging up, he said, "I gotta go, but we'll talk soon"
TBC