John fell into step beside Alex as they entered the
grocery store. " Now what?" Kerry
glanced over at him with amusement, for the last six
hours John had been helping her shop.
" Now we pick up some groceries for Christmas dinner
and go home." John nodded taking a
thick list from his pocket and crossing something off.
" What's that?" John glanced down at the three page
list grinning sheepishly. For once he'd
out planned the planner. " A list of things for Alex.
Furniture, clothes, toys, not to mention
Christmas shopping....." Kerry laughed at him. "
What's so funny?"
" You're acting like an expecting father." John
blushed as Kerry took the list. " So what did
you have to trade to get the day off?" John tried to
look innocent, " Did it occur to you that
today might be my day off?" Kerry put on her glasses
scanning the list.
" Your day off is Thursday." ' Busted.....' John
started pushing the shopping cart trying to
keep some of his dignity intact. He knew Kerry thought
it was only a crush and that made it
worse on him. She tolerated it, but never once had she
noticed that it wasn't just a simple
crush.
Kerry glanced down at Alex removing her glasses. "
Alex?" The small girl peeked up at her
from were she was holding Kerry's hand. " Is there
anything you want to get?" Kerry asked
as the girl stared down at her shoes shrugging
slightly.
They paused on the ice cream aisle, " How about some
ice cream?" Again, all she got was a
shrug. John perked up happily grabbing several
different tubs of ice cream for her. Kerry
kneeled down speaking softly to Alex, " Go ahead and
pick out something. Any flavor you
want."
Alex studied her intently then slowly made her way
down the aisle. Her eyes scanning each
and every flavor and brand. She finally came to a stop
staring at one, then glancing at Kerry
unsure what to do. Kerry walked over and opened the
door. " Which one?"
Alex pointed to the moose tracks. Kerry smiled and
placed it in the cart. All day Alex had
been like this, never making any real decisions. Not
only that but from the girls reaction she
got the idea that Alex had never been in a store
before.
Kerry grabbed a couple cans of tomato puree, dumping
them in the cart. A loud crash
made her spin around. Alex was standing in the middle
of a vinegar puddle, glass scattered
around her. The young girl was crying softly and
started to back away.
" Alex don't move." The girl froze shaking
uncontrollably. Kerry walked over and picked
her up. Setting her down in the cart. " I'll go get
someone to clean that up...." Kerry nodded
dimly at John. Trying to calm her daughter, she took a
tissue from her pocket, and wiped her
cheeks gently.
" Hey it's no big deal......" Alex raised her eyes
to Kerry's face with cautious surprise. Kerry
smiled, "... accidents happen. You just have to be
more careful, okay?" Alex nodded and
watched as one of the employee's began cleaning up the
mess.
Kerry pulled the pan of lasagna out of the oven glad
to see that Alex had climbed up into
one of the chairs. She was watching Kerry and John
closely. Hearing the phone Kerry
handed the knife to John, and answered it. John cut
out pieces for the three of them.
"...........You're joking right?.....How's that
possible?........." John sat the plates down staring
at Kerry. Her eyes had turned into steel, gazing so
hard at the wall he expected it to catch on
fire. Kerry left the room her voice strangely steady.
" What the hell do you mean that she has legal right
to?....No forget it, good bye..." He
winced as Kerry calmly walked into the room gently
lowering the phone to the counter. He
had learned the hard way that when she was calm her
temper was more dangerous than
normal.
" What's wrong?" Kerry turned unable to look at her
daughter, " Maybe we should go into
the living room." John followed her, " Jasmine's
lawyer managed to get the charges dismissed,
and as of this morning she's suing me for custody."
" She can't do that." John said quietly. "
Apparently she can, her and Abasi have been
married for the last four years." Kerry closed her
eyes not wanting to deal with having to go
through another custody battle. A soft pressure on her
leg made her look down.
Alex gazed up at her frankly, looking indecisive.
Kerry smiled warmly at her, as the girl
shyly wrapped her arms around her leg. Alex stepped
away quickly searching her mother for
her reaction. Kerry kneeled down taking the girl into
a tight bear hug.
Alex squirmed from her arms and took off into the
kitchen holding her now empty plate up
hopefully.
Kerry glared at everyone in the conference room
short of her lawyer. She still couldn't
believe she was here. " Dr. Weaver do you have
anything to add?" Kerry turned her sharpest
gaze on the elderly judge unable to keep her temper
down anymore.
" Yes I do. I have never been part of a more
ridiculous display. The fact that we're even
sitting here discussing the possibility of letting a
kidnapper and child abuser take custody of a
child that isn't even her's is nothing short of a
embarrassment to this cities legal system."
" Are you finished?" Kerry narrowed her eyes at the
elderly woman, trying to decide
whether she get away with giving the old woman a
tongue lashing. Despite the woman's dry
amusement she decided she couldn't, " For now......"
Judge Anderson eyed her momentarily with something
resembling admiration. " I agree with
you whole heartily, which is why I'm throwing this
case out." Jasmine opened her mouth to
protest, snapping it closed with an audible snap when
the judge leveled a glare at her.
" I will not take up my courts time with this case.
You are directly responsible for the
kidnapping of Alex, you stood by letting her father
beat her countless times, and I will not let
that child get returned to your care." The judge
snapped the file closed sharply.
Standing up she glared down at Kerry's former
friend. " If you ever try for custody again
and manage to get another judge, I will personally
make sure they hold you in contempt." The
judge turned briskly walking from the room.
Kerry slumped back staring at Jasmine as their
lawyers left. The silence between them was
deafening, " Why?" Jasmine stared at her darkly, "
Why did I sue for custody or why did I
help him?" Kerry said, " Both." Jasmine turned away.
" If you don't know......." Kerry slammed her hand
down hard on the table, " Damn it
Jasmine answer my question." Her former friend turned
blazing eyes on her, " You stole him
from me, and then had his child." Kerry's mind didn't
want to process her response.
" This is over.........Jasmine you......you stole
four years of my daughters life because you
were jealous?" Kerry stood violently, her voice
raising with each word. Jasmine meet her
gaze trying not to flinch, " Kerry I loved him. I
thought........then one day you announce that
you're getting married."
" You could have had him......after the
divorce....." Kerry moved to the door wanting to get
out of there. " Kerry ................" Kerry turned
to her, " Stay out of my life, and stay away
from my daughter."
' What a way to spend Christmas eve........' She
stared at the sofa where John and Alex
were watching Mary Poppins. Both heads glanced over at
her, " Well?" Kerry dumped her
crutch unceremoniously to the floor, collapsing next
to Alex. " Jasmine can't contest it."
Alex glanced from one to the other, " Alex she can't
take you from me." The girl got to her
knees shyly touching Kerry's cheek. When Kerry didn't
get angry, she awkwardly crawled
into her lap. Kerry tenderly embraced her and started
to watch the movie.
A loud snicker shot through the room that was lit
only by the fireplace. " Shhhhh you want
to wake her........" The tall shadow glared over at
the shorter one indigently. " Me you're the
one............"
" Shhhhhhhh......." The tall shadow snorted at the
loud whisper of the shorter shadow who
promptly slapped his chest. John blew hard at the
white puffy ball of the Santa cap as it fell
into his face. It flew up then bounced off his nose.
In frustration he flung it back ignoring
Kerry's soft laughter.
John's eyes raised to the door frame she was under
and grinned. Kerry followed his gaze
suddenly remembering the mistle toe. John walked
toward her gently taking her into his arms.
" John......." He cut off her protest's with
passionate lips.
Kerry moved closer to him unable to deny that she
wanted this. John tightened his arms
pushing her gently into the door frame. The sudden
bundle that hit their legs caused John to
break the kiss. Glancing down he saw Alex wrapped
around Kerry's leg staring at him.
Kerry patted her back, " And what are you doing
awake?" Alex glanced at the Christmas
tree curiously while Kerry checked the clock, it was
almost four thirty. " Alright go on......."
Alex slowly walked toward the tree crowded with
presents, and sat down not touching any
of them.
Alex reached for the first package carefully
unwrapping it. John walked over sitting next to
her, " That's not how you do it......" Alex froze fear
taking over, " .....you have to rip it open."
Alex frowned slightly looking at the package.
John grabbed some of the paper ripping it off, "
Like this......" Throwing the paper down, he
grinned proudly at Alex. The small girl's lips
twitched as she copied him. Her little hands
ripping into the package happily. Seeing what the gift
was she smiled at her mother.
Alex struggled with the box tearing it open. She
carefully removed the bulky play station
staring up expectedly. " Hey, aren't you going to open
your other presents?" Alex squinted
her face undecidedly as Kerry broke in. " John why
don't you hook it up for her while she
opens the other stuff?"
John grabbed the play station, watching Alex from
the corner of his eyes. The girl had
already unwrapped several movies and books, her eyes
wide with wonder. He glanced over
at Kerry to gauge her reaction. She seemed to be
caught between extreme joy and sadness.
Kerry sat on the floor next to her daughter handing
her a small box. Alex opened it gently
somehow sensing that it was important. Tossing the
wrapping paper to the floor she
uncovered a black jewelry box. Alex opened it staring
at the necklace inside.
" It was the only thing my parents left with me when
they put me up for adoption. Whenever
I was scared or alone I would touch it and know that
somewhere out there I had a family."
Alex crawled into her lap so that Kerry could put it
on her.
Neither women noticed as he slipped from the room.
They needed time alone to heal each
other's scars. Maybe then Kerry would be ready to give
him a chance.
grocery store. " Now what?" Kerry
glanced over at him with amusement, for the last six
hours John had been helping her shop.
" Now we pick up some groceries for Christmas dinner
and go home." John nodded taking a
thick list from his pocket and crossing something off.
" What's that?" John glanced down at the three page
list grinning sheepishly. For once he'd
out planned the planner. " A list of things for Alex.
Furniture, clothes, toys, not to mention
Christmas shopping....." Kerry laughed at him. "
What's so funny?"
" You're acting like an expecting father." John
blushed as Kerry took the list. " So what did
you have to trade to get the day off?" John tried to
look innocent, " Did it occur to you that
today might be my day off?" Kerry put on her glasses
scanning the list.
" Your day off is Thursday." ' Busted.....' John
started pushing the shopping cart trying to
keep some of his dignity intact. He knew Kerry thought
it was only a crush and that made it
worse on him. She tolerated it, but never once had she
noticed that it wasn't just a simple
crush.
Kerry glanced down at Alex removing her glasses. "
Alex?" The small girl peeked up at her
from were she was holding Kerry's hand. " Is there
anything you want to get?" Kerry asked
as the girl stared down at her shoes shrugging
slightly.
They paused on the ice cream aisle, " How about some
ice cream?" Again, all she got was a
shrug. John perked up happily grabbing several
different tubs of ice cream for her. Kerry
kneeled down speaking softly to Alex, " Go ahead and
pick out something. Any flavor you
want."
Alex studied her intently then slowly made her way
down the aisle. Her eyes scanning each
and every flavor and brand. She finally came to a stop
staring at one, then glancing at Kerry
unsure what to do. Kerry walked over and opened the
door. " Which one?"
Alex pointed to the moose tracks. Kerry smiled and
placed it in the cart. All day Alex had
been like this, never making any real decisions. Not
only that but from the girls reaction she
got the idea that Alex had never been in a store
before.
Kerry grabbed a couple cans of tomato puree, dumping
them in the cart. A loud crash
made her spin around. Alex was standing in the middle
of a vinegar puddle, glass scattered
around her. The young girl was crying softly and
started to back away.
" Alex don't move." The girl froze shaking
uncontrollably. Kerry walked over and picked
her up. Setting her down in the cart. " I'll go get
someone to clean that up...." Kerry nodded
dimly at John. Trying to calm her daughter, she took a
tissue from her pocket, and wiped her
cheeks gently.
" Hey it's no big deal......" Alex raised her eyes
to Kerry's face with cautious surprise. Kerry
smiled, "... accidents happen. You just have to be
more careful, okay?" Alex nodded and
watched as one of the employee's began cleaning up the
mess.
Kerry pulled the pan of lasagna out of the oven glad
to see that Alex had climbed up into
one of the chairs. She was watching Kerry and John
closely. Hearing the phone Kerry
handed the knife to John, and answered it. John cut
out pieces for the three of them.
"...........You're joking right?.....How's that
possible?........." John sat the plates down staring
at Kerry. Her eyes had turned into steel, gazing so
hard at the wall he expected it to catch on
fire. Kerry left the room her voice strangely steady.
" What the hell do you mean that she has legal right
to?....No forget it, good bye..." He
winced as Kerry calmly walked into the room gently
lowering the phone to the counter. He
had learned the hard way that when she was calm her
temper was more dangerous than
normal.
" What's wrong?" Kerry turned unable to look at her
daughter, " Maybe we should go into
the living room." John followed her, " Jasmine's
lawyer managed to get the charges dismissed,
and as of this morning she's suing me for custody."
" She can't do that." John said quietly. "
Apparently she can, her and Abasi have been
married for the last four years." Kerry closed her
eyes not wanting to deal with having to go
through another custody battle. A soft pressure on her
leg made her look down.
Alex gazed up at her frankly, looking indecisive.
Kerry smiled warmly at her, as the girl
shyly wrapped her arms around her leg. Alex stepped
away quickly searching her mother for
her reaction. Kerry kneeled down taking the girl into
a tight bear hug.
Alex squirmed from her arms and took off into the
kitchen holding her now empty plate up
hopefully.
Kerry glared at everyone in the conference room
short of her lawyer. She still couldn't
believe she was here. " Dr. Weaver do you have
anything to add?" Kerry turned her sharpest
gaze on the elderly judge unable to keep her temper
down anymore.
" Yes I do. I have never been part of a more
ridiculous display. The fact that we're even
sitting here discussing the possibility of letting a
kidnapper and child abuser take custody of a
child that isn't even her's is nothing short of a
embarrassment to this cities legal system."
" Are you finished?" Kerry narrowed her eyes at the
elderly woman, trying to decide
whether she get away with giving the old woman a
tongue lashing. Despite the woman's dry
amusement she decided she couldn't, " For now......"
Judge Anderson eyed her momentarily with something
resembling admiration. " I agree with
you whole heartily, which is why I'm throwing this
case out." Jasmine opened her mouth to
protest, snapping it closed with an audible snap when
the judge leveled a glare at her.
" I will not take up my courts time with this case.
You are directly responsible for the
kidnapping of Alex, you stood by letting her father
beat her countless times, and I will not let
that child get returned to your care." The judge
snapped the file closed sharply.
Standing up she glared down at Kerry's former
friend. " If you ever try for custody again
and manage to get another judge, I will personally
make sure they hold you in contempt." The
judge turned briskly walking from the room.
Kerry slumped back staring at Jasmine as their
lawyers left. The silence between them was
deafening, " Why?" Jasmine stared at her darkly, "
Why did I sue for custody or why did I
help him?" Kerry said, " Both." Jasmine turned away.
" If you don't know......." Kerry slammed her hand
down hard on the table, " Damn it
Jasmine answer my question." Her former friend turned
blazing eyes on her, " You stole him
from me, and then had his child." Kerry's mind didn't
want to process her response.
" This is over.........Jasmine you......you stole
four years of my daughters life because you
were jealous?" Kerry stood violently, her voice
raising with each word. Jasmine meet her
gaze trying not to flinch, " Kerry I loved him. I
thought........then one day you announce that
you're getting married."
" You could have had him......after the
divorce....." Kerry moved to the door wanting to get
out of there. " Kerry ................" Kerry turned
to her, " Stay out of my life, and stay away
from my daughter."
' What a way to spend Christmas eve........' She
stared at the sofa where John and Alex
were watching Mary Poppins. Both heads glanced over at
her, " Well?" Kerry dumped her
crutch unceremoniously to the floor, collapsing next
to Alex. " Jasmine can't contest it."
Alex glanced from one to the other, " Alex she can't
take you from me." The girl got to her
knees shyly touching Kerry's cheek. When Kerry didn't
get angry, she awkwardly crawled
into her lap. Kerry tenderly embraced her and started
to watch the movie.
A loud snicker shot through the room that was lit
only by the fireplace. " Shhhhh you want
to wake her........" The tall shadow glared over at
the shorter one indigently. " Me you're the
one............"
" Shhhhhhhh......." The tall shadow snorted at the
loud whisper of the shorter shadow who
promptly slapped his chest. John blew hard at the
white puffy ball of the Santa cap as it fell
into his face. It flew up then bounced off his nose.
In frustration he flung it back ignoring
Kerry's soft laughter.
John's eyes raised to the door frame she was under
and grinned. Kerry followed his gaze
suddenly remembering the mistle toe. John walked
toward her gently taking her into his arms.
" John......." He cut off her protest's with
passionate lips.
Kerry moved closer to him unable to deny that she
wanted this. John tightened his arms
pushing her gently into the door frame. The sudden
bundle that hit their legs caused John to
break the kiss. Glancing down he saw Alex wrapped
around Kerry's leg staring at him.
Kerry patted her back, " And what are you doing
awake?" Alex glanced at the Christmas
tree curiously while Kerry checked the clock, it was
almost four thirty. " Alright go on......."
Alex slowly walked toward the tree crowded with
presents, and sat down not touching any
of them.
Alex reached for the first package carefully
unwrapping it. John walked over sitting next to
her, " That's not how you do it......" Alex froze fear
taking over, " .....you have to rip it open."
Alex frowned slightly looking at the package.
John grabbed some of the paper ripping it off, "
Like this......" Throwing the paper down, he
grinned proudly at Alex. The small girl's lips
twitched as she copied him. Her little hands
ripping into the package happily. Seeing what the gift
was she smiled at her mother.
Alex struggled with the box tearing it open. She
carefully removed the bulky play station
staring up expectedly. " Hey, aren't you going to open
your other presents?" Alex squinted
her face undecidedly as Kerry broke in. " John why
don't you hook it up for her while she
opens the other stuff?"
John grabbed the play station, watching Alex from
the corner of his eyes. The girl had
already unwrapped several movies and books, her eyes
wide with wonder. He glanced over
at Kerry to gauge her reaction. She seemed to be
caught between extreme joy and sadness.
Kerry sat on the floor next to her daughter handing
her a small box. Alex opened it gently
somehow sensing that it was important. Tossing the
wrapping paper to the floor she
uncovered a black jewelry box. Alex opened it staring
at the necklace inside.
" It was the only thing my parents left with me when
they put me up for adoption. Whenever
I was scared or alone I would touch it and know that
somewhere out there I had a family."
Alex crawled into her lap so that Kerry could put it
on her.
Neither women noticed as he slipped from the room.
They needed time alone to heal each
other's scars. Maybe then Kerry would be ready to give
him a chance.
