The Rich Man's Sorrow, part 5, "FIGHTING"
"She's so beautiful, John. You did a great job", Carol said smiling at her friend, and for her big joy, Carter smiled back.
"Yeah, well. I kinda didn't do it all alone", he laughed.
"No, of course not", Carol grinned. "But if you did, I'd sure wanted to know your secret".
Carter became serious again and headed to the living room and sat down on the couch. Carol followed him with little Lucy in her arms, who almost was asleep.
"Before you came I felt so lonely. I thought about how glad I am to at least have a little part of Lucy alive. She's still living through little Lucy, and I was relived in a wired way. I mean, as long as I've got our daughter I haven't lost her forever. But unfortunately I'll probably lose her as well".
"Why? What have happened?"
"Lucy's mother stopped by before I left the hospital".
"She must have said something to make you this upset".
"She wants the custody of Lucy".
"What?!" Carol burst out in anger but she was also shocked over what she'd heard. This was the last thing Carol knew Carter should be dealing with now. The little baby girl was one of the reasons why he still was alive. "She really said that?"
"Yeah, she did. I've already lost Lucy and now am I losing my daughter. I almost wish I'd died too".
"Please, John. Don't say that. She's your and Lucy's daughter, and she's not living with anyone else than you", Carol said, raising her voice. She couldn't understand why Lucy's mother would do something like this to the father of her granddaughter. Carol knew that Mrs. Knight was bitter because of the terrible stabbing that had cost her daughter's life, but trying to separate a daughter and a father, who already had lost one family member of their little family, was heartless. "You're going to fight, John. Fight for your daughter. There's no way she can win".
"I'm not so sure, Carol. I was barely able to pick her up from her crib earlier today. My back is almost killing me and by every breath I take I can feel the pain in my entire body. What if she's crying and I can't pick her up because of the pain?"
Carol sighed while she looked at her friend. She could see how scared he was and how much he wanted to make the right choices about little Lucy's life. Just by looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms made her heart ache for Carter's sake. She laid Lucy in carter's arms.
"Isn't she worth fighting for?"
Carter looked at Carol before he looked down at the little girl, *his* little girl. "Yeah, you're right, Carol. No one is going to take her away from me. No matter what".
Carol smiled. "Good. I'm glad to hear that, and I want you to know that I'll be here for you and Lucy 100%. If Mrs. Knight doesn't begin to think and still takes it to court, I'll do what ever I can to help you to convince the judges that little Lucy can't have a better daddy than you".
"Thanks, Carol. I wouldn't have known what to do without you. It's you to thank that I've come through the last week, which I thought never would be possible. You have become one of my best friends and I am so grateful for all your help and support. You kinda understand me, except that Doug's still alive".
"Anytime, John. We single parents have to stay together".
"Yeah! If I had two beers I'd have said we should drink for that but it's only 1:30pm so…and I don't have anything but some coffee and milk", Carter laughed, then he paused for a minute while watching his daughter. "I just can't wait till she gets older. I want to be the best Daddy in the whole darn world".
"You already are".
As the weeks went by, Lucy's mother still hadn't realised how selfish she was, and by the beginning of April, the first day of the trial was set. Carter was devastated and hurt. He still couldn't believe that Mrs. Knight was doing this to him. She had told him that it was all up to him now. They could easily avoid the trial if he'd cooperate but Carter was terminated to fight for his daughter. He couldn't give up now. He knew the next couple of hours would change his life forever, hopefully in a positive way.
Carol had left the twins at her mother's while they were in court. She knew that Carter should get all the support he could get. Therefore she'd talked to the rest of the staff, and all the people who were available were supporting Carter.
Carter could see the judge enter the room. He looked at his hands; they were shaking and sweaty. He turned around and saw Carol in the pew behind him with Mark, Kerry, Peter, Elizabeth, Dave and Jing-Mei. He found it surprising to see so many from the hospital there, and just by looking at his friends, he knew he had a lot of people who cared a lot about him and Little Lucy. And Lucy.
"She's so beautiful, John. You did a great job", Carol said smiling at her friend, and for her big joy, Carter smiled back.
"Yeah, well. I kinda didn't do it all alone", he laughed.
"No, of course not", Carol grinned. "But if you did, I'd sure wanted to know your secret".
Carter became serious again and headed to the living room and sat down on the couch. Carol followed him with little Lucy in her arms, who almost was asleep.
"Before you came I felt so lonely. I thought about how glad I am to at least have a little part of Lucy alive. She's still living through little Lucy, and I was relived in a wired way. I mean, as long as I've got our daughter I haven't lost her forever. But unfortunately I'll probably lose her as well".
"Why? What have happened?"
"Lucy's mother stopped by before I left the hospital".
"She must have said something to make you this upset".
"She wants the custody of Lucy".
"What?!" Carol burst out in anger but she was also shocked over what she'd heard. This was the last thing Carol knew Carter should be dealing with now. The little baby girl was one of the reasons why he still was alive. "She really said that?"
"Yeah, she did. I've already lost Lucy and now am I losing my daughter. I almost wish I'd died too".
"Please, John. Don't say that. She's your and Lucy's daughter, and she's not living with anyone else than you", Carol said, raising her voice. She couldn't understand why Lucy's mother would do something like this to the father of her granddaughter. Carol knew that Mrs. Knight was bitter because of the terrible stabbing that had cost her daughter's life, but trying to separate a daughter and a father, who already had lost one family member of their little family, was heartless. "You're going to fight, John. Fight for your daughter. There's no way she can win".
"I'm not so sure, Carol. I was barely able to pick her up from her crib earlier today. My back is almost killing me and by every breath I take I can feel the pain in my entire body. What if she's crying and I can't pick her up because of the pain?"
Carol sighed while she looked at her friend. She could see how scared he was and how much he wanted to make the right choices about little Lucy's life. Just by looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms made her heart ache for Carter's sake. She laid Lucy in carter's arms.
"Isn't she worth fighting for?"
Carter looked at Carol before he looked down at the little girl, *his* little girl. "Yeah, you're right, Carol. No one is going to take her away from me. No matter what".
Carol smiled. "Good. I'm glad to hear that, and I want you to know that I'll be here for you and Lucy 100%. If Mrs. Knight doesn't begin to think and still takes it to court, I'll do what ever I can to help you to convince the judges that little Lucy can't have a better daddy than you".
"Thanks, Carol. I wouldn't have known what to do without you. It's you to thank that I've come through the last week, which I thought never would be possible. You have become one of my best friends and I am so grateful for all your help and support. You kinda understand me, except that Doug's still alive".
"Anytime, John. We single parents have to stay together".
"Yeah! If I had two beers I'd have said we should drink for that but it's only 1:30pm so…and I don't have anything but some coffee and milk", Carter laughed, then he paused for a minute while watching his daughter. "I just can't wait till she gets older. I want to be the best Daddy in the whole darn world".
"You already are".
As the weeks went by, Lucy's mother still hadn't realised how selfish she was, and by the beginning of April, the first day of the trial was set. Carter was devastated and hurt. He still couldn't believe that Mrs. Knight was doing this to him. She had told him that it was all up to him now. They could easily avoid the trial if he'd cooperate but Carter was terminated to fight for his daughter. He couldn't give up now. He knew the next couple of hours would change his life forever, hopefully in a positive way.
Carol had left the twins at her mother's while they were in court. She knew that Carter should get all the support he could get. Therefore she'd talked to the rest of the staff, and all the people who were available were supporting Carter.
Carter could see the judge enter the room. He looked at his hands; they were shaking and sweaty. He turned around and saw Carol in the pew behind him with Mark, Kerry, Peter, Elizabeth, Dave and Jing-Mei. He found it surprising to see so many from the hospital there, and just by looking at his friends, he knew he had a lot of people who cared a lot about him and Little Lucy. And Lucy.