NOTES from the Author: 1) I'm no Law expert, so I'm taking a big artistic license in the hearing that I describe in this episode. Also, I'm not from the USA, so I'm not into American family law and I'm just writing this by "common sense". If there's anything extremely absurd, please let me now and I'll fix it. 2) Anything between [ ] are author's comments, even if in the middle of a dialogue.

Season 4 Episode 20

"Family Law"

When they arrived in the court, Lily, Rick and the others found Jake already there, on the waiting room. Jake greeted Lily and his daughters - and only them - cordially. He expected Grace and Zoe to come and give him a hug but they just waved him a hello. The whole situation seemed to have damaged Jake's relationship with his daughters. Lily, however, did come to Jake to ask about Tiffany and Maddie. "They're arriving at any minute. Tiffany will be really happy to see you all, she has told me she misses you." Lily smiles uncomfortably, not knowing what to say. "I'll just go there and, well, we'll see each other outside." As she left, Dr. Anna Healey - Jake's lawyer - arrived in a rush. She called Jake and said she needed to see him in private, and showed him a small room that lawyers used to talk to their clients.

In the waiting room, Lily, Rick and Judy were struggling to make everything look normal for the kids. But they weren't really succeeding, and things got a little more tense every time Eli talked to Rick and he ignored. Grace, wanting to get out of there, asked Lily, "Mom, can I go outside to get some fresh air?" Lily thought for a second and said. "OK. But only for five minutes, the hearing is about to start." Grace then gave Eli a look that said that she wanted to talk to him. Eli got it and quickly said that he was going to follow Grace.

As they got outside, Grace said, "Eli, we really need to talk. I just want to thank you for what you did..." But Eli interrupted her, "That's fine, Grace. I don't want to talk about this anymore." He said. Grace insisted, "I know you must hate me now, your Dad isn't even talking to you. But I promised, as soon as this custody thing is over, I'll talk to him and tell it wasn't your fault, and that I made you get involved." Eli looks really annoyed, "OK, Grace! Do whatever you want, but let's drop this subject, please." He says, sitting on the stairs at the entrance of the building. Grace is surprised by Eli's hostile reaction. She sits next to him and asks, "Are you OK?" Eli softened. "Yeah, sorry. This has nothing to do with you, it's just something between me and my Mom." Grace thinks for a while and says, "If there's anything I can do..." She said. He smiled, "Thanks". At this point, Judy appeared and said, "Grace, Eli. Come on in. It's going to start."

Soliloquy Rick says, "If Lily lost this, I would never forgive myself."

Soliloquy Jake looks determined. "If let my daughters grow up totally loose, I would never forgive myself."

He's followed by soliloquy Grace. "Oh my God, please! I will never be able to forgive myself. Because it's my fault."

Soliloquy Zoe also looks tense. "You know, I think this all started after that day I was really rude to my Dad in the car. I was just in a bad mood. I hope this is not my fault, I would never forgive myself."

Soliloquy Lily has tears in her eyes. "Oh! My Girls! I can't live without them!" She says, fighting tears.

The hearing was going to take place not in a real court, but in a "mediation" room. The was a big table, and the judge - Ms. Mary Higgins - had Jake and Miss Healey sitting on her right side, and Lily, Rick, Grace, Zoe and Mr. Douglas Hathaway - Lily and Rick's lawyer - on her left side. Judy, Eli and Jessie were allowed to stay in the room, but they sat in the chairs that were behind Lily and Rick.

Judge Higgins started the session. "This hearing is taking place because Mr. Jake Manning is requesting custody of his daughters Grace Manning, 17 years old, and Zoe Manning, 12 years old; from his former wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Sammler. All the involved are present here today. So, we will start hearing Mr. Manning's reasons to make this request. May I remember you all, that you're under oath, and any false information given here might have you accused of perjury. Mr. Manning, you may start."

Jake: "Well, I'm going to be very objective: I'm here because I don't believe that my ex-wife, Lily, and her husband have the conditions of raising my daughters properly. I'm not saying that they're not good parents, but I feel that, right now, they have too many things going on which are negatively affecting my daughters."

Judge Higgins: "Could you specify those things, Mr. Manning?"

Anna Healey: "If you allow me, you honor, I have compiled some information regarding this subject."

Judge Higgins: "Go ahead, Ms. Healey."

Anna Healey: "First, we have Mrs. Sammler's health condition. Although she's here with us today, she has been extremely ill on the past couple of months, after being ran over by a car. Adding the fact that she's pregnant, her condition is made even more fragile, and she won't be able to have a normal life for the next months."

While she listened to Miss Healey, Lily was extremely surprised on how aware they were of her condition. She was also not pleased that such a personal thing was being used in a bad way in a court of law.

Douglas Hathaway: "Objection, you honor. Mrs. Sammler's health condition has nothing to do with her parenting abilities."

Judge Higgins: "Objection sustained. Ms. Healey, would you please specify how this situation will affect Grace and Zoe."

Anna Healey: "Sure. Mrs. Sammler won't be able to drive, to big physical efforts or even walk a lot in the next months. So, besides being unable to do drive her daughters to school, or attend school events, we also believe she would have a better recovery if she didn't have to worry about these things."

Oh, after that one, Lily had had enough.

Lily [getting up]: "Oh, you, you b...! How can you be so dirty and dishonest! It's not enough to try to take my daughters away from me, and you still want to look good!"

Rick gets up and makes Lily sit back. "Lil, please, you have to control yourself," he whispers.

Judge Higgins: "Mrs. Sammler, please, speak only when you're requested."

Lily: "Sorry. I just couldn't control myself."

Judge Higgins: "Fine. Let's go on. Miss Healey, about this subject, is there anything you would like to ask Mrs. Sammler?"

Anna Healey: "Yes, you honor. Mrs. Sammler, you seemed very offended by my explanation about your health. I would like to know if there's any information here that is wrong."

Lily [hesitant]: "No, overall it's correct. The problem is that I just don't agree with the way your put it. Besides, I'm not alone. I have my husband Rick and my sister Judy to help me with whatever is necessary concerning the girls."

Anna Healey: "Is it true that the doctors advised you to get as much rest as possible and avoid any kind of worries or responsibilities?"

Lily: Yes. To get a lot of rest and avoid worries. But not [with emphasis and looking at Judge Higgins] responsibilities.

Anna Healey: "That's all for now, you honor."

Judge Higgins: "Fine. Now I see that Mr. Manning claims to have strong reasons why his daughters are already being affected. I'd like to hear them."

At this moment everyone on the Manning/Sammler side froze. Especially Grace, who was terrified with the possibility of Dimitri's name being mentioned - he could go to jail.

Jake: "You honor, last week, my older daughter Grace spent a night away from my ex-wife's home. And, her husband, who has been responsible for the house since Lily went to the hospital had no idea of where she was. I don't want to think of what might have happened if I didn't arrive there and went in search for Grace."

Judge Higgins: "And you found your daughter where? And how?"

Jake [thinks for a second]: "She was with bad companies, you honor. Don't ask for names, because unfortunately I haven't got them. May I add that these companies included a much older man."

Grace opens her mouth in disbelief. This is not how things happened!

Jake [sees Grace staring at him with pain in her eyes but goes on]: "About how, it was, I guess, luck. After I arrived at Lily's house, I suspected that Rick's older son, who's sitting there on the back [points at Eli] knew where my daughter was. So, when he left the house some minutes after I arrived, I decided to follow him. I was right, and that's how I found my daughter."

Judge Higgins: "OK. Miss Healey, any questions concerning this point?"

Anna Healey: "Yes, you honor. I have questions for Mr. Sammler, his son Eli and for my client. Beginning with Mr. Rick Sammler. [now talking to Rick] Mr. Sammler, is it true that you didn't know where Grace was on that night?"

Rick [looking defeated]: "Yes, it is true."

Lily's eyes are full of tears. She lows her head.

Anna Healey: "And weren't you worried about where your step-daughter could be?"

Rick [offended]: "Of course I was! When I arrived home the night before, I asked Eli about Grace and Zoe. Zoe was upstairs in bed while Grace had apparently gone to a party. I sat on the couch to wait for her, but I was so tired from everything that is going on in my life that I fell asleep, and I woke up only when Jake arrived the next morning."

Anna Healey: "So, do you admit that the stress from Lily's situation got you tired, which made you unable to look for Grace?"

Rick [getting nervous]: "No. This is not true!"

Anna Healey: "Thank you, Mr. Sammler, that's all. Now, Mr. Eli Sammler. Is it true that you knew were Grace was on that night?"

Eli: "Yes, it is."

Anna Healey: "So, when your father arrived home that night, you already knew where Grace was, and you chose not to tell?"

Eli [very serious]: "We're brother and sister. She asked me to keep it a secret."

Anna Healey: "Even though you knew she might be in trouble?"

Eli [looking at Miss Healey in the eyes]: "I didn't know if she was in trouble. You don't know if she was in trouble. No one here does."

Anna Healey: "Thank you, Mr. Sammler. Now, Mr. Manning, my final question. What makes you think you can provide a better environment for the upbringing of your daughters?"

Jake: "I have a family, and a steady job that gives me a comfortable financial situation. I didn't want to bring this up, but Rick is going through a hard financial period. As far as I know, he hasn't got any new clients on the past month."

Lily was stunned. She didn't know about that. Another thing people were hiding from her. Rick was also sadly surprised. He could never imagine Jake would investigate that.

Judge Higgins: "Is this true, Mr. Sammler?"

Rick [still surprised]: "Yes, but it's not as bad as it seems. Architecture in general is going through a period of low activity. Besides, Lily and I have our savings."

Judge Higgins [always taking notes]: "Fine. Is there anything else, Miss Healey."

Anna Healey: "No, that's all for now, you honor."

Judge Higgins: "Mr. Hathaway, is there anything you want to ask in behalf of your client?"

Douglas Hathaway: "Yes, thank you, you honor. First I'd like to ask Mr. Manning a couple of questions."

Judge Higgins: "Go ahead."

Douglas Hathaway: "Mr. Manning, you said that earlier that you have a family. We now that you are married. Where is your wife, and why isn't she here with you?"

Jake: "My wife has been traveling for the past weeks. Her mother was sick and she went to her hometown to help her sister take care of her."

Douglas Hathaway: "But don't you think that, since your wife is going to help you with your daughters, that she should be here with you, like Rick is here with Lily?"

Jake [annoyed]: "My wife wanted very much to be here, but she couldn't."

Douglas Hathaway: "Is it true that you work in the bookstore-cafe that belongs to your ex-wife Lily and her sister Judy?"

Jake [more annoyed]: "I've been the manager of the place for a long time."

Douglas Hathaway: "Thank you, Mr. Manning. Now, Mrs. Sammler, how much time did the doctors say you need to be fully recovered?"

Lily: "Well, with the proper care and if nothing goes wrong, three months."

Douglas Hathaway: "And what could go wrong?"

Lily: "It could be some physical complication, but the doctor said the is this cases it's most likely for the patient to be affected by emotional traumas."

Douglas Hathaway: "Thank you, Mrs. Sammler." [to Judge Higgins] "You honor, I'd like you to consider all this while making your decision. Every parents make their mistakes. Mr. Manning also does. And, since they're so worried about taking this burden off Lily, maybe they should also worry about the fact that Lily really needs her daughters to recover. That's all, you honor."

Judge Higgins: "Miss Healey, any final comments?"

Anna Healey: "Yes, a short one, you honor. Yes, every parent makes mistakes. We never said here that Mrs. Sammler isn't a good mother. But we have to provide the girls what's best for them at this moment. That's all, you honor."

Judge Higgins: "Well, finally, I'd like to hear Grace and Zoe's feelings about this situation. Zoe, you go first."

Zoe [insecure]: "I love my Mom and my Dad. I don't want to be far from any of them. I just feel my Mom needs me more than my Dad now."

Grace [also insecure]: "That's how I feel too. Our Mom needs us to get better."

Judge Higgins: "Well, everything said, this session is over. Now I'll go to my office, analyze everything that has been said. You have your decision in one hour."

After exactly an hour, Judge Higgins comes back from her office, where she analyzed the case. Everyone got up from their sits.

Judge Higgins: "Listen carefully everyone. I have made my decision."

Everyone held their breath to hear Judge Higgins' decision.

TO BE CONTINUED...