Season 4 Episode 21
"Can You Define Justice?"
You could've cut the tension with a knife in that room during the previous hour. "Thanks, Doug," Rick said to Douglas, about ten minutes before Judge Higgins came back. Doug and Rick were friends since their college years. Their rooms in the college dorm were next to each other. Rick always liked Doug, but since his roommate and best friend of the time always thought Doug was "too weird", they never had a chance to become really close. "Wait ten minutes to say that, Rick," Doug said, nervous. Doug was a good lawyer, but during those minutes before a sentence, he usually got really insecure. And he had a bad feeling about that day. "No matter what happens, Doug. I know you're doing your best." Rick said. "You won't think that if we lose." Doug replied, smiling sadly. Rick thought it was better not to insist anymore. Lily, who had been hearing the conversation, asked, "Do we have many chances of losing?" She was really worried. "I'm going to be pretty honest with you. Both sides have strong reasons to be with the girls. I'm really confident, but we should expect anything." Doug said, serious.
That was the moment when Judge Higgins came back and announced that she had made a decision. "I'd like to say this was a hard decision to make. This family is going through difficult times. So, I decided to grant the custody of Grace and Zoe Manning to their father, Jake Manning. Mrs. Sammler will be able to see the girls at least every weekend. The sentence begins tomorrow at eight o'clock in the morning, which gives time to everyone to organize their things. This sentence could be reverted in the future in favor of Mrs. Sammler if it's considered proper. That's all for this case. Thank you." She got up and left.
At that moment, Lily felt like the ground had disappeared from under her feet. She never thought she could actually lose the girls. Rick was shocked, and didn't know what to say. So he just held Lily really tight when she threw herself in his arms. Jake was relieved he had won. He really believed this was the best for his daughters.
Soliloquy Jake explains this better. "Of course I feel sorry for Lily. But my duty as a father must come first." He says that really calmly and seriously.
Soliloquy Lily is not that calm. She's pacing from side to side, her head in her hands. "No, no, no." She repeats, over and over, without raising her head.
Grace was desperate. She was sure this was all her fault. She ran over to Lily. "Mom, I'm sorry. I'll fix this, you'll see. I'll tell Dad we should be with you, he'll understand." Lily couldn't say anything in the middle of her tears. She just held her daughters. Judy came close and held Lily and the girls. Eli and Jessie just stood there, not knowing what to do. After some minutes, they all let go of the embrace and Doug approached them. "Lily, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But don't worry, I'm going to appeal against this decision, and we're going to win." He held her hands for assurance. She just nodded, trying to show confidence, but at moment she could never succeed.
Everyone left the room, but Doug stayed there. She sat back and was already going over some papers, when Judy came and said, "Please, Mr. Hathaway. You don't have to do this now." She realized he was extremely nervous. "No, it's better not to lose any time. Today is a Friday, so unfortunately I can only request another hearing on Monday. So I'll use the weekend to prepare everything." He said very quickly, without taking his eyes of the papers. He then looked at Judy, "And it's Doug."
Soliloquy Judy looks taken aback. "His eyes... are so sad. There's loneliness coming out of them."
Rick, Lily and the kids were outside waiting for Judy - they had come in two cars, Rick's and Judy's, since Lily couldn't drive yet. There was an awkward silence, sometimes interrupted by sentences of encouragement coming from Rick. After a minute or two, Jake came out of the court, followed by his lawyer, Anna Healey. He thought for a second as he saw everyone there, but then he approached the girls and said, "I'll pick you two up tomorrow at 9 o'clock, OK? We're going out to buy all the stuff you need." She smiled and ran his ran his hand through Zoe's hair. Zoe acted like she didn't listen, while Grace gave Jake a weak smile, as she held Zoe. Jake, feeling very uncomfortable, said, "Well, I have to go. See you tomorrow." He kissed both of the girls and went to his car.
Judy came out of the court building, along with Doug. "Rick, I'll stop by at your house to discuss a few things concerning the case, is it OK?" Doug asked. "I don't know Doug, I think Lily needs to rest..." Rick was saying, but Lily interrupted him. "We'll be waiting for you." She said to Doug. Doug nodded and went away.
As Jake drove by the front of the building, he looked at the sidewalk where everyone was beginning to head to Rick's or Judy's cars. It wasn't easy for him to face Lily, who looked straight into his eyes, with her eyes red of crying so much.
TO BE CONTINUED...
"Can You Define Justice?"
You could've cut the tension with a knife in that room during the previous hour. "Thanks, Doug," Rick said to Douglas, about ten minutes before Judge Higgins came back. Doug and Rick were friends since their college years. Their rooms in the college dorm were next to each other. Rick always liked Doug, but since his roommate and best friend of the time always thought Doug was "too weird", they never had a chance to become really close. "Wait ten minutes to say that, Rick," Doug said, nervous. Doug was a good lawyer, but during those minutes before a sentence, he usually got really insecure. And he had a bad feeling about that day. "No matter what happens, Doug. I know you're doing your best." Rick said. "You won't think that if we lose." Doug replied, smiling sadly. Rick thought it was better not to insist anymore. Lily, who had been hearing the conversation, asked, "Do we have many chances of losing?" She was really worried. "I'm going to be pretty honest with you. Both sides have strong reasons to be with the girls. I'm really confident, but we should expect anything." Doug said, serious.
That was the moment when Judge Higgins came back and announced that she had made a decision. "I'd like to say this was a hard decision to make. This family is going through difficult times. So, I decided to grant the custody of Grace and Zoe Manning to their father, Jake Manning. Mrs. Sammler will be able to see the girls at least every weekend. The sentence begins tomorrow at eight o'clock in the morning, which gives time to everyone to organize their things. This sentence could be reverted in the future in favor of Mrs. Sammler if it's considered proper. That's all for this case. Thank you." She got up and left.
At that moment, Lily felt like the ground had disappeared from under her feet. She never thought she could actually lose the girls. Rick was shocked, and didn't know what to say. So he just held Lily really tight when she threw herself in his arms. Jake was relieved he had won. He really believed this was the best for his daughters.
Soliloquy Jake explains this better. "Of course I feel sorry for Lily. But my duty as a father must come first." He says that really calmly and seriously.
Soliloquy Lily is not that calm. She's pacing from side to side, her head in her hands. "No, no, no." She repeats, over and over, without raising her head.
Grace was desperate. She was sure this was all her fault. She ran over to Lily. "Mom, I'm sorry. I'll fix this, you'll see. I'll tell Dad we should be with you, he'll understand." Lily couldn't say anything in the middle of her tears. She just held her daughters. Judy came close and held Lily and the girls. Eli and Jessie just stood there, not knowing what to do. After some minutes, they all let go of the embrace and Doug approached them. "Lily, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But don't worry, I'm going to appeal against this decision, and we're going to win." He held her hands for assurance. She just nodded, trying to show confidence, but at moment she could never succeed.
Everyone left the room, but Doug stayed there. She sat back and was already going over some papers, when Judy came and said, "Please, Mr. Hathaway. You don't have to do this now." She realized he was extremely nervous. "No, it's better not to lose any time. Today is a Friday, so unfortunately I can only request another hearing on Monday. So I'll use the weekend to prepare everything." He said very quickly, without taking his eyes of the papers. He then looked at Judy, "And it's Doug."
Soliloquy Judy looks taken aback. "His eyes... are so sad. There's loneliness coming out of them."
Rick, Lily and the kids were outside waiting for Judy - they had come in two cars, Rick's and Judy's, since Lily couldn't drive yet. There was an awkward silence, sometimes interrupted by sentences of encouragement coming from Rick. After a minute or two, Jake came out of the court, followed by his lawyer, Anna Healey. He thought for a second as he saw everyone there, but then he approached the girls and said, "I'll pick you two up tomorrow at 9 o'clock, OK? We're going out to buy all the stuff you need." She smiled and ran his ran his hand through Zoe's hair. Zoe acted like she didn't listen, while Grace gave Jake a weak smile, as she held Zoe. Jake, feeling very uncomfortable, said, "Well, I have to go. See you tomorrow." He kissed both of the girls and went to his car.
Judy came out of the court building, along with Doug. "Rick, I'll stop by at your house to discuss a few things concerning the case, is it OK?" Doug asked. "I don't know Doug, I think Lily needs to rest..." Rick was saying, but Lily interrupted him. "We'll be waiting for you." She said to Doug. Doug nodded and went away.
As Jake drove by the front of the building, he looked at the sidewalk where everyone was beginning to head to Rick's or Judy's cars. It wasn't easy for him to face Lily, who looked straight into his eyes, with her eyes red of crying so much.
TO BE CONTINUED...