Chapter Thirty Two
:: One Month Later ::
"He's my son," Jack said sternly, as the judge sighed. "I understand that, Mr. McFarland, but you are not able to take care of a minor. You don't even pay your own bills," she said, as he slumped down in the chair. "This isn't fair," he muttered. "Many things aren't fair in this life, but one thing that is certain is that you cannot raise a child," she said. "What do I have to do? Please don't do this," he said frantically. "I'm sorry, but right now we will not allow Elliot to go home with you. We are placing him in a foster home and we will expect you back here in a week. Hopefully you can grow up in that time," she replied, standing up. "One week," she said, then walked out. He stood up slowly and sighed. This was it. He probably should just forget about ever getting Elliot. He walked out of the courtroom into Karen's extended arms. "I'm pathetic," he said, as she kissed his forehead. "Boy isn't coming home with us?" she asked, as he shook his head. "No and he might not ever. I'm supposed to come back In a week and If I don't have a job by then, Elliot's gone out of my life for good!" he exclaimed. "Well honey, what's the problem? Go get a job," she said, as he sighed. "Karen, you know I'm too fabulous to get a job," he replied, as she smiled. "Come on Poodle, let's get out of here," she said, grabbing his hand.
:: Will's Office ::
"Girl or boy?" Grace asked, propping her feet up on the desk. "Ummm...girl I guess. It doesn't really matter to me," Will answered, biting into his salami sandwich. "Take a look at this," she said, taking a notebook out of her purse. He flipped through it and smiled. "You've already thought of baby names?" he asked, referring to the fact that the pages were full of names. "Uh huh, but it's going to take me awhile to pick the one," she answered, grabbing his sandwich and stuffing into her mouth. "Will Todd and I get to pick the name?" he asked. "Nope, I am going to," she answered happily. "That's what I thought," he said chuckling.
"Do you think this is fair?" Jack asked, sipping his third glass of white wine. "No, but I do think you need to get a job. That might get you Elliot after all," Carter answered. "Yeah Poodle and working isn't that bad anyway. I mean, look at me and Grace," Karen said, as Carter giggled lightly. "Honey, what's with the laugh?" Karen asked. "Oh nothing, I'll keep it to myself," Carter answered, pouring herself some wine. "So how is Kingston doing?" Jack asked curiously. "He's upstairs in a coma. You figure it out," Carter answered, rolling her eyes. "Sorry," Jack whispered, swallowing hard. "It's fine, I just don't like talking about him," she said, standing up. "Where are you going?" Karen asked. "I'm going to go visit him for a second," Carter answered, as she pushed in her chair and walked out the dining room.
Six days later, Jack found himself sitting in Carter's office applying for a job. "Why do I have to fill this out if I already know I'm getting the job?" he asked, as she smiled. "It will look like I didn't offer it to you and you actually wanted it yourself," she answered. "Yeah but my hand is hurting. There were so many autograph seekers outside who went to my show, "Just Jack." I had to sign like a hundred of my head shots," he said, holding his hand in pain. "I'm sure Jack," she replied, taking the paper and signing the bottom of it. "So what am I going to work as?" he asked happily. "My personal assistant," she answered. "And how much money will I make?" he asked excitedly. "I'm being generous...Two thousand dollars a week," she answered, as he smiled widely. "Well I'm totally worth it," he said, winking.
The next day in the court room, Jack sat nervously in the chair watching as Elliot walked in. The judge wanted to ask him some questions as to whether he wanted to live with Jack or not. "Hello Elliot," she greeted, as he smiled shyly. "I'm going to ask you some questions and I want you to answer them truthfully, okay?" she asked, as he nodded. "First off, I'd like to know how Jack treats you...."
An hour later, she was still interrogating Elliot while Jack was sound asleep. "Okay, that would be enough. Thank you," the judge said, as she turned to look at Jack. "Mr. McFarland! Mr. McFarland!" she exclaimed, trying to wake him up. Finally he did and he looked up at her. "Yes?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "I've made a decision," she answered, as he held his breath. "From what Elliot has told me and now that I see you have a job, I feel he is able to go home with you. But, I will have someone checking you once a month to make sure your living environment is still decent," she said, as Jack let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank God," he said, as he ran over and hugged his son.
:: One Month Later ::
"He's my son," Jack said sternly, as the judge sighed. "I understand that, Mr. McFarland, but you are not able to take care of a minor. You don't even pay your own bills," she said, as he slumped down in the chair. "This isn't fair," he muttered. "Many things aren't fair in this life, but one thing that is certain is that you cannot raise a child," she said. "What do I have to do? Please don't do this," he said frantically. "I'm sorry, but right now we will not allow Elliot to go home with you. We are placing him in a foster home and we will expect you back here in a week. Hopefully you can grow up in that time," she replied, standing up. "One week," she said, then walked out. He stood up slowly and sighed. This was it. He probably should just forget about ever getting Elliot. He walked out of the courtroom into Karen's extended arms. "I'm pathetic," he said, as she kissed his forehead. "Boy isn't coming home with us?" she asked, as he shook his head. "No and he might not ever. I'm supposed to come back In a week and If I don't have a job by then, Elliot's gone out of my life for good!" he exclaimed. "Well honey, what's the problem? Go get a job," she said, as he sighed. "Karen, you know I'm too fabulous to get a job," he replied, as she smiled. "Come on Poodle, let's get out of here," she said, grabbing his hand.
:: Will's Office ::
"Girl or boy?" Grace asked, propping her feet up on the desk. "Ummm...girl I guess. It doesn't really matter to me," Will answered, biting into his salami sandwich. "Take a look at this," she said, taking a notebook out of her purse. He flipped through it and smiled. "You've already thought of baby names?" he asked, referring to the fact that the pages were full of names. "Uh huh, but it's going to take me awhile to pick the one," she answered, grabbing his sandwich and stuffing into her mouth. "Will Todd and I get to pick the name?" he asked. "Nope, I am going to," she answered happily. "That's what I thought," he said chuckling.
"Do you think this is fair?" Jack asked, sipping his third glass of white wine. "No, but I do think you need to get a job. That might get you Elliot after all," Carter answered. "Yeah Poodle and working isn't that bad anyway. I mean, look at me and Grace," Karen said, as Carter giggled lightly. "Honey, what's with the laugh?" Karen asked. "Oh nothing, I'll keep it to myself," Carter answered, pouring herself some wine. "So how is Kingston doing?" Jack asked curiously. "He's upstairs in a coma. You figure it out," Carter answered, rolling her eyes. "Sorry," Jack whispered, swallowing hard. "It's fine, I just don't like talking about him," she said, standing up. "Where are you going?" Karen asked. "I'm going to go visit him for a second," Carter answered, as she pushed in her chair and walked out the dining room.
Six days later, Jack found himself sitting in Carter's office applying for a job. "Why do I have to fill this out if I already know I'm getting the job?" he asked, as she smiled. "It will look like I didn't offer it to you and you actually wanted it yourself," she answered. "Yeah but my hand is hurting. There were so many autograph seekers outside who went to my show, "Just Jack." I had to sign like a hundred of my head shots," he said, holding his hand in pain. "I'm sure Jack," she replied, taking the paper and signing the bottom of it. "So what am I going to work as?" he asked happily. "My personal assistant," she answered. "And how much money will I make?" he asked excitedly. "I'm being generous...Two thousand dollars a week," she answered, as he smiled widely. "Well I'm totally worth it," he said, winking.
The next day in the court room, Jack sat nervously in the chair watching as Elliot walked in. The judge wanted to ask him some questions as to whether he wanted to live with Jack or not. "Hello Elliot," she greeted, as he smiled shyly. "I'm going to ask you some questions and I want you to answer them truthfully, okay?" she asked, as he nodded. "First off, I'd like to know how Jack treats you...."
An hour later, she was still interrogating Elliot while Jack was sound asleep. "Okay, that would be enough. Thank you," the judge said, as she turned to look at Jack. "Mr. McFarland! Mr. McFarland!" she exclaimed, trying to wake him up. Finally he did and he looked up at her. "Yes?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "I've made a decision," she answered, as he held his breath. "From what Elliot has told me and now that I see you have a job, I feel he is able to go home with you. But, I will have someone checking you once a month to make sure your living environment is still decent," she said, as Jack let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank God," he said, as he ran over and hugged his son.