Chapter 7
"You're sister just called." Sarah states when Matt walks into their apartment from class.
"Which one?" Matt asks out of second nature but then with a sigh he responds, "I suppose Mary since Lucy refuses to speak to me."
Sarah gives her husband a sympathetic look and nods, "yes, Mary. She has a five hour layover here on her way home, so she was going to stop by. She should be here any minute."
Matt had just enough time to change and get something to eat before Mary showed up. The family conversed for awhile touching briefly on the fact that the Colonel and Ruth had spoken to a lawyer a week ago and would be going through with the custody suit. Finally they shift the topic of conversation to Mary's twins and Mary offers a smile in regards to her daughters and offers to show them a picture from a food fight Carlos has allowed them to get in while she was away.
"I have mail from Lucy." Mary states, a little taken aback by the email address in her inbox.
"She isn't talking to you either?" Matt asks.
Mary shakes her head, "no we got into a fight awhile ago about what was best for Ruthie, Sam and David."
Matt nods, "we did too. What's she have to say?"
Mary falls silent as she scans the email, only murmuring, "they didn't," before she turns to face her brother and sister-in-law. "In a nutshell it says that Robbie and Cecilia got married on Saturday."
"They what?" Sarah asks.
"You're kidding." Matt adds.
Mary shakes her head, "nope it says they got married and that she and Simon were there, it was a beautiful reception and ceremony, and that she hopes we can all just agree that Ruthie, Sam and David should stay with Cecilia and Robbie. This is ridiculous."
"Wow." Matt lets out a deep breath, "they are determined to get the kids aren't they?"
"Well they aren't getting them, they are best with the Colonel and Ruth, I've lived with them it isn't as bad as everyone is making out to be. I think that they will be good for them."
"I don't know Mary, maybe Lucy is right, I mean she's lived with the family longer, she understands the relationships." Matt states.
"Maybe, but Matt, family should take care of family, I think Mary's right." Sarah states.
Matt sighs, "you guys are probably right."
A month and a half later Robbie had moved in, they had been served with the papers for the custody court date and the court date had arrived all to quickly for everyone involved. "Good morning." Robbie emerges from the room that he shares with Cecilia, the two had squeezed two single beds into Cecila's room.
"Good morning." Cecilia yawns over her mug of coffee, it's obvious that she had slept as well as Robbie, probably an hour off and on. Not that either one of them had gotten much sleep in the last month, since they had been served with the papers all they could think about was how they had to concentrate on keeping their new family together. "We have to be at the courthouse at ten." Cecilia reminds quietly. "I picked your suit up from the dry cleaners yesterday."
"Thank you." Robbie pours himself a cup of the coffee and joins Cecilia at the kitchen table.
Neither of them say anything, they had discussed everything the night before and hadn't come to any conclusion about how this trial could go. Within seconds Robbie becomes aware of Cecilia's soft hiccups, letting him know that she's crying quietly. Robbie gets up and moves around the table to where he is standing right next to and gently he lifts her face up to him, "It'll be all right Cecilia, you'll see."
"I'm so scared of losing them, I can't explain why, but I am." Cecilia cries.
Robbie wraps his arms around Cecilia gently, "we won't loose them, we're going to keep our family together, all right?"
Cecilia tightens her grip around Robbie and nods, "all right." The separate slightly and their eyes lock and neither one of them move, they hadn't kissed since the wedding, both were almost afraid to be close, afraid that they would fall in love and throw off the balance of everything they had planned. But slowly without either really realizing they are doing it they move closer together until their lips are almost touching.
"Cecilia what's for breakfast?" Sam and David come out then, interrupting both of them and causing both to break apart quickly.
"What do you want for breakfast?" Cecilia asks moving closer to the kitchen quickly. "I'll make you whatever you want for breakfast."
"Pancakes!"
"Waffles!"
"Why don't you guys decide on one? We have to be ready to leave in 2 and a half hours." Robbie suggests.
Cecilia shakes her head, "it's okay we can make both, we'll do the dishes tonight."
In the middle of the process of making pancakes and waffles for the twins Ruthie wanders into the kitchen, "good morning," Cecilia greets, "what do you want for breakfast Ruthie?"
"I'm not hungry." Ruthie responds, "thanks anyway."
"You have to eat something." Cecilia responds.
Robbie nods, "chocolate chip waffles or strawberry pancakes?"
"Where'd you get the strawberries, we didn't have any yesterday, I looked." Ruthie responds.
"Cecilia put jam in." David states eating his pancakes.
Ruthie smiles at Cecilia who shrugs, "it's the only thing with strawberry we have."
"I'll go with the waffles." Ruthie responds.
"Are we ready?" Sam and David hurrying into the living room wearing the khaki pants and button down navy shirts that Cecilia had laid out for them.
Cecilia quickly fixes their hair and then nods, "you're ready, go check and see if Ruthie's ready so we can leave."
Once the two have left the room Cecilia glances in her reflection in the mirror in the living room, Lucy had helped her to decide what to wear to the hearing. They both finally decided on a grey-blue pant suit, the top was short sleeved and button down and fell mid thigh over the pants. It had taken them awhile to go through and decide on an outfit that seemed appropriate and they had borrowed something from Paris in the end.
By the time they actually reached the court house they were the last of the family, and friends, gathered there to arrive. Robbie and Cecilia had planned this, they didn't want to have the kids waiting around in the very tense family situation any longer than they were going to have to. The Colonel, Ruth, George, Matt, Sarah and Mary sat on one side of the waiting room talking amongst themselves. On the other side Lucy, her newborn daughter Jocelyn and Kevin, sat along with Chandler and Paris who had gotten back together and Peter immediately walked toward Ruthie, and finally Simon was there with Deena, they'd met again at college and rekindled what they had when they were younger.
At the arrival of Robbie, Cecilia, Ruthie and the twins though the group combines. Ruth is the first to speak, "we just wanted to say that we are sorry that it has come to this, but we still do not believe that our grandchildren should be raised by near strangers."
Lucy hands on her hips in anger, "they are not strangers, why can't you guys seem to understand that?"
The Colonel speaks up then, "they may not be strangers then, but they certainly aren't family."
Within minutes of the bickering the judge appears and silences all of them and they shuffle into the courtroom, where their lawyers are all ready waiting.
"They are asleep all ready." Cecilia states coming into the living room after putting the twins to bed, Ruthie had followed them and she was asleep in her bedroom as well.
Lucy, Simon, Deena and Robbie all sit on the couch talking about the hearing, "it seemed to go very well, the judge seems to want to take into account what the twins and Ruthie had to say." Deena comments.
Cecilia nods, "I hope so."
Before the conversation can go any farther the doorbell rang, "I'll get it." Robbie states standing up, "you sit down, you look exhausted."
Cecilia smiles appreciatively at Robbie and takes the seat he had just vacated. Lucy wraps her arm around Cecilia's shoulder and gives it a comforting squeeze.
"What are you guys doing here?" Robbie's voice floats into the living room causing everyone to move to their feet quickly.
"We came to talk to you." Mary's voice floats in as well. "Please just let us in, let us talk to you."
"All right," Robbie's voice shows his resignation, "come in.
"What do you guys want?" Simon asks quickly.
"We came to ask you to stop this." Matt states.
"Yes," Mary nods, "let the Colonel and Ruth take the kids. Stop this family war that has been started by people who aren't even part of our family."
"This is what our sister wants, why can't you see that?" Lucy asks, "Ruthie wants to stay in Glenn Oak, the twins adore Cecilia and they are all happy and safe here, why can't you just let it go?"
"Stop it!" Ruthie's exclamation shocks everybody.
"Ruthie we didn't mean to..."
Ruthie cuts Cecilia off, "no! I'm tired of everyone fighting over me! I just wish everyone would stop!" With her words Ruthie dashes past her family and straight out the door.
"Now look at what all of this fighting did." Lucy states, "look what all of this fighting is doing to her."
"I'm going after her." Robbie states quickly but when he returns five minutes later he isn't with Ruthie and he is soaking wet, "I can't find her. We need to break up into groups and try to find her before it gets to cold, it's raining out there and it's cold. We'll break up into three groups of two, Mary go with Matt, Lucy and Simon, and Cecilia you come with me, Deena, Sarah stay here with the twins and in case Ruthie tries to call."
"You're sister just called." Sarah states when Matt walks into their apartment from class.
"Which one?" Matt asks out of second nature but then with a sigh he responds, "I suppose Mary since Lucy refuses to speak to me."
Sarah gives her husband a sympathetic look and nods, "yes, Mary. She has a five hour layover here on her way home, so she was going to stop by. She should be here any minute."
Matt had just enough time to change and get something to eat before Mary showed up. The family conversed for awhile touching briefly on the fact that the Colonel and Ruth had spoken to a lawyer a week ago and would be going through with the custody suit. Finally they shift the topic of conversation to Mary's twins and Mary offers a smile in regards to her daughters and offers to show them a picture from a food fight Carlos has allowed them to get in while she was away.
"I have mail from Lucy." Mary states, a little taken aback by the email address in her inbox.
"She isn't talking to you either?" Matt asks.
Mary shakes her head, "no we got into a fight awhile ago about what was best for Ruthie, Sam and David."
Matt nods, "we did too. What's she have to say?"
Mary falls silent as she scans the email, only murmuring, "they didn't," before she turns to face her brother and sister-in-law. "In a nutshell it says that Robbie and Cecilia got married on Saturday."
"They what?" Sarah asks.
"You're kidding." Matt adds.
Mary shakes her head, "nope it says they got married and that she and Simon were there, it was a beautiful reception and ceremony, and that she hopes we can all just agree that Ruthie, Sam and David should stay with Cecilia and Robbie. This is ridiculous."
"Wow." Matt lets out a deep breath, "they are determined to get the kids aren't they?"
"Well they aren't getting them, they are best with the Colonel and Ruth, I've lived with them it isn't as bad as everyone is making out to be. I think that they will be good for them."
"I don't know Mary, maybe Lucy is right, I mean she's lived with the family longer, she understands the relationships." Matt states.
"Maybe, but Matt, family should take care of family, I think Mary's right." Sarah states.
Matt sighs, "you guys are probably right."
A month and a half later Robbie had moved in, they had been served with the papers for the custody court date and the court date had arrived all to quickly for everyone involved. "Good morning." Robbie emerges from the room that he shares with Cecilia, the two had squeezed two single beds into Cecila's room.
"Good morning." Cecilia yawns over her mug of coffee, it's obvious that she had slept as well as Robbie, probably an hour off and on. Not that either one of them had gotten much sleep in the last month, since they had been served with the papers all they could think about was how they had to concentrate on keeping their new family together. "We have to be at the courthouse at ten." Cecilia reminds quietly. "I picked your suit up from the dry cleaners yesterday."
"Thank you." Robbie pours himself a cup of the coffee and joins Cecilia at the kitchen table.
Neither of them say anything, they had discussed everything the night before and hadn't come to any conclusion about how this trial could go. Within seconds Robbie becomes aware of Cecilia's soft hiccups, letting him know that she's crying quietly. Robbie gets up and moves around the table to where he is standing right next to and gently he lifts her face up to him, "It'll be all right Cecilia, you'll see."
"I'm so scared of losing them, I can't explain why, but I am." Cecilia cries.
Robbie wraps his arms around Cecilia gently, "we won't loose them, we're going to keep our family together, all right?"
Cecilia tightens her grip around Robbie and nods, "all right." The separate slightly and their eyes lock and neither one of them move, they hadn't kissed since the wedding, both were almost afraid to be close, afraid that they would fall in love and throw off the balance of everything they had planned. But slowly without either really realizing they are doing it they move closer together until their lips are almost touching.
"Cecilia what's for breakfast?" Sam and David come out then, interrupting both of them and causing both to break apart quickly.
"What do you want for breakfast?" Cecilia asks moving closer to the kitchen quickly. "I'll make you whatever you want for breakfast."
"Pancakes!"
"Waffles!"
"Why don't you guys decide on one? We have to be ready to leave in 2 and a half hours." Robbie suggests.
Cecilia shakes her head, "it's okay we can make both, we'll do the dishes tonight."
In the middle of the process of making pancakes and waffles for the twins Ruthie wanders into the kitchen, "good morning," Cecilia greets, "what do you want for breakfast Ruthie?"
"I'm not hungry." Ruthie responds, "thanks anyway."
"You have to eat something." Cecilia responds.
Robbie nods, "chocolate chip waffles or strawberry pancakes?"
"Where'd you get the strawberries, we didn't have any yesterday, I looked." Ruthie responds.
"Cecilia put jam in." David states eating his pancakes.
Ruthie smiles at Cecilia who shrugs, "it's the only thing with strawberry we have."
"I'll go with the waffles." Ruthie responds.
"Are we ready?" Sam and David hurrying into the living room wearing the khaki pants and button down navy shirts that Cecilia had laid out for them.
Cecilia quickly fixes their hair and then nods, "you're ready, go check and see if Ruthie's ready so we can leave."
Once the two have left the room Cecilia glances in her reflection in the mirror in the living room, Lucy had helped her to decide what to wear to the hearing. They both finally decided on a grey-blue pant suit, the top was short sleeved and button down and fell mid thigh over the pants. It had taken them awhile to go through and decide on an outfit that seemed appropriate and they had borrowed something from Paris in the end.
By the time they actually reached the court house they were the last of the family, and friends, gathered there to arrive. Robbie and Cecilia had planned this, they didn't want to have the kids waiting around in the very tense family situation any longer than they were going to have to. The Colonel, Ruth, George, Matt, Sarah and Mary sat on one side of the waiting room talking amongst themselves. On the other side Lucy, her newborn daughter Jocelyn and Kevin, sat along with Chandler and Paris who had gotten back together and Peter immediately walked toward Ruthie, and finally Simon was there with Deena, they'd met again at college and rekindled what they had when they were younger.
At the arrival of Robbie, Cecilia, Ruthie and the twins though the group combines. Ruth is the first to speak, "we just wanted to say that we are sorry that it has come to this, but we still do not believe that our grandchildren should be raised by near strangers."
Lucy hands on her hips in anger, "they are not strangers, why can't you guys seem to understand that?"
The Colonel speaks up then, "they may not be strangers then, but they certainly aren't family."
Within minutes of the bickering the judge appears and silences all of them and they shuffle into the courtroom, where their lawyers are all ready waiting.
"They are asleep all ready." Cecilia states coming into the living room after putting the twins to bed, Ruthie had followed them and she was asleep in her bedroom as well.
Lucy, Simon, Deena and Robbie all sit on the couch talking about the hearing, "it seemed to go very well, the judge seems to want to take into account what the twins and Ruthie had to say." Deena comments.
Cecilia nods, "I hope so."
Before the conversation can go any farther the doorbell rang, "I'll get it." Robbie states standing up, "you sit down, you look exhausted."
Cecilia smiles appreciatively at Robbie and takes the seat he had just vacated. Lucy wraps her arm around Cecilia's shoulder and gives it a comforting squeeze.
"What are you guys doing here?" Robbie's voice floats into the living room causing everyone to move to their feet quickly.
"We came to talk to you." Mary's voice floats in as well. "Please just let us in, let us talk to you."
"All right," Robbie's voice shows his resignation, "come in.
"What do you guys want?" Simon asks quickly.
"We came to ask you to stop this." Matt states.
"Yes," Mary nods, "let the Colonel and Ruth take the kids. Stop this family war that has been started by people who aren't even part of our family."
"This is what our sister wants, why can't you see that?" Lucy asks, "Ruthie wants to stay in Glenn Oak, the twins adore Cecilia and they are all happy and safe here, why can't you just let it go?"
"Stop it!" Ruthie's exclamation shocks everybody.
"Ruthie we didn't mean to..."
Ruthie cuts Cecilia off, "no! I'm tired of everyone fighting over me! I just wish everyone would stop!" With her words Ruthie dashes past her family and straight out the door.
"Now look at what all of this fighting did." Lucy states, "look what all of this fighting is doing to her."
"I'm going after her." Robbie states quickly but when he returns five minutes later he isn't with Ruthie and he is soaking wet, "I can't find her. We need to break up into groups and try to find her before it gets to cold, it's raining out there and it's cold. We'll break up into three groups of two, Mary go with Matt, Lucy and Simon, and Cecilia you come with me, Deena, Sarah stay here with the twins and in case Ruthie tries to call."