Catherine took a deep breath. "You two went to Sara's hotel and rigged a honey and feather bomb?"
"Technically, it was only a feather pillow exploding device," Jamie explained. "The honey was rigged…" he stopped when he saw his mother's look. "Never mind."
"Where did you get the honey?" Gil asked.
"The pantry," Max replied.
"And we borrowed some from my friend Brad. He doesn't like honey anyway," Jamie explained.
"And the pillow?" Catherine asked.
Lizzie ran down into the kitchen. "Okay, I know you weren't totally supportive of my movements at school the other day, but was it really necessary to take my pillow?"
Gil looked at the boy. "You stole your sister's pillow and blew it up?"
"She has two!" Max explained.
Lizzie turned to her parents. "And you've been worried about me getting suspended? HELLO!? These two are total juvenile delinquents!" She folded her arms and glared. "And I so want a new pillow."
Catherine was getting a headache. "Okay. Lizzie, you can borrow a pillow from the guestroom tonight and I will buy you a new one."
"Fine." Lizzie headed back upstairs.
"As for you two…you're grounded," Gil told them.
"For how long?" Jamie asked.
"Until we say so. You go to school, you come home from school, you do your homework and you go to bed," Gil said firmly.
"That's not FAIR!" Max cried out. "I offered Sara a contract and she wouldn't take it! I'm doing it all for the family and you're GROUNDING me!?"
Catherine paused, watching her youngest son for a moment. "Jamie, got any questions?"
"Nope," Jamie replied, hoping to escape any further punishment.
"Okay, upstairs."
Jamie ran upstairs and Max went to follow him.
"Not you, little man," Catherine murmured. "Not done with you yet."
Max stomped into the lounge room and sat on the couch, folding his arms.
Catherine sent her husband a worried look and they followed their son in. Catherine sat beside the little boy and Gil sat on the other chair.
"What's this about a contract?"
"I wrote up a contract offering my life savings to that crazy woman if she would leave us alone and she LAUGHED at me!"
Catherine looked over Max's head at her husband, her heart breaking for her youngest son. "Max…I'm sorry."
"I thought I was helping," Max finally said. "I thought if I offered her all my money she might go away and never come back. It works in the movies!"
Catherine couldn't resist and she tugged Max into her lap, hugging him tightly. "She was wrong to do that to you, Max. But sometimes, things don't work like they do in the movies. The only way we can keep Matt with us is for us to go to court and talk about it."
"But I don't want to do that anymore! It makes you and Daddy fight, and then you get really sad!"
"Your mommy and I love each other so much," Gil told him. "I need her in my life as much as she needs me in hers. And I promise you, that even if we fight, we still love each other. And we always make up."
"Am I still grounded?"
Catherine smiled. "Yes, you little monster. Because as much as we love you and we understand why you did it, you can't just go and do things like that. Okay?"
Max grumbled to himself as he got up. Catherine caught him and gave him a kiss.
"Love you, Fang Man."
"Love you too, mom."
Gil held out his arms to Max, who gave him a hug. "Love you, Max."
"Love you too, Dad." Max headed upstairs.
Catherine looked at Gil as he came to sit beside her. "This could hurt the case."
Gil nodded as he put his arm around her. "It could."
Catherine rested her head against his shoulder. "I liked the picture though."
Gil grinned. "Yeah…it's certainly a keeper."
"Your honor, we move for a mistrial and for the custody of Matthew Grissom immediately being handed to Ms. Sidle."
Lindsey Dole jumped up. "OBJECTION!"
"On what grounds, Mr Andrews?" the judge asked.
"The youngest Grissom child has already attempted to bribe Ms. Sidle. Then he planted a bomb in her vicinity."
"Approach the bench." The judge looked down at Lindsey. "Explain."
"Your honor, the boy in question is nine years old. He's going through a lot at the moment. The contract was something he made up by offering Ms Sidle his life savings, which amounts to roughly 25 dollars and 99 cents. She laughed at him, which naturally hurt his feelings. Ms Sidle wasn't hurt by the device, which was a feather pillow rigged to let loose the feathers. None of which his parents knew about, and it has no bearing on this case."
The judge took a deep breath. "Okay. Step back."
The two lawyers went back to their desks.
"I am not calling a mistrial, nor am I immediately handing custody of the minor to Ms. Sidle. I am however asking that Mr. Max Grissom be present in my chambers tomorrow morning." He looked over at Catherine. "No exceptions, Mrs. Grissom. And I am not going to terrorize your son."
Catherine went to check on her children before she went to bed. Matt had fallen asleep, leaving the light on, and she smiled, turning it off for him before closing the door. Lizzie was fast asleep, her covers pulled up so high that all you could see was a tuft of blonde hair. Finally she went into Jamie and Max's room. Jamie had fallen asleep with his book on his chest, so she put it on the bedside table before tucking him in. Max had managed to fall asleep with his legs at the pillow end. One leg hung off in the air, and his arms were sprawled on the bed, one above him, one hanging down. She gently started to maneuver him.
"Mommy?" he mumbled sleepily.
"Shh, it's okay. Mommy's just making you more comfortable."
"Love you."
"I love you too, sweetheart."
"Gots bad bug."
Catherine sat on the side of his bed, stroking his forehead. "It's okay, baby." She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Sleepy time now."
"Kay," Max mumbled, rolling over.
She got up and paused as she saw Gil standing in the doorway. A smile spread across her face and she walked over to him. "Hi."
"Love you Cath."
Catherine took his hand. "Love you too."
Max sat in the judge's chambers, his eyes on the judge.
"You know who I am, Mr Grissom?"
"Yeah. You're the judge."
"That's correct. Do you know why you're here?"
"Cause I'm in big trouble."
The judge smiled. "Max, why did you offer Ms. Sidle a contract?"
"Because she's making everyone sad and she's trying to break up my Mom and Dad."
"What makes you say that?"
"She's trying to upset them all the time. And then she tried to bribe Matt by giving him Metallica tickets…which are like his favourite band ever!"
The judge looked up at Mr. Andrews.
"An innocent gift from mother to son."
"Innocent my ass!" Max cried, before slapping his hand over his mouth. "Oops. Sorry, Mr Judge, sir."
The judge tried not to laugh. "That's alright." He looked up at Andrews. "I will be talking to you and your client as well." Finally he went back to Max. "Mr. Grissom, even though it was wrong of Ms. Sidle to try and bribe your brother and it's very wrong that everyone is being upset by this trial. However, it is very wrong to try and blow up a feather pillow, or any device, over another person."
"Actually, it was an explosive device. Not necessarily a bomb," Max replied. "Sir," he added.
The judge nodded. "Alright. Here's the deal, Max. Except for when you are both present here, I want you to stay away from Ms. Sidle."
"THAT'S IT?" Andrews cried.
The judge looked up at Andrews. "He's a nine year old boy. I have three boys of my own. It was a prank borne of frustration, by something that your client brought on herself. No one was seriously injured, nor was any property damaged. Therefore, it is my ruling that Mr. Max Grissom and Ms. Sara Sidle stay far away from each other." He looked up at Andrews. "As for you, you and your client will be present in my chambers at 9am tomorrow." His attention returned to Max. "Mr. Grissom, do you understand my ruling?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you accept its terms?"
Max nodded. "Yes, sir."
The judge smiled. "Very well." He stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Max."
Max grinned, sticking out his hand and shaking the judge's. "Nice to meet you too. You're kinda cool, for a judge."The judge chuckled. "Thankyou, Max. I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me about my job."
Max made his way out of the judge's chambers, pausing when he saw Sara.
"Not allowed near you anymore," he said. "Not that it matters. But keep your distance, pal!"
Sara's eyes widened. "You're a little monster! You should be locked up! When I get my hands on you…"
Catherine appeared behind her son, quickly ushering the little boy behind her. "If you lay one hand on my child, I swear that they will never find your body."
"You need to keep a leash on your children."
"And you need to mind your own damn business," Catherine replied swiftly. "You've caused nothing but trouble since you turned up here. I know you tried to bribe my son."
"Which one?" Sara chuckled bitterly. "Jeez, Cath! Haven't you and Grissom ever heard of protected sex?"
"At least we keep our kids and don't dump them on someone else."
"I didn't have a choice."
Catherine glared at her. "You had a choice. Just like you had a choice when you had Grissom. And you blew it. Both times."
She felt Gil's presence behind her before he announced it. He had shepherded Max away and now stood firm, ready to intervene between the two women.
"Come here to defend your wife, Grissom?" Sara asked acidly.
"I don't need to. She's always done a perfectly good job of it herself," he replied calmly. "But I want to take her away for a while. Have her to myself. I'm sure you don't mind."
"I'll be seeing you," Catherine promised, as she followed her husband out.