Chapter 12
The Hearing
One month later
Jess paced the floor nervously. She was dressed in her nicest, black, dress pants and a clean, white button up shirt. The heels of her black pumps clicked on the clean marble floor of the courthouse. Eben sat patiently on the bench watching Jess as she moved.
"Kid, just sit down. You're making me nervous," Eben ordered calmly. Jess stopped in mid-step to take in what was said but continued walking anyway. Eben just shook his head at her stubbornness and busied himself with a newspaper he'd brought along. Jess found that even if she wanted to sit down, she couldn't. When she was nervous, she couldn't keep still; she had to be moving. In Jess' mind, the hall was quiet and still. The door she paced outside of was the door leading to her failure and a broken promise to her mother. Jess knew very well she was not getting here brothers and sisters back. Yes, in the past month Jess had gotten a job and a house, all from Eben of course. That was her surprise. Eben had a garage in Miami that he just finished building and he gave it to Jess. He even helped her hire her own crew of high quality mechanics. That alone left Jess in his debt, but he didn't stop there. He even bought her a small house not far from the garage. All Eben said was she didn't have to worry about even repaying him, but Jess knew she'd find a way someday. But even with a small house and a job, it wasn't enough for seven kids.
Now she found herself getting ready to sign away her siblings to the state of Florida. This was just one thing that weighed her down in her heavy sense of depression.
"J?" Jess crashed out of thought to stand in front of her brother Brandon. She no longer had the urge to punch his lights out, because she did it already. She still wanted to be mad at him but there was no point. He had said he was sorry, gave his excuse and that was that. Although his excuse was a sorry and pathetic one, she still loved him as a brother and always would.
"Glad you could make it B," Jess finally spoke, the tension in her face melting just a bit.
"Me, too," Brandon smiled. "Oh! I brought someone along who really wanted to be here to support you," Brandon remembered in a rushed sentence. That's when Jess fully snapped out of her own world to see Brian leaning against the wall behind Brandon. He kept his head down, and his arms were folded across his chest. His hair looked like it hadn't been cut sense last Jess saw him, and he had quite the Californian look to him. Jess wasn't sure if she liked it all that much. A smile still touched the corners of her lips just from the sight of him. For that moment she didn't feel quite so sad until the heaviness of how much she missed him set in. It took all her control not to run into his arms.
"Ms. Hanson?" Jess let out a deep sigh and turned toward the hearing room doors. A kind faced woman in professional work attire stood at the door waiting to lead them in. "We're ready for you now."
***
"We must wait for the social worker, and then we'll be able to proceed," the judge announced. The office Jess sat in had dark maroon carpeting and over-sized furniture all in oak. Jess and Brandon sat in two chairs across from the judge and one chair was left to be filled. Brian and Eben sat in the back of the room.
"I told you she was coming for us!" a voice cried out. Jess turned in her chair to me mulled as Jack hurled himself into her arms.
"Jack come sit by the wall," the social worker's strict voice demanded.
"You suck! Why don't you just shove it up your ass, bitch!" Jack yelled his tiny fists clenched in fury.
"Jack! What did I tell you about that word?" Jess tried to scold, but she couldn't stifle a giggle.
"Oh, sorry…stinks," he said lowering his head.
"You better go sit down," Jess instructed sweetly. Jack did as he was told and hopped off her lap to join his brothers and sisters.
"Let us continue," the judge noted, getting everyone's attention.
"My gosh, I am so sorry. I don't know where he learned to talk like that!" Jess gasped when she saw the disapproving look the judge was giving her and Brandon. "I know he says 'sucks' every now and then, but I really tried to break him of the habit."
"Ms. Hanson, I was aware that you and your brother are here to sign over these kids, not get them back," was the judge's harsh response as she flipped through some papers on her desk.
"Yes, but… what will happen to them once Brandon and I sign the papers?"
"They will be placed in foster homes till permanent families can be arranged," the judge answered.
"Will they stay together?" Brandon asked.
"Are you serious?" the judge almost laughed, "I can assure you that these children will be split up."
Jess could feel her heart close as if it were caving in. "Will we ever get to see them?" Jess more or less wondered out loud.
"That all depends on where they go or what families want to keep in touch, but it is most likely that you will not see them for a while," the room fell silent as truth set in. "Are you feeling ok?" the judge asked, noticing Jess had turned very white.
"No," Jess shook her head. The judge waited a minute but went on talking. She did not hear everything that was said from there on out. She vaguely heard Brandon ask if he had to sign the kids over, but the judge said yes and went on to read a huge list of laws Jess or Brandon had broken. Keeping the children was out of the question.
"All right, now if you would sign these. Then, I believe we will be done," Jess slowly took in the words, and watched as Brandon sighed the papers and then handed them to her. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she took the papers, but still remained in her daze and seemed incapable of signing.
"I'm not mad at you Jess," Jess looked up to see Jack standing at her side. His face was bright and he smiled big to show that he had lost a front tooth.
"Wow! Look at that, your first baby tooth. Did the tooth fairy bring you lots of money?" Jess asked excitedly, a tear rolling down her cheek. He held out his hand and placed on his palm was his baby tooth.
"I saved it for you."
"Sign it Jess. Like Jack said, were not mad at you or Brandon." Ann insured, taking a stand at the back of the room.
"Everything will be fine, sis!" Melanie insisted.
"We're gonna stay in touch no matter what," Jeff added. Jess took Jack's tooth and placed a kiss on his forehead. Then he stood on the tips of his toes so he could whisper something into her ear. Jess's eyes shinned with tears by the time Jack finished. Jess turned back to look at Eben, and he just nodded his head at her questioning look.
"Please sign Ms. Hanson. I still have much to do today," the judge said a little annoyed. Jess quickly signed away. Before her pen barely had time to lift, the social worker took the papers and stood to leave.
"Jack's right, you are a bitch," Jess said out loud. The social worker just grabbed Jack by the hand and dragged him away along with the other kids.
"I'll see you soon!" Jack called goodbye before he disappeared out the door. Jess immediately ran to Eben and jumped into his arms openly.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she cried while tears stained her cheeks.
"Eben man, I gotta talk to you," Brandon hurriedly broke the two. "We'll see you outside," Brandon said as he led Eben out the door. Brian and Jess were left to wonder out into the hall.
"Well, Eben is going to adopt Jack. That's what he whispered," Jess said uneasily.
"That's great," and then the uncomfortable silence set in.
Brian watched Jess as she looked around the hall trying her hardest not to look at him. She even started whistling unconsciously.
"You're so stubborn, it's cute," Brian chuckled.
"I'm stubborn?" Jess shot him an unassuming look, trying to sound shocked. "I am not stubborn, you pompous prute of a jackass!" her voice held more amusement than anger. "I have to go," she finally said turning to leave, but Brian reached out, grabbing firm hold of her waist and pulled her back to him. They stood face to face, and he held her so close that not even air seemed to fit.
"Jess, for the last month I've been lost without you," Brain whispered. He leaned in, and Jess shut her eyes and tilted her head back readying for a kiss. "Open your eyes," Brian's lips were so close, she could feel his warm breath. Jess did as he said and found herself staring into his deep, blue eyes. There she could have sworn he held the look of love and it warmed her heart and scared her all the same.
"I've never felt this way before, and I'll never feel this way again without you," and he finally claimed her lips in the sweetest kiss. He left her breathless, and he made her knees went weak, like he always seemed to do.
"Give me time to think," she said huskily as she pulled away and made her way down the hall as fast as she could.
A/N: Silly Jess, she's just so bull headed! Why won't she just give into that man! I would! I think there are only a few more chapters to go, so hang tight!