Chapter Four
Fox smoothed his tie for the third time before he finally donned his suit jacket. He really wanted to make an impression in court that he hoped Theresa would like.
He could hear Gwen and Ethan arguing in their room next door. He couldn't believe Gwen right now. Gwen still wanted to adopt little Ethan, but Ethan told her they would never be able to, especially with Alexis Davis on Theresa's side, but Gwen still thought that they could.
Fox buttoned the front of the jacket and then looked at himself in the mirror. The tan of the suit brought out the tanned tone of his skin and offset his blue eyes.
"Well, here goes nothing," he said before he left his room and headed down the stairs.
Alistair and a slightly beat up Julian were waiting for him. "Father, what happened?"
"TC Russell happened, Fox. He came after me just after Eve served him divorce papers. But Eve stopped him from doing more damage by telling him about the son she and I have that we thought we lost," Julian explained to him.
"Amy luck in the search for my older brother?" Fox asked.
"None. And father here is no help," Julian said.
"One thing at a time, Julian. Right now, let's concentrate on helping Theresa get little Ethan back with her," Alistair said.
Gwen and Ethan came down the stairs a moment later and they then all left the house and got into the limo to head for the courthouse.
Lucky, Alexis, and Theresa walked down the hall of the courthouse to the courtroom where today, Little Ethan's future would be decided.
They walked in and Theresa saw her entire family sitting in the gallery. Pilar was there sitting next to a recently returned Paloma. Luis, Sheridan, and Antonio were sitting beside them with Miguel, Kay, and Maria sitting in front of them.
All but Antonio, Sheridan, and Paloma knew Lucky, but they soon began to enjoy Lucky's company as well as seeing him as a big part of Theresa's new life in Port Charles. Miguel, Lucky, and Kay joked around and Lucky played with little Maria until court was ready to begin.
While Lucky sat with Theresa's family, Theresa and Alexis took their chairs at the one table, leaving the other one for Ethan and Gwen and their new lawyer Andrew Simmons. Alexis had wondered, as had Theresa, why they would hire a lawyer like Simmons. The man may be arrogant, but he wasn't very competent at winning custody cases, especially against a lawyer like Alexis.
The Crane contingent came in a few minutes later. Fox started over to Theresa's side of the room, until he saw the looks on their faces and he went back and sat beside his grandfather on the other side of the room.
Judge Reilly came in a minute later and started the proceedings.
Simmons started first with his opening argument. "Your honor, the facts speak for themselves. Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald is a neglectful mother. She ran off with her friends to LA to chase after another man. She is not a good mother. Ethan, her son, needs a home where he has two parents who can be with him at all times. I ask you to take away Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald's parental rights and allow Ethan and Gwen Winthrop to adopt Ethan Crane."
He sat down and Alexis stood up and took her turn.
"Your honor, much of what Mr. Simmons has said is no more than lies and half-truths. My client is a good mother. Both times that she has left town, she has made sure that her son is well taken care of. As for her running to LA with her friends, she left to get away from the other man. And the fact that Gwen Winthrop blames Theresa for Sarah Winthrop's death is ludicrous. Gwen was told by her doctors to stay put, to not leave the hospital, but she did, killing her own child, proving that she is not a good mother. But there is more proof in that area and I will be presenting that before the court today. I ask you to return full custody of Ethan Crane to his mother Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald."
Alexis sat down and the judge directed Andrew Simmons to proceed with his witnesses.
An hour later, Andrew was just finishing up with Theresa and had tried everything to prove she was an unfit mother, but had failed miserably. Now it was Alexis's turn to prove that she was a good mother.
"Miss Lopez-Fitzgerald, is there any reason or anything to keep you from being a good mother to your son?"
"No, Nothing is standing in my way."
"Not even your job?"
"No. Mac Scorpio, my boss, understands that I need time for my son."
"And you have plenty of money to take care of him?"
"Yes, I make plenty of money at my job."
"And where do you work?"
She looked quickly to the cranes and answered, "I work at the police department as a receptionist and office assistant."
"And you live where?"
"In a three bedroom house on the outskirts of town."
"No further questions."
Theresa stepped down and Gwen took her turn.
After ten minutes, Andrew finished with Gwen and Alexis took her turn.
"Mrs. Winthrop, do you really believe you'll be a good mother, even after what went on with your daughter?"
"Yes, I can be a good mother to Ethan."
"I actually question that. Does the name Madeline Desmond ring a bell?"
Gwen paled at the sound of the name. "Yes. She is my daughter."
"And where is she?"
"With her father Mark Desmond. I lost custody of her to Mark."
"And have you visited her at any time since the custody battle?"
"No, because even though I was given visitation rights by the court, he told me he wouldn't allow me to visit her."
"And as for child support?"
"I've never paid any. My mother told me I didn't have to pay any child support."
"Well, your mother was wrong. According to this list of deadbeat parents, parents who either have never paid child support or who are way behind on payments from the state of Connecticut, you are on the very top of the list."
"I didn't know."
"Well, now that you do, do you plan on paying the child support?"
"Yes."
"No further questions."
Gwen stepped down and sat back down in her chair, as did Alexis.
Judge Reilly spoke at that moment. "After listening to all the testimony, I have come to a ruling."
Everyone sat forward in anticipation and Theresa braced herself for the ruling.
"Custody of Ethan Crane is hereby returned to his mother Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald! Court is adjourned!"
A cheer went up in the Lopez-Fitzgerald family. They had done it!
"We did it Alexis! Thanks to you, I have my son back!"
"I was glad to help, Theresa. You know I hate it when someone tries to take a child away from their mother."
"Yeah, I do too. Thank you. Now let's go get my son!" Theresa exclaimed.
The Lopez-Fitzgerald contingent left the courtroom happily. For once, they had beaten the Cranes. They were the champions for once.
I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand
Kicked in my face
But I've come through
And we mean to go on and on and on and on
We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting
Till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the World
I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune
And everything that goes with it
I thank you all
But it's been no bed of roses
No pleasure cruise
I consider it a challenge before
The whole human race
And I ain't gonna lose
And we mean to go on and on and on and on
We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting
Till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the World
We are the champions - my friends
And we'll keep on fighting
Till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
(We are the champions by Queen)