CHAPTER SEVEN

A Week Later

The hearing was getting closer, there was just one week to go. Morag had drawn up a few cases against Sam but nothing to prove he was an unfit father. She called up Peter Westerman and had tried to get him to call off the hearing.

" Scared Ms. Bellingham?" Westerman sneered at the opposition, " Scared you'll lose?" he sounded so confident, the bastard.

And he has every right to be, he's never lost a case. Morag thought disdainfully.

" No. I just think that Mr. Tate is suing my client out of pure vindictiveness-"

" That's where you are wrong," Westerman interrupted frostily, " I'll see you in court Ms. Bellingham."

Laura studied her son as he got ready for school. She has been thinking about letting her son testify against his father…but what if he had nothing against him? Well, it was time to find out.

" Jacob…I want to talk to you about something," Laura said and Jacob looked up startled. She looked very serious and he swallowed nervously. Had she found the bottles? He'd checked this morning, they hadn't been touched.

" What is it?"

" It's about your father. I need to ask you if…did he…abuse you in any way?"

Jacob stared at her, " Sometimes he'd shout at me if I'd done something wrong but otherwise-"

" I don't mean verbally. I meant physically." Laura loathed herself for asking him this. But if it helped the case.

" Dad would never hurt me." Jacob replied, " He'd lose his temper sometimes but he never laid a hand on me. I thought you knew that."

" I did…but sometimes when a child does get physically abused by his father, he'd keep it quiet. Like he's too afraid to tell anyone."

Jacob nodded, " Well, he didn't." he bent over to tie his sneaker. He then sat up, " Is Dad…has he been contacting you?" he asked suspiciously, " Is this why you're asking me this stuff?"

" Jacob…I have to tell you something. You're not going to like what I'm about to say."

" Just spit it out Mum."

" Your dad has sued me for sole custody of you."

There was long silence. Finally Jacob blurted, " He can't do that…can he? And besides I think I'm old enough to decide who I should live with."

" Actually…you are still only a minor. Your father can do whatever he wants with a lawyer."

Jacob looked worried, " Mum…I don't want to live with Dad. Don't I have a say in this?"

" The only way you can have a say is to tell me if your dad has been an unfit father."

Jacob sighed, " No…he wasn't." his shoulders drooped, " We're gonna lose this case aren't we?"

" Not necessarily." Laura patted her son on the shoulder as she walked past, " I have a brilliant solicitor who is going to make everything possible. Don't you worry about a thing." She smiled at him as she disappeared into her room.

Yeah right. Jacob muttered. He went into the bathroom and locked the door. He took off his t-shirt and craned his neck to look at the bruises. Even after several weeks they hadn't faded, they were always a constant reminder.

And now I have to go live with him. Jacob thought, it's not fair.

Jacob grabbed the ball on the rebound and almost stumbled into his father.

" Watch out," his father yelled, shoving him backward, making him drop the ball. For some reason his dad was in a bad mood that day. It seemed Jacob did everything wrong.

" Sorry, but you threw the ball really hard." Jacob complained, rubbing his ribcage. The ball had almost winded him. It was if his dad did it on purpose.

You are being paranoid. Dad wouldn't hurt me. Jacob tried to reassure himself as his father dribbled the ball.

" You a wimp or something? Okay, it's five to two-"

" No, its five to four." Jacob interrupted without thinking. His father's eyes narrowed, " I can count Jake."

Jacob winced, " But it is five four, you being the four."

" Do you want to play or not?"

" Not anymore…I got a ton of homework to do."

" Homework can wait. You and me need to spend some time together." His father threw the ball at him-hard. This time the ball did wind Jacob. He doubled over, gasping for breath.

" You really are a wimp. You take after your mother." His father looked disgusted as he walked off.

Jacob put on his t-shirt and slowly headed for his room. The hearing was next week. Should he testify against his father? What if no one believed him? After all, when his parents had been married, everyone loved Sam Tate.