The interruption

Sue stood at the door quaking in her shoes. "Um. I just thought you should know before you made your decision that Emily's psychologist is here and wants to speak with you." She said.

The judge looked behind Sue to see Charlotte standing there. "I gather that's you?" the judge asked.

"Yes. Your honour. I'm sorry I'm late. I got here as fast as I could. I wanted to bring you my recommendation for your consideration." She handed him a report.

The judge took it and then moved back inside his office. "You'd better come inside." he instructed Charlotte as he moved to close the door behind her. He sat back down behind his desk and proceeded to peruse the report that she had given him.

Ryan and Marissa were stunned. They had no idea what Charlotte's purpose there was. They didn't know what she would have written. After what had taken place that morning, they were afraid that she had come to extract some sort of revenge. They were trying to make eye contact with her but she gave nothing away as she moved to sit in a vacant chair and watched the judge read through her report.

When he had finished, the judge looked back at Charlotte. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

She shrugged, "As sure as I can be." She replied.

Ryan was startled by this. What was going on? Should he object to her being there? He guessed that he couldn't do that since she was Emily's psychologist. But he had thought after his plea to the judge that they just might have had a chance. If Charlotte had now come to spoil it for them, then he knew he would never forgive her.

The judge rubbed his worried brow. It was obvious to all of them that he was reconsidering whatever decision he had earlier come to. But they didn't know if that was good or bad.

The judge looked at the four people in front of him. The attorney had barely spoken a word and he had no idea what he was even there for? Why the psychologist was running so late he would like to now, but he guessed that was irrelevant now, because he did need to take her professional opinion in to account. Which brought him back to what should he do about the couple in front of him? He could tell from the expressions on their faces that they were desperate for him to find in their favour. But could he? So much had changed in the space of such a short time and he didn't like change. At all! He looked up at them and started. "This really is a very unusual case." He said. "I don't mind telling you that I thought that this would be open and shut. The facts were clear and indisputable and yet I find myself leaning to doing something that is very unlike me." he said as he looked around the room. "According to the book, you should have no chance of getting custody of Emily. And I'm not one to go against the book." He added as he watched Ryan and Marissa's faces start to fall. "And yet …" They looked back up at him and he could see the hope return to their eyes. "and yet … both the child herself and the social worker seem to think that it is the best chance for her happiness. So I've had to reconsider. Even so, I had decided that it was not enough for me to bend the rules and then you Mr Atwood decided to address me and I have to tell you that it made me rethink the whole situation again. And I don't mind telling you that I was having trouble coming to a decision." He added trying to explain just how difficult it had been for him. "But I guess Ms Robinson here has just made my job easier. Since she's the professional here, I've decided to go with her advice."

Ryan and Marissa held their breaths. They didn't really like to think that the result was all in Charlotte's hands. Just as Ryan was about to object, Charlotte smiled at him. He relaxed for a moment and then realised that maybe she was smiling because she was going to exact her revenge on him.

The judge continued. "If it wasn't for the tragic loss of Emily's father and sister last weekend then I can assure you that she would be staying in the Bay area with a foster family. But Ms Robinson here has recommended that she needs some one on one personal attention to help her come to terms with her loss. Add to that the fact that I know that all of the foster families that we are likely to be able to find for her will have a number of children living with them already and hence the foster parents would not be able to devote the time to Emily that Ms Robinson seems to think that she requires. That being the case I guess I just need to confirm with you that you intend to look after Emily yourselves? You won't be hiring a nanny to care for her while you busy yourselves with your glamorous lifestyle?" he asked.

Ryan and Marissa both looked at him trying to be serious but the smiles on their faces could not be contained. Ryan spoke first "No. You honour. It is our intention that she we will be with at least one of us at all times." He assured the judge but then though better of it. "If anything comes up that requires both of us to attend then either my mother and father, or my brother and his fiancé have volunteered to babysit. She will not ever be left with strangers. And I guarantee that Emily couldn't ask for a better surrogate family. And I should know." He added.

"Okay. As long as it is the exception and doesn't become the rule." Judge Collins replied. "I'm going to award you temporary custody for 2 months and then I will review it. You will also be required to ensure that Emily visits her mother regularly."

"We can come up every weekend." Marissa said.

"I think once every 2 weeks will be all I'll ask. If you chose to do it more often than that, then it's up to you." He replied. "I hope that I don't come to regret this decision." He said.

Ryan squeezed Marissa's hand in his. "You won't your honour. We promise."

---

After leaving the judge's chambers, Ryan and Marissa told Emily what was happening. She didn't really understand why they were so happy because that is what she had assumed was happening all along. Marissa gave Emily a cuddle while they made plans for returning to LA. Emily was excited about going on her first plane trip.

Sue and Charlotte were talking and Ryan went to speak to them. "I just wanted to thank you both for helping us." Ryan said.

"It was no problem at all." Sue said. "I'm just pleased that it all turned out for the best. I have to tell you I was a bit worried there for a while." She added.

"You and me both." Ryan assured her and turned to Charlotte. "And thank you. I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect when you walked in the door." Ryan admitted.

"Yeah well." She said and waited until Sue had turned to speak with Marissa and then added. "It took me a while to get over what happened this morning. But I guess ultimately the fact that you didn't try to blackmail me, made me feel pretty guilty about what I'd tried to do." She added quietly. "But don't worry. I didn't lie for you. What I wrote in my report was purely from a professional view. It was the recommendation that she deserved anyhow."

Ryan smiled. "Well thank you anyhow. You don't know just what it means to us." He said.

"I think I probably do. But much as I hate to say it, it really looks like you two have what it takes." She smiled. "And I'm not talking about your physical abilities, although from what Marissa said, and from what I remember, I gather that you certainly don't have any problems in that area." She smiled.

Ryan couldn't help but laugh. It seemed that she did at least have a sense of humour.

Marissa looked up at the sound and made her way to speak with them. "I wanted to thank you for what you did in there." Marissa said.

"It's okay. As I said to Ryan, it was nothing more than the professional report that I should have done anyhow. It's not as if I lied."

"We wouldn't have wanted you to." Marissa assured her.

"I know and that's what made it possible to do. Even after what had happened this morning. I hope you'll forgive me? I have actually realised that I have a problem and I've made an appointment to see a counsellor myself. I figure I'm not going to find another Ryan out there so I'd better work out how to lower my standards." She replied.

Marissa laughed. "Yes you'd better. Because I'm not letting him go." "Ever." She added for good measure.

"So I gathered." Charlotte replied.