Maria. I Just Met a Girl Named Maria…

Chapter 5

Nick's stomach twisted nervously and he rubbed his sweaty hands over his thighs under the edge of the table. He felt Catherine reach over and clasp his fingers, their joined hands resting against his leg. His stomach bunched into even tighter knots at her touch as the meeting began…

Martin Decker opens the proceedings.

"Nick, Catherine, you know Nate Culver, of course. And with him is his Father, Dan Culver." Nick and Cat nod their heads in acknowledgement. Turning to the Culvers, Decker addresses them and their attorney."The reason I requested this meeting is to put on the table a proposition that Nick Stokes wishes to present to you. Mr. Stokes, along with Dr. Albert Robbins, is one of only two reasons that Maria is alive, at all. Without his and the Doctor's heroic efforts, Maria would have died in utero, along with her mother.

Since then Mr. Stokes has visited the infant daily, providing comfort and human contact for the baby. As a result, he has developed a deep and biding love for the newborn."

"As soon as Nate told Mr. Stokes that his Father refuses to allow Nate to keep and raise the child and intends to offer Maria for private adoption, Nick began the necessary steps to be certified as an acceptable adoptive parent under the Nevada Child Protective Services Act, as revised in 2007. That certification has been issued. The State of Nevada is fully convinced that Nicholas Stokes would be an outstanding adoptive Father. And, indeed, he is ready and able to put in place a complete system of support for Maria's care and education. "Therefore, Mr. Stokes is presenting himself as the party best suited to privately adopt Maria."

Mr. Culver immediately makes sounds as if to answer, but Mr. Decker waives him off with a raised palm and continues…

"Now, Mr. Stokes understands that there have been expenses involved with the unusual circumstances of Maria's birth, such as the extended hospital stay and N.I.C.U. charges. Therefore, Mr. Stokes is willing to reimburse Mr. Culver for any and all hospital costs. Additionally, to cover the legal costs and any other incidental expenses of the adoption, Nick will put into a managed escrow account the sum of $15,000. Said sum will be payable to Mr. Culver at such time the proper Court officials authorize and endorse Mr. Stokes' Petition of Adoption."

With that, Mr. Decker sits back and awaits a response from the Culvers and/or their attorney. The reaction is almost immediate. Dan Culver snorts through his nose and says, explosively, "A lousy $15,000? Are you kidding Stokes! That's crap. Fleming already has six couples lined up who'll fork over more than $100,000. And do it now, not when some Court gets through with all their dumb paperwork. All I gotta' do is pick the one I like best. And on top of that they're all married couples. No stupid "single parents" who'll work all night and never see the brat. You can take your lousy offer, Stokes, and shove it "where the sun don't shine! I'll never let you have the kid!"

Dan Culver leans back, hooks an arm over his chair and gives Nick a nasty, smirky smile. Looking very embarrassed over his client's snarky and mean-spirited words, Ryan Fleming attempts to smooth things over.

"Mr. Stokes, what Mr. Culver means is that he wants the baby to have the very best possible upbringing and he feels that a two parent household is in the best interests of the baby."

Nate Culver interrupts. "That's not what my Father means at all," he spits out, derisively. "What he really means is that Nick hasn't offered enough money to be the highest bidder for Maria. The other couples are offering huge money. Far more money than can be justified as 'reimbursing medical expenses.' And despite my Dad's efforts to prevent it, I've managed to meet three of the couples. All three are total losers. All they want is to buy a trophy baby. A family "ornament." I wouldn't let them raise dust, much less my daughter…"

Nate stops, takes a breath and, at that, his Father twirls around in his seat and backhands the young man full across the face. A cut appears in the corner of Nate's mouth and starts bleeding heavily.

"SHUT UP! Just shut your damn mouth," his Dad screams at Nate. "You're the bloody reason we have to deal with this shit!" Dan draws back his arm to hit Nate again.

Nick leaps to his feet and grabs the Dad's arm. "No more of that, Culver! Hit the boy again and I'll return the favor. Not to mention having you arrested for assault."

Ryan Fleming inserts himself between the two furious men and persuades his client to be seated on the opposite side of the table from his son. Catherine finds Kleenex in her purse and offers the pack to Nate, so he can get the bleeding under control.

Order barely restored, Martin Decker hears knocking on the conference door. Annoyed that his request not to be interrupted is being ignored, he rises to answer the knocking.

"Wait, Mr. Decker. That will be for me." Nate Culver gets up and opens the door. A very nice looking, well dressed, middle aged woman enters and smiles at Nate. He looks at Catherine, who gives him a ghost of a smile and an almost imperceptible nod of the head.

Nate addresses the room.

"Dad, you've told me time, after time, after time, that I have absolutely no say in what happens to Maria; to my own little baby girl. Well, I wasn't so sure that was totally true, so I asked Ms. Willows to help me discover my real options. So, Dad, everyone, please meet Mrs. Elizabeth Durango, Senior Officer with the Las Vegas Child Protective Services. She's been assigned to be our Child Advocate. She's going to be representing me and Maria, and only us. This time Dad, my interests and Maria's interests are going to come first. NOT money!"

Mrs. Durango smiles at Nate. "Well said," young man. "Now, I think you should return to the table." She joins the others and seats herself in an open chair.

Nate's Dad has been staring at his son the entire time. Now he voices his anger. "What the hell is this? You're a minor. You have no rights. I'm the only one who has any say in what's going to happen!"

Ms. Durango eyes him coolly. "It's true that Nate is only seventeen, Mr. Culver. But that status will change in a little less than two weeks. After Ms. Willows brought Nate and Maria's situation to our attention, I met with Nate and listened to his side of the story. I agree that both he and Maria must have an independent, impartial, representative. Someone who only considers their needs. Opening her briefcase, she takes out two sets of documents and passes one set to each of the attorneys.

Continuing with her statement, Mrs. Durango explains," These are very straight forward. The first is a Disclaimer signed by Maria's Grandmother, stating that she has no interest in taking and raising the child and would refuse to do so if requested. And, therefore, she gives up any legal claim she might have to the custody of the infant, to the Department of Social Services, Child Protection Division."

"The second is an Injunction from the U.S. District Court of Nevada, prohibiting the placement of Maria Culver with any adoptive parent or parents without the direct supervision of Child Protective Services. In other words, Mr. Culver, the child is no longer to be placed via a "private" adoption. There will be no money paid to you except that amount deemed acceptable by the Juvenile Division of the District Court and my office. All possible parents will be considered on an equal footing, Mr. Culver. Including Mr. Nicholas Stokes."

"Included as part of the Injunction is an Order of Temporary Custody giving legal guardianship of Maria to C.P.S. No one is to take Maria from the hospital. When she is deemed well enough to leave, she will be placed with a foster family or parent, until such time as her future is determined."

Turning to Mr. Culver, she tells him, in a very steely tone, "Mr. Culver, due to your obvious desire to profit from the adoption of your granddaughter, C.P.S. has determined that continued visitation with her is not appropriate. You are not to enter the Neonatal unit of Desert Palm Hospital, period. The Hospital will be so informed. And considering what I heard through the door of the conference room, I will be applying for an Order of Restraint, today, to make very sure you do not touch that baby."

Mr. Culver flushes deeply and tightens his fists until they're almost white. Standing abruptly, he tells his attorney they're leaving.

Once he and his attorney disappear through the door, Mrs. Durango turns to Nick and assures him, "Mr. Stokes, your application to adopt Maria will be given the same serious consideration as any other application. From what young Nate has told me, you've already made an impressive start towards convincing the Court that you are ready for such a momentous change in your life."

She rises and starts to zip her briefcase. Facing Nick and Catherine, she gives Nick a quick wink and smiling, says, "In fact, I'm rooting for you. I'll let you know when C.P.S. will be doing a home visit. We already have the home study and psychological reports. Hang in there, you just might get your dream after all."

With that note of hope, she departs.

Nick and Catherine stare at each other for a second and then the grins break out. Leaping out of their chairs they let out war whoops of victory and start hugging each other. Without even a second's thought, they exchange several excited kisses.

Nate Culver and Martin Decker still sit, grinning at each other. Each has the same thought, "Nick's single parent status might be in grave danger, if they keep that up."

TO BE CONTINUED…