Sam and Theodore Breslin sat at the long mahogany table silently, waiting for Marshall and his lawyer to show up.
The judge was already present and was looking down at the manila folder in front of her.
Sam looked back at Freddie, who was sitting in a hard, wooden chair behind her. He flashed her an encouraging smile.
"Your Honor?" Theodore finally spoke, looking at his watch. "It is now ten o'clock, and the defendant nor his representation is present."
"Thank you, Mr. Breslin, I too can tell time," the judge said simply, not even bothering to look up. "Believe it or not, that was a requirement for graduating law school."
"My client is very busy," Theodore spoke, keeping his voice firm but polite. "She is a mother of two and holds a full-time job as a police officer. We were under the impression that Mr. Pewter would be on time to the court date he so kindly called."
"I will give him until ten after," the judge said. "And then I will have my secretary-"
"So sorry we're late," came a booming voice as the office door opened.
A tall, handsome man walked in, flashing the judge a winning smile. Marshall was at his heels, and Sam shifted in her seat, determined not to make eye contact.
As Freddie watched Sam's ex walk into the room, he had to admit, he was not what he had imagined. The way Sam had talked about him, Freddie had expected to see someone who looked, well, crazy. But to the naked eye, Marshall really appeared to be normal. Still, though, Freddie clenched his fists as he thought about all that this man had put his wife and the twins through.
"Did you have trouble finding the room, Mr. Motonson?" the judge asked.
"Yes, a bit, this is quite a tricky building," the man who Sam knew was Marshall's lawyer.
"Good to see you again, Samantha," Marshall smiled, extending a hand for her to shake.
Freddie stood up protectively.
"Oh, sorry…didn't know you brought your body guard," Marshall chuckled, quickly withdrawing his hand. "My bad."
"Get away from me," Sam hissed, glaring at him.
"Please take your seats so we can begin," the judge said, clearing her throat. "Now, we are here today to discuss the custody arrangements for Leah Beth Puckett and Kira Danielle Puckett, correct?"
"Yes, although…jeez, I-I didn't know she went and changed my baby girls' names on me," Marshall said, letting out a sad sigh. "They were born with the last name Pewter. Like mine, see."
"Please speak through your attorney, Mr. Pewter," the judge said firmly. "Mr. Motonson, have you instructed your client on how to behave during a court case?"
"Sorry your Honor, my client was simply shocked that his daughters' last name was changed with out his knowledge."
"Your Honor, clearly Mr. Pewter knew about the name changes as he filed for their custody using their new names," Theodore said.
"I do not care whether he knew about the names," the judge said. "I will use their legal names for the duration of this case, which is Puckett. Am I clear?"
"Of course your Honor, I apologize on the behalf of my client and for myself," Mr. Motonson said.
"As I was saying," the judge continued. "We are here to discuss the custody arrangements of Leah and Kira Puckett. Currently they reside within the full custody of their mother, Samantha Benson, correct?"
"Yes, your Honor," Theodore nodded.
"And your client, Mr. Motonson, is filing to regain the custodial rights that were taken from him upon his arrest ten years ago. Is that correct?"
"Yes it is, you honor," Mr. Motonson said.
"Good," the judge said. "Now, from what I gather here, Mr. Pewter is seeking joint custody of his daughters, which would entitle him to have equal, shared time with them with his ex-partner, Samantha Benson."
"Yes, your Honor, that is what my client is seeking," Mr. Motonson answered as Marshall leaned over to whisper something into his ear. "Although my client would also like to know if twins' will be changed just like their mother's?"
"And what is the relevance of that?" Theodore snapped.
"He's simply curious as to what his children are going to be known ask," Mr. Motonson shrugged.
"Counselors…" the judge said warningly. She shuffled her papers. "Mr. Breslin…your client, Samantha Benson, is appealing this request?"
"Yes, she does not want to allow Mr. Pewter to have any contact with her daughters, as she believes they would not be safe in his care," Theodore nodded. "We have considerable proof that supports her point that we look forward to presenting you throughout this case."
"Very well," the judge said. She turned to Mr. Motonson and Marshall. "Alright, you may begin your opening argument for why you believe it is the best interest of the girls to have your client share custody of them."
"Thank you," Mr. Motonson smiled, getting to his feet. "Now, I am not going to deny my client has had a, shall we say, troubled past. That is what landed him in jail in the first place. However, while in jail, Mr. Pewter did not simply sit behind bars like some sort of sack of potatoes. No, he decided that was the wake-up call he needed to begin to turn his life around."
Sam rolled her eyes.
"While he was serving his time, Mr. Pewter was a model prisoner," Mr. Motonson continued. "He was cooperative, pleasant, he even worked to organize an intermural kickball league to give his fellow inmates a healthy way to release any negative tensions they were feelings."
"Objection," Theodore said. "Why is this relevant?"
"I am just showing that my client has actively been trying to create a new life for himself for years, even before his release," Mr. Motonson said.
"I'll allow it," the judge nodded.
"As I was saying, when Mr. Pewter was released from prison, he knew that to really complete the new, admirable life he was planning on living was to do the thing he had been looking forward to doing since he was sentenced; see his girls again. Your Honor, Mr. Pewter was stripped of ten years of time he could've spent with his daughters, a pain that any parent can appreciate. Mr. Pewter is a father, a father who just wants to be a part of his children's lives, a privilege he has been denied for ten years. When he was forced to give up his rights, it was not because he was deemed an unfit father, it was because his ex was dead set on making sure he didn't get to. His ex who had considerable connections to law enforcement and may have used her position to get such unfair actions to be taken against my client."
"Thank you, Mr. Motonson," the judge said, jotting a few notes down. "Mr. Breslin? You're up."
"Well your honor, what Mr. Motonson failed to point out during that fine speech of his was the reason why his client was imprisoned in the first place was because he stabbed my client, who was his girlfriend at the time," Theodore said as he rose out of his chair. "He did so while one of the two children in question was in fact present at the apartment where they resided. During his relationship with my client, Mr. Pewter had a violent history with her and had a history of returning to their shared apartment severely intoxicated. Mr. Pewter claims he suddenly became a changed man while in jail because he wanted a second chance with his daughters…yet, Mr. Pewter never once attempted to contact the girls while he was imprisoned. He had no phone restrictions, yet he couldn't even be bothered to pick up the phone and to try and say hello. That would not have violated the restrictions he had to them at the time. One of his daughters was even given a near-terminal diagnosis of kidney failure and struggled with the illness for eight years and he never even thought to call and see if she was okay or even alive for that matter. Heck, when my client got so desperate to try and find a match for her daughter to undergo a kidney transplant surgery that would save her life, Mr. Pewter refused to be tested to see if he was a match until he was promised a shorted sentence time if he was. Mr. Pewter may be a father to these two girls biologically…but that is all. His violent tendencies may have only been directed towards my client in the past, but who's to say he will not change targets? Especially since Mr. Pewter already has violated the terms of his release by going to my client's place of residence and directly ineracting with her and her daughters-"
"Objection!" Mr. Motonson said loudly. "My client was never charged with that allegation."
"Sustained," the judge nodded. "Mr. Breslin, please stick to the facts of the case."
"Mr. Pewter in no way shape or form would do his poor daughters an ounce of good by coming back into their lives now," Theodore said firmly. "In fact, it would only harm them."
As Theodore sat back down next to Sam, she looked back at Freddie. She wanted more than anything to be able to have him sitting next to her right now, holding her hand, as cliché as that sounded. She was glad that he had talked her into having him come with her, for she knew she was going to need him to get through this.