And here's the next chapter. Same disclaimer, hope you like it.

Chapter 61: Custody Settled

Tuesday morning dad woke me up early for a quick shower and then breakfast before nervously watching TV and then we went. At the courthouse we met my step-mom and her lawyer whose name was Randolf Perkins. The guy just rubbed me the wrong way. Especially when he treated me like I was five. I knew I looked young for my age, several people had told my dad they thought I was 12 or so, but I never would have passed for the kind of kid his tone was usually reserved for. When Bombay told him I was 16 the lawyer glared at my step-mom.

"You told me she was 12," he hissed as they walked in to the office, "12, not 16. The judge may actually let her decide."

"I forgot alright?" She answered. "How am I supposed to keep track of the girl's age?"

I held in my laughter and sat down in a chair by the window, still outside the office. The first part of the meeting was to talk about the divorce. I wouldn't be called in until later. As it turned out they still couldn't agree on the terms for custody so they would meet again tomorrow this time in front of a family court judge.

When we got home my dad handed me a box.

"Dad?" I asked.

"Came for you the other day. This address is in Chicago." Dad answered.

I looked at the address and then unwrapped the box. Inside I found another box and opened that one as well. I swallowed hard seeing the blue dress packaged neatly inside.

"I thought I told you no new clothes." Dad said.

"There's a note." I said handing it to my dad.

"Dear Lizzy, I told you to keep the dress. I never really liked this one but it was the best I could do two days before Prom. My number is at the bottom and your dad can call me if he gets upset but there's a feeling deep in my gut that you and I are going to be family one day. You need this dress more than I do. Enjoy it. Lissy Portman." Dad read aloud.

"Sorry?" I asked sheepishly.

"I get it." Dad sighed.

By the time I was brought in in front of the judge the next day, a man whose name I only remember as Judge Kelly, I was just tired of it. Phillip and Mr. Ted Detweiler tried to keep me busy but I just wanted to be back in Minnesota.

"So that takes care of the divorce. Now custody of the couple's only minor child Elizabeth Jacobs." Judge Kelly said.

"I'm 16 with a 113 IQ. Please don't treat me like I'm a little kid." I said.

Phillip shushed me but the judge only smiled. "Tell me about your childhood."

"Let me save you the trouble." I said staring at the judge dead in the eye. "I want to stay with my dad. You're going to ask me all these round about questions so you can figure out which one I prefer. Neither to be honest but I don't get that choice. I've never liked my stepmom and currently I go to a boarding school in Minnesota so in the next two years before I graduate I'll end up spending approximately six months at home. Summer breaks, Christmas breaks, spring breaks and a few other assorted holidays. When I was five I found this cat on the side of the road. He looked like he had been run over. His face was all squished in and there was this kink in his tail. After making sure he was perfectly healthy I begged my dad to let me keep him. I'm not really an animal person, my life revolves around sports but I knew cat hair everywhere would make my mom angry so I wanted to keep the cat. I've dated several boys in the past that are nothing but trouble makers because it would make her angry. The fact remains is neither my mom nor my dad raised me."

"Excuse me?" Kelly asked.

"I have four older brothers and I lived down the street from my best friend and godparents. My brothers raised me. They taught me how to walk, how to talk, how to throw a baseball, how to ice skate as soon as I was big enough to stand. I know more about my big brother Matt than I do about my dad. He's always the first person I turn to with a problem. Unfortunately he's just my brother. If I had to pick, which I know I do, I'd pick my dad. Solely because I know he'd let me stay at Eden Hall in Minnesota and I can continue to play baseball."

"Is this true?" Judge Kelly asked.

"I will allow her to remain there as she is very happy and her happiness is important to me." Dad answered.

"I would prefer if she were to transfer Graham Prep in Florida, which is where I will be moving to as another one of her passions is art and it's one of the most prestigious art schools in the nation." Alicia said.

"Your honor, Ted Detweiler. I'm Lizzy's attorney. We are seeking that the minor, my client stay with her father as her stepmother, not biological mother, does not have a legal right to her."

"I'm the only mother she knows." Alicia said.

"Quiet." Mr. Perkins hissed then he turned to Mr. Detweiler. "No legal right? She has a legal right to all five of her children."

"That is incorrect." Mr. Detweiler said.

Then Phillip explained. "When Mr. Jacobs married Ms. Thomas, Ms. Thomas adopted four of Mr. Jacobs' five children. We have here, your honor, birth certificates for the four boys, Matthew, Christian, Seth, and Benjamin Jacobs, and the birth certificate for his daughter Elizabeth Jacobs. Each listed Rebecca Jacobs as the child's mother. Then dated exactly two months after their wedding we have four, four not five, adoption records for Matthew, Christian, Seth, and Benjamin Jacobs. In the state of Minnesota and Washington county where the adoption records were filed, because they lived in Stillwater, there is no record of Elizabeth Jacobs ever being adopted. If this were in Minnesota the judge would grant Mr. Jacobs custody immediately." Mr. Banks said.

"Fact remains Mr. Banks, this isn't Minnesota." Judge Kelly said.

Mr. Detweiler handed the forms to the judge who stared at them. "Yes but it's something to be taken into consideration. We even double checked with the department of records in Stillwater, the county records, and Hennepin county records where she was born just in case and found no adoption record."

"I understand."

"Judge Kelly, I love my daughter. Not just because she's everything Becky and I wanted. I don't want to give her up but if it's in her best interests then I will hand over my daughter to her step-mother." Dad said.

I swallowed and stared down at my hands.

"So I can have her?" Alicia asked.

The judge sat quiet for a few moments thinking as he took in the forms in front of him. "In the interests of the minor child, Elizabeth Rebecca Jacobs I grant custody to ..."

Narrator's PoV
"Hello." Dean said answering his phone.

"Hey babe." Lizzy said.

"How'd it go? The custody hearing was today wasn't it?"

"It was."

"You sound indifferent."

"I'm going to be at a boarding school for the next two and a half years what difference does it make. Where are you at right now?"

"Cafeteria having dinner. Why?"

"Doesn't matter." Lizzy said.

"So are you coming back to get your stuff or are you coming back to stay?"

"You'll see." Lizzy said. "Both of those had me coming back didn't they?" Meanwhile Charlie answered his phone and was speaking softly with Gordon about the outcome of Lizzy's hearing.

"Yes, you have to come back. At the very least to get your stuff. After all you love your Mustang that you won't let me drive. When do I get to see you again?"

Lizzy hung up and leaned down. "How about you turn around?" Lizzy suggested.

Dean stood and wrapped Lizzy in a hug. "I can't believe you're back. You are back to stay right?" Dean asked. He sounded a bit nervous but was happy to see her.

"Yes."

Dean let out a sigh of relief.

"According to the judge, Alicia had no right to me because she didn't adopt me when she married my dad so Dad has full custody and I never have to see her again." Lizzy said. "You would not believe the dream I had on the flight back here."

"Have a seat and tell me all about it." Dean said ushering Lizzy into a chair.

Lizzy's PoV
"I really should go check my room first." I said hesitating.

"Sit down. Nothing happened. No one was even in your room." Dean said.

"Alright." I sighed. I sat down then hugged Fulton.

"Welcome back." Fulton said. Then he let go and shoved his tray at me.

"Love ya Fult." I said munching on his fries. "Thanks so much for talking to your dad, Adam. He's was the one that actually came up with the adoption forms."

"It's what he does." Adam said. "So you are staying?"

"Yes, attention!" I called getting the team's attention. "I will be staying at Eden Hall."

The team cheered. "So tell me about this dream." Dean demanded.

"I came back here, got my keys from you and I walked into my room and it was ... it was trashed. Like someone had gone through there with a baseball bat, followed by a knife, and it was horrible." I said shaking my head. "Then to top it off, I thought it couldn't get any worse but after all that he trashed my car too."

"Who?" Fulton asked.

"Andy Jefferson."

"How'd you get back from the airport?"

"Taxi." I said.

"Lizzy, you have to come see this." Julie said hesitantly as she walked up with Scooter.

"What's up?" I asked.

"You just have to see it." She said.

I nodded and followed her and Scooter out to the parking lot. Parked right where I left it, between Bastian's Blazer and Scooter's Hyundai, was my baby blue Mustang. However it didn't look like I had left it. When I left it was in pristine condition and worth nearly 25 grand. Now I couldn't believe what it looked like. I could tell there were traces of egg, some kind of cream, all four tires were flat, there were gouge marks in the doors, and it was wrapped in saran wrap. My heart dropped into my stomach. My car was factory standard with completely original parts but now I was going to have to get it fixed and that would seriously damage the value of the car.

"Coach Orion!" I heard Charlie shout as Dean wrapped his arms around me. Without his support I knew it was only a matter of time before my knees collapsed under me.

"What's wrong Charlie?" Orion asked.

"This." Charlie said.

"Whose car?" Orion asked.

"Mine." I answered in a daze.

"Don't touch it. I'll be right back." Orion said.

Twenty minutes later Dean Buckley appeared next to Coach Orion and Coach Matthews. That's when I also noticed that Charlie, Fulton, Julie, Scooter, and Dean were all still standing with me.

"Who found the car?" Buckley asked.

"I did." Scooter answered. "I took Julie out to dinner and her car was fine and when I pulled back in maybe an hour later it was like this. I can't believe someone would do this."

"Dean Buckley, could we check the security video?" Dean asked.

"Security video? Of course. My office." Buckley said.

"He has a security video?" I whispered.

"Films the student parking lot from two cameras, the administration building, and the teachers' parking." Dean answered. "I helped him when he was having trouble with it."

In the dean's office he scrolled the video back about two hours and there was all the proof I needed that Jefferson had destroyed my car.

"I knew it." I muttered. "It had to have been him."

"Ms. Jacobs, I will take care of this. Whose name is the car in?"

"My dad." I said.

"Call him and see what your insurance will do, I will talk to Mr. Jefferson." Dean Buckley said.

I frowned but did as the dean suggested. "Hey Daddy." I said.

"What's wrong sweetheart? Your flight was nonstop—" Dad answered.

"It's not the flight Daddy. It's my car. You remember I told you how much I loved my car?"

"Of course sweetheart."

"If I was in an accident and the insurance wouldn't pay for it, would you?"

"Up to a couple grand. Why? Are you alright?"

I sighed and told my dad what happened.

"I'll call our insurance guy. He'll get someone out there in the morning. I'll talk to Dean Buckley see if he'll put in a garage or something. Don't worry, we'll get this figured out." Dad said.

"Thanks Dad." I said. I hung up and Charlie hugged me.

"Don't worry." Charlie said.

"Can I just go to bed?" I asked.

Charlie nodded and Fulton lead me back to my room.

"Uh, Fult, Dean has my keys. He's the one that took me to the airport."

"Right. In here." Fulton opened his door and dug through their dirty clothes hamper.

"You put my keys in a dirty clothes hamper?" I asked.

"No one would look there." He said handing them to me.

"That's gross and disgusting and ... thanks Fult." I said. I took my keys and went back to my room. Thankfully, unlike the dream, my room was just the way I had left it.

The next day at lunch Dean Buckley entered the cafeteria and stood next to me.

"Dean Buckley is everything okay? Port, get up." I said. Dean stood and Buckley took his seat.

"I have spoken with the insurance adjuster and your father. The company has made its review and is willing to total the car and get you a new one."

"That car is worth 25 grand. There's no way he could have damaged that much. Especially since it has full coverage insurance." I said loudly.

"May I finish?" Dean Buckley asked.

"Sorry sir."

"There is another option. The school, our certified technician Mr. Thompson, who teaches auto shop, has taken a look at it and he's volunteered his senior auto shop class to repair it. However that is going to cost $7,500." Buckley said.

"That's a lot of money."

"Four brand new tires, replace the oil, spark plugs, a radiator, new interior, back windshield and brand new paint job. Since the senior class is doing it there's no labor costs instead they get a grade."

"Did you tell my dad about it?"

"I did. And your dad is opting to total the car. Says it's not worth fixing."

"Have they made an official decision yet?" I asked.

"Not yet. Your dad said something about calling you." Buckley said.

"I'll talk to him and let you know."

"Before the end of the day."

"Yes sir." I said.

I called my dad right after classes and he told me that he could only cough up four grand. So I broke down and called Matt. After a little begging and pleading he told me he'd pitch in the rest. I told my dad and he reluctantly agreed to have the car fixed. After telling Dean Buckley I rushed to baseball practice.

"You're late." Coach Matthews said.

"By five minutes." I said. "I was talking to Dean Buckley. So practice."

"Uh, uh, uh. You have to sit out three practices." Matthews said wagging a finger at me.

"I sat out yesterday."

"Because you didn't get back until after practice."

"But the suspension was up at four which was halfway through practice."

"Fine, yesterday counts as one. Today is two and tomorrow is three."

"Then I get to play in the game." I suggested.

"No. I'm sorry I can't let you."

"Come on Coach. If I miss the season opener I miss the season. Your rules." I said.

"I have never had a player on scholarship. Never. All the boys who try out just play 'cause they want to or because they thought it could get them out of gym. You're here on scholarship so for you I'll drop the rule. You sit out this game you won't miss the season."

"Promise?"

"Promise. I won't promise you next week, you've got to show me you've got it in practice, for all I know you haven't touched a baseball in almost a year. I have to know that you're good enough."

"Coach."

"I'll promise you in two weeks but not next week, I have to see you in practice first."

"Then do you mind me watching this practice? If I'm going to be playing with these guys I need to know how they play."

"Alright have a seat."

So I sat down to watch their practice. As they took a water break half an hour later I looked at Bastian. "Hey Bash, have you ever tried choking up a little more on the bat?"

"No, batting low feels right."

"Try choking up on the next couple swings. See how it does for ya."

Bash gave me a concerned look but shook his head. Ten minutes later after cranking out five successful hits he looked at me. "Thanks." Bash said.

Mike came to me after practice and was acting kinda hesitant. "What's wrong Mike?"

"I heard what you said to Bash. About his batting." Mike said.

"Yeah."

"Does that work for everyone?"

"Not really, but your batting is good, really good."

"Brick's isn't. Couldn't hit to save his life."

"True, he should practice with a wooden bat. If you can hit it with a wooden bat you'll have no trouble with an aluminum bat."

"I see."

"And you know, you may already know this but if you bring your stance in just a bit to no farther than shoulder length apart you'll be able to catch anything Tony throws at you. You won't drop as many pitches. But you don't have to listen to me. Later Mike."

"Yeah thanks." He answered sorta dazed as though he confused by what just happened.

There's that chapter. Thanks to all my reviewers. Please keep reviewing even if you don't think it's worth mentioning or have nothing to comment on.