Chapter 58- Custody Matters

"Are you sure you don't mind watching the kids?" Willow asked when they arrived at Scott and Liesl's penthouse.

"Of course, Liebling," Liesl said. "We are family."

They glanced over when Scott got on the floor with Wiley and Amelia and began building blocks with them.

"And you can bring Wiley to the courthouse this afternoon when the judge interviews him?" Willow said.

Liesl nodded. "Not to worry. The children are in good hands."

"Thank you, Aunt Liesl," Nina said. "It means a lot."

Willow knelt down with the kids and kissed Amelia's cheek, then hugged Wiley.

"When will you be back?" Wiley asked.

"I don't know how long we'll be, buddy," Willow said. "But I love you so much and I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. I love you too, Mommy."

Willow left with Nina and started crying when they got on the elevator.

"Oh, Willow." Nina embraced her. "It's going to be okay."

"I don't know what I'll do if Michael and Carly win custody," Willow said. "And it's not fair that a little boy has to go through questioning by a judge."

"Well, maybe the judge will hear enough before then and she won't need to speak with him."

"I hope so."

The elevator doors opened and they got off and went out to the parking lot.

"You're a good mother, Willow. The judge will see that. She'd have to be cruel to base your parenting abilities on me."

Willow stopped walking and looked over her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Nina asked.

"Yeah… I just thought I saw someone watching us. But I'm probably just anxious. Imagining things."

Nina opened the car door for her.

GHGHGH

Sam walked Scout over to her new playground and bent over to her level. "You've got this, Scout. Just be yourself and embrace it like a new adventure."

"Okay, Mommy."

Sam hugged her and watched her walk closer, then she got in the car and left.

Scout sat on a bench and watched as the other kids played on the climber. She glanced over at some girls playing hopscotch and she thought of Violet.

"Can I sit with you?" a blonde girl in braids asked.

Scout nodded shyly.

"I'm Evelyn. What's your name?"

"Scout."

"Want to play with me?"

"Okay," Scout said. "What do you want to do?"

"Tag?" Evelyn tapped her shoulder and ran. "You're it!"

GHGHGH

"Scarlett is getting so big," Carolyn said when Sarah handed her to her at Perks coffee shop.

"She is. And I'm so happy that I can have her unsupervised now. Well, I still can't see her foster parents. I have to pick her up at the drop off centre."

"But that's still an improvement."

They glanced up when Elizabeth walked in with Aiden.

"Lizzy!" Carolyn waved to her. "How is Cameron?"

"He's good," Elizabeth said. "We just came from seeing him. But TJ wants to keep him a few more days. Hi Scarlett. Aiden, have you met Scarlett?"

"Not yet." Aiden reached for her hand. "Hi Scarlett. I'm Aiden."

"Would you like to join us?" Carolyn asked.

"Yeah, I guess we can for a bit." Elizabeth sat across from them. "I let Aiden stay home this morning so he could visit Cameron."

"How's school going, Aiden?" Carolyn asked.

"Good," Aiden said.

"What subjects do you like?" Sarah asked.

"Science and art."

Carolyn smiled. "Just like your mom."

"Yeah."

"So, Lizzy, Sarah was just telling me that she has unsupervised visits with Scarlett now. I think that's great news."

"Yeah, I'm hoping that it'll get better from here," Sarah said. "The social workers are very pleased with me. I hope this means that I'll have a chance to get custody."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "I'm not sure what to say to that. She seems very happy with her foster parents and they love her dearly."

"Oh?" Sarah scrunched her face. "Do you know who they are?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said. "I just wonder if instead of taking her from the family she knows, maybe you should just fight for a place in her life as her grandmother, not guardian."

"But… I want to make things up to Lily, the only way that I can."

"I know and you still can. You can still make sure that Scarlett's loved by both her foster family and us. I just don't think it would be fair to take her from them because she already lost her birth parents, she shouldn't have to lose them too."

"But how do I know that they are good to her?" Sarah asked.

"I guarantee they are," Elizabeth assured.

Sarah glanced down at Scarlett. "I don't know. I'll have to think about this."

GHGHGH

"Just stay strong." Carly squeezed Michael's shoulders inside the courtroom where they stood with Diane. "No judge in their right mind will deny us custody. Not when Willow is allowing your children around Nina."

They whipped around when Nina and Willow walked in with Martin.

Carly gritted her teeth and walked over to them. "Haven't you done enough damage, Nina? I don't know how you manipulated Willow into suddenly loving you after what you've done to me and my family."

"You want to talk manipulation?" Nina asked. "What about how you kept not one, but both daughters from me? What about how you control everything around you, including your own son. Michael and Willow came up with their own agreement until you stepped in."

Willow touched Nina's arm. "Don't engage. Please don't engage."

"An agreement where Willow decides the schedule. And where Wiley and Amelia have to be visitors in Michael's home and where they don't get to see me that often. Bottom line is, you proved you are a danger to my grandson and everyone in this room knows that, including you."

Nina opened her mouth to respond again, but Willow pulled her away.

"Please, I'm begging you," Willow said. "Do it for me. Just ignore her."

"But she infuriates me."

"I know, but that's what she wants. She wants to get a rise out of you."

They looked over as Sonny, Dante, Kristina, and Brooklyn sat behind Diane, Carly, and Michael, but then smiled when Chase and Sasha came over to their side.

"I'm so glad you're here," Willow said.

"Brooklyn and I hate this," Chase said. "We don't want to take sides, so we decided she'd sit with Michael and I'd sit with you."

"And as much as I care about Michael, I will always choose you first," Sasha said. "You're my best friend and Wiley and Amelia belong with you."

Willow hugged them both. "That means so much to me."

When the court clerk walked to the front, Nina moved back with Sasha and Chase.

The clerk started to clear his throat when Spencer and Josslyn ran in, out of breath, hair messy, and it looked like they threw their clothes on quickly.

"We're here." Josslyn touched Michael's arm. "You're going to win this."

"All rise for the Honourable Judge Naomi Carson."

Everyone stood as the judge walked in, then sat down once she reached the front.

"I will now hear testimony in Corinthos vs. Corinthos and Spencer in the matter of the minor children Wiley and Amelia Corinthos," the judge said. "Ms. Miller would you like to give an opening statement on behalf of your clients?"

"Yes, your honour," Diane said. "My clients are concerned for the safety of Wiley and Amelia. It was in this very court where Ms. Nina Reeves' grandparent rights were confiscated due to her abuse towards their mother and Wiley himself. Both of my clients shared their concerns with Mrs. Corinthos when she had Ms. Reeves' rights reinstated, but their concerns were ignored. Since then, Mrs. Corinthos has moved the children into the same home as Ms. Reeves. And due to Ms. Reeves' neglect, Wiley sustained a concussion while in her care, further validating the concerns of my clients. They are now questioning Mrs. Corinthos' judgment when it comes to the children and they fear for their well-being if they remain in her custody. Therefore, my clients are not only here for full custody, but they would like Willow's adoption of Wiley to be revoked and for her to no longer be in his life or Amelia's."

Willow gasped and Nina glared at Carly who was smirking.

"And Mr. Gray?" the judge asked.

"Yes, your honour." Martin rose. "My client would like to countersue for full custody of Wiley and Amelia Corinthos. Both Mr. Corinthos and Ms. Spencer have shown controlling natures which is causing great concern for Mrs. Corinthos. Her mother, Ms. Reeves, has proven herself to be a good grandmother and is not a threat to the well-being of the children. Even Mrs. Corinthos herself is a wonderful mother and has shown that she has brought joy and stability to Wiley's life even if she isn't his birth mother. It would be a mistake to remove the children from Mrs. Corinthos' custody as it would cause severe damage to the children for her not to continue to be a constant in their lives."