The courthouse looms large over TJ and Molly, both of them at the base of the steps. They stand with their fingers intertwined, nerves shot to hell.
"Weeks and weeks of discovery," Molly mutters, "and it all comes down to this."
"Any chance her parents mess this up?"
"They already agreed to give up their rights. I have the signed paperwork. Plus, there's absolutely no way the courts would let Jasmine back into their care."
"This should be a slam dunk then, right?"
"It should be. Worst case scenario: they have Jasmine move into foster care. That means she's out of Corinthos-Davis House...and out of our lives."
"They can't do that...can they?"
"If they don't think we're fit to take care of her, and if they don't think Corinthos-Davis House is the best place for her, then yes, they can."
"How likely is it that the courts will do that?"
Molly doesn't answer, taking a shallow breath before marching up the steps. Her fingers stay with TJ's, and he follows her reluctantly. They casually enter the courthouse, getting through security with ease, and stop themselves as they turn the left corner.
"Hey!" Dex waves them over, standing with Alexis. TJ approaches first, hugging him tight, while Molly eventually does the same with the elder woman.
"How are you both feeling?" Alexis asks.
"Nervous, but hopeful," TJ nods. Molly mirrors him.
"The court's going to side with you," Dex grins, "You're the best place for Jasmine to go."
"I know, but that doesn't mean the judge will agree."
"The chance that the judge will not grant your petition is very, very small," Alexis replies, "You both have answered discovery with nothing but the truth, and you've proven just how well-equipped you are to be parents."
"Plus, you love Jasmine and she loves you. That goes a long way," Dex points out.
"You're right," TJ beams, "Thanks, guys. I just...Molly told me about the chances we don't get Jasmine-"
"Bad habit," Molly's face turns playfully sour.
"Very bad habit," Alexis sighs, grabbing her shoulders, "Thinking like a lawyer doesn't always work, honey."
"I know. I just...I don't want to lose this. It would be too much."
"You won't. Count on it."
The men smile as the women enter the courtroom, the Ashfords appearing just as they disappear.
"You made it!" TJ hugs Jordan tightly, going from her to Curtis and Marshall, with Stella and Trina circling them out, "Thank you!"
"I wouldn't dream of missing it," Jordan grins, "You're going to be a father!"
"We're all excited for you," Trina claps her hands together, "Spencer's babysitting his brother, but he sends his support."
"So does Portia," Curtis slaps a hand on TJ's shoulder, "Unfortunately, she can't escape the chief of staff workload."
"I totally get it, for both of them. Tell them I appreciate it!"
"Jasmine is lucky to have you and Molly," Stella comments, "and today will make that permanent."
"You guys are really optimistic about it," the young man observes.
"You're not?" Marshall asks, "You are more than qualified to take care of a child. And even if something goes wrong, we'll be here for you, no matter what."
"...I love you guys," TJ hugs everyone in reverse order. The group all walks into the courtroom, with TJ taking his respective seat next to Molly. Jordan, Curtis, Stella, and Marshall sit a row or two behind them, while Trina, Dex, and Alexis, sit parallel on the other side. Diane flashes a smile at the couple next to her as she closes a manila folder.
"Are our odds good?" TJ asks, an arm draped over the back of Molly's chair.
"I'd say so. I see no reason why the judge won't grant your petition."
"That's reassuring," Molly sighs as the door near the bench opens.
"All rise, the honorable Judge Patterson presiding," the bailiff's voice booms. The judge, a bald, older black man, takes his seat, "You may be seated."
"Alright," Judge Patterson's voice is deep and firm, "I see that the petitioners are present."
"We are, Your Honor," Diane stands up.
"What about Ms. Ross herself? Will she be joining us?"
"Right here, Your Honor!" a young attorney, his long hair in a half-up bun, rushes into the courtroom. Jasmine follows him in, dressed in a modest, lacy purple gown. He drops his briefcase onto his respective table as she takes her seat, "Sorry we're late! Traffic was incredibly awful!"
"In the nick of time, Mr. Hathaway," the judge bellows.
"If I may, Your Honor, there is a matter that must be addressed."
"And what is that?"
"Ms. Ross would like to hear from a few of the petitioners' family and friends before proceeding."
"Were they not deposed in the course of discovery?"
"No. Only the petitioners themselves were requested to be deposed."
"I see," the judge turns to Diane, "Any objections?"
"May I have a moment to talk with my clients?" she asks.
"You may."
"Is she backing out?" Molly questions hastily.
"You know her better than anyone, TJ," Diane responds, "What do you think?"
"She wants an outside perspective. I can't fault her for wanting to make sure she's going to be with people who care about her."
"Who do we have to call?"
"Mom's here for me, and Dex is here for TJ. The Ashfords are here too. Anyone else would have to be subpoenaed, and that could drag this on."
"Okay," Diane looks back at Judge Patterson, "No objections, Your Honor. Mr. Hathaway is free to call anyone present to the stand, but I'd like to make it clear for the record that anyone he calls who isn't here must be subpoenaed, which can delay things-"
"We're well aware," the judge replies, "Anything else?"
"We have two witnesses prepped for testimony: Alexis Davis and Dex Heller. We were under the impression they'd be deposed, but that didn't occur."
"We're more than happy to call those two witnesses to the stand, Your Honor. We're not interested in ambushing anyone."
"Understood. As such, you can only call those two to the stand, Mr. Hathaway."
"Yes, Your Honor, and we'd like to call Alexis Davis to the stand first."
"...What's happening?" Trina leans over to Dex as Alexis passes them by. The young man shakes his head, unsure of how to respond.
"Ms. Davis," Hathaway clears his throat, "if you don't mind, my client and I have some questions about your daughter, Molly Lansing-Davis."
"And what are they?"
"Well, for one, my client and your daughter aren't particularly close. How confident are you that she'll be able to connect with Jasmine?"
"I know that TJ, her domestic partner, and Jasmine are close, so if there was any need to mend the gap, he'd certainly help out."
"So Molly would need help in parenting a teenage girl?"
"No, not at all," Alexis shakes her head, "I think Molly is more than capable of being a mother to a teenage girl."
"What makes you believe that?"
"Molly is one of the most intelligent women I know, and I am extremely blessed to have raised her. She's witty, strong, empathetic, and very, very giving. All these traits make up a strong mother, a good mother, and she more than deserves a chance to be one."
The question, while somewhat expected, comes out forcefully, "Do you believe your daughter is capable of being a mother to a black child?"
"I…" Alexis clamps her mouth shut, carefully considering her response, "Yes, I do. If there's something I know very well about my youngest, it's her big heart. It's how accepting she is of other people no matter their background or attributes, and how she's more than willing to assimilate for them. Jasmine joining her family means that she'll get to be the exact same person she's always been, and it also means that Molly will adjust as she needs to for Jasmine's sake, not the other way around."
"I see, thank you," Hathaway nods, "No further questions, Your Honor."
"Anything from the petitioners?" Judge Patterson asks.
"Briefly, Your Honor," Diane gets to her feet, walking up to Alexis with a note passed from Molly, "Ms. Davis, we know that my client, Molly Lansing-Davis, is your daughter, so of course, there's the obvious expectation that you're biased, isn't there?"
"I know, but everything I've stated here is absolutely truthful. Each of my three daughters are different people, but they share an unfailing compassionate nature. It's something that not only makes me proud as a mother, as their mother, but it makes me proud as a human being."
"And do you stand by your words about Molly being able to parent a black child?"
"I do. In fact, it's because of Molly that our family and TJ's family is as blended as it is. She's been with him for about a decade, and each year had them grow and develop as people together. It was Molly who helped the more…rigid members of our family become more accepting and assimilating. She always looks out for those different from her and doesn't think twice about it. Jasmine is in good hands; I promise you that."
"Thank you. No further questions, Your Honor."
"You may step down," the judge nods. Alexis walks through the well, re-taking her seat next to Dex, "Do you wish to call Dex Heller as well, Mr. Hathaway?"
"I do," the attorney nods. Dex takes a breath before getting to his feet, taking the stand. He flinches as the overhead light strikes his eyes, and the haunting of past testimony sits in the back of his mind, "Mr. Heller, how long have you known TJ Ashford?"
"A couple years."
"And you'd consider your friendship with him solid? Close?"
"Yes, I would."
"Have you seen Mr. Ashford around children?"
"I have-"
"Beyond his profession as a doctor?"
"Yes. He's an excellent uncle to my daughter, Ciara."
"Can you elaborate on that?"
"Objection," Diane stands up, "Relevance? Prior discovery established that my client and Ms. Ross are close."
"I'm not disputing their bond, but I feel it's important to know whether or not Mr. Ashford's compassion extends beyond her."
"I'll allow it," the judge nods.
"Well, for a little while, Ciara was in the care of both TJ and Molly thanks to some…poor decisions by her mother."
"How did they treat your daughter?"
"They made sure she was fed, she had regular naps and made it through the night, she had any and all toys she could dream of. She was even beginning to walk ahead of schedule! While both TJ and Molly had a hand in her care, I honestly credit it to TJ."
"And you're not just saying that because you two are close?"
"Correct."
"So because he treated your infant daughter well, you believe he's capable of caring for a teenager?"
"He treated my daughter as if she was his own, and I couldn't be more grateful for him. But it's not just because of that. TJ's a doctor; he knows exactly how to treat a patient, through excellent care and a proper bedside manner. Everything he does, everything he is, comes through his big heart. I can't think of anyone better to be Jasmine's father than him."
"Thank you, Mr. Heller. No further questions."
"Any questions, Ms. Miller?" the judge asks.
She looks to TJ, who shakes his head, "None, Your Honor."
"You may be excused, Mr. Heller. Thank you," Dex steps off the stand just as Judge Patterson scans the courtroom, "Anything further?"
Jasmine tugs the attorney's blazer, whispering something in his ear, "No, Your Honor. We're ready for your ruling."
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do just that. We'll take a brief recess," the judge slams down his gavel.
"All rise!" the bailiff states. Once the officers exit the room, everyone relaxes a bit.
"Why did that happen?" Dex turns to Alexis as Trina scoots to join the Ashfords.
"Jasmine must've been nervous about it. You and I know that TJ and her are close, but not her and Molly."
"Calling me up didn't really change anything she already knew about TJ."
"Right, but talking about him and Ciara the way you did probably helped her out."
"I hope so. If anyone deserves this, it's him," he settles into his seat, glancing at Alexis's glare, "And Molly too!"
"Right," Alexis sighs, leaning back.
"...Want to watch a video of Ciara running around with the toy caterpillar you got her?"
"...Let me see it," Alexis scoots next to the young man, watching his phone screen intently. The giggles and smacking of ting feet cause them to giggle, which TJ notices and smiles at while with his family.
"How do you feel?" Jordan asks, her hands on his shoulders.
"A little better. Alexis did a good job with speaking for Molly, and I had no doubt Dex would do the same for me."
"Unless the judge thinks otherwise, we have more than enough evidence to prove that Jasmine belongs with us," Molly hugs TJ's arm with her own.
"I worked with that girl a little bit when she was at the hospital," Stella shakes her head, "She's a sweetheart. What her parents did to her…it breaks my heart."
"Family is still family," Marshall replies, "no matter what. I don't know how she was stuck with parents as unloving as hers."
"What matters now, I think," Curtis clears his throat, "is that she has a new life ahead of her. Two loving parents, two big families, and two communities she gets to be herself in. If the judge doesn't see that…I wouldn't even know what to say."
The click of a door catches everyone's attention, causing them to scurry to their respective seats. They remain standing until Judge Patterson nods, letting them relax.
"Have you reached a decision, Your Honor?" Diane and Hathaway get to their feet.
"I have," the judge replies, "I carefully considered the responses from Ms. Davis and Mr. Heller, two people with connections to each petitioner, and the glowing reviews about their characters. I connected their words to the depositions of the petitioners themselves, noting how they answered each question to the best extent they could."
"And?"
"I know that you've been through a lot, Ms. Ross," the judge gazes at Jasmine, "and it would be a horrific mistake to release you into the care of your family after what they've done."
"No arguments from us, Your Honor," Hathaway chuckles.
"I then assessed whether or not it would be beneficial to place Jasmine in foster care, and considering her age and the circumstances surrounding her removal, that was shot down as well, which left me with two options: emancipation and permanent residence at Corinthos-Davis House or formal adoption by the petitioners."
"Come on…" TJ mutters, feeling Molly squeeze his arm.
"After careful consideration, and extensive review of the evidence presented in this case, I have decided…that Jasmine Ross will be relinquished to the care of TJ Ashford and Molly Lansing-Davis, thereby granting their formal adoption petition."
Cheers erupt in the courtroom, the people in the gallery shooting up in victory. Diane, TJ, and Molly motion for them to sit down and be quiet, which they swiftly do.
"I appreciate the enthusiasm," the judge chuckles, "and I'm glad that two upstanding members of society, with the emotional and financial means of taking care of a child, have such a strong support system. I have prepared a formal agreement for the petitioners to sign along with the attorney for the respondent, as she is a minor. If you three would step up…"
Diane joins Molly and TJ, grabbing the paperwork. She guides them on where to sign, before passing it to Hathaway for his signature. Judge Patterson retrieves the document, smiling wide.
"Congratulations, Ms. Ross," he booms, "As of today, you are now officially a member of the Davis-Ashford family."
After slamming the gavel and exiting with the document, the gallery once again rejoices. Jasmine immediately runs to TJ, hugging him tight.
"Welcome home," he tells her, "We're so happy to have you!"
"Thank you, TJ!" she lets him go, "I mean 'Dad.'"
"Call me whatever you think fits me best.
"And…?" she turns to Molly.
"The same applies to me," she opens her arms, welcoming the warmth of Jasmine's hug, "Welcome to the family."
"Can we see her?"
The Ashfords, Dex, and Alexis crowd the trio in front of the door, bright smiles on their faces. Stella stands in the middle, her smile the widest after her question.
"Uh, Jazz," TJ replies, "all these people are members of your family: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas, and grandpas. As exciting as it would be to meet them all now, I'm sure you have a lot to pack at Corinthos-Davis House."
"We can arrange a dinner," Jordan nods, "let Jasmine settle into her new home first."
"Thanks, Mom," TJ hugs her tight, moving then to Curtis, Marshall, Stella, and Trina, and ending with Dex. He holds his friend tight, slapping his back, "Thank you, man. Truly."
"Anytime," Dex responds in kind. Once TJ backs off, Molly pulls him in, letting go of her mother first. They don't talk, but exchange meek smiles when she pulls away, moving from him to the Ashfords.
"Well," TJ looks at his family, "I think there's one more thing to do before we head to the shelter."
"What's that?" Jasmine asks.
The words leave his mouth, and her smile is all the confirmation he needs: "How does 'Jasmine Davis-Ashford' sound to you?"