Allison and Asher sat with their lawyer in the courtroom, they watched as his parents and Renee came in with what they assumed was a lawyer. She squeezed Asher's hand. Owen and Teddy were there to support Allison and Asher while Everly spent the day with Catrina.
"Breathe," the lawyer whispered, "you two will win this."
The judge called the court to order, "this is an unusual case. I have never seen grandparents suing for custody and access when there is no obvious abuse or concern for the child's welfare."
"You honour," the other lawyer began, "my clients have reason to believe there is a risk of significant emotional, educational and spiritual harm to Everly Blouin."
"What proof do you have," the judge asked.
"She is the product of a teenage pregnancy, her parents were 17 at the time of conception," the other lawyer said, "Mrs. Blouin is currently unemployed and engaging in unseemly conduct."
"I object," their lawyer snapped, "my client is a full time medical student in her third year of medical school at the University of Washington."
"Okay," the judge replied, "continue Mr Jones."
The other lawyer continued, "there have been medical challenges since birth with Everly which my clients believe would not have been the case if her parents had behaved with appropriate morals. Her parents were unmarried and have consistently put Allison's education above Everly's welfare. They do not bring the child to church or religious education classes as my clients expected. Everly has been taught obscene language to discuss the human body."
"I object," their lawyer barked.
"Mrs Cloutier if you can not listen to the opposing side you will leave my courtroom," the judge spoke.
"Your honour I would like to see their evidence for their claims," Mrs Cloutier replied, "we have submitted Everly's full medical record as well as her school records and the recent evaluation by a child psychologist."
"I have reviewed those documents," the judge agreed, " Mr Jones you have not submitted compelling evidence as to why your client requires visitation with Everly and a set weekly time. You need to show compelling evidence. Mrs Cloutier you have requested a no contact order between Mark, Michelle and Renee Blouin and your clients as well as their daughter."
"I have your honour," Mrs Cloutier replied, "if you look at the copies of emails and text messages as well as the transcribed voicemails between Mark and Michelle Blouin and my clients dating back to 2032 you will see that there is a pattern of abuse and harassment. Threating emails, abandoning their 17 year old son at the Altman-Hunt home."
"This was not disclosed to us," Mr Jones replied.
"It was in all of the documents that were released to the courts as well as to you," Mrs Cloutier replied.
"I did read some of it but not all," the judge replied.
"A no contact order would sever our family more than it already has been," Mark spoke out of turn.
"Mr Blouin," the judge scolded.
"They have destroyed our family," Mark shouted, "our reputations. We want that child away from her whore of a mother. And her grandmother, they are not fit to be around children and raising children."
"Mr Blouin," the judge scolded, "you will follow proper procedure in my courtroom."
"I will have visitation with my grandchild," Mark snapped, "Everly will be with us on Sundays from 8am to 2pm every week, without her parents."
"Your honour," Mrs Cloutier started, "my clients do not see a weekly unsupervised visit as in Everly's best interest. Everly has significant mobility impairments and their home is not accessible for Everly."
"What reasons are there for Mark and Michelle Blouin to be denied time with Everly," the judge asked.
"There is a history of abuse," Mrs Cloutier replied, "Mark Blouin has verbally and physically abused Asher Blouin, Dr Owen Hunt has provided evidence to support that. Mark and Michelle Blouin threw their 17 year old son out of the house when he told him his then girlfriend was pregnant their senior year of high school. They had minimal contact with them until after Everly was born. There is the police report of an incident in their home regarding the assault of Everly Blouin by Renee Blouin."
"I have read the extensive file," the judge said, "given all of the documents and the behaviour in this courtroom I am not going to waste my time on this any longer."
"That's bull shit," Mark screamed, "we will see our granddaughter and have regular time with her."
"You haven't wanted anything to do with her," Asher yelled, "you rejected her when you threw me out. You refused to see her, you've called my daughter defective."
"Mr Blouin," the judge scolded, "when I said I'm not wasting anymore time after following the file and reading the reports from the social workers I am not granting Mark and Michelle visitation with Everly. Mark and Michelle you will not have access to Everly and I will be granting the no contact order. Mark and Michelle Blouin you are to have no contact of any sort with Asher, Allison and Everly Blouin. If you make any attempt to contact them they can press charges."
"That's crap," Mark yelled.
"Mr Blouin, that is my ruling," the judge replied, "if you contact them it is harassment and you will be charged."
"Thank you, your honour," Allison spoke for the first time.
"In the matter of the defamation of character," Mrs Cloutier asked.
"That is a civil matter that I can not do in family court," the judge replied.
"We will proceed to trial on that," Mrs Cloutier assured.
Their lawyer escorted them out and to a private room to allow Asher's parents to leave.
"It's over," Asher breathed a sigh of relief.
"It is," Allison reassured.
"What will they try next," Asher asked.
"They could go back to court about visitation," Mrs Cloutier said, "they can appeal. They don't have evidence but they could. I can't see an appeal being granted."
"The character defamation," Allison asked, "that could impact me getting a medical licence."
"Not with the court documents," Mrs Cloutier replied, "you have excellent references from Everly's doctors and therapists, her teachers showing that they know you and your family."
"What are we looking at risk wise," Allison asked.
"They don't have a leg to stand on," Mrs Cloutier assured, "if it goes further we can pull witnesses and more records. Your records of the emails and text messages was good evidence."
"Can we go," Asher asked, just wanting to get out of there and out of his suit.
"You can," Mrs Cloutier replied, "if you see your parents do not engage."
They walked out of the small room and out of the court house.
"I'll drive," Allison said once they reached the truck.
"Ya," Asher agreed.
They got in and drove in silence for a while before Asher spoke, "they'll lose it. My dad will lose it and hurt my mom or one of my siblings."
"I don't know Ash," Allison replied, "I want to help them but I don't know how."
"We have to protect Everly first," Asher replied, "and that word they called you."
"It's not the first time he's called me a whore," Allison replied, "we're each other's first. We are together and we always get through it."
They pulled into the driveway to find Mitch and Sierra waiting.
"We wanted to warn you," Mitch said, "dad's on the war path. Take Everly and go hide out for the weekend somewhere away from here."
"He'll get arrested if they contact us," Allison replied, "we have a no contact order from the judge."
"Just go," Mitch said, "we talked to sierra's aunt. You can go to their cabin at deception pass for the weekend."
"We can't Allie has an emergency medicine rotation tonight and tomorrow night," Asher replied.
"You can't be here," Mitch replied.
"Auntie Megs or Annie's," Allison suggested.
"No," Asher said, "if they come we face them. He's scared of your dad."
"Can we take Everly," Sierra asked, "she can sleep over. My mom is with our kids."
"We'll keep her with us," Allison replied, "I appreciate the offer though. Ev has a cold and that always causes pain flare ups. She's had a couple rough nights. I won't even leave her over night with my mom like this."
"We're here if you need us," Sierra said.
"Dads going after getting custody of our kids," Mitch replied, "how did you stop it?"
"Court order," Asher replied, "have they reported you to CPS?"
"Yea," Sierra replied, "Allie talked me through it. They have our kids' medical records, preschool ones and we hand over our bank statements."
"Did they talk to your land lord and look around your house," Allison asked.
"Everything," Mitch replied.
"We'll have to stick together," Allison said, "we set the precedent today."
"I worry about them, it's a cult," Mitch replied, "the longer I'm away from dad the more I see that it's a cult."
"It is," Asher replied, "I didn't get it until I was living here. We're here and we can just do our thing the seven of us."
"More kids," Sierra asked Allison.
"We'll talk after med school," Allison replied, "I have to finish this year. I'm going to Boston for six weeks next fall for my sub internship."
"How will that work," Sierra asked.
"She goes and Ev and I stay here," Asher replied.
"Can you do that," Mitch asked.
"We have to," Asher replied, "it'll be hard on all of us but Allie needs to go. She needs the opportunity to go and see a new city and hospital. She's given up so much for her education and limited her opportunities because of Ev and I. I want her to go."
"But the cost," Sierra asked.
"We have student loans that we'll have to use," Allison replied.
"If you talk to mom and dad don't tell them anything about us," Asher said.
"We won't," Mitch assured, "we're trying to go no contact with them and their cult."
"It's a lot to process," Asher agreed.
"We're doing it together," Sierra replied.
"Allie was my sounding board," Asher replied, "I knew I didn't want my child raised like we were."
"Our kids won't be," Mitch assured, "Sierra is going to get her teachers. It's a lot of work but we'll figure it out."
"We'll help however we can," Asher promised.
"Let us know how we can help," Allison replied, "even if you want me to take the kids for a couple hours for you to study. I know how helpful that can be especially when she was little. She's better now with me studying and needing to play independently. It was almost easier with a baby. She would sleep on me while I read."
"He's easier for sure," Sierra replied, "study and feed."
"I know," Allison laughed, "I would read out loud from textbooks to her."
Mitch's phone rang.
"It's dad," Mitch gasped.
"Go," Asher hissed, "you didn't see us or talk to us."
"We we'll try to calm them down," Mitch assured.
"Just keep them away from me and my family," Asher replied.
"We will," Sierra replied as they walked to their car.
Allison and Asher went inside and found Everly playing with Catrina.
"How did it go," Catrina asked.
"What we hoped," Allison replied, "we can talk later. How was your day Ev?"
"Fun," Everly smiled, "we went swimming and saw a movie."
"What movie did you see," Asher asked.
"The new Moana sequel," Catrina replied.
"You love Moana," Allison teased Catrina.
"I do," Catrina smiled, "and I had a willing accomplice to see the movie."
"How was she," Allison asked.
"She was great," Catrina assured, "but I should head home and pack to go back to school."
"Thanks again Cat," Allison said, "Ev what do you say to Cat?"
"Thank you for the fun day," Everly smiled.
"You are very welcome Everly," Catrina replied.
They said their goodbyes and Catrina left.
"Now what," Asher asked.
"We live," Allison replied, "we just live our lives and don't worry about them. They lost out and lost face today, not us. They exploded, we didn't."
"True," Asher replied, "let's all go for a drive though. We need family time."
The family of three got in the car and headed out for a drive.