Dad and Tubbo

16

Tw: substance mentions, mentions of neglect, mention of abandonment

It had been months. Toby talked to his foster parents, he still ignored Grace.

But today he sat with his foster parents behind his family. His father sat on the stand.

"Why don't you tell the court about Tobias' early years, specifically at the age of one." Grace's lawyer said.

"When Toby turned one Grace had a nervous breakdown. We both had issues but we did our best to get better for him. One day I got home from work." He stopped and let out a shaky breath. "Sorry. Um Toby was crying in his playpen. Grace was in the corner rocking back and forth, when she saw me she got up. She grabbed a duffle bag."

He looked at his son. "She had needle marks. When I saw them I checked my son. He was sitting in a dirty diaper for I don't know how long. He was hungry and clearly tired. When I was taking care of him she left. She said goodbye and walked out."

Grace's lawyer looked at her. As if that was hidden from him.

"Is it true you kept Tobias from her everytime she reached out?"

"No. She never reached out to me."

"So when Tobias was four she didn't ask to see him?"

"When he was four she showed up with a gang she was involved with. She left when she was pregnant but I guess she went back."

"But she didn't see him?"

"I wasn't going to allow her to see him with the gang behind her. She could have taken him and I never would have seen my child again."

"But that didn't stop you? You moved him out of the state and when he was ten bribed her to stay silent and sign away all rights to her child."

"She brought it up. When he was ten she said she was getting married and didn't want to keep Toby tied to a mother he'd never know. I never paid her to stay silent. I sent her his school pictures so she could have a piece of him."

"I'm done with questions your honor."

-

"Mrs. Windsor would you share with the jury your side of the story?" Schlatts lawyer asked.

"It's exactly as he shared. I got high in front of my son. I sat in the corner to stop the urge of abandoning him."

"Thats all your honor. I don't want to upset Mrs. Windsor."

The judge slammed down his gavel. "Court is adjourned until tomorrow at nine am to give the jury time to come up with their sentence."

:)--------------------------------------------(:

So I don't really know courts work so I tried my best. Please let me know if I need to adjust anything. <3