43. Trial and Error

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abcdefu (angrier) - GAYLE

Evelyn's heels tapped against the courthouse floors as we made our way towards the smaller courtroom we were told to go to

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Evelyn's heels tapped against the courthouse floors as we made our way towards the smaller courtroom we were told to go to. Much like the one we got married in, but not as joyous of an occasion.

"Okay, until this past year, I'd never been in a courthouse, and now I've been here twice. And for two very different reasons." Evelyn says as she squeezes my hand.

Keith walked in front of us as we made our way down the wide hallway. We stop in front of two wooden doors, Keith turns to face us, "Are you ready?" I take a deep breath before responding.

"Yeah."

He reached his hand out, grabbing ahold of the handle and swinging the door open. We walk in, going past a couple of rows of benches on either side of us. My mom, Kendra, Chris, Ellie, and Gracie were already seated at the front. They gave us all small smiles as we past them.

Keith opened the little gate and pointed to the table to the left as we walked over, taking our seats. I turned around, looking at Gracie. "Thank you." I mouthed and she smiled and nodded.

The double doors swung open and in came a man in a navy suit and Ryan, Evelyn's dad, followed behind him. I inhaled a sharp breath through my nose as Evelyn's grip became tighter on my hand. "Hey." I whisper, causing her head to turn to me.

"Keep your eyes on me. Don't even look at him." I say quietly and she nods, peering up at me through her mascara covered lashes.

"Please rise for the judge." The security guard standing at the front of the room says as everyone stands up and in walks a middle aged woman. Round rimmed glasses rested on the edge of her nose. I'm not even gonna lie when I say, she scares me a little bit, and I'm only looking at her.

"You may be seated." She says as we all sit down and she follows. "Alright, let's get this started. Mr. Henderson, the floor is yours."

Keith stands up, walking in front of the judge. "Your Honor. Personally, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how Mr. Lynch was able to file for custody in the first place."

"Why is that?"

"Well you see, for one, he's never met the child. He doesn't know his name, his age, what he even looks like. He's hardly even met Greyson Rhodes, the father, and he'd barely spoken to his daughter after she told him she had become pregnant, wanting nothing to do with his daughter."

"Continue."

"Then, he broke into their house to try to get Evelyn, his daughter, to leave Greyson." He says as Ryan scoffs.

"I'm sorry, did you want to say something?" The judge asks as Ryan's lawyer responds with a "No, Your Honor".

"And the worst part is, he got arrested back in June of 2021, for domestic violence. So, why should this man have custody of a grandson he's never met and knows nothing about, when he laid his hands on his own wife."

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