𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 ➤ 𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐭

ᴄʜᴀᴩᴛᴇʀ ɪᴠ

The room went silent for a moment before Jane huffed and sat back down. "See how they are? They are not suited to care for a mentally ill child like her."

"Jane, like I've told you before. Abby is not mentally ill." The woman before them spoke.

"Oh sure. Because it's perfectly normal for a child to sit around drawing pictures all day and talking to imaginary creatures who do not exist." Jane sarcastically commented.

"Listen.. I think we all just need a moment to all calm down-."

"Don't tell me to calm down." Jane spoke up as she huffed. "You're a doctor and you're making me feel like I'm the crazy one?" She asked. "And after... after what he did to that poor man.. I just.." Jane spoke as she teared up. Her voice became a bit shaky like she was going to cry.

Lilith huffed as she crossed her arms. Feeling Mike place his hand on her shoulder. "She sure knows how to get herself all teary for her acts." She commented.

"Lilith, right?" Dr. Lillian spoke.

"Yes. That's me." Lilith spoke as she glanced at the doctor before taking a seat once more with Mike.

"Why do you think that Jane is faking it?" Dr. Lillian asked.

"Well.. she never bothers to visit the home of said child and has never really offered any of her help towards Abby. Now she suddenly wants to have Abby with her with excuses as to why her nephew shouldn't. He has worked hard to provide Abby with a good life and things she might need as a growing child. He is doing everything he can for her." Lilith answered her truthfully with what she felt was happening.

Mike had listened to the whole thing. Giving her a small smile as he was happy that she had his back and him having hers.

Jane blew her nose into her tissue as she glanced back up. "I have really tried to play nice. I really have." She spoke. "But I need to think about Abby right now and what is best for her. Enough is enough. Doug?"

Doug, the lawyer she had brought in with her, stayed still. Holding his briefcase close to his chest. Staring off into space as he didn't seem to have been paying much attention to the converstaion.

"Doug!" Jane spoke up a little louder to be heard by him.

Doug snapped out of his daze. "Oh." He spoke lightly. Realizing he was still with Jane in the office of Dr. Lillian.

"Looks like you're holding the poor guy hostage." Lilith spoke as she watched them. Feeling bad for the lawyer that looked like he didn't want to be there with Jane.

"Oh please." Jane huffed. "You're going to be affected by what we have brough in today just as much as my so called nephew will be."

"He's a better family figure for Abby. He cares about her more than you do." Lilith spoke.

"You and him do not care about her at all." Jane argued back.

"I care about her very much and deeply. Which is why she shouldn't end up with you and your sick thoughts of using a child to get what you want."

Doug pulled out a stack of papers from his brief case as they chatted. Handing them over to Mike to take.

Mike sat up straight in seat before taking the papers. Glancing at them as he knew she was filing for custody.

"In your heart, you know this is the right thing to do here." Jane spoke as she glanced at them. "I am hoping that you will sign them."

"And if I dont?" Mike asked.

"Then my lawyer and I will have to take you to court. Where there will be a judge who has enough sanity to see to it that you never see your sister again. Is that what you want?"

"You're sick Jane." Lilith spoke as she glanced away.

"Sign them while you still have a chance or else." Jane spoke as she got up. "Come on Doug." She added as she snapped the poor man out of another daze before leaving the office space.

Mike and Lilith stayed behind as they sighed and leaned back in their seats. Both being a bit tired with the whole Jane situation. Taking a moment of silence in the room. A moment to catch their breath and their racing thoughts about what to do about the situation.

It wasn't long before Dr. Lillian cleared her throat. "So, you two are together, right?" She asked.

"Yes. A couple." Lilith spoke.

"And you are both looking for work at the moment?"

"We are." Mike spoke. "And I have a babysitter for Abby so she wouldn't be left alone or unsupervised."

Dr. Lillian giving a small nod as she listened.

Mike rubbed his hand a bit together before focusing. "She doesn't really care about Abby, you know." He informed. "She just wants the monthly payments in checks she will be receiving from the government."

Lilith gave a small nod of agreement as she knew that their aunt had no other intentions for having Abby other than that.

"But.." Mike spoke up again. "She did make some good points. I'm not fit to be taking care of a child."

"Mike.." Lilith spoke.

"I know a little girl who would very much disagree to that." Dr. Lillian spoke.

Mike scoffed a bit. "Come on. She talks to the air more than she does to me. I could drop dead tomorrow and she wouldn't even notice with how busy she is drawing."

"Mike. She loves her big brother. She's still young." Lilith spoke.

"Lilith, she talks more to you than she does to me." Mike spoke. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing but I want her to be able to come to me for things too."

"She will." Lilith spoke. "Just give it time." She added.

Dr. Lillian listened to them as she smiled a bit. "You two would be surprised." She spoke up. Getting their attention before continuing when she had them both glance at her.

"Pictures hold tremendous power for children." Dr. Lillian spoke. "Before we even learn to speak, images are the most important tool we have to help us understand the world around us. What is real, what matters to us. All these things are things children learn to communicate almost exclusively through their drawings."

"Yeah, her pictures mean something I guess." Mike spoke a bit.

"Of course they do. Who is in the center of most of her drawings?" Dr. Lillian questioned him.

"Me and Lilith." Mike answered.

"Mhm." Dr. Lillian hummed as he was correct. "Whether you both like it or not.. you are her world."

Mike listened to her as he glanced out the window. Spotting Abby sitting alone and coloring another picture like always. "What if it isn't up to me?" Mike asked. Knowing his aunt would be willing to try anything. "My aunt is an idiot but she was right about a few things."

"Mike." Lilith spoke up. "You're aunt was wrong. She doesn't know what you do and how far you've come for Abby."

"Lilith, no judge in their right mind is ever going to side with someone like me who can't keep his record clean." Mike replied.

"Did you find a job yet?" Dr. Lillian chimed in with her question.

Mike shook his head as he still hadn't found a place that would be willing to hire him.

"Okay. That is a good place to start with." Dr. Lillian replied. "Make sure to keep looking and find a good job that will have you."

Lilith listened as she was going to help him as well. She didn't mind getting a job to work for him and Abby. It was all going to be worth it in the end if their aunt didn't win against them.