Seems Like A Lifetime

The Heart of Life: Reality!

Its Sunday the day of the funeral. Again Ashley has been extremely quiet. I tried to talk to her this morning and she just looked at me so I decided to give her space.

We're in the limo on the way to the funeral. I'm holding Ashley's hand. Aiden is holding her hand also. He's also holding Kyla's hand. She looks really sad, they both do. I hate seeing her like this.

We pull up to the church, get out and go inside. It was a really nice funeral. All of his friends and family were there. A few people spoke and Ashley sang a song. It was beautiful. After the funeral all his close friends and family went back to Ashley's house. Everyone stayed over until about eight that night talking about what a good man he was and how they're going to miss him. After everyone left Aiden and I decided we would do the cleaning because Ashley, Kyla, and Christine deserved to rest.

After we cleaned I went up to Ashley's room. She was lying down on her side looking at the wall.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked sitting down next to her.

"Better now that you're here." She said pulling me down to lay next to her. She wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me closer to her. "I love you." she whispered in my ear. I smiled.

"I love you too." I really do. "Thank you for being here. Even when I didn't deserve you, you stuck around." She said softly. I turned to face her.

"Ashley, you were going through a really tough time. I understand. And I'll always be here for you." I reassured her.

"I know." She smiled. She leaned forward and kissed me. Sweetly and passionately.

She let all her emotions flow into the kiss I could feel how much she loved me. I turned back over and she wrapped her arm back around my waist and we fell asleep.

"Move over dummy."

"I'm as far over as I can go. If I move over any further I'm going to fall off the seat." I said back.

"Why are we sharing a chair anyway when there's like a thousand of them in here?" I asked curiously.

"Because I want to sit next to you and there aren't

anymore chairs at this table." She smiled back. We're at an assembly and Ashley decided to

come late so the seat I saved for her next to me was taken by Rhonda Mitchell, the biggest girl in

6th grade, so neither of us are asking her to move. "A little more Spence. You're not THAT big."

"Ashley!" I yelled quietly. She smiled at me then pretended to listen to the principal talk. After the

Assembly we were let out of school early so Ashley's dad came to pick us up and took us out to

get ice cream. "Dad, you rock!" Ashley said excitedly while taking another lick of her ice cream

cone. "Yeah, thanks Mr. D for taking us out for ice cream. "It's my pleasure." He smiled. After ice

cream he took us to the park. More than I can say about my parents. They hardly ever took my

brothers and I anywhere they worked so much.

I was awakened out of my sleep by the sound of the phone ringing.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Yes, Is this Spencer?" The other line asked.

"Yes, this is she." I answered back wondering who would be calling me at midnight.

"Hello yes this is Johnathan Brown, Troy's new attorney, I think we need to talk"... I was brought back to reality with those four words.

'We need to talk' I knew exactly what we 'needed' to talk about...

It's Monday morning and I'm on a plane back to Ohio for the preliminary hearing.

I still can't believe Troy is doing this to me, to our kids.

I'm glad Ashley is here to comfort me because I don't think I would be able to make it if she weren't.

She's been holding my hand the entire time and telling me not to worry but I can't help but to.

They're my kids and if I lose them I lose the biggest part of me. After we landed and got back to the house that seemed so empty without my children there, I changed and went to the courthouse. To my dismay my kids weren't there, only Troy in his nice expensive suit with his clean cut lawyer, and even his sister was here. I'm here alone because Ashley had to go do something, which is beyond me because we just got here and Ashley has never been to Ohio a day in her life.

Anyway, we're about to start and I'm going to defend myself because no one knows me better than me and no one knows my kids better than I do, that's one advantage I have over Troy.

"All rise," the bailiff instructed. After the Judge came in and took a seat everyone else in the courtroom followed.

"Case 1532- Troy Johnson vs. Spencer Johnson for the custody of Troy Johnson Jr.-5, and Megan Johnson-3. Have we come to some sort of agreement counsel?" The judge asked us. Judges usually hope that custody cases can be settled outside of the court for the children's sake but Troy, he's always been a stubborn man.

"No your honor we haven't," Mr. Brown (Troy's Lawyer) informed the Judge. All of a sudden the courtroom doors opened. We all looked back and saw Ashley walking in with... "Oh my god" I said in a whisper. She was walking in with Garry Batteto, the best Lawyer in the North East, no one ever wanted to be his opposing counsel.

The knew they would lose.

They came in and sat down at my table. I couldn't help but smile at Ashley.

"Mrs. Johnson, would you like to explain whats going on?" The judge asked me.

"Your honor if I may?" Mr. Batteto offered up.

"You may." The Judge granted.

"I shall be representing Mrs. Johnson from here on out, but if I could have a brief moment to talk to my client to get some information it would be highly appreciated."

"Lets take a ten minute recess." The Judge said getting up from his podium.

"Hello Spencer, I'm Gary Batteto," "I know who you are," I interrupted.

"You're like the best lawyer, this side of Texas," I said stupidly.

"Thank you." He offered.

"Ashley, how did you...?" I start.

"I told you, that I would get the best lawyer for you Spence, I'm not letting you lose your kids, we're going to be a family no matter what it takes." She smiled.

"I... I love you," I said hugging her.

"I hate to break up the happy moment but we've got a case to win and in order to do that I'm going to need some information. I need all the main details, birthdays, plays, baseball games, anything that you think will help your case, proving that you are a better guardian to your children than their father." Mr. Batteto said taking his laptop out

of his brief case. I told you...

I'm not loosing my children.

Troy looks petrified and he should be...