Forced

Chapter 35 - Custody

29th of August, 2007
Michael is 49, Angela is 43

Angela: The hot water washed Michael and I as my arms were wrapped around his neck.

"Just three more days 'til I can make the sweetest love to you..." he said and kissed me.

"I know," I sighed into the kiss. "I wish I could give you a special birthday present..."

He frowned before we heard AJ crying from the baby monitor on the bathroom counter.

My husband pulled away. "I'll go."

I kissed him again, then he left with a towel around his waist.

I quickly finished up and got dressed before looking at my phone.

My dad texted me. "Got the cake."

I texted him back, saying the party starts at 4.

Just as I was about to go into the kitchen to ask the chef to make some appetizers, I heard Michael's raised voice coming from his office.

"She can't do that! They're my children... I don't care if she is their birth mother, she doesn't know the first thing about being a parent!" he yelled into his phone while holding AJ against his shoulder.

"Everything okay?" I mouthed.

"Just take care of it, Rob, I'm not paying you to go over papers."

Michael hung up and groaned.

"What happened?"

"It's Debbie," he rolled his eyes. "She wants shared custody over Prince and Paris."

"What?" I widened my eyes.

"Yeah."

"Can she even do that?"

"Apparently, she can," he said. "Since she's their birth mother. She has a strong case, my attorney says since I'm taking away her right to see them once a year, she can ask for shared custody, maybe even more..."

"Well we have a strong case, too. She pushed me and caused me to go into labor. Not to mention she deceived you into thinking you're having another child together. I don't think any judge would give her kids after they hear our side of the story."

"I don't know, Ange... You know what this means? I can lose Prince and Paris. Gosh, I can't lose them..."

"You won't," I wrapped my arms around his torso. "They're yours, and now they're mine, too, and I won't go through this without a fight. We won't."

Michael smiled down at me before attaching our lips. AJ stirred against him.

He kissed me again, "She didn't want to eat when I tried, maybe she will now... I just need some time alone to think, okay?"

I nodded and took our daughter. "Just don't let this ruin your special day, Mike. Prince and Paris are staying here, got it?"

My husband looked at his feet before sitting down.

"Come on, baby girl, let's feed you." I said to AJ, and although I didn't want to leave Michael alone at probably the worst time ever, I went to the nursery to feed my daughter.