Divorces and Milkshakes » Cockles

C h a p t e r - t h i r t y ~ o n e

"So Mr Collins, you wish to adopt Miss Alexa Rowland?"

"Yes."

"Why do you wish this?"

"Why do I wish to get her out of a house where she is being abused? Where she is being treated like shit? I don't know."

"There is no need for attitude, Mr Collins." The judge warns.

"Sorry, I'm just a little stressed."

"I understand, just don't let it happen again."

I nod.

"Mr Collins I believe you have some papers and photos to show the court room?"

"Yes, judge. Every time I would drop Alexa off to her parents house and pick her back up again, she will come back with multiple bruising across her body. I would take a picture of her arms, legs, back and stomach before she leaves and then take a picture of her when she comes back. I documented every time I dropped her off and picked her up and wrote a few comments on what Alexa said had happened to get the bruises, if she had fallen over, I would put a circle around that date to remind myself that on that date nothing happened,"

"May I see these photos?"

I hand over the photos to the woman who deals and overlooks what goes down in the court room. She hands them over to the judge and they also appear on the screen next to him, Alexa in a sports bra and shorts, her multiple bruising destroying the beautiful olive skin of hers, the large blue and purple spots splattered around her body like freckles, but if you join them all up the only result you'll get is that she needs to get out of that house.

"What do these receipts show?"

"That is everything I have bought since Alexa has practically been living under my roof these past four months. There are two piles, one is food in general and the other is for everything I have bought specifically for her."

The judge nods and continues shuffling through everything.

"You have not so long ago been in court for your own two kids, have you not?" The judge comments, still looking over the papers.

I hear muttering and comments from the people behind me, witnessing the case and from Alexa's parents standing on the right podium. I take a deep breath and shake my head at how easily people jump to assume things.

"Yes Judge,"

"What about?"

"I wished to gain access to my two children after me and my ex-wife had a divorce,"

"And, was you granted access?"

"Every weekend and weeks I have off work, Judge."

I hear the Rowland's make another snide comment and I set my jaw, trying not to lash out and wanted to make the best impression I could, knowing how much this would mean to both Alexa and me, even West and Maison to as they both gain a new sibling. I wonder how Alexa was doing, she was spending the evening with Jensen along with West and Maison, she didn't know why, she seems a bit hostile with me at the moment, ever since I introduced her to Mark she kept her distance and didn't seem fully committed to anything she did. Hell, I was getting phones calls off her school saying that she wasn't paying attention in class. I gave them a brief summary of what was going on and they excused her, but they won't for long. I wanted to keep this a secret and surprise her if I gain custody over her, giving her the relief and happiness she needs. Maybe then she can stop being so bottled up and finally tell me what was going on with her.

"Ah yes, you're an actor," The Judge says, looking up with a small smile. I was surprised to say the least, I just thought that he thought of me as another case, not as an actor. "But that won't influence my decision in the slightest."