HONEY: BOOK II Josie Who also Has A Last Name

Prologue Part I: An Ending, Erasing Half a Life

"Hear ye, hear ye, the family court of the great State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is now in order. The honorable Chief Justice Joseph Harmon presiding, all rise." The bailiff called out.

Everyone in the court room stood as the judge walked through the door that led from his chambers to the court room and ascended the few steps up to his seat. He sat down looked around his desk for a moment and then realized he had forgotten something in his chambers.

"Be seated." He said "Bailiff, would you please do me a favor? I forgot my glasses and water bottle on the desk in my chambers. Would you please get them for me?"

"Yes your honor." He replied and walked across the front of the courtroom and out the same door the judge had entered through, he returned within a few minutes.

"Thanks George." The judge said to the bailiff. "Okay, now that I can see and I won't dehydrate into a pile of dust, will the clerk please call the first matter?"

"All parties in the matter of Stevens vs Stevens please come forward and stand behind the tables at the front of the chamber."

Katie and Robert Stevens walked to the front of the room and took their places with their lawyers by their sides.

The clerk stood "Do all the parties with business in the matter of Stevens vs. Stevens Swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in all matters regarding this case?" she recited it from memory.

There was a joint "I do" from Katie and Robert.

"Be seated" she said as she turned and handed a pile of folders related to the case to the judge. He thanked her and she sat down.

"I see there is no contest to any terms of the proposed decree, have all stipulations been given to the clerk, and have they all been entered into the court record?" the judge asked.

There was a collective "Yes your honor." From the clerk and the two lawyers as the clerk stood and handed the judge another folder about an inch thick. He proceeded to read its contents very thoroughly. After about 20 minutes of silence he removed about half of the papers from the folder

"Let the record show that the court approves stipulations one thru forty-eight. It is hereby ordered that they be entered into the decree."

"Stipulation number forty-nine is a request for a gag order. I'm not sure why a divorce decree would warrant a gag order. Can someone explain?" he asked.

The two lawyers looked at each other, Katie's lawyer nodded to Robert's and he began speaking.

"Your honor, both sides have committed acts against each other and in the past that neither would want made public nor discussed. Therefore both parties recognize the need for this."

Just then Katie sat up straight "Actually your honor, he has things he wants to hide. I have a clear conscience about everything I have done!"

The judge banged his gavel. "That will be enough Mrs. Stevens." Then to her lawyer he said "Counselor please instruct your client on the following courtroom etiquette; all comments should be directed at you not the court. Please advise her that you speak for her in this chamber she does not. Also one more outburst and I will be tempted to revisit the entirety of the stipulations."

He then continued "we will take a two hour recess so I can review the stipulation in full. Bailiffs please call the usual place and see to it that refreshments are delivered to the jury room, and whatever other room necessary if the parties wish not to wait together. Of course you are free to leave the premises but please stay within a fifteen minute radius. Court is in recess" and with that he slammed the gavel on its plaque and stood to leave.

"All rise" the bailiff called out as the judge stood and exited the courtroom.

Katie's lawyer came over. "What does he have to review?" Robert was asking.

Katie's lawyer spoke first. "He is mainly concerned that you guys aren't covering up any illegal activity. That is why we buried the "Frank" issue so deep. Katie doesn't want to open that can of worms."

"I see." Robert understood.

"If Katie hadn't made that outburst we may have been already walking out of here with a decree in our hands." Robert's lawyer retorted.

Katie's lawyer raised his hands as if surrendering the argument and then turned and walked back to Katie.

The four of them were directed to two different rooms but they all decided to stay together and they went into the jury room. There was a buffet of sandwiches and hot foods as well as coffee and a selection of desserts from one end of the table to the other.

And there they all waited, for two hours until the judge came back.

Once he came back it was a relatively short process. They discussed the custody arrangement for their daughter Sarah, and a few minor details and in less than fifty minutes Katie Stevens once again became Katie Edwards, and the two of them were no longer married.

Katie stood and as soon as the clerk handed them their temporary decrees which would serve as proof of divorce until the official decrees were processed and sent at a later date, Katie and her lawyer left the courtroom.

Robert sat solemnly for a few moments.

"Bob, I've known you since kindergarten, you will bounce back from this." His lawyer said putting his hand on his old friends shoulder.

"There really is nothing to bounce back from Dave," he looked at his friend "it is just that I feel as though more than half of my life has just been erased." Robert looked stoic.

"I understand. Hey I have nothing else to do for the rest of the day. You want to get some lunch and have a drink?"

"Sure but you will have to pay. I have a huge legal bill coming, I'm not sure if I can afford it." Robert smiled at his friend.

His lawyer reached into his briefcase and pulled out a folder, he took a piece of paper out and showed it to Robert. The subject under the letterhead stated: "BILLABLE HOURS FOR ROBERT ADAM STEVENS"

He tore it up and handed it to Robert. "Consider this my gift to you as you start the next phase of your life."

Robert smiled "You don't have to do that. But thank you I appreciate it." He said, and then "Hey Dave what do you know about copyright law and publishing? I may want to do some writing." The two walked out of the courtroom and headed to lunch.