You're Family Now

Part 39 (B)

Gems pov-

It was now exactly 9:30 at night. Everyone had returned with the things I've asked for. The hospital allowed us to use one of the conference rooms so I could have everyone in the room and we can discuss decisions.

"So Ms.Hughes. Where do we begin?" Mrs.Grahm, a lawyer that worked for my mother and was a trusted friend to her inquired softly.

All 17 of us stared at the mounds of papers and boxes infront of us on the conference table. There was Lachlan, Mitch, Rob, Vik, Preston, Mrs.Grahm, me, Adam, Alesa, Jerome, three other lawyers and four staff lent to us by the hospital in this one conference room. And here I stood, basically in charge of them all.

I stared at the group before me for a short time but in my head it seemed to last years. They all held similar expressions, determination. A longing to get me back home and it was something that I couldn't help but feel just from their eyes staring back at my own.

"We start at the beginning. Before we look at the papers, you all need to know something many of you may not." The air shifted, everyone awaiting the new information. "My family was a wealthy one. When my parents died, we had about seventeen million dollars to our name. My mother divided up her fortune among our family members, leaving me with the five million left from the division. However, when I was placed into the care system I hid the money away in accounts across the world, something that was advised to me by Mrs.Grahm herself, I at the time had only a slight idea of what that was meant to do. The reason I graduated at the age of fourteen was because for the most part I grew up privileged. A mansion on rolling hills and thousands of acres in wine country in my posession. My sister, managed to take two million of my fortune before Mrs.Grahm could stow it away for me, so to my sisters knowledge that's all I had."

I paused, watching each of their faces drink in the words that just poured from my mouth.

"I have a feeling that the only reason she came back was because my face was made public again. When I revealed my identity I moved my accounts around slightly as to make sure there was no suspicioun, and this is what I believe started my sisters resurfacing." All she ever wanted was money and fame, and this could be her ticket to it, no way in hell in she succeeding.

"So that's our base point? A theory?" Scoffed a gentleman by the name of Henry Smitch, a lawyer assigned to my case for what reason? I have no idea but he's the only one I didn't want here.

"Precisely. It's a motive. Detective Lawerence is checking my sisters phone records as well as travel history, and major purchases from the time of my mother's death."

"Gem, what about your actual custody? Your adoption papers weren't right. Legally speaking.. you're under custody of the state still." Mitch's voice pained me to hear and his words even more so. I didn't want it to be true, no matter nohow much I new he was.

I nodded. "Legally yes, but from the perspective of the jurors you are my brother and care taker and we'll be using that to our advantage."

At this moment Mrs.Grahm jumped in, taking charge at last. "Okay. So here is what we need to be looking for. Nurses, I need you to sift through the families criminal history and connection. If there is even a slight indication that her sister could be involved with a dirty family member it can be used against her. Gemma, you and your group need to divide into two, one group looks through any and all files you can get your hands on of your life starting with your birth date. Look for fluctuations in doctors trips as well as even a change in the seriousness in illnesses. The other group need to look into your recent file for domestic abuse, anything in those files need to be picked apart and flagged. Find all of the consistencies that they can between your and their stories then compare them to your sisters statements in court, find things that don't add up or make sense. The rest of the lawyers and I will continue building your case, 'fortifying it' if you will."

We all smiled and nodded, grabbing at the files and papers and boxes on the desk, until Mrs.Grahm cleared her throat for attention.

"One last things you need to know. If we battle for you in court, Mitch won't have custody of you ever. You will be emancipated. You'll have your own free will but, legally speaking, you will have nobody." Her words cut through me like a knife causing my body to grow rigid with everyone elses.

My eyes shot over to Mitch's, and we held a conversation with only our looks.

"Do it." He finally spoke.

"But Mitch I-" He stopped me. I knew he could tell what I was going to say and he stopped me dead in my tracks.

"I'd rather you not 'legally' be related to me than be placed with her or somewhere else I know you won't be safe there." I've never really seen him like this. For the first time he acted at full maturity. He spoke with level tone and a hard look in his eyes of both concern and authority. We held eye contact once more, me trying to fight against him, but failing to go against the wishes of my brother.

Finally, I gave in and turned to Grahm. I nodded to her, just once, and slowly showing the pain I felt at losing my last connection to someone good.

Hours passes. The night seemed to not exist. Everyone took turns napping and going for coffee runs. Luckily, all of us in the Team Crafted house were used to late nights, or just all nighters anyway.

As time passed I watched the boxes and papers go from person to paper, each group having their own color of sticky notes to flag important information. Soon, every paper had been read, flagged or noted and put into the correct placement on the floor.

We used the glass walls as white boards and colored expos to match the sticky note colors.

Detective Lawrence had returned about five hours in with endless amounts of information to show that my sister had spent all two million dollars she stole from me.

Finally, the last period of the last sentence left to take note on was written on the only open space of glass wall in the room left. Every window was papered in colorful ink representing a portion of my case.

All of us except the lawyers had collapsed in our chairs seeing as to how we've done the most work.

I watched the four lawyers and a detective fumble over each other and speak millions of miles an hour, creating a six inch thick file.

My eyes flutter closed for the millionth time before I'm shaken awake by a soft hand on my shoulder. I open my eyes, Mitch staring down at me, grinning tiredly. We stood silently for a moment before he mutter the words I've been wanting to hear for weeks.

"We've done it."