Gifted (Camren)

Chapter 4.

/L

Later that week after having the hell of a lunch with my mother I contacted my attorney. Then two weeks later we had a hearing in front of the judge, that is where I find myself today. I'm outside of the courtroom with Normani; my attorney and friend.

"Am I wrong?" I ask Normani

She stops in reading from her notes and looks up at me, "Wrong about what?"

"About....everything. Mani, I know Mary is gifted, I know she could excel in that academy but I also know she'll be taken advantage of..just like Taylor was."

"Theres your answer." She says sincerely, she places a gentle hand on my arm. "C'mon, we're up." She heads into the courtroom and follow behind.

"Jauregui; Grandmother and Aunt. Really?" The judge looks to both my mother and myself "You sure you folks don't want to settle this out in the hallway? No, thats a shame." He then proceeds. "Ms. Kordei, you are here for the aunt."

"Yes sir, your honor." Normani says

"Welcome."

"Mr. Smith, you're on the wrong side of the bay aren't ya?"

"I'm very happy to be here your honor" Her attorney chuckles

"For the record Mrs. Devans is representing the state of Florida Child Welfare Department" He points to a young lady in the courtroom "Proceed."

"Your honor my client Mrs. Jauregui is the maternal grandmother of the child, her daughter; the girls mother was a troubled young women who seven years ago sadly took her own life. It was at this time that Ms. Jauregui preemptively and illegally took custody of the child and fled across state lines for the purpose of keeping her away from my client and denying her custody. There is evidence to prove that the child is in an unfit and unclean living condition. We petition the court to grant my  client full custody to be taken back to the state of Massachusetts to be given the life and education she deserves and is entitled to." 

Normani stands up "My client took the child for one reason only and that was that it was her sisters desire that she raise her child. My client has been this child's primary caregiver and your honor as far as the living conditions go, I've been inside the home. It's fine, I mean if we adopt standards according to our northern friends and rid every child of a home with bugs or flies in, near, or around it we won't have a child left south of Tallahassee."

The judge chuckles, "Okay, last chance before this starts to cost a lot more money."

"Your honor, my client would need reasonable access to the child." Her attorney says

"So ordered, Mrs. Devans you'll go to the home and check out the living conditions?"

"On the books your honor." She says "Ok, drive safe folks." The judge finished with a swift hit to his gavel. 

Everyone starts shuffling out of the courtroom. I'm not even too sure what happened but I sit still, I look over to my mother and her attorney. 

"Her lawyers got a nice suit."

"Relax Laur, more weights put on the talent portion of the competition." She's watching me sulk "Go have a cocktail."

//

"Ally..." I call out to Ally who was outside tending to her yard. "Would you like to have Mary tonight?"

"Why wouldn't I like to have Mary tonight? I told you something like this would happen, now look where we are. And I'm suppose to believe you know what you're doing,  you couldn't even find a white lawyer."