What He Needs

Chapter 31

.:Author's Note:.

I was able to write a little something. I hope this is how a child custody hearing goes. I just went off of what I see on t.v. and some minor research.

Hope you all enjoy, and my apologies for the long delay.

Please excuse any mistakes; this is unedited.

***

Jonathan's POV:

"How are the pancake breakfast tacos, girls?" I questioned as my twins, Macy, and I sat down for breakfast.

"They're amazing!" Alyssa beamed with her lips coated in syrup. Macy and I chuckled before she reached over to rub the excess syrup off of her niece's lips with a wet paper towel.

"I'm glad you like them, Princess," I grinned. I then turned to April who hadn't replied and was dejectedly playing with her food. "Everything okay, A?"

"Daddy, do we have to go today?" She replied while pushing her plate aside. The kitchen filled with a bit of tension as I awkwardly cleared my throat.

"Yeah, unfortunately, you do," I answered after a few short seconds.

"But I don't want to!" She protested.

"I know, April. But sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to do, for the greater-good."

"It's not fair."

"And I agree. You and your sister shouldn't have to go through any of this, but someone decided that they wanted to throw a wrench into our lives, and now we have to deal with it."

April frowned before glancing at Alyssa, and then back at me.

"Is the judge going to take us away, Daddy, and make us live with Mommy's ex-wife?"

"Over my dead body!"

April giggled a bit, which caused the slightest smile to appear on my face. However, the small laugh was over as quickly as it began.

"Mommy said you would say that."

It fell quiet between us all before April sighed and stood from her stool.

"Can I call Winston?" She asked with an indistinguishable emotion. I nodded almost immediately.

"Sure, you can. My phone is on my nightstand."

Macy, Alyssa, and I all watched as April left the kitchen with a giant grey cloud of her head. I clenched my eyes shut in frustration before giving my head a subtle shake to get rid of the negative feelings.

"I'm going to talk to Winston too, Daddy," Alyssa said to me as she too stood from her seat. I nodded, which was the only indication she needed to leave Macy and me alone in the kitchen.

"Those girls surprise me every single day." My sister said softly as she picked at her breakfast taco.

"Not a day goes by when I'm not in awe of those two." I chuckled before going serious. "I can't believe today is actually the day."

After weeks of preparing, it was finally time for Amanda, my girls, and I to all appear in court for a child custody hearing. I had a sit down with my girls a few weeks ago to explain what was happening, and who Amanda was. I didn't want them to be blind sighted by anything.

The conversation went exactly how I imagined it would've. They were sad to know that Miranda wasn't their birth mother, and even more upset to learn that their birth mother had left them. But I made sure to explain that not pushing them out didn't make Miranda any less of their "mommy" and family is not only defined by blood. They were quick to understand that, but I could tell that they were feeling a sudden sense of abandonment.