A Silent Lover

30. Imani(2)

TaekWoon and I headed into the municipal building for the final day of deliberations about our case. Song led the way into the family law corridor and we passed several paparazzi on our way inside. This time I was prepared with sunglasses to prevent the flashes from blinding me and my husband held my hand in his, his tension evident in the tightness of his hold.

My own pulse was racing at the thought of the coming proceedings and all the potential outcomes. I knew logically that there was very little chance we could lose this case, but logic didn't seem to apply here somehow. My heart was anxious and no amount of reason would fix it.
Kang and her lawyer were here first this time as we reached the judge's quarters and the spoke in whispers as we walked up to sit down further along the hallway.

We didn't make eye contact as we took our own seats and soon our advisor had gone further away to prepare for court. Song's attitude was stern and I saw him going over his notes for his final appeal to the judge. I pulled him aside, wanting to give him some last-minute instructions.

"Song-ssi, I'd like it if you didn't say anything more about Kang's past choices in your appeal. All of this is hard enough without pushing it into her face constantly about what she did." The man looked up from his notes, shock showing plainly on his face.

"Imani-ssi, you and your husband hired me to help you win this custody battle. Why won't let me do everything I can to make that a reality?" His voice was full of incredulity and he spoke reason but I honestly didn't want to win this way.

"Mistakes were made and this is her way of correcting them. Whether they were good choices or not, without her I wouldn't have JaeHyun at all. I won't keep disrespecting her; at the time she was only a child herself. I know this may be hindering you, but I have faith that you can pull it off."

I patted his back just once and made my way back to TaekWoon who sat by himself, looking towards the judge's office doors. He smiled as I approached him and I leaned against his shoulder as I sat down, giving him one of mine in return. No matter what we would get through this day together and that thought itself was enough to comfort me.

"Are you ready?" he asked me as a secretary opened the doors to the judges' chambers.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied with a nod of my head and took the final steps into the room.

The lawyers on both sides gave impassioned speeches about proper conduct in adoption situations and how full custody had already been awarded to us by Song, and on Kang's side, how much she had tried to change to finally do right by her son and get him out of the system. The defense of her actions was similar to before but then so was ours; really what could be said beyond the fact that we had gone through the adoption process and had already been approved to be parents? But still Song managed to keep it fresh, bringing up his own past cases in his justifications of why the adoption ruling shouldn't be overturned.

The judge didn't keep his peace for long and his deliberation lasted less than ten minutes. He shared his findings with the clerk who sat in the room recording all that was taking place and after she had taken adequate note, he compiled his documents and made to speak.

"Wait your honor. Before you give the final verdict I just have something to say," A small voice spoke out, shaking only slightly. Surprise flowed through me when I realized it had been Jae's mother. 

Kang's eyes met mine for the briefest instant and then she was back looking at the judge, her attention not even on her lawyer who was currently holding her wrist, whispering urgently as she asked what she was doing.

"Your honor, I requested this lawsuit because I wanted my son back. Everything that I have done up to this point has been done for him but I have been selfish and I've put my wants above his needs. In an effort to discredit the Jungs, I paid for Im to come to their home and try to gain false testimony from JaeHyun. This was unjust of me and after we finish here, I'll be turning myself in to the police."