Our Hope

37- Julie

Cole, Hope, Angie, and her sat in a dimly lit waiting area on a hard-wooden bench with their lawyer. Black and white tiled floors surrounded them. Pictures of judges and governors lined the walls. She was here for the last day of Divorce Court. The first couple of days were relatively uneventful. They had to travel downtown after school. The lawyers went over their finances and where they worked. Then they analyzed what would happen if each side won.

Dr. Bettencourt said the only way Michael could take custody is if he proved her to be crazy or incompetent. Also, this judge would decide, and she may be sympathetic to his cause or religion.

A tall older bald man, wearing a blue bailiff uniform opened the door and said with a kind voice, "Dr. Michael Donaldson and Dr. Julie Donaldson please enter the courtroom. You are next."

Julie, Cole, and her lawyer entered first.

When they ambled past the bailiff he said, "Cole and Hope from the Mars show?"

Cole nodded his head.

"I'm with you. I know you two will win."

The bailiff placed his hand over his mouth and said, "Sorry. I'm not supposed to talk this much. I'm always getting in trouble." He closed his mouth and mimed locking it and throwing away the key.

"Thank you for your support," Hope said, and they continued past him.

The bailiff smiled at them.

Her husband and his lawyer came in after them. She assumed they were waiting in the hallway which was smart if he wanted to make it to the hearing in one piece.

They took their seats in the front on more wooden benches. These had a shiny dark cherry stain. The room was much brighter than the waiting room with light wooden floors. Black banisters separated them and the lawyers. The lawyers had two soft leather chairs on each side behind two tables.

Tan paint covered the walls up to the ceiling, the top was white and designed like a church, arching up towards the center. Two large white chandeliers with large white globes were in the middle. Three windows with the same wooden cherry frames allowed additional light in. The judge, an older black woman, had glasses, and wore a white shirt underneath her black robe. She sat in the middle at a large dark cherry stained desk with a witness stand to Julie's right. The juror box was empty because the judge will decide this case.

This courtroom was always cold. Was it too old to have a heater?

There was a faint wood polish odor that combined with her situation made her noxious. Cole was next to her and Hope was on his left. Angie sat on her right. Her best friend caressed her back, which made her feel better. This courtroom appeared nicer than the ones she saw on the crime shows she watched.

The judge banged her gavel. Her lawyer said she was a woman which was helpful and a mother also beneficial. She prayed that the judge would throw it out before going to a hearing, but she decided to hear their cases.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I am continuing the Donaldson family divorce hearing. I do not have that much left, so we should be out of here early unlike yesterday."

"Today we will address the custody of Colton Donaldson. Counselor Hagan, please present your final remarks."

Counselor Hagan was a younger man with short brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a dark blue suit with a white shirt and blue tie. He rose and paced in front of the judge, "Thank you, Your Honor. I will summarize the points we made, yesterday. The transport that Cole will board en route to Mars only has a success rate of 67%. Your honor, would you board an airplane that only has a 67% success rate?"