I've Seen 2

Sued

Kalene was going about her daily business checking on how the stage set-up was coming along, making sure the catering was as it should be, and dealing with the promoter who didn't seem to want to promote that night's show. Luke delivered the mail, setting everyone's on their bunks as usual. Once her rounds were done, she went to check on the band to make sure there wasn't anything they needed.

Chance was streaming a game with Abe and Adam making her smile. Tim was in his dressing room working on a sketch. Rob was in his dressing room Face-Timing with his wife and kids. Austin was in his dressing room on the phone with his wife making her smile. With everything on track, she headed back to the bus. She stopped by her bunk to grab her laptop and found mail on her bunk. Picking it up along with her laptop, she headed back up front to the kitchen table.

She had emails so she checked them before opening her mail. Venue managers needed confirmations, catering people needed answers, and promoters needed information. She answered each email before turning her attention to her physical mail. A few new bridal magazines. A few pieces of junk mail. A few solicitations from wedding venues around Beaumont. A letter from a law office in Dallas. She eyed the manila envelope suspiciously before opening it up.

"Dear Miss Mercer,

You are hereby being sued for custody over the child you had with Theodore Mays. You have kept the father from seeing his child the entirety of the child's life. We will be seeking child support."

She couldn't read any more of the letter before she screamed loudly. Tim rushed onto the bus with Adam hot on his heels.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"That piece of shit is actually suing me for custody of Gen and wants child support! Can you believe that shit?" Kalene exclaimed.

"Say what? Doesn't he know how old she is?" Adam asked.

"Ted was never the brightest crayon in the box." Kalene stated, "I said I made bad decisions in my youth. Dating Ted was definitely one of them. (She sighed) Hell, sleeping with him was one of them but I was young, drunk, and incredibly stupid.

"She's 18, he can't get child support because now she's a legal adult. And because she's a legal adult, he can't get custody either." Adam stated, "Any judge will look at this case and throw it out. Have her birth certificate at the ready and we'll win."

Kalene sighed, "Are you sure?"

"We'll talk to Luke and the get the label lawyers. We'll win. Don't worry." Tim pulled her into his arms.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hey, I hired a PI to find out more about Kalene's kid. She's in a band! A touring band. Her name is Genesis." Ted told Quentin as they sat around Ted's living room drinking beer.

"What a dumb name." Quentin huffed

"Yeah I know but I wasn't there to have a say. But listen. If she's in a touring band, she must be making some serious money. If I have custody, I'll have control of her finances. No more working for me!" Ted stated.

"Ooh! Good idea, man!" Quentin grinned, "Has your lawyer said anything?"

"The papers have been sent. We'll see when a court date comes up. I'll show that bitch to keep my kid from me. She thinks she can keep all the money for herself? Ha!" Ted huffed again.

"Yeah. Greedy cunt." Quentin shook his head before downing the rest of his beer, "Want another?"

"Yeah."

Ted sat there thinking about what all he was going to do with Genesis' money when he got control of it. New truck was high on his priority list. Getting a big screen tv and an xBox One S were also up there on his list. No more eating cheap, store-brand food. It'll name-brand foods for him from now on. Good beer instead of the cheap shit. Good weed instead of the shwag (super cheap, super bad) weed. Yeah, having his kid's money will make his life a lot better!

Not having to worry about how to pay his bills. Having more than basic cable. He was already getting excited for what he knew he was going to have when he had control of his kid's money. Quentin told his cousin he found the perfect place for their plan making Ted grin at him. They went over the plans again with Quentin reassuring his cousin that he'd take care of everything. They were going to make Kalene pay.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Woman, you gotta quit being sued!" Luke laughed earning a stern look from the tour mom, "Don't worry about this at all. The lawyers nearly laughed when I explained the situation to them. And yes, I told them everything that I knew. She's 18. There's absolutely nothing he can do. The judge with look at her birth certificate and throw the case out."

"Are you sure?" Kalene questioned.

"Yes. You'll be represented, of course. But they reassure me this isn't a case that he'll win. If she wasn't 18 it might be another matter." Luke replied, "If she wants to have a relationship with him, that's on her. No one can force her to have anything to do with this man."

"Thank you, Luke. That eases my mind a lot." Kalene stated.

"Anytime." Luke smiled at her.

Kalene: hey, there's something we gotta talk about. Can we Face-Time?

Genesis: sure mom, let me head to the back where it's less noisy.

(FACE-TIMING LIKE TEXTING:)

(Kalene) Firstly I want to tell you that Ted thinks he's your biological father. (Genesis gasped as her eyes widened) I was a wild child and a bit...anyways. He made a good point when he called me. There was a small window when he was the only person I was sleeping with when I got pregnant with you.

(Genesis) so what does this all have to do with me?

(Kalene) He's suing me for custody of you and for child support. We're going to have to go to court. You're 18 now so the case will be thrown out. You're a legal adult.

(Genesis) Will I have to see him? If he's my biological father.

(Kalene) Only if you want to. I won't force you to see or have anything to do with him if you don't want to.

(Genesis) Good. Tim's my dad. Ted isn't and I want nothing to do with that guy! (Genesis huffed making Kalene smile)

(Kalene) Ok, sweetie. As I said, I won't force you to have anything to do with him if you don't want to. You'll probably have to go to court with us. You need to tell him this in court, though.

(Kalene) Ok mom.

(END OF FACE-TIMING)

Kalene sat back and sighed. She was happy her daughter didn't want anything to do with Ted. What she remembered of him, he was no good. She doubted he'd changed much from high school. She hoped she'd changed, especially for the better! She had been a wild, angry teen in her youth. Was her wild days finally catching up to her? Was Karma catching up to her after all the bad things she'd done in her youth?

All the graffiti she'd helped spray on buildings and cars. The broken windows, smashed mailboxes, dumping people's trashcan's over. All the thievery and pick-pocketing. Kalene sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. JR curled up next to his momma on the couch and laid his head on her leg. Her mind went back to all the buildings she'd help set ablaze. Carports, barns, sheds, a lawnmower once. Lighting bags of poop, ringing people's doorbells then hiding in the bushes, giggling as they watched the person stomping out the inflamed poop.

"God I was such a punk ass back then." She absent-mindedly scratched JR's head as she spoke to no one in particular, "Why is this all coming up now? Why is my baby girl being punished for the dumb shit I did?"

JR whined as if to answer 'I don't know' making her scratch his head again. She needed to find Genesis' birth certificate. There was a file folder she kept all her important papers in. Like her contract with the band to be their tour mom. It was in one of her bags in the cargo bay. She sighed with relief knowing for sure where it was. It was safest there, for now, so she left it there then closed the bay door and locked it back.

A/N: Hmm. Think trouble is brewing? ;) Vote and review below please :P *passes around a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies*