Forever Isn't Her ✹ Septiishu/Septicgab

1

"I'm sorry... but I can't do this," she said with a crack in her voice.

"Baby, we-" I tried to argue the fact that she was giving up, but when she interrupted me, I knew it was over.

"Seán, I can't," Signe teared up. "I know we've been a great team... but... that's all this is..." She looked down at her hands, tugging at her wedding ring. "I wanted to tell you the truth... a while ago." Her ring was slipped off.

"The truth?" I asked. I knew we had fought like this before, but it was always resolved. She had never said anything that alluded to the fact she could have lied to me. "What are you talking about?"

"Your drinking... your swearing..." She was nervous. "You're not a.. very good influence for my children.."

"Your children? You mean, our children.."

"Seán, I'm done.." Signe reiterated. "And... I'm taking the kids.." I stood up in shock. "I'm sorry."

"You can't take my babies," I said, trying to hold back my anger. "I have done nothing wrong to any of them, and you're just punishing me for not being the type of man you want.."

"I didn't want to do this to you," Signe stood up to look me in the eyes. "But.. there were some things I witnessed, and I can't say I'm okay with." I tried to think back to times she may have be referring to. "You probably don't even remember them..." She walked away from me and grabbed her coat. "You'll be hearing from my lawyer."

"Where are my kids?" I asked.

"I doubt they'll want to see you.... or speak to you, for that matter," she snapped.

~

I knew we had been having problems, but the fall of 2018 was the worst of all. Signe dropped the divorce bomb on me, and the fact I was going to lose my kids over something I didn't even remember was ridiculous.

The divorce was finalised quickly, but during court, I asked what I was being accused of..... and I shouldn't have asked.

"Mister McLoughlin," Signe's lawyer said. "We have reason to believe that during one of your drunken rages, you were physically violent." I felt my heart sink. "Do these images ring a bell?" On the screen shot up photos of my eldest daughter with a bright red handprint across her cheek.

"I never hit my daughter!" I said, feeling offended. "Sylvia made me a father.... and she has never done me wrong. Why would I lay a hand on my child?"

"You have been having drinking problems," her lawyer said.

"I would never lay a hand on my daughter.." I was furious, but as I looked at the image, I saw the truth. "Um... May I speak with my lawyer?"

~

"What's going on?" I could hear Signe saying to her lawyer as I walked past with mine.

"That's not my handprint.." I whispered. "Signe is trying to take my kids away from me... and she..." I choked on my own words. "She's trying to make it look like I did that to Sylvia. That's makeup... that's makeup trying to cover up something." My lawyer looked at the image closer. "I may drink... but she cannot treat my kids like this... She's unfit."

"Seán, I don't know.." He sighed. "I can't deny that it looks like a smaller print than yours, but I don't know." He looked at Signe.

"Try something.." I demanded. "Anything.."

"I'll call her to the stand, but I can't promise anything." The recess was concluded, and my lawyer did as he said. "I would like to call Miss Hansen to the stand." Signe's smile dropped to a frown as she walked up to the stand. You could feel her nervousness.

"What's this about?" She asked, acting all innocent.

"What colour would you consider that supposed bruise on your eldest daughter's face?"

"It's bright red," she said with a straight face.

"But, if my client hit her, you would've had to take this picture shortly after, yes?"

"What are you saying?"

"I would just like to take a closer look at that print," he walked over to the monitor the picture was blown up on. "Can we enlarge this area, here?" He started to smirk, then looked back at me. "I've heard of the term shiner.. being used for a bruise, but I've never seen a five year old wearing highlighter and foundation."

"Excuse me?" She was angered. "Are you suggesting I staged this?"

"No, I believe... I was suggesting you put makeup on your child..." my lawyer paced. "However.... What you said proved a lot more."

"I did not hit my child," she said.

"Then what's up with the small handprint? Surely that slight impression right.... there," he pointed to an indentation where you can see the engraving of Signe's ring. "Isn't from a man... yes?"

"Miss Hansen," the judge said. "Show the ring."

"I have it now, your honour," I said. "She gave it back after telling me she was done with me." I handed it to my lawyer who let the judge examine it. "If I may, I would like to prove that I gave her that ring six years ago... as that was her mother's engagement ring that her father handed down to me before his passing. The inside of the ring reads 'you are my forever,' and the outside has the coordinates of where we had our first kiss." As the judge looked over the ring, his eyes widened.

"Mister McLoughlin," he said. "Thank you for that, but... unfortunately that will not be enough to show that you are a fit parent. Neither of you are."

"But..." Signe started to tear up. "I can't lose them.. they're... they're the only family I have left."

"This divorce is final, and so is my ruling..." He wrote his signature. "I'm sorry to say that Sylvia, Cera, Seán Junior, and Alexander will be in the system and housed in foster care facilities until a suitable family can take them in." I felt my heart shatter.

"Is there any chance of reclaiming parental authority?" I asked.

"If you are able to prove you are suitable, there will be a follow up hearing in March."