♡Lily's World/omb-Oscar Diaz♡

♡Capitulo cuarenta y uno- Custody of Lily♡

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting gentle stripes across the bedroom. Mini stood before the mirror, adjusting the delicate silver cross around her neck—Oscar's cross, now hers to carry. She pulled on the matching dresses she'd picked out for herself and Lily, a soft cotton in muted blue with tiny white flowers, a tender nod to togetherness. Normita wore a tiny onesie with a little heart stitched near the collar.

Mini's hands trembled slightly as she turned and looked at Lily, who stood shyly by the bed, rubbing Oscar's cross in her small hands, the metal cool against her fingertips.

"Baby," Mini said softly, kneeling to pull Lily and Normita onto the bed with her. "Today the judge is going to ask you lots of questions, but it's just so she can make the best decision for you."

Lily's eyes welled with nervous tears, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to go back to her, Mommy. She isn't nice... and I don't even have a room there."

Normita, sensing the tension, patted Lily's hand with her tiny palm. "Sissy... stay," she said with a toddler's earnestness.

Before Mini could answer, the door creaked open, and Ray appeared, Norma close behind, his warm smile a steady beacon in the storm. He held up his phone quickly and snapped a picture of the three of them sitting close on the bed.

"We'll see what happens today, sweetheart," Ray said, voice gentle but sure. "We're all going to fight for you to stay with us."

Mini's POV

The hallway outside the courtroom felt impossibly cold and narrow, the fluorescent lights buzzing softly overhead. Mini's heart thudded painfully as she waited, Normita curled against her chest, her steady breathing a fragile comfort.

Through the glass, she saw Lily talking quietly to the judge alone. Every few seconds, her eyes darted to the door, hoping it would open, hoping this nightmare would end.

Katie passed by, her heels clicking sharply on the linoleum floor. She smirked, voice like ice.

"You know today will be your last day seeing her."

Mini's breath hitched, anger rising like wildfire. She tightened her arms around Normita, who stirred awake, her tiny fists curling into Mini's shirt.

"Katie," Mini said quietly, voice steel under calm, "you're lucky right now one of my daughters is on my lap. Leave my family alone and go step off. Lily is not an orphan—she has her stepmother. Oscar was clear in his will, and he had primary custody. You haven't seen Lily in six months—not once while her father was dying."

Before she could finish, Katie's hand slapped Mini's cheek sharply. The sting exploded across Mini's skin.

Flaca was immediately between them, eyes blazing. "I recommend you wait on the other side of the hallway."

Normita began to cry softly on Mini's lap, her tiny body trembling. Mini rocked her gently, cheek burning from the slap but voice soft and soothing.

"Shh, sweetheart, don't worry. Mommy's okay." She kissed Normita's hair and whispered, "We're going to celebrate at Uncle Cesar's after this, okay?"

Thirty minutes later, with Normita asleep in her arms, Norma took the baby gently as they were called in.

Mini sat beside Lily in the courtroom, feeling the nervous tremble of the little girl as she climbed into her lap.