“We’d like to call Miss Katelin Taylor to the stand,” the Gerhart’s lawyer announced, much to everyone’s surprise. This was not planned.
Shocked, Katelin slowly stood up and walked to the front of the courtroom. She sat down and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her speeding heart.
“Please state your full name for the record.”
“Katelin Marie Taylor.”
“And what is your relationship to the child?”
“I’m his mother,” Katelin responded, almost inaudibly.
“Can you please state who the father of the child is.”
Katelin glanced up and looked straight at Nick. “Nickolas Carter.”
“And why is it that Mr. Carter was not aware of the child until Mr. and Mrs. Gordon passed away?”
“My father prevented me from ever telling him,” Katelin answered, looking down at her hands. “I wasn’t allowed to have any contact with Nick.”
“Surely, you could have found some way, Miss Taylor,” the lawyer commented. “You do know how to use a phone, don’t you?”
“Yes, I know how to use a phone,” Katelin snapped. “And no, there was no way. You didn’t know my father. He threatened both Nick and me. I wasn’t going to let anything happened to the guy that I loved, so therefore, I followed my father’s orders.”
“How old were you when you became pregnant?” the lawyer asked. Nick’s stomach dropped to the ground. Once they found out how illegal their relationship was in the first place, there was no way that they would allow Nick to have custody of Aidan.
“Seventeen,” Katelin all but whispered.
“Speak up, Miss Taylor,” The judge instructed.
Katelin leaned in closer to the microphone. “Seventeen.”
“And how old was Mr. Carter?”
“Nineteen,” Katelin responded, staring at her hands. “Almost twenty.”
“So the reason your father was threatening you was because you were a minor,” the lawyer explained. “Am I right? Mr. Carter, conceivably, could have gone to jail because you were together?”
“Yes,” Katelin whispered, unable to keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks. She lifted her head up and looked out into the gallery. “Please don’t do this to Nick. Or Aidan. Nick deserves to know his son. No matter what happened in the past, it’s my fault that they don’t know each other. Not Nick’s. Please don’t keep Aidan away from his father.”
“Miss Taylor…” the judge warned. “Please only answer the questions that you are asked.”
“No further questions, your honor.”
“Counselor?” the judge asked, glancing at Jeff.
“No questions at this time, your Honor,” Jeff replied, secretly jumping for joy. Katelin’s little heart-felt plea could not have been any better for Nick’s case. There was no way a judge was going to deny the biological father custody of his son. Especially the son who had been kept away from him because of an evil, powerful, over-protective father.
Katelin stepped down from the stand, wiping the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. She quickly made her way back to her seat, where Adrienne pulled her into her arms, rubbing her back, while she calmed down. “You did good, Kate,” Adrienne commented. “I’m sure Nick knows you never meant to hurt him.”
Katelin glanced up at Adrienne, a pained look on her face. “No I didn’t, Adrienne. If Nick doesn’t get custody, it’ll be my fault.”
They were interrupted by the banging of the judge’s gavel. “We will recess for lunch, after which I will have made my final decision.”
Nick stood up and began to walk down the aisle, stopping at the row where Katelin, Krista, Adrienne, and Lanie were seated. He reached out for Lanie’s hand, not even acknowledging the other three. “You ready?”
Lanie nodded and followed him, elbowing him in the side as they walked out of the courtroom. “You could have at least acknowledged her, Nick. She did a good thing for you.”
“Too little, too late,” Nick mumbled.
“Nick…” Lanie scolded, dropping his hand.
Nick sighed and stopped to look at her. “Fine, Lanie. I’ll say something when we get back. But right now I’m really hungry. Can we please just go eat and not worry about any of this right now?”
Lanie nodded. “Whatever you want, Nick.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“In the case of Mary and Robert Gerhart versus Nickolas Carter, it is my judgment that custody shall be awarded, on a temporary basis, to the child’s biological father, Mr. Carter.”
The court room erupted at the judge’s ruling. The entire Gerhart family was in an uproar. They could not believe that they had just lost Aidan. Nick sat in disbelief, slumped down in his chair, with his head in his hands. “You did it, Nick,” Jeff announced, happily.
The judge banged his gavel, repeatedly, in order to get everyone’s attention. “Order! Order!” The court room quieted down. “Mr. Carter is awarded custody on a temporary basis. In three months time, there will be a follow up hearing where final custody will be determined.”
“That’s good, right Jeff?” Nick questioned.
“That’s fine, Nick,” Jeff smiled. “Although, I must tell you. It’s going a hell of a lot better for you if Katelin was a part of Aidan’s life. Permanately.” Nick went to protest but Jeff cut him off. “Now, I’m not telling you to marry the girl but I think it might be a good idea if she lived with you. A household where both parents are present is ten times better than one with only one. Especially if the mother is 400 miles away.”
“I don’t know, Jeff,” Nick began.
“Just think about it, Nick,” Jeff suggested. “You don’t have to make a decision right this second. But trust me on this one.” Nick nodded and then went to find Lanie so they could leave.
“Katelin?” Lanie approached the girl, tentatively.
Katelin spun around at the sound of her name, her eyes narrowing, warily, when she realized who was calling her. “Yeah?”
“I just really wanted to thank you for what you did for Nick today,” Lanie began. “God knows that he hasn’t been fair to you throughout all of this. You didn’t have to do what you did. But I think it really helped him.”
“I just want what’s best for my son,” Katelin said, softly. “I’m happy for Nick.”
“I just want to say that I don’t think it’s right what he’s doing to you.” Lanie looked around, nervously, making sure that Nick wasn’t in earshot. “I don’t know exactly what went on with you guys a few years ago, but there’s no reason for him to keep Aidan away from you.”
“Thanks,” Katelin replied.
Lanie slipped a piece of paper into Katelin’s hand. “Call me anytime. I know maybe talking to me is not on your list of favorite things to do, but I think that you should know what’s going on in your son’s life. And if Nick’s not going to tell you, then I will.”
“Thank you,” Katelin whispered, tearfully. “You have to understand that I never wanted to hurt Nick. All I ever tried to do was protect him from my father.”
“I know that, Kate,” Lanie responded. “And I’m sure Nick does too. He’s just trying to get used to all of this right now. I’m sure he’ll come around.”
“He better,” Krista interrupted, hearing the last bit of their conversation. “You ready, Kate?”
Katelin nodded. “Yeah let’s go.” She turned around and offered Lanie a tearful smile. “Take care of my son, please.”
Lanie smiled slightly. “I will, Kate. I promise.”