THIRD POV
There were five people in the room and they kept on shrinking back in fear. The loud bellows from Collins was enough to wake the dead. Ever since his run in with George and Diane he had been in an irritable mood. He was irritated and just thinking of George around his kids was enough for him to become a tornado in destruction. Anything around him was not safe.
His mother could not even get through him. For the first time in her life she was frightened of her son. She could not understand but for the last couple of weeks Collins had become incredibly rude and distant towards her. She seemed to be a bad cloud that brought his mood down. He scowled at her near presence and had politely but cruelly had her escorted out of his office and his house. It hurt. She wanted to help him and be near him during this difficult time but he wasn't letting her. And it hurt her greatly.
"Collins sweetie?" she called to him. She and her husband had taken refuge at the corner of the wall. Collins had just calmed down from one of his tirades. Destroying anything he could reach. Thousands of dollars being lost with all his tirades. The damage was so great that it would take weeks to fix his house.
But a man like Collins could easily buy another house but the point was if someone found out about this, this could affect him negatively. And the last thing Collins needed, was for the court to think that he had an anger problem and was a danger to the children. It was a miracle that the neighbors hadn't called the police with all the yelling and screaming and chaos.
"What?" he snapped, making her shrink further and further into the wall.
"I think you need to calm down and head up to bed" in a firm voice. She was still his mother.
"Bed?" he repeated.
"Bed She talks about bed" laughing out loud. "You speak of sleep? Are you crazy?!" looking at her incredulously.
"Collins" his father warned in a low voice. He was getting real sick of his son's continual disrespect to his wife.
"What? How could we think of sleep when my future hangs in the balance?" he screeched back at him.
"And you must rest" his mother soothed.
"I am not tired! And it is my body not yours! Just stop woman! lam a man" he screamed. He was just about ready to commit matricide. Every word his mother uttered a word it just enraged him more. His mind went back to the conversation he had with Rachel. It just kept eating at him more and more.
"Any man who says, "I am a man" is no true man. And any man that yells at his mother is no true man. So I would watch my next words if I were you. That is your mother you are speaking to, show some respect" his father warned in a low deadly voice.
Collins just scoffed. Of course his father would defend his wife.
Sometimes he wondered what happened to him. And the outrage and perhaps tiredness "Grow some balls dad and stop letting this woman control you all the time!"
There is a long, tense silence, as the people in room awaits to see how Heath would respond to such a shocking insult. His mother watched with a heavy heart and fear as she sees the rage between these two alpha males. Heath was about to snap but then he takes a second to contemplate his words. His gaze never leaving Collins and betraying no emotion he spoke to his wife.
"Your son is tired. See him to bed"
"Come along son" stepping forward.
"I told you that I am not tired!"
"But you must rest. Tomorrow is a big day and we have so much to do. You need to rest and be at your best. You must rest" she tried to soothe him again. "We could get Doctor Carlson for something to help you sleep and relax"
Taking a deep breath. He decided to let the subject rest. "I don't need anything. And now both of you leave" walking away from them.
Sighing dejectedly Lilian looked to her husband. She was losing her son. She was losing her family. And the worst part was that the solution was dangling right in front of them but was still far away.
He had narrated his 'adventure' with George Sinclair. Why wouldn't they take this seriously? This wasn't just about getting his kids, it was about getting them to accept him as a friend and then hopefully as a father. George had a head start.
He didn't miss the way that the boys loved and admired
George. They looked at him like he was a god. Hanging on his every word. It was like he was giving them honey from heaven. He groaned at the thought of tomorrow.
Tomorrow was the beginning of the end. He should probably get some sleep but he couldn't. He could not sit still whilst tomorrow was filled with uncertainty. Even sleep did not offer him any solace or refuge from his nightmares. His dreams were filled with his sons asking him why he abandoned them.
And his nightmares were filled with George and Diane mocking him. No, there would be no sleep for him tonight.
On the other side of town, Diane couldn't sleep either. It was already three in the morning and she still could not sleep.
Every moment she lay awake her mind went to her sons.
Tossing and turning did nothing to bring sleep to her. She had already checked on them fifteen times, she was quite surprised that they didn't stir awake. But that was her sons, they could sleep through anything. They were such sweet children. And she wanted to keep them that way.
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"All rise for the Honorable Judge Bailey" the bailiff yelled.
Politely they all stood until the judge and decider of their future sat down.
"You may all be seated" he called.
The sat down. The room was filled. On Diane's side there was George, Nina and Jude and Athena a close friend. Her mother was at home watching Fifa. On Collins side he had both his parents, Ashley, Sara, Morgan, Zion and Eric. And of course his two lawyers. He couldn't believe that it had come to this. He though this entire situation would be handled in two weeks tops. Honest to God he was more than sure that this whole situation would be handled by himself and Diane. But that bravado was no longer there. All his life this was his greatest challenge. He was truly an imbecile. An idiotic imbecile.
"Are we ready to begin?" the judge asked. He had already been briefed on the case by the first judge.
"Yes Your Honor" Nina and Kathadoris answered standing up to their feet.
"Your Honor, if I may, I request a permanent gag order on this case" Nina asked.
"Why?" the judge questioned opening his notes.
"Your Honor, we would like to keep this under wraps as much as possible. We have to think of the children's well-being and the effect that this could have on them"
"Is that really necessary?" Kathadoris objected in a condescending voice.
"You tell me. Do you think that the boys should read in the papers that their father abandoned them and signed away his rights because he wanted nothing to do with them?" Nina questioned sweetly.
Kathadoris turned to his client who just shook his head. That was the last thing that Collins needed, for his kids to read in some trashy news magazine.
"Your Honor, I think that the gag order is necessary" in a pleasant tone.
"Very well. There is gag order placed on every person in this room. No part of this court session should make it to any social media. Breaking this gag order will have severe repercussions. And if you find that you cannot abide by this rule, you have two minutes to leave"
There was a pause.
"No one? Then I take it that everyone accepts the terms and conditions. The gag order is place starting from now" banging his gravel.
There was a pause as he flipped through his notes. "As I have read from Judge Mathias, this is a custody battle. Am I right?" he questioned.
"Yes Your Honor" they answered simultaneously.
"And Mr. Dwight is bringing Mr. Sinclair and Ms. Reyes to court for custody of Juan-David and Mario Sinclair?"
"Yes Your Honor" Nina answered.
"Good. Well, as far as I can see there was a termination of Parental Rights by the part of Mr. Dwight, yes?" he questioned as he continued to read from his notes.
"Yes Your Honor" Nina answered once again.
"Very well. And now, he seeks joint custody?" confusion marred his face.
"Yes Your Honor" this time Kathadoris spoke standing to his
feet.
"I see" closing his notes and looking directly at the court. "My question is why? This seems to be an open and shut case. So
why are we here?"
"Eloquently put your Honor. I have been wondering the same thing" Nina agreed.