CHAPTER 15 : 8 DAYS AND A COFFEE STAIN
1093 Words
Monday.
Day 13.
8 days left.
I spilled coffee on the court papers.
Like, literally. Big brown stain right over the word "custody".
The irony is not lost on me.
Damian looked at it and just... laughed.
For the first time in weeks he actually laughed.
"Well," he said, "now it matches our lives."
Messy.
####
Ms. Nakato called at 7am.
"Be at court at 8:30. Wear something nice. Don’t cry. Don’t yell. Answer only what they ask."
Don’t cry.
Right.
I wore my black dress. The only one I have. It’s a little tight in the arms. I bought it for a job interview 3 years ago.
Damian picked me up. He was in a suit. Finally.
He looked... nervous. Which made me more nervous.
"You good?" he asked.
"No."
"Me neither."
Great.
The courthouse smelled like old wood and fear.
Richard was already there. With his lawyer. In a 3000 dollar suit.
He smiled at me.
I wanted to punch him.
"Don’t," Damian whispered. "Not today."
####
The judge was an old woman. Glasses. No smile.
She looked at all of us like we were wasting her time.
"Case 4821. Mutesi vs Hartley vs Hartley. Custody hearing."
My name.
My son’s name.
My hands were shaking so bad I had to sit on them.
Richard’s lawyer went first.
"He’s unstable. He’s under investigation. The mother is emotional and unfit. Give custody to the uncle."
Unfit.
The word hit me in the chest.
Then Ms. Nakato stood up.
"Your honor. Mrs. Mutesi is the child’s primary caregiver. Mr. Hartley’s charges were dismissed Friday. Mr. Richard Hartley has 2 DUIs and a restraining order from 2019."
Richard’s face went red.
The judge looked at me.
"Mrs. Mutesi. Why should I give you custody?"
And my brain just... emptied.
I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.
Damian kicked my foot. Soft.
I swallowed.
"Because... because he’s my son." My voice cracked. "Because I know what he likes for breakfast. Because I know he’s scared of thunderstorms. Because he calls me mama."
I stopped. Because I was gonna cry.
"And because I’m not giving up on him."
The judge wrote something down.
Didn’t look up.
Richard’s lawyer stood again. "Emotional outburst. Proves instability."
Ms. Nakato: "Proves she’s a mother."
10 minutes. That’s all it took.
Then the judge said, "I’ll review and give a decision in 48 hours."
48 hours.
####
We walked out in silence.
Richard brushed past me. "See you soon, Lila."
I didn’t answer.
In the car, Damian finally spoke.
"You did good."
"I cried."
"You didn’t cry."
"I almost did."
He reached over and squeezed my hand. Once.
Then let go.
####
Tuesday.
Day 14.
7 days left.
48 hours became 24.
No call.
I cleaned the whole apartment. Twice.
I reorganized Liam’s room.
I baked cookies I didn’t eat.
At 6pm my phone rang.
Unknown number.
"Miss Mutesi? This is the court."
My heart stopped.
"The judge has made a decision. You can pick up the paperwork tomorrow at 9am. Both parties must be present."
Click.
That was it.
I told Damian.
He was there in 20 minutes.
We didn’t talk. We just sat.
On the floor. Again.
With the green dinosaur between us.
"What if it’s no?" I whispered.
"Then we appeal."
"What if it’s yes?"
"Then we go get him."
Simple.
Terrifying.
####
Wednesday.
Day 15.
6 days left.
9am.
The courthouse again.
The paperwork was in a manila envelope.
The judge wasn’t there. Just a clerk.
"Decision is final," she said. "Read it together."
My hands were shaking again.
Damian opened it.
We read.
At the same time.
`Custody granted to: Lila Mutesi. Primary.
Visitation: Damian Hartley. Every other weekend.
Richard Hartley: No contact.`
I read it three times.
Granted.
To me.
I didn’t cry.
I just sat there.
Damian exhaled. Like he’d been holding his breath for 15 days.
"We won," he whispered.
"We won."
Richard stood up. Slammed his fist on the table.
"This isn’t over!"
"It is," the clerk said. "Security."
They escorted him out.
And then it was just me and Damian.
And the paper.
####
"So," Damian said. "Now what?"
"Now we get him."
We drove to the facility.
No appointment. No 30 minutes.
Just... to get him.
The same woman in scrubs opened the door.
She looked at the paper. Then at me.
"Oh," she said. "Come in."
Liam was in the playroom.
Building blocks.
When he saw me, he dropped everything.
"MAMA!"
I caught him.
He was heavier. Or I was weaker.
I didn’t care.
"Mama mama mama" he kept saying into my neck.
"I got you," I whispered. "I got you baby. We’re going home."
He pulled back. Saw Damian.
"Is dad coming too?"
Damian knelt down.
"If that’s okay with you, buddy."
Liam thought about it. For like 2 seconds.
Then grabbed Damian’s hand too.
"Okay. Let’s go home."
####
The drive home was quiet.
But it was a good quiet.
Liam fell asleep in the back, head on Damian’s shoulder.
Damian didn’t move. Didn’t complain.
When we got to my apartment, I opened the door.
It smelled like us again.
Like laundry and cookies and life.
Liam ran to his room.
"Dinosaur!" He grabbed the green one and the blue one. "My babies!"
Damian stood in the doorway.
Like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed in.
"Come in," I said.
He did.
We ordered pizza.
Sat on the floor.
Ate with our hands.
Liam told us about Toby who snores.
About the cereal he hated.
About how he missed us.
At 8pm he was asleep.
In his own bed.
With both dinosaurs.
####
Damian and I stood in the hallway.
Listening to him breathe.
"I don’t know what to say," Damian said.
"You don’t have to."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For not giving up."
I looked at him. Really looked.
He looked tired. But lighter.
"You can stay," I said. "On the couch. Just tonight."
He nodded.
We didn’t kiss.
We didn’t hug.
We just... existed.
In the same space.
Without yelling.
Without fear.
###
It’s Thursday now.
Day 16.
5 days left until the court says the case is officially closed.
But it feels over.
Liam is home.
The papers are signed.
Richard is gone.
I’m writing this at 2am.
With a sleeping 4 year old down the hall.
For the first time in weeks, I’m not scared.
I’m tired.
I’m sore.
I’m so, so tired.
But I’m not scared.
Because desperate heroines?
They win sometimes.
And today...
Today we won.
END OF CHAPTER 15
- Writer
