Chapter 16 | The Lawyer
1305 Words
Cassie's POV
_She said move out. He said no._
13 days left until court.
We had $70.
$10 x 7 days from Dreame.
Plus tips.
Dante said, “That’s enough for consultation.”
I said, “It’s not.”
He said, “Then we find one who works for $70.”
So we did.
Atty. Liza Cruz.
Legal aid office.
Quezon City.
Her office was small.
One fan.
Stacks of paper.
No AC.
“Mr. Morales,” she said.
She didn’t look up from our file.
“Ms. Torres.”
“Atty,” Dante said.
She looked at us.
Both of us.
“You’re not married.”
“No,” I said.
“You’re not related.”
“No,” Dante said.
“You’re cohabiting with a minor child present.”
“Yes,” he said.
She sighed.
“Sit.”
We did.
Mimi was with Ate Nene.
She couldn’t be here.
Atty. Cruz opened the file.
“Mrs. Liza Morales.
Ex-wife.
Filed for custody modification.
Grounds: unstable environment, cohabitation, public exposure of child via online platform.”
Dante’s jaw clenched.
“The book,” he said.
“Yes,” Atty. Cruz said.
“Your Dreame account.
18,000 reads.
300 library adds.
Mimi is named.
Her photo is not, but her age, location, and your relationship are described.”
My stomach dropped.
“Is that illegal?” I asked.
“No,” she said.
“But family court cares about ‘best interest of the child.’
Exposing a child to public scrutiny can be argued as not in her best interest.”
Dante didn’t speak.
“Mr. Morales,” Atty. Cruz said.
“Tell me about you.”
He did.
32.
Chef.
Hotel.
Part-time nights.
900 pesos per shift.
5 nights a week.
Widower.
3 years.
Daughter: Mimi, 5.
Income: 18,000 pesos/month.
Plus Dreame.
Plus tips.
Housing: Rent, 4,000.
Shared with Ms. Torres.
Ms. Torres: 26.
Florist.
Dreame author.
15,000 pesos/month average.
Atty. Cruz wrote it down.
“Combined income?”
“33,000,” I said.
“Rent?”
“4,000.”
She nodded.
“That’s stable.
For QC.”
Dante looked at me.
Surprised.
“Atty,” he said.
“Will we lose?”
Atty. Cruz leaned back.
“Mrs. Morales is wealthy.
New husband.
House in Alabang.
She can provide more money.
More space.
Private school.”
My heart sank.
“But,” she said.
“Money isn’t everything.
The court looks at attachment.
Stability.
Emotional bonds.”
She looked at Dante.
“Is Mimi attached to Ms. Torres?”
“Yes,” he said.
No hesitation.
“Is Ms. Torres a legal guardian?”
“No,” I said.
Fast.
“Then that’s a problem,” she said.
“You have no legal standing.
If Mr. Morales loses, you can’t fight for her.”
I went cold.
“So what do we do?” Dante asked.
“Two things,” she said.
“One: Document everything.
Photos of Mimi happy.
School records.
Medical records.
Proof of daily care.
Proof you’re both present.”
“Two: Reduce the risk.”
“How?” I asked.
Atty. Cruz looked at me.
“Ms. Torres.
Move out.”
The room got quiet.
“No,” Dante said.
“Mr. Morales.”
“No,” he said again.
Louder.
“We fight together.”
Atty. Cruz sighed.
“I understand.
But legally, cohabitation is the easiest thing for Mrs. Morales to attack.”
“We’re not a couple,” I said.
“The court won’t care,” she said.
“You sleep on his couch.
That’s cohabitation.”
I looked at Dante.
He looked at me.
“No,” he said.
“She stays.”
Atty. Cruz closed the file.
“Then we prepare for war,” she said.
“Hearing is December 12.
8:30AM.
You need character witnesses.
Ate Nene.
Head Chef.
Readers, if possible.”
“Readers?” I said.
“Yes,” she said.
“If your book has community support, it shows you’re not unstable.
You’re employed.
You have income.
You have people.”
She slid a paper across.
“Retainer: 5,000 pesos.
Balance: 15,000 after.”
We had $70.
3,850 pesos.
“We’ll find it,” Dante said.
Atty. Cruz nodded.
“Then I’ll file the answer this week.”
We stood up.
“Mr. Morales,” she said.
“What?”
“Don’t send her away again,” she said.
“The court will ask why.
If you’re afraid, say it.
If you love her, say it.
Judges are human too.”
---
We left.
Silent.
Outside, Manila heat hit us.
Dante didn’t speak until we were on the jeep.
“Cassie.”
“What?”
“I’m not asking you to leave,” he said.
“I know.”
“But if we lose…”
“Then we lose together,” I said.
He looked out the window.
“Mimi can’t lose her,” I said.
“And I can’t lose you.”
He didn’t answer.
At home, Mimi ran to us.
“Daddy! Ate Cass! Did you win?”
Dante knelt.
“We’re fighting, anak.”
“Will Lola take me?”
“No,” he said.
“Not if I can help it.”
Mimi hugged him.
Hard.
I opened my laptop.
Chapter 16.
I couldn’t write fiction.
So I wrote truth.
`Chapter 16 | The Lawyer`
`She said move out.`
`He said no.`
`Because love isn’t legal.`
`But love is evidence.`
`And we have 13 days to prove it.`
I published.
Dreame emailed.
`Miss E, your reads spiked.
2,400 in 2 hours.
Comments: 500.`
Top comment:
`@protectmimi: SUE THE EX MIL`
`@teamcassie: WE WILL FIGHT WITH YOU`
`@lawyer_reader: I’m a family lawyer. DM me.`
I DM’d her.
She replied.
`I’m Atty. Mara.
Pro bono.
I’ll co-counsel with Atty. Cruz.
No fee.`
I cried.
Dante saw.
“What?”
“Free lawyer,” I said.
His eyes widened.
“Why?”
“Because 2,400 people read our story,” I said.
“And one of them is a lawyer.”
He sat down.
Hard.
“Cassie.”
“What?”
“This is working,” he said.
“What?”
“The book,” he said.
“Us.”
I nodded.
Mimi was asleep.
Dante and I sat on the floor.
“Atty. Mara wants to meet,” I said.
“Okay.”
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Thank you,” I said.
“For not sending me away.”
He looked at me.
“Cassie.”
“What?”
“If we lose Mimi,” he said.
“I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“Then don’t lose,” I said.
“Fight.”
He nodded.
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Can I… stay on the bed tonight?”
He froze.
“Not for that,” I said.
Fast.
“For comfort.
I’m scared.”
He looked at the bed.
Then at the floor.
Then at me.
“Okay,” he said.
I didn’t breathe.
We lay down.
1 foot apart.
No touching.
But breathing.
Same air.
Mimi cried out.
Nightmare.
Dante was up first.
“Anak?”
Mimi sat up.
“Lola…”
“It’s okay,” he said.
He pulled her between us.
So there we were.
Mimi in the middle.
Me on one side.
Dante on the other.
3 people.
1 bed.
Mimi fell asleep holding both our hands.
Dante looked at me over her head.
“Cassie.”
“What?”
“Thank you,” he said.
“For what?”
“For staying.”
I squeezed his hand.
He didn’t let go.
I was still awake.
Dante was asleep.
Mimi was warm between us.
I whispered,
“We’re going to win.”
Dante’s thumb moved.
Against mine.
I think he heard me.
_End of Chapter 16_
- Writer
