Forget-Me-Not

Chapter one. Eliza stood at the entrance of the courtroom holding her daughter’s hands with the lawyer beside her. “Who are we having?” She numbly asked. The lawyer didn’t waste time to answer. “Judge Eveleigh Brown.” Eliza felt a shiver run down her spine involuntarily. The name sounded like something out of a fantasy novel. “Is she good?” “She’s just.” The lawyer replied. Eliza breathed a sigh of relief but maybe there was something about the way the judge’s name sounded because Eliza’s mind was not settled at the thought of that name. She still didn’t feel sure of herself especially when she looked down at her ten year old daughter. “Would she be allowed in?” Eliza asked referring to Lucy. “Of course. She will. Let’s go inside.” She followed the lawyer into the courthouse and they both took a seat in the courtroom. She wouldn’t lie, she wasn’t sure about herself, especially since Adam hadn’t showed up at the court yet and the proceedings would soon take place. The lawyer, mr. Paul noticed her shivering and asked. “Are you cold?” “No.” She replied. “Just a bit nervous.” Then she looked around scanning the environment. There was still no sight of Adam. “Do you think he is coming?” She asked Paul. The last thing she wanted was to have any delays. All she wanted was to get this done with and leave her insecurities behind as soon as possible. “We should hope that he does.” Paul replied swiftly. “And what if he doesn’t?” “We would ask for a continuance.” Hearing that. Eliza slipped her mouth shut pursing her lips as she held on to her daughter’s hands. Adam had better show up now and he should make it snappy. It felt hard making this choice but Adam Baker had left her no choice when he cheated on her, not with any one but her best friend. It didn’t matter who it was anyway, it still didn’t change the fact that Adam had cheated and she had cried her eyes out, hurling curses at him for his infidelity. She had grown past that stage now, especially since he didn’t stop any of his waywardness. Now all she wanted was a divorce. “He would be here.” Paul said reassuringly. His words only made her stomach tighten. “You think there would be any delays?” “With the prenup that you both signed, nope but if you both want custody of your daughter. Then there might be delays.” He told her. Eliza nodded in understanding but then she turned to her daughter cupping the little girl’s cheeks as she told her. “If the judge asks who you want to stay with, you chose your mama okay.” Eliza said. “But what about my daddy?” The little girl protested. “If you chose daddy then you would get a new mummy but if you chose mama, you still have your daddy, okay.” Eliza went on ignoring the lawyer’s voice which said things didn’t work like that. She was also aware, she wasn’t entirely a novice to these practices but one had to use every chance they got even the ones they weren’t sure they would get. “You don’t want another mama, do you?” Eliza finally asked. “No mama. I don’t want any mummy but you.” The little girl replied. Eliza smiled, a bitter smile. It felt surreal to know her daughter still wanted her but at the thought that she had lost her husband and best friend, her entire world shattered all over again. Then Adam arrived. Eliza felt his presence before she actually saw him. He was standing at the entrance, with Jackie by his side. Their eyes met for a brief while before Eliza quickly broke contact. Her eyes were already brimming with tears, hadn’t she cried enough? “Is anything wrong?” The lawyer asked as he noticed her inner turmoil. “When shall we start?” She asked in response. “Soon.” As if on cue, the moment he said that, the bailiff stood up and began calling out names, assigning numbers to everyone. As soon as Eliza and Ian’s names were called, both their lawyers stood up to take attendance. Eliza didn’t hear the number they were given but when Paul sat down and she asked him, he replied “twenty five.” “Twenty five?” She gasped surprised at the number of cases that would have to be heard before hers. “Don’t worry, you would be surprised out how fast it would pass.” Paul reassured her. Eliza grabbed the hem of her skirt as she sat down in silence, the only noise she could hear was the constant beating of her own heart or maybe it was just a sound that she had made up in her head. The day seemed to pass away quickly and she soon found herself standing before the judge. Judge Eveleigh, Eliza had dreaded meeting her but the woman didn’t look like someone to be afraid of. She watched as Paul handed her the paperwork while Eva read it thoroughly. For every minute that the judge took evaluating their case, Eliza’s body seemed to stretch it into hours. “I see you want a divorce.” The judge said after a moment’s silence. Eliza and Adam nodded their heads simultaneously. “But you have a child.” “Yes, your honor.” Adam was the one who replied. “And you both want custody?” Eliza slammed her eyes shut, Adam had taken everything she had. Why did he still want her child? When none of them gave a reply to this question. Eva moved on to her next one. “Did you sign a prenup?” “Yes your honor, we did. Especially for cases like this.” He explained. “This is a yes or no question, Mr Baker. I hope you keep to protocol when next I ask you a question.” The judge replied keeping her gaze locked in his. Then she turned to his lawyer. “Can I see it?” Adam’s lawyer immediately provided the prenuptial agreement documents. It was in moments like this, Eliza regretted signing that prenup but if she hadn’t. Her marriage with Adam would never have solidified. Adam was a prosperous man while she was just a country girl who had showed up from a relatively unknown town and it had been easier for people to believe that she was marrying him for his money. “Mrs Baker, are you aware that you would receive no compensation from your husband?” “Yes, your honor. I’m fully aware.” Eliza replied, her voice thick with anticipation. “Do you have a job?” “No.” She replied. “Meaning, you are fully depended on your husband?” The judge raised an eyebrow. “Not anymore.” Eliza replied feeling overly confident. The judge nodded at her. Eliza wondered where all of this was heading to. Would Lucy go home with hr or would she not?She didn’t even care how long they stayed here anymore. All that mattered was to have her daughter back with her by the end of the day. “But it says here that you want custody of your daughter. How are you to provide for her if you have no job?” Those words were like a knife to her throat but they were the truth. Eliza felt the tension within her rise just at the same time Adam breathed a sigh of relief. She scoffed inwardly, why wouldn’t he? The judge was finally ruling in his favor. He had all the money in the world and she had nothing. He could buy Lucy all the dolls she ever wanted but the sad truth was that Eliza could afford nothing. “I can find a job.” She said the first thing that came to her mind. It wasn’t going to be that hard. She studied management at school, it would be easy if all the companies in the town didn’t already have a manager. “Do you have a skill?” The judge asked her. “Yes, your honor. I crochet, I paint and I studied business management at school. Do I have to provide my certificate?” “No, you don’t have to.” Eliza sighed in relief. She had her certificates but she would have to make the journey to cedar creek just to get them. “Mr. Baker do you counter this?” “No- I me-mean yes your honor. My wife never studied all of these that she mentioned.” Adam stuttered. “Just because you don’t know about it doesn’t mean I didn’t.” Eliza argued. “And just because the judge has given you the liberty of speech doesn’t mean you have to spill lies.” “Enough.” The judge ordered as she noticed the two were about to cause a riot in the courtroom. Eliza and Adam both called themselves to order as silence once again befell the building. “This is my judgement.” The judge announced perking the interests of all four individuals that stood before her excluding Jackie who sat in a far-off corner of the room. “Mrs. Baker, went to school or not, I’m giving you the grace of three weeks to find a job during which you would have your daughter with you.…” Adam tried to interrupt her but Eva took the words out of his mouth. “I would hear nothing from anyone.” She said. “If you find a well paying job within this period, you would have your daughter’s custody.” Eva announced. Eliza blinked her eyes in bewilderment, the judge had ruled in her favor but her enthusiasm didn’t make her forget the fact that it might prove difficult for her to find a job within the span of three weeks. “And what if it elapses your honor and I don’t get a job?” She inquired already dreading the answer the judge would give her. “Then you would have no choice but to hand her over to your husband.” Eliza swallowed the thick lump of nothingness that had just settled in her throat. “And the divorce process your honor?” Paul asked calling the judge to attention. “We would attend to that once this situation has been sorted.” She replied. Adam tried to protest against her judgement but Eva slammed the gravel leaving no room for any more arguments.