Built

He looked over his shoulder at his mother and she gave him a nod. The judge watched the exchange over the rims of his glasses and made a note in the file he had open on the desk. “What about insurance?”

I saw Zeb’s shoulders tense, but he answered the question truthfully. “Since I’m self-employed, that has been a tad bit trickier. I have to wait for open enrollment to sign him up on a policy, so until then I’ll put him on Medicaid.”

“What about my recommendation for counseling? You mentioned the child was having issues being alone and separated from you.”

“My sister gave me the name of the doctor she took my niece to after the incident a few years ago. He didn’t have any openings this month, but I set us up an initial appointment for a few weeks from now. I want to make sure Hyde is comfortable with the guy before I commit to anything on a long-term basis.”

More scribbling but there was satisfaction stamped on the judge’s face. This was all going really well and I hadn’t had to do much of anything. I didn’t think he was even going to call the Fuller women to the bench.

The judge nodded and scribbled some more notes. “How has the adjustment in your social life been, Mr. Fuller?”

Zeb’s eyes darted over to me and then back to the judge. I forced myself not to start squirming as the judge followed the exchange.

“Haven’t had much of a social life lately, Your Honor. I’ve been working and getting things settled for my boy. I’m waiting for someone special. I won’t let anyone I’m not seriously involved with near my kid. He’s been disappointed by the adults in his life far too much already.”

The judge reached up, pulled his glasses off, and offered up a slight grin. “That is a very good answer, Mr. Fuller. In fact, I am very pleased with everything you have told me and all the steps you have taken to facilitate your motion for custody. Go ahead and have a seat. Counselor, can you approach the bench, please?”

I wasn’t expecting this but kept my face blank so that I gave nothing away as I passed Zeb on my way up to the bench. He gave me a curious look, but since I had no idea what was going on, I just shrugged a little and took purposeful strides until I was in front of the judge.

He pushed the microphone in front of him to the side, crossed his hands in front of him, and leaned forward so that he was looking down directly at me.

“You’ve been in front of me several times the last few years for different cases, Ms. Cole. You are passionate, dedicated, and driven to do right by your clients. I like having you in my courtroom.”

I blinked in shock and shifted on my feet. “Uh, thank you, Your Honor.”

“You fight for your clients with the obvious belief that you are doing so with their best interests in mind. In this case, I know the father is who you are representing, but I want to know that if it was the child you were fighting for, would you still be convinced the best place for him is in the care of Mr. Fuller?”

I opened my mouth and let it close again. It was unprecedented for a judge to ask legal counsel their opinion on a matter like this.

“Your Honor, I . . .”

“I want your honest opinion, Ms. Cole. Should the child be placed in the care of your client on a permanent basis?”

The truth. My truth . . . finally. It was the easiest thing in the world for me to give it to this man who held Zeb’s world in his hands.

“Zeb loves that boy and Hyde loves him back. They are a team, and while I recognize there is a learning curve for both of them, neither could ask for a better teacher. Zeb will never, ever give up on Hyde, no matter what issues from the child’s formative years may present down the road. He will work endlessly and tirelessly to make sure that little boy never goes without, and there has never been a man more willing to open up himself and his home for anyone. Honestly, Your Honor, I wish I was as certain in all my cases that the child in question was going exactly where he or she was supposed to be.”

The man’s eyebrows rose up on his forehead. “Both of them seem pretty fond of you as well, Ms. Cole. The reports from both the CASA representative and the social worker who visited the home mentioned both the father and son brought you up quite frequently in conversation.”

I felt myself flush. “This case started out on a personal note and became more so as I got to know the people involved more intimately.” Maybe it was a bad choice of words because the judge was going to know I meant that Zeb and I were involved sexually, but I didn’t care. There was nothing to be ashamed of. The woman without the mask knew that as she stood there confidently and unafraid of judgment.

“It’s rare that a child in the circumstances that Hyde found himself in has so many good people looking out for his best interests. He is very lucky.”

I nodded a little stupidly. “He is, but so are we. He’s a great kid, Your Honor.”

The judge nodded again and reached for his glasses. “You are someone special, Ms. Cole. In this courtroom and, if I had to wager a guess, outside of it as well. Keep that in mind after my ruling.”

I closed my eyes briefly as his words echoed Zeb’s statement that he was waiting for someone special to be in his life. I took a deep breath to steady myself and went back to the table as the judge told me to have a seat so he could read his final ruling.

“As far as the court is concerned, Mr. Fuller has met all the requirements mandated by the court and provided enough evidence that he is willing and capable to assume fully physical and financial responsibility of the minor child Hyde Bishop. The court reserves the right to intermittently check on the welfare of the child for the first five years of custody, but beyond that you are free to raise your son as you see fit, Mr. Fuller.”