CHAPTER 28
BRIAN
“It’s going to be okay. Just settle down.”
Amanda’s voice comforted me as we drove to the courthouse. I was a nervous fucking wreck. I was going to have to stand in court and keep my cool as Lanie’s asshole sperm donor sat there trying to prove he had some decent life for her to go back to. And I knew I was putting on a charade as well. Sort of. The ring in my pocket was burning a hole into my thigh as we drove to the courthouse. I knew I had to give it to her, but I also knew she deserved better.
I cared about Amanda, and I cared about how this affected her. She deserved a proper proposal. One at a fancy dinner or in a butterfly garden underneath the stars. One that took place on an isolated tropical island beach, or maybe one that happened in the middle of her art gallery. All of these wonderful ideas kept pounding my head as we parked my truck.
It was now or never, but I wished I didn’t have to do it at all.
I wished things were different. I wished that Lanie’s father hadn’t done this to us. I wished my feelings for Amanda weren’t concealed underneath some plan to keep Lanie in my custody. I wished so many things were different.
“You ready?” Amanda asked.
“Almost. I have something to give you,” I said.
“Oh? What is it?” she asked.
I pulled the ring out of my pocket and I saw her expression shift. Her eyes widened as she took the ring from my hand, her eyes studying the shimmering diamonds. It was a princess-cut diamond surrounded by chocolate and yellow diamonds. They outlined the central diamond as well as cascaded down the sides of the rose-gold band. I watched her take it in, turning it around so she could see it from all angles.
“It’s, um, your engagement ring,” I said. “Since we aren’t married yet. But it’ll make things look intentional, especially since I filed for the license.”
“Brian. This is beautiful. You know a small one would’ve sufficed,” Amanda said.
“It needs to look real. And if I was proposing to you —”
My words caught in my throat as Amanda slid it onto her finger. It looked perfect, perched there on her hand. The diamonds not only accentuated her long, delicate fingers, it also accentuated the tone of her skin. The ring was fucking perfect for her, and it twisted the knife that had buried itself in my heart.
“It’s beautiful,” Amanda said breathlessly. “And I understand. You kept the receipt, right? So you can return it afterward?”
I felt like I was bleeding onto the floorboard of my truck with every word she spoke.
“Of course,” I said. “I did. Ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be. Do we need some sort of story about how we met?” she asked.
“Stick with how we actually met. Your inherited home, how we clicked instantly, how Lanie has already taken to you. There’s paperwork to back up that story, so let’s go with it,” I said.
“Perfect. Okay. Let’s go do this,” she said.
I escorted her into the courthouse, and my lawyer found us at the front door. He led us through the winding corridors and up the stairs as he talked us through what would happen. We would sit in a waiting room until our docket number was called, then we would follow him and sit beside him in front of a judge. We would present all the information we had, we would give our defense and our arguments, the judge would ask some questions, and if all went well, he would award custody today.
“Today?” I asked. “The judge might make that decision today?”
“It’s okay, Brian,” Amanda said. “We’ve got this. Trust the system. It does work.”
Our fingers were laced together as she laid her head on my shoulder. I was glad she came along because her presence was a comfort. She pressed kisses into my shoulder that settled my rapidly-beating heart, and she traced pictures on top of my skin that settled my shaking hands. But we weren’t sitting long before my phone rang in my pocket.
“Hold on,” I said. “Hello?”
“Brian. It’s me.”
“Man. Where the hell have you been?” I asked.
It was my private investigator, and my entire body went on high alert.
“Two things. One, it took some time to get Daryl out of town, but he left town yesterday morning.”
“What the hell’s the second thing?” I asked.
“Docket Number 245612-07.” A woman’s voice called out a docket number.
“That’s us,” my lawyer said. “Wrap it up.”
“I have to go. Can this wait?” I asked.
“You’ll figure it out in court. And you’re welcome. I expect payment in my account by the end of the day. Give your family my regards.”
I had no idea what the fuck he was talking about, but I didn’t have time to figure it out. I turned my phone on silent and placed it back in my pocket. Amanda was holding her hand out for me, and my lawyer was staring me down. It was time to go and face the asshole that was trying to shake me down and using Lanie to do it.
We walked down the hallway and slipped into the small courtroom. It wasn’t like the courtroom I imagined it would be. It was small, with no room for any sort of audience or jury to sit and observe. Amanda and I followed my lawyer to one of the desks, and we sat down. The only person sitting at the other desk was a lawyer.
A lawyer who didn’t have any sort of briefcase or files with him.
“All rise for the Honorable Judge Macon C. Clemmons.”
“Everyone stay seated. I have a full schedule today, and I’m ready to get this over with,” the judge said.
I shot my lawyer a look, but he seemed unconcerned. Was this the kind of judge we wanted presiding over my niece’s fucking custody case? Someone who just wanted to ‘get this over with’? I felt Amanda squeeze my hand as her eyes scanned my body.
“Relax,” she said in a whisper.
“I see there’s a suit for custody as well as a counter-suit for custody. I’ll start with the people who are actually here. Mr. Brian Murphy. Why do you feel you deserve custody of Lanie Murphy?” the judge asked.
“Because I’m her uncle. I’ve been taking care of her for the past year. I have a stable home, a stable income, and a family that loves her,” I said.
“Any history of drugs or alcohol in the home?”
“No, your honor,” I said.
“And who is this?” the judge asked, motioning toward Amanda.
“My fiance, your honor.”
“How long have you been in the household with Mr. Murphy and the child in question?” the judge asked.
“A few months, though it’s been more permanent the past couple of weeks,” Amanda said.
I took in her story and committed it to memory in case I was questioned about it later.
“And how long have the two of you been engaged? I see here there was paperwork filed for a marriage license last week?”
”About two weeks, your honor. We knew right away that we wanted to spend our lives together, but Brian wanted to make sure that I was the right person to be around Lanie first before we made it official,” she said.
“And how do you and Lanie get along?” the judge asked.
“Famously,” Amanda said, beaming. “I couldn’t love that little girl any more than if she were my own flesh and blood.”
Amanda was handling this like a champ. I was so incredibly proud of her, and grateful. The judge continued to throw questions at us while he shot the lone lawyer curious glances. But once the judge was done, he was not only sold on our story but so was I. We answered those questions as if we had been together for years. The stories rolled right off our tongue and the way Amanda spoke about me lit up her eyes.
No one could fake that kind of shit if they tried.
“Okay, Mr. Bergeron. Where’s your client?” the judge asked.
“My client was arrested early this morning.”
“On what grounds?” the judge asked.
“Use of methamphetamines and domestic abuse, Your Honor.”
I felt my entire body grow numb as the conversation with my private investigator slowly fell into place. His cryptic response. The fact that I would find out during the hearing. I had no idea what the hell that fool had concocted or how he managed to uncover the bullshit man Lanie’s father really was, but I owed him big time.
Not only was he getting paid, but he was also getting a big fucking bonus.
“I guess I should’ve started with you,” the judge said. “In the case of Docket Number 245612-07, Witlowe vs. Murphy, I hereby declare full custody awarded to Brian Murphy. My decision on this matter is final.”
The judge banged his gavel and tears sprang to my eyes. Amanda threw her arms around me, but I felt like I couldn’t move. It was done. The nightmare was over, and Lanie was officially mine. I felt tears running down my cheeks as Amanda kissed my neck, her words lost in my ears as I teetered on my feet.
“It’s over,” I said in a whisper.
“Yes, it is,” Amanda said.
“And to let the two of you know,” the judge said, “that marriage license expires in thirty days. If you’re not going to get married soon, be prepared to refile.”
“Yes, Your Honor,” I said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
I felt a pair of warm lips against mine, and it brought me out from my stupor. I wrapped my arms around Amanda’s waist, pulled her in close and dipped her down low. She giggled at me as our tongues danced, and every single ounce of stress I’d been under for the past week lifted itself off my body. My hands buried in her, my mind losing myself in her taste as my lawyer tried to get us out of the room.
“Excuse me, you two? I’m going to need this room in a few minutes,” the judge said.
“Sorry,” I said as Amanda giggled. “We’re leaving.”
We followed my lawyer out into the waiting room as another docket number was called. We sat in a corner and he began throwing paperwork at me to sign, but I could tell there was something he wanted to say. I signed and initialed where he asked me to, then he took the paperwork from me and sat back.
“Brian.”
“Yes,” I said.
“This is a massive victory,” he said.
“I know,” I said.
“I’ve seen a lot in my time practicing law, and I have to tell you, I think you two are the real deal. I know this was originally an arrangement to benefit the custody case, but watching you two today in that court room? Only people who know how they feel can face a judge and answer that easily. As a man who’s been happily married for thirty years, take my advice and put that marriage license to use. Just my two cents,” he said as he rose.
I stood shook his hand, watching as he walked down the hall to file the paperwork with the records clerk. I turned back to see if Amanda had heard what Luther had said, but she was on her phone, presumably with Sarah, who had begged to watch Lanie that morning so we could go to court. I needed to figure out what the fuck I was going to do.
I knew now, without a doubt, that I loved this woman, but I didn’t know exactly how she felt about me. I needed to know. I gave her a little wave and she ended her phone call.
“Everything ok with Lanie,” I asked.
“She’s perfect. Sarah is playing tea party with her and they are having a ball,” Amanda said.
“Good,”
“We should pick up Sarah and Lanie to celebrate,” Amanda said.
“That sounds like a good idea. Any place you’d like to go?” I asked.
“Did Lanie like that pizza place you guys went to?”
I could tell she was fishing within the confines of my memory as I reached out and cupped her cheek.
“Yes.”
I saw relief cascade over Amanda’s features as a smile bloomed across her cheeks.
“Then let’s go there,” she said with a grin.