"What do you mean I have to show up for a hearing today?" I basically yell into my phone.

I'm at my mother's house helping her prepare for the dinner she invited Charlie over for.

"You have a hearing at 5:00 today. Ms. Roberts had the day pushed to today." My lawyer, Danny, tells me.

"Why am I just now being notified of this?"

"Well I didn't know until 2:00 today."

"Danny, it is 4 in the fucking afternoon. You knew this information for two hours. What if I was working and couldn't be on my phone? I hired you to help me keep my daughter, not to lose her." I hang up and sigh.

I rub my face before going back inside to let Mom know. I pass John and his wife.

"I have to head out," I tell them.

"But isn't your girlfriend coming over?" Emily asks.

"Yeah but my hearing got pushed to today. If I don't show up then I'm risking them taking Abby."

"Ok, I'll let Mom know. Just get out of here and rush to the courthouse."

"Ok. Tell Abby that I went to go get something for dinner, I haven't told her about this yet."

----------------------------------------

I arrive at the courthouse with twenty minutes to spare. I walk in with a frown and scare some people in the process.

I just want to go back to my mom's house and spend time with my family.

I walk up to a receptionist and wait until she looks up at me.

"Hi, I'm here for a hearing."

"What's your last name?"

"Rivers."

"Are you Roberts vs. Rivers?"

"Yes ma'am," I sigh.

"They have already started." My eyes widen.

"What room are they in?"

"They're in courtroom 147-B but sir,-"

I ignore her and run down the hallways. Why would they start without me? And twenty minutes early at that.

I burst through the door as soon as I found it. The judge looks up from her podium and I see her turn around.

"Nice of you to join us Mr. Rivers."

"I am so sorry. My lawyer just called me and I was across town with my mother and daughter."

"Our daughter." I turn and look at her.

She looks the same yet so different. Her once long brunette hair is now just above her shoulders and blonde. She has makeup caked on to hide her imperfections, but she never had any. She also looks slimmer. And the biggest difference is the huge rock on her left hand.

"Mr. Rivers, please step up to the other podium." I listen to the judge and keep my eyes off of Alyssa.

"Please raise your right hand." I listen to the bailiff. "Do you swear that the evidence and testimony you give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do," I put my hand after he nods at me.

"Alright, let's start over, shall we?" The judge looks at me. "We are here today because Ms. Roberts is suing Mr. Rivers for the sole custody of their daughter Abigail Rose Rivers. Ms. Roberts claims that she was threatened by the defendant and had to leave without her daughter. Is that correct Ms. Roberts?"

"Yes Judge Lauren."

"I'm going to start with Mr. Rivers. Mr. Rivers?" She looks at me. "Please tell me your relationship with the plaintiff before your child."

"Well your honor, we met when we were 15. We started dating when we were 16 or 17 and it was a serious relationship."

"Was it an exclusive relationship or were y'all seeing other people as well?"

"It was an exclusive relationship ma'am." I confirm. "We moved in together during our second year at college and that's when our daughter was conceived."

"How old were you at the time?"

"We were both 20 when Abby was born."

"Is that her name?"

"Her name is Abigail, but she goes by Abby."

"Is there any significance to her name?"

"My aunt's name was Abigail Rose before she passed away."

"Mother or father's side?"

"Father."

"Alright. How old is the child now?"

"She's 5."

"I was not talking to you Ms. Roberts." The judge turns to glare at Alyssa. "Is that correct Mr. Rivers?"

"No ma'am. She is 7 right now but she will be 8 in two months." I look at Alyssa and see her face turn red.

"Does she go to school?"

"Yes ma'am. She goes to Rhodes Elementary and will be in 3rd grade."

"How does she do in school?"

"She's very smart. For the most part she gets good grades, A's or B's, and occasionally a C."

"Does she live with just you or is there anyone else in the household?"

"She lives with me, no one else."

"Any major injuries in the past year?"

I think back to the accident that only happened a month and a half ago. It feels like it has been months.

"Yes ma'am." At this she looks up.

"What was it?"

"She broke her leg."

"How did this happen?"

"She was under her bed trying to hide and broke it."

"Were you playing hide and seek?"

"No ma'am."

"Then why was she under the bed?"

I take a deep breath. "I'm a police officer so I hired a babysitter for her. I was working that particular night and the babysitter invited her boyfriend. The boyfriend arrived to my house intoxicated with a gun and had an argument with the babysitter. He fired at the babysitter and Abby went to hide in her room. She hid under the bed and once some other officers and I arrived, she went to make an escape. Her leg got caught and she broke it."

"If I may your honor, if this isn't enough evidence that he is not capable of caring for our daughter, then I don't know what is. He put her in harm's way." Alyssa raises her hand as if she's in a class.

"Mr. Rivers' actions do not suggest that he was negligent and was responsible for this incident." Judge Lauren once again glares at Alyssa. "Unless this babysitter is still looking after Abby, then I see nothing wrong."

"No ma'am."

"What is the babysitter's name and case number? And who looks after your daughter now?"

"Her name is Lillian Hughes and the case number is 167jv908. Abby now stays with my brother, John."

"What is his full name and is anyone else there when he watches her. If so, what are their full names?"

"Johnathan Michael Rivers and his wife Emily Rivers. They also have a three month old son, Gabriel Michael Rivers."

"How does Abby interact with them?"

"Abby loves her uncle and aunt. She loves to hold the baby and help Emily as much as she can."

"Alright. I have one last final question for you before I move on to Ms. Roberts." She finishes writing down some notes before she looks up at me.

"Does your daughter know who Ms. Roberts is?"

"Yes ma'am. She has dreams that Alyssa comes back to us but her dreams always end with her waking up and crying."

She nods her head and looks at Alyssa. I haven't looked at her besides the three times I did. I decide that I want to look like I care so I look at her.

Alyssa's mouth is slightly opened before she closes it. Instead a frown sits there, her eyebrows creasing together.

"You made our daughter hate me." She whispers.

"What?"

"You made my daughter hate me!" Alyssa screams. "You put all these horrible things in her head, painting me as the bad guy! She loved me!"
"Ms. Roberts!" Judge Lauren bangs her gavel. "I am going to go ahead and let you know ahead of time, this is my courtroom. You do not get to come in here and start yelling like you own the place. The only person who is allowed to do that is me. If you want to start some drama, you can do that as soon as you leave my courtroom. This hearing is dismissed for today, we will continue this next month on the third. I suggest that you clean up your act Ms. Roberts. And Mr. Rivers?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"Show up on time please."

Hey y'all! So we finally met Alyssa. Feel free to go ahead and complain about her

here.

I know that this chapter is very dialogue heavy, but I think this is the best way I can covey the story.

I am in no means a lawyer or any type of legal figure. I watch a lot of judge shows and did some research. If this is not accurate, please let me know. I want to keep my originality in this book but if I can make something more realistic, I will do so.

Also, that case number is something I pulled out of my ass. I don't know if it is a real case, so I'm sorry if it is.

One last thing, I am a little more active on Instagram and Twitter! They are both @ MysteryWriter67 . Go follow me to know when I'm going to post a chapter!

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