Ch. 12: Custody War

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       Sometimes, you just get a feeling that your day is going to be great. Maybe because you were generally great at guessing those sort of things, or simply because lately, the heavens have been kind enough to let you have a breather from everything that was simply negative energy in your life.

        The whole week of us being back in NYC after spending some time in Alabama, had legitimately been one of the bests in a while, something that it was much deserved. Bastian was feeling so much better, and there had been no mention of Jemma either from me, James, or Royce who had been filled in on what had happened.

          So things were great, which was why I was certain that this Thursday was going to be another great day added to the few we've had lately.

         Like every other week day, I woke up, got ready, woke Sebastian up, got him ready and then made breakfast. But today was a little special because Bastian was starting preschool and this all got me emotional for the past week or so.

         Bastian was officially now a big boy, well at least that's what he kept chanting all throughout the week since he'd gotten back from Royce, who must have told him only big boys went to school. I just wished I could make time slow down so that I could cherish those young years with him when he's still cute and still wanted kisses and hugs, and when he wasn't scared to sneak into the bed with us.

          So I made a good and healthy breakfast, placed it on the table and yelled out James' name so that we could sit and eat together because those were my most favorite memories. Of us, as a family sitting at the dinner table.

         "You know, Bastian, it's not too late to back out of this whole school thing, mommy will totally understand if you don't want to go. We could wait maybe next year when you're five. Wouldn't you like that?" I asked the boy sitting across the table from me, half joking. I would seriously not hesitate to pull him out of the school and give his spot to another kid.

         I heard James clear his throat in the sit next to Bastian, as the kid started laughing, shaking his head as he thought I was the funniest thing ever. But the thing was, I was completely serious.

       "Mommy is serious, Bastian. We could call Ms. Beene and ask her to come hang out with you for a bit while mommy and daddy go to work. Would that be nice?" Okay, so maybe I was pushing on desperate because I swear I was just about ready to call his nanny, who he's had for the past two years and who has a degree in childhood development, to see if she could jump in and take care of him.

        "Nooo, mommy." His giggles were a bit louder now. Why the kid thought this was hysterical was completely beyond me.

        "All I'm saying_"

          James just had to come and interrupt me. "Uhm, babe, maybe we shouldn't push the kid not go to the school we are paying fifty thousand dollars a year for?" He said, which made me look at him. I shrugged and turned my focus back to the kid. We wouldn't be paying that much money if he weren't going.

         "I was simply making my case and giving him options and to tell him school isn't all that it's cracked up to be." Oh my God, I had no shame.

          "I'm sure the four year old appreciates all you've said since we've sat down." James retorted and I could hear the smile in his voice. I shut my mouth and simply kept on eating.

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           I used to hate first days of school and that had started ever since I was a kid. The earliest memories that I have are of my first day of elementary school. I had just moved in with a new family so I had to, of course, change school which wasn't the hardest part of it all.

         No, the hardest thing was to leave the people I knew behind. I had never been great at making friends, even when I was younger, which was why I always dreaded that first day at a different school when the kids already knew one another and I was the lonely weirdo they didn't know what to make of, so they would stay in their groups and whisper about me as if I didn't know it was happening.

        This happened every couple of years because I had never stayed in the same house, with the same family, for more than a couple of years. I never truly knew the reason behind it, I was a pretty cute kid and well behaved for the most part. Yet, I could never find a permanent home.

        So when it was time to leave again, I would say goodbye to the few friends I was able to acquire and move on to something else, not necessarily good. I've definitely had my fair share of insane foster families.

        Now, seeing how excited Sebastian seemed to be about school, how he also was not able to stop talking about it all and the fact that he would get to go to the same school with Rose's son, Levy, while we all rode the elevator down to the lobby, I came to the motherly conclusion that I shouldn't rain on my son's school parade. If he wanted to be excited about school, well I would simply let him, not that I had a choice anyway.

         The second the doors of the elevator opened, Bastian all but ran out, only thing that stopped him was the fact that he was holding hands with James who knew better than to let him go.

        "Daddy, David is here." Bastian pointed out when he saw the SUV parked right outside of our building and the man leaning on it. David was hired mostly to drive Sebastian and his nanny around and on very rare occasions, me, since Darcy had Dimitri and I was the crazy one who actually liked driving, not that I did a lot of that to begin with, being new york and whatnots.

        My phone started vibrating in my purse so I reached in to grab it while I watched James let Bastian go, the second David opened the door of the lobby and crouched down to be at eye level with the kid when they finally  hugged. That was their thing. David was this big guy with the big afro and the trimmed facial hair and glasses. He was also a great human being and oh so funny. But his most important trait of all, was that he genuinely loved Bastian.

        A few months ago, I asked Bastian who his best friends were and I was shocked to find out I came third after Levy, and David. I'm ashamed to admit that this hurt my feelings more than it was necessary. But then, I asked who his favorite people were and I was first on the list, so I guess that made up for the fact that I was only his third best friend.

         I smiled and answered the phone while walking next to James. Rose's voice immediately came to life.

         "I swear, Levy would simply not stop talking about school and how "awesome" it would be that he gets to go to school with Bastian." She sighed heavily then continued. "I swear, sometimes, I wished he hadn't started talking so young because he simply can't stop." She sighed again. I laughed.

          "You should have known this was going to happen once he started talking at nine months. Plus, Bastian is just as excited, it is literally all he's been talking about since yesterday. I mean, they aren't even in the same class...technically." I replied and gave David a quick hug before getting into the vehicle because he was basically family now.

          "Are you on your way yet? We should be there in ten." She said before yelling at Levy to put down the cat before he gets hair all over his clothes. I put the phone on speaker long enough to buckle Bastian to his seat.

           "Yeah, we should be there in fifteen minutes." I told her, then quickly added, "also, you're on speaker." A simple warning just in case. Rose has always been known to have a dirty mind and an even dirtier mouth.

          "This child will drive me mad one of these days. He's also making me reconsider having another kid, even though William's been dropping not so subtle hints at me, if you know what I mean. Wink, wink." She was telling me last night that William would simply not stop having sex with her, not that she was complaining.

           I burst out laughing. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Wink, wink."

           "I gotta go save the cat before he tries to save himself by scratching my child. I'll see you at the school." She said.

           "Love you."

            "Love you, more." And then she was gone. I smiled and put the phone away .

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      Not long after we arrived at the school and parked right in front, Bastian ran to Levy the second he saw him, both basically paying no attention to us after that. Rose and William approached us while rose made a face as if she had just gotten her feelings hurt.

          "Can you beleive I didn't even get a hug from Sebastian?" She said incredulouy, pulling me in for a hug and then did the same with James.

          "They definitely are more excited to see each other than to see us. Levy didn't even glance my way." I chuckled and quickly hugged William.

         "So, I just got off the phone with Eva and they are heading to the hospital. The doctor wants to induce labor today so they'll call us when things start kicking in." Rose informed me as we stood there watching the many kids and their parents chit-chatting away.

          "I feel like she's been pregnant for a year now."

         Rose started laughing. "I don't blame the kid for not wanting to come out, life is going to shit."

          "Language," I whispered loudly, trying hard not to laugh when the mothers standing close by turned to stare at us.

          "Sorry," Rose and I apologized.

          So, things were going great for that first day of school....until all of the sudden, it wasn't.

          A young man on a bike that I hadn't even noticed coming, yelled out my name so I turned and smiled.

         "Yes?"

         He approached me and took out an envelope from his backpack. I frowned. James who was talking with William a moment ago moved towards me while the man handed me the envelope.

    "Congratulations, you've been served."

       "Wait, what?" I asked, completely flabbergasted but still grabbed the envelope from the young man. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked at the person for a second. Royce.

      "Hey, what did I miss?" Royce asked, making the messenger turn towards him.

         "Royce Welch? You've been served." And just like that, he got handed an envelope similar to mine. And then it was James'turn, because we were the three musketeers. "James Darcy? You've been served."

          We all looked at each other and then back at the young man. "What the hell is all of this?" James whispered loudly because this whole embarrassing act was not necessary at all.

           "Have a great day, ladies and gents." The guy said and then jumped back on his bike, then he was gone.

          I opened my letter to see what it was about and what I saw did not actually surprise me.

       "It's from Jemma, she's suing for custody of Sebastian." James said before I could say anything because I swear I would not have been able to get a word out.

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       Hey guys hope you enjoy this new chapter. Feel free to vote and comment. I did promise things are about to pick up so stay tune 😚😚

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