Karen Young - Private Lives

Listening, Elizabeth held her breath. In front of her, Gina sat fidgeting and looking scared. And no wonder, Elizabeth thought. Judge Hetherington clearly wasn’t convinced that they’d told the truth about Austin. Was the man going to get away scot-free?

“I’m favorably impressed by Ms. D’Angelo’s modest financial demands,” the judge continued, “as well as her intention to set aside some of it for the child’s education later. I’m granting that amount. I’m also increasing it by two thousand dollars each month to apply to rent and day-care since Ms. D’Angelo has stated she needs to seek employment and it’s unreasonable to assume that she can enjoy her friend’s hospitality indefinitely. If she does indeed find suitable employment, I’ll take another look at her financial situation.”

Gina made a soft, incoherent sound, but was sternly quashed by one look from the judge. Focusing again on his yellow pad, he studied his notes in silence, then continued. “I’m also favorably impressed by Mr. Leggett’s generosity in providing for Ms. D’Angelo and the child for the entire duration of their relationship. Without hospital records or police statements to back up the allegations of abuse, I’m powerless by law to consider that an issue here today. Consequently…” He paused, finished with his notes, and began tidying up. When the pad and all documents were neatly stacked in front of him, he reached for his gavel. “I’m granting joint and equal custody of the minor child, Jesse Elizabeth Leggett, to you both, Gina D’Angelo and Austin Leggett, and directing that you work out an amicable arrangement for sharing the responsibilities of parenting her. There’s no such thing as equal custody, of course, but you both live in the same town and that is an advantage. Since Jesse attends kindergarten, I’m directing that she live with her mother during the week and that you have visitation rights as often as you wish, Mr. Leggett. I leave it to you both to work out weekend visitation, but I’m again directing that it be each and every weekend if you so desire, Mr. Leggett. Also, you are to take turns with holidays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, whatever. If you are unable to come to an agreement, then the court will appoint someone to do it for you.” Stern-faced, he leaned forward and pointed the gavel at them. “I strongly urge you both to work this out between yourselves. I’ll expect a document from your attorneys within thirty days as to the terms and conditions. I don’t need to point out the difficulties in dividing a child’s life into two equal parts, but if you care about Jesse as much as you’ve testified to me, then I’m confident you’ll both do the right thing. Now, this hearing is adjourned.”

Crack! His gavel banged and it was over.

“Can we talk, Ms. Walker?”

Ryan Paxton spoke from behind Elizabeth as she stood in line at Starbucks waiting for the cappuccino she’d ordered. She turned, startled, and found herself looking into his eyes. They were a clear, almost silver, gray. He’d un-buttoned his shirt and pulled the knot of his tie loose. But it had done nothing to detract from the classy elegance of his suit, as expensive as yesterday’s. Would anything? Dangling from one hand was his briefcase. The other was anchored by a thumb in a pocket. She wasn’t fooled by his casual air. There had been nothing casual about the way he’d gone after her and Gina on the stand yesterday. And this close, he seemed taller and more intimidating than he’d been in the courtroom.

She resisted an urge to ease back and held her ground. “I don’t know what we could possibly have to say to each other, Mr. Paxton.”

“You heard the warning Judge Hetherington gave Austin and Gina. I thought you and I might help ward off the Third World War.”

“The way I heard it, the judge assigned that task to you and Maude Kennedy.” Elizabeth glanced toward the attendant who was brewing the cappuccino. With a hiss of the machine, he completed the creation and handed it over. She took it and began walking away. Ryan followed.

“I’d still like a minute to talk about it.” With a light touch on her arm, he steered her toward an empty table. Wishing she hadn’t indulged her craving for coffee, Elizabeth allowed him to pull out a chair for her. After the session in the courtroom, she’d left Gina and Maude to begin hammering out some kind of workable agreement with Austin and Ryan, telling Gina to meet her at the coffee bar in an hour. It surprised her that Ryan had left his client unprotected with Maude Kennedy. She hoped Maude was taking advantage of his lapse in judgment.

When she was seated, he took the chair opposite. “You must be feeling pretty good about the judge’s ruling,” he said.

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Gina gets the kid, the money…two thousand bucks more than she asked for. Plus, you’re off the hook. She can get an apartment and you get your privacy back.”

“Do you practice being obnoxious, Mr. Paxton? Or were you simply born that way?”

“You mean you wouldn’t mind if Gina stayed with you indefinitely?”

“I mean exactly that. Gina and Jesse are family. I love them both. They’re welcome in my home as long as they want to be there.”

He slapped his briefcase into the empty chair at the table and dropped his head back, looking at the ceiling for a moment before straightening up. “I’m screwing this all up.”

“Screwing what up?”

“My peace mission. Trying to get your help on this whole stupid situation before it turns into something we’d all rather avoid.”

“Like what? Like Gina might get attacked again by that sadistic jerk? Or, worse yet, he might turn on Jesse? How would you like that, Mr. Paxton? How would you feel if he lost his temper when Jesse spills her milk or…or leaves a toy on the stairs or breaks something that he prizes? Children do that, you know. How would you like it if she landed in the ER with a broken arm? Or a concussion? Or worse!”

He was shaking his head. “Come on. You’re exaggerating. Nobody produced a scrap of evidence proving Gina was roughed up by Austin. And you’re not going to make me believe he’d hit that little girl.”

“I’m not going to be able to make you believe anything except what you want to believe,” Elizabeth said bitterly. “You’ve convinced yourself that Austin’s okay. Odd, since you probably don’t even particularly like him. At least, I didn’t see much evidence of strong male bonding between the two of you during the two days I’ve had to observe. Your attitude is so typical. You won’t let yourself think that a fellow lawyer, a well-educated contemporary from a privileged background could be a cruel, vindictive, violent creep, will you?”

“Not without something more than the word of two—”

“Lesbians?”

Again, he was shaking his head. “Ah, I don’t believe that.”

“Then why did you insinuate it to Judge Hetherington?”

“I’m a lawyer. I use whatever tactics I can to benefit my client.”

She stood up, nearly tipping the coffee over. “I never could understand why anybody would want to be a lawyer and you’ve reassured me about my instincts.”

Ryan touched her hand. “Wait, wait a minute, Ms. Walker.” The look she gave him was so furious that he fell back. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t approach you to stir things up worse than they are between Austin and Gina. Believe it or not, I’m trying to do some good here.”

“How, in God’s name, are you trying to do good?” she asked, genuinely baffled.

“I need your help in trying to get Gina and Austin to work something out for the sake of the kid…for Jesse’s sake. And I don’t think it’s going to happen if it’s left to them.”