Page 101 of Her Summer Hope

The insinuation stung, and Madison felt a flare of anger. “They have stability with me. They don’t need to be torn from the only home they’ve ever known.”

“It’s only two days a week for God’s sake!” Pam burst out. “They’re our grandchildren! Is it too much to ask?!”

Ellie, Jackson, and James shifted uncomfortably, their young faces confused and fearful. Madison reached out, pulling them closer. Her heart ached for them, caught in the middle of a battle they couldn’t understand.

Don and the lawyer led her away, murmuring in her ear reassuringly.

The moment was interrupted by the bailiff’s call, announcing the start of their hearing. Madison stood, her legs feeling like lead. She gathered Emma into the carrier on her chest and took the boys by the hand, her head held high as she led them toward the courtroom. Ellie followed, looking frightened.

It made her even angrier than she was before. Angry not only at Rob’s parents but at Rob too.

As she passed Pam and Don, she felt their eyes on her.

She would fight with everything she had to keep her family together.

Inside the courtroom, the judge’s bench loomed large, a symbol of the unfair power held over her family’s future.

Madison took a deep breath, steadying herself and trying to get rid of her anger for the moment. She couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. Mr. Harrison gave her a reassuring smile.

This was it—the moment where she had to be stronger than she’d ever been, for her children, for herself.

God, she wished Kyle were here. Even just seeing his face would make her feel a little better.

The courtroom fell into a hushed silence as the judge entered and took his seat at the bench. He was balding and his face was stern and uncompromising. His eyes swept over the courtroom with an air of solemn authority.

She tried very hard not to stereotype him, but she was afraid that he would be the type to look down on her.

Madison felt a knot tighten in her stomach. The moment she had been dreading had arrived.

The judge’s voice cut through the silence. “We are here to discuss the matter of custody for the children of the late Robert Lane. Let’s proceed.”

Pam and Don’s lawyer, a sharply dressed man with a calculating gaze, stood first.

“Your Honor, my clients, the grandparents of the children, seek partial custody. They are deeply concerned about the well-being and stability of their grandchildren under Ms. Lane’s care.”

He went on to present their argument.

“Mr. and Mrs. Lane are well-established members of the community, financially stable, and more than capable of providing a loving and structured environment. They argue that the mother, while not mentally unfit, struggles to provide adequately due to her current circumstances.”

Madison clenched her fists, feeling a rush of indignation. The implication that she was an inadequate mother stung deeply.

She watched helplessly as Pam and Don nodded in agreement with their lawyer, their faces masks of concerned grandparenthood.

They were so fake, yet the judge didn’t seem to see it.

It all passed in a blur. Then it was Madison’s turn.

Mr. Harrison stood with a determined look. “Your Honor, while we recognize the grandparents’ concern, it is in the children’s best interest to remain with their mother. Madison has been their sole caregiver since their father’s passing. She has provided a stable, loving home, and uprooting the children would cause unnecessary emotional distress.”

Madison’s lawyer continued, outlining Madison’s deep bond with her children and her ability to care for them, even in the face of her recent adversity. “Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that staying with their mother has been detrimental to the children in any way. In fact, the children are remarkably intelligent and well-adjusted. They are well-nourished and always supervised. There have been no injuries or any reason to suspect anything other than what we see at face value—a solid, loving home.”

The judge listened intently, his expression unreadable as he took notes, barely looking up the whole time her lawyer was speaking. Madison’s heart pounded in her chest, her every hope and fear hanging on the outcome of this hearing.

Pam and Don’s lawyer countered, bringing up financial stability and the resources they could offer. Madison’s lawyer rebutted, emphasizing the emotional and psychological impact of separating the children from their primary caregiver.

The back-and-forth continued in a tense and grueling exchange. Madison felt every argument like a physical blow, her future—and that of her children—being debated as if they were mere assets.

The courtroom's atmosphere was substantial as Pam and Don's lawyer stood, adjusting his suit jacket with a practiced air of confidence. He cleared his throat, addressing the judge again with a respectful nod.

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