Page 31 of Adventures in Spring

“I don’t like that they claim to have someone who says they saw me abuse my kids. I would never, no matter how angry I get. Never.”

“I know that, and everyone here with you knows that. Don’t worry, Emiko. We got this.”

“ALL RISE,” the bailiff says.

We all stand as the new judge walks in.

“BE SEATED,” the bailiff says.

“Since you’ve had your opening statements at your first hearing, we won’t be going over that again. I have read all the transcripts from that day. And as you know, I have spoken to the two minor children, Kaito and Miyuki Yamaguchi-Summers. Which I will go over after all statements and after witness are heard from. You may call your witnesses,” the judge says to the Summerses’ lawyer.

We watch and listen as Gordon and Sheila are asked the same questions. They’re saying that Seth was brainwashed by me and my parents. That if they had been able to talk to him, he never would’ve left their family. How my parents forced him to stay and take care of me and the twins. And how they’re really not sure the twins are Seth’s children. Lorenzo countered that by saying if they didn’t think that the twins were Seth’s, why are they petitioning for custody? And their answer was that no child should be abused so even if they’re not his, they would take care of them anyway. They’re so full of shit.

We finally get to see who their ‘witness’ is.

“Our final witness is Miss Sabrina McCann.”

We all gasp. That bitch. Whatever she says is a fucking lie and I’m not even allowed to say that out loud. I turn and look at Rhett. His face is turning red. And I can see him clenching his fists. He finally focuses on me and I can see him relax. He leans forward.

“I love you,” he whispers to me.

“I love you, too.”

I face forward as we watch Sabrina take the stand. We listen to her tell the judge that she saw me strike my twins on several occasions. And that I called them names and told them they were idiots. She even said that Rhett has been with her off and on since high school. And that the last time they were together was last week.

Kaito screamed that she’s a liar. We had to settle him down and explain to him that he can’t yell in the courtroom. He asked why she’s lying. My dad had to take him outside for a minute. I could see that it affected the judge. And I hope that it works in our favor. Because listening to her is making me want to punch her out.

When it was our turn, Lorenzo called each of my family members up and they told the judge how much they loved Seth and how I have never, and would never, strike my children. Or call them names and degrade them.

Lorenzo’s final witness is Rhett.

“Please state your name for the court.”

“Rhett Vandenberg.”

“And you are Emiko’s boyfriend?” Lorenzo asks.

“Yes.” He smiles at me.

“Have you ever seen Emiko yell at the twins? Or strike them?”

“Never. Emiko has never raised a hand to those kids.”

“How do you know Sabrina McCann?”

“She’s my ex-girlfriend. We dated for two years in high school. I broke up with her five years ago.”

“Have you been with her at all since you broke things off?”

“Nope. Never.”

“Thank you, Rhett.”

Lorenzo sits down as the Summerses’ lawyer stands up.

“So you’re saying that you’ve never seen Emiko yell at the children? Ever?”

“All parents yell at their children. What I said was that she’s never hit them or degraded them.”

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