Page 8 of Sunshine
For a moment it feels as if she’s on my side, but then she says, “I’m assigning a child protective service worker to your case. She’ll supervise all your visits from now on unless you’re visiting her while she’s with her current guardians.”
“Supervise my visits?” I swallow when the judge pinches her lips and arcs her brow.
“Build your house, get everything in place, and we’ll schedule a court date…” She glances over at the quiet woman typing at a table in the corner. “Six months?”
Six months? Jesus!
The woman nods. And Justice Hortense’s sharp hawk-like eyes slide to mine. “Is that a suitable amount of time for you, Mr. Python Keller?”
“It’s Callen, Case Callen.” My lawyer says.
I clear my throat wondering if this is some sort of twisted test to see if I even know who I am. Or maybe that’s just me being paranoid. Is the world out to get me? Is there a higher power exacting karma?
You’re a criminal who’s gotten away with too much and karma is the way the world keeps the balance.
The voice in my head sends a shiver through me. I thought I’d dealt with this in the mandatory counseling provided by the RCMP, but obviously not. I shove the thought away, bury it and focus on my daughter, visualizing her sweet face.
“I want my daughter as soon as possible, Your Honor, but I also want what’s best for her.”
She makes a note in her papers and then looks to the young woman sitting off to the side. “Anna, please add Callen Vs Callen to our calendar. In the meantime, we’ll set up a schedule for shared visitation with you and Reece’s paternal grandparents.”
My gut tightens at the thought of Reece with my parents. I could protest, but I know it won’t do any good. On paper they’re perfect. And if she does end up placed with them, at least they won’t be strangers. For a second I regret going for custody. If I hadn’t, she wouldn’t be facing this. She’d be happy and safe with Jeff and Lulah, who took on full parental duties so Jeff’s parents could travel.
“Your Honor, the child has no relationship with her paternal grandparents.”
“And we’re going to rectify that.” Her eyes slide from my lawyer to me. “Do you have anything to say about it?” There’s flicker of a dare in her eyes. As if she wants a reason to squish me like a bug under her ridiculous shoes.
“They weren’t abusive, if that’s what you’re asking. They were cold, dismissive, and controlling, which are things I don’t want my daughter to experience, but there’s no reason for me not to get custody of my daughter so that’s not something I need to worry about. She’ll never question my love, or fear it being taken away if she screws up or chooses a different path than I want for her.”
The judge rises her brow, but she says nothing to me about it. Instead, she turns to Anna, her assistant or stenographer.
“Who do we have from Children’s Services for Mr. Keller, Anna?”
“Callen,” I remind her, earning myself a sardonic smile from her and a nudge from my lawyer.
“Of course, Mr. Callen. The criminal biker is Python Keller, you’re the upstanding citizen hero, Case Callen.” The slight curve of her lips sours my stomach.
The two of them talk a moment before Anna rises and hands me a sticky note.
I look at it. Janet Eliose is written on the paper along with a number.
“She’ll be in contact. She’ll supervise all your visits.” Anna’s voice is surprisingly small as she’s close to six feet with a robust walk in chunky sensible shoes. She guides me to the office door.
“She’ll be supervising my parent’s visitations as well?” I ask this even though I plan to rip them both to pieces, proverbially speaking of course, for pulling this shit.
Anna nods.
“Mr. Keller?” It’s the judge’s voice but Anna looks sheepish, giving me a small apologetic smile. Judge Hortense clears her throat. “Callen. I mean. Mr. Callen. My apologies.”
I turn to the judge.She doesn’t look the least bit apologetic.
“Jump through whatever hoops your worker wants, understand? Until then, I’ll grant you bi-weekly weekend visitation.” Before I can reply she speaks again. “I’ll also be contacting child services in…” She looks down. “Sunset Cove, is it?” She doesn’t even look up for my answer. “To keep an eye on things there as well. The suitability of the home, etcetera.”
Somehow I think the etcetera is akin more to a loaded gun, but I nod and thank the judge. She’s got me by the balls. My transition into society isn’t going quite as well as I thoughtthough, because I’d love to… I grind my jaw, not even allowing my thoughts to get violent… Let the air out of her tires, screw up her coffee order and deliver her pizza to the wrong address.
I shake my head, huffing a laugh at the ridiculousness of my thoughts. I’d beaten men to a pulp, I’d broken noses, kneecaps, and ribs. I’d done serious damage to people that crossed Satan’s Ransom MC and now? Now, I was fantasizing about letting the air out of Horse-Face’s tires.
But nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than toeing the line for my daughter. She’s too important to fuck anything up. And besides that, to allow myself into her life I must be the best choice for her.I have to fight and kill those urges to take what I want because I can. And until I do, I’m not good enough for Reece.
