She Framed Me As Unfit So I’ll See Her In Court Chapter 39
Caleb shut his eyes hard.
The judge continued reading.
“The protective order against Sloan Mercer is converted to a long-term order. She shall have no direct or indirect contact with Nia or Maya, and shall not publish, repost, or direct others to publish their address, photographs, or personal information.”
The last page fell.
“This order takes effect immediately.”
My lawyer touched my arm lightly.
“Nia, we won.”
I looked toward the back of the gallery.
My mother had both hands over her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
I walked over and hugged her.
Last time, Maya had been taken from my arms under court order.
This time, the court had left her in a safe home.
As we walked out of the courthouse, Caleb hurried after us for two steps.
The protective order applied only to Sloan. He could still handle necessary matters regarding Maya through lawyers, but he could no longer call me whenever he pleased.
“Nia.”
My lawyer stepped in front of him.
He stopped, and for the first time, the arrogance had vanished from his face.
“I just wanted to say… I didn’t know that man would really go to your house.”
I looked at him.
“So if he hadn’t gone, you think the ad would have been acceptable?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Then what do you mean?”
His mouth opened.
People were coming and going on the courthouse steps. No one stopped to help him find a nicer answer.
“I just wanted Maya to live with me more.”
“No.”
I cut him off.
“You wanted to win.”
“When the full video proved I wasn’t drunk, you didn’t stop. When school surveillance caught Beth, you didn’t stop. When a strange man was standing at your daughter’s front door, you still only told me not to call the police.”
I took a copy of the final order from my bag.
“This isn’t me stopping you from being a father now.”
“This is a judge seeing how you chose to be one.”
Caleb’s shoulders sagged inch by inch.
“I’ll change.”
“Then show Maya.”
I turned and walked back to my mother.
She stood there in the sunlight with Maya’s hand in hers, waiting for me.
This time, I didn’t look back to see whether Caleb regretted anything.
His regret had come far too late.