17. Chapter 17
"Ms. Lindsay, how long have you been a detective for the Chicago Police Department", Jay's lawyer asked right away the next day.
"For about three years", Erin answered.
"And am I correct in saying, that my client did not tell you about his daughter", he asked.
"Yes, that's correct", Erin agreed giving a glance towards Jay who simply nodded to tell her she was doing fine. They had decided to lay everything out in the open, that way Jay's lawyer could put a positive spin on whatever bad things both Erin and Jay had against them.
"What were your first impressions of Mr. Halstead as a father", he asked.
"He's a really good one. He knows everything there is to know about Maggie, her dislikes and her favorite things and everything in between", Erin explained.
"Must be a hard act to follow", Jay's lawyer joked.
Erin let out a light hearted laugh for the first time that day, "He definitely has some things to teach me about her", she answered.
"You have stepped in as Maggie's maternal figure, is that correct", he asked.
Erin simply nodded, "I love her like she's my own daughter", she answered before hearing the scraping of Kaitlyn's chair.
"She's not your daughter", Kaitlyn snapped standing up.
The judge was quick to slam her gavel down, giving Kaitlyn and her lawyer a stern look. "Mr. Smith, you will control your client or I will make my final ruling right now", the judge said.
"No worries, your honor. It will not happen again", Kaitlyn's lawyer agreed as he sat her back down in her chair.
"You cared for Maggie when Mr. Halstead was in the hospital", Jay's lawyer continued.
"Yes, that's pretty much where our bond stuck", Erin explained not being able to wipe a smile off her face.
"So, in your opinion, there is no other place with Maggie than with you and Mr. Halstead", Jay's lawyer asked.
"100% yes", Erin confirmed watching from the corner of her eye as Jay smiled.
"No further questions, your honor", Jay's lawyer said going to sit down.
Erin caught herself smiling as a wave of relief washed over her. She had done good. Answered all the questions honestly. Now, all she had to do was face her past, that she was almost positive Kaitlyn's lawyer would ask about.
"How long have you and Mr. Halstead been partners", Kaitlyn's lawyer asked.
"Almost two years", Erin answered.
"And you two have been a couple for how long", he asked.
"About six months", Erin explained. "He's my best friend", she added to make sure the judge understood how much Jay and Maggie meant to her.
"Do you see the two of you getting married", Kaitlyn's lawyer asked giving off an almost creepy smile as he approached Erin.
Erin politely smiled back, "I think that once all of this is over, we may begin to discuss it", she answered, practically saying the same thing she says to Maggie on a daily basis.
"Am I correct in saying, that marrying Jay Halstead was not the way you saw your life as a teenager", he asked.
Erin didn't have to say anything, she knew he wasn't done yet. Picking up the file on the table where Kaitlyn sat and began to walk back towards Erin.
"At around the age of 15 you were arrested for possession, lying to the police, shall I go on, Ms. Lindsay", he asked.
Erin shook her head and continued to glare at him, "So, let me ask you, with the past of a teenage junkie, could you relapse. Are you even a suitable parent", Kaitlyn's lawyer asked.
"I've been clean for over thirteen years. There is no way I could relapse. When you were 15, did you know what you wanted to with your life? I just wanted to survive. My mom was a junkie and I wanted her to get clean, but it also involved me paying her debts and getting caught in some things I regret. But, I met good people who helped me, made me the cop I am today, and led me to Jay and Maggie. I would never do anything to hurt them", Erin explained.
She watched as Kaitlyn's lawyer stood there almost baffled about what she had just said.
"Does that answer your question, counselor", she added giving him a smile.
"I have no more questions for this witness", he said leaving Erin and returning to the table where Kaitlyn sat.
"Ms. Lindsay, you may step down", the judge said as Erin stepped down from the witness box and made her way to the seats behind Jay.
"So, that is the complete list of witness, Mr. Evans and Mr. Smith. I would like to make my final ruling in a couple hours so..", the judge began before being cut off by Kaitlyn's attorney standing.
"Actually your honor we would like to call Mr. Halstead and Ms. Sanders' daughter Maggie to the stand", he said.
Immediately Jay's lawyer stood, "Your honor, their child was never on the witness list. She is only five years old and is not prepared to testify for this case", he protested.
Jay looked back at Erin, who sat behind him, looking just about as shocked as he did. They didn't expect Maggie to get called to the stand.
"Mr. Halstead, testified yesterday that their daughter is in fact very smart, no matter her age. I do not think that it would be an absolute travesty to have her testify as to whether or not she would like to know her mother", Kaitlyn's lawyer explained.
"Your honor", Jay's lawyer pleaded not knowing what else to say.
The judge looked skeptically at everyone in the court room. "Mr. Smith does make a good point, Mr. Evans. We will dismiss for a brief period of time. Mr. Halstead, can you bring your daughter back here in an hour", the judge asked.
Jay looked down at his watch and saw that it was only ten o'clock. They had dropped off Maggie at around eight. He didn't not how she would react when the came back to pick her up and told her everything. Was she even ready for this?
"Yes. I can get her here", Jay reluctantly agreed.
"Your honor, I would like at least an hour with my client's daughter to make sure she is ready to testify", Mr. Evans spoke up.
"Okay, we will reconvene at twelve thirty sharp", the judge said as she left the stand after slamming her gavel.
Jay immediately got up facing, his lawyer as Erin came from her seat and stood behind him. "What are they going to ask her", he immediately asked.
"Basically who she wants to be with", Jay's lawyer said. "It might actually be a good idea for her to testify, support your case. I know it's not what you want", he explained.
"I didn't want any of this to happen", Jay explained. He felt Erin grab his hand from behind him, letting her know she was their.
"We will handle her gently, just like any other kid. We can only hope that they will reciprocate", his lawyer answered.
"Meet in the lobby here at twelve o'clock, so I can prep her okay", he added before taking his things off the desk.
"Yeah, thank you", Jay added as his lawyer walked off. Turning around both Jay and Erin watched as Kaitlyn looked towards them giving Jay a smile as she walked out of the room with her lawyer.
"She's doing this to get to us", Jay speculated.
"Hey", Erin said turning him towards her. "Remember when you told me that she reminded you of me because she was confident and thinks she could do about anything", she explained.
"She can do this. You just have to have faith in her", Erin finished.
Jay smiled as Erin tried her best to cheer him up. Leaning down he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Come on let's go get her", he said as the walked out of the courtroom.
xxx
An hour and a half later, Maggie sat on Erin's lap as she brushed her hair to french braid it just the way she liked it. Jay and his lawyer stood in front of them in the lobby getting ready for the judge to call them all in. Erin had went back home and grabbed Maggie one of her little dresses so she looked a little nicer than her usual clothes at school.
"Mommy, why did you pick me up early and bring me here", Maggie asked as Erin finished her hair.
"Because Daddy needs your help, okay sweetie", Erin said giving her a smile.
"What kind of help do you need, Daddy", Maggie asked giving him a sweet smile.
Both Jay and his lawyer turned around and saw Maggie sitting there wondering what was happening, "Maggie, you know the difference between the truth and a lie right", Jay's lawyer asked.
"A lie gets you in trouble and the truth is when you only say things that happened", Maggie explained. Jay smiled as Maggie spoke and he began to wonder where she became so smart.
"So, when we go in there, I need you to answer all the questions with the truth, can you do that", he asked.
Maggie nodded her head as she gave Jay's lawyer a smile which quickly faded away when she saw Kaitlyn and her lawyer behind them. "Mommy", she whispered gripping onto Erin's hand.
Jay and his lawyer turned around seeing Kaitlyn giving them a smile before turning away and listening to her lawyer. Looking back at Maggie, Jay saw her still looking tentatively at Kaitlyn, but her grip on Erin staying very strong. Walking towards her, Jay bent down and held her little hands as she sat in Erin's lap.
"You can do this baby", Jay said giving her a smile. He would do anything to not put his daughter through this, but he knew that he had to if he wanted everything to be okay.
"Alright, let's go in", Jay's lawyer said as the small family stood and walked into the courtroom.
xxx
"Hi Maggie", Kaitlyn's lawyer said as he walked up to the witness box, where Maggie sat.
"Hi", Maggie said quietly as her feet swung in the chair and she looked over at her mom and dad.
"Do you know why you are here today", he asked.
"To tell the truth", she answered.
"That's good, Maggie", Kaitlyn's lawyer stated giving her a smile. "And you brought you here today", he asked.
"My mommy and daddy", Maggie said smiling.
"And do you know who that is over there", he asked pointing towards Kaitlyn.
"She keeps coming to my house", Maggie answered.
"Do you know why", he asked.
Maggie just kind of shrugged her shoulder not knowing the real reason why Kaitlyn kept showing up, "Because she wants to be with you", Kaitlyn's lawyer explained.
"But, I already have a mommy", Maggie stated her voice beginning to break a little.
"Yes, but Maggie, do you know that Ms. Kaitlyn is your really mommy", he asked.
Maggie shook her head, tears threatening to spill. Jay looked back at Erin, who once again sat behind him, and saw her silently freaking out. He knew her maternal instincts were kicking in and all she wanted to do was save Maggie.
"Maggie, did your dad not tell you that Ms. Kaitlyn was your mom", Kaitlyn's lawyer asked his voice rising.
"No", Maggie practically shrieked, tears streaming down her face. "I want my mommy", she pleaded.
"No, Maggie. I still have some more questions for you", he almost demanded.
"Your honor! We all agreed this would be a civil hearing. Making this little girl cry does not seem very civil to me", Jay's lawyer immediately protested.
"I'm simply trying to prove a point. That Mr. Halstead had no intention of bringing my client into their daughter's life", Kaitlyn's lawyer stated in return.
"If my child had been dropped off at my doorstep, I don't think I would want anything to do with the mother either", Jay's lawyer said.
"I agree with Mr. Evans. Maggie, you may go back to your parents", the judge said looking over at Maggie, whose sobs has begun to subside.
Maggie immediately got up and ran over to Erin, being lifted into her embrace as more tears fell. Erin held onto her tight, gently rocking her back and forth, reminding Erin of the time when Kaitlyn had first met Maggie.
"Mr. Smith, I do not want you to think that this unconventional questioning of a child will go unnoted. I will make my ruling tomorrow on custody. You are dismissed until then", the judge said before retreating into her chambers.
Jay turned around to check on Maggie and Erin, but before he could he heard the footsteps of Kaitlyn coming towards him.
"I'm sorry", she whispered.
"You're sorry?! I don't get you, Kaitlyn. You want to spend more time with your daughter and then you make your case by making her cry on the stand. You just screwed yourself", Jay lectured as the stood in the middle of the courtroom.
"I'm not going to let you take her away. After that debacle, I've already won as far as I'm concerned", he finished before turning around to go to the lobby where Maggie and Erin had retreated once Kaitlyn walked up.
Kaitlyn stood there, practically emotionless. She didn't know what to think. Her own daughter seemed to hate her. She wanted to fix that. Scratch that. She would fix that.
xxx
"Mommy", Maggie asked later that night as she laid in Erin and Jay's bed tucked into Erin's side. Jay was currently on the phone with his parents giving him the daily update on the custody battle.
"Yes, sweetie", Erin answered.
"Do all babies get dropped off at doorsteps, like me", Maggie asked.
Erin looked down at the little girl she felt she could call her daughter by now and saw the look in her eyes she always got when she asked questions. She wanted answers.
"Well first babies come from mommy's and then what happens after that is up to the mommy", she answered.
"So, why did I get dropped off at the doorsteps", Maggie asked again.
"Because your mommy knew that your daddy would take really great care of you", Erin answered making Maggie smile.
"Where do babies come from in the mommy's", she now asked slightly changing the subject.
"Well, they grow in the mommy's bellies and then when they are ready to come out a doctor helps and then you get a baby", Erin explained.
Maggie looked up at Erin as if her mind had just been completely blown. "But, how do they even get in there", she asked.
"Well, Mags, it happens when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much and they want to have little babies", Erin duly explained not wanting to give away too much information.
"So, you and Daddy are going to have babies", Maggie said a smile lighting up on her face.
Erin laughed, "We have you baby and that's all we need right now", she replied.
Suddenly, Maggie heard Jay hang up the phone and begin to walk back to the room. Quickly Maggie ducked under the covers, scooting herself onto Erin's stomach, almost looking like a baby bump. Before Jay entered the room, he heard Erin laughing and the sound of Maggie trying to quiet her.
"What's going on in here", he asked immediately taking in the sign of Maggie hiding on top of Erin's stomach.
"Awe, babe there's something I gotta tell you", Erin said through a laugh playing along with Maggie's little game.
"Oh, no. Not another one. I don't even think I can deal with Maggie. She talks way too much", Jay said knowing that would get Maggie to come out.
"Hey", Maggie protested as she poked her head out of the covers and rolling over to the middle of the bed.
Both Erin and Jay laughed as Maggie put on her best pouty face. "You know Maggie, I think you did a really good job today", Jay said after a little bit of laughing brushing some strands of hair away from her face.
Maggie smiled as she looked up at her dad, "I'm gonna stay here with you guys", she said before rolling over and tucking her head into Erin's shoulder.
Jay smiled as Erin gently stroked Maggie's back. In Maggie's little world that statement was very general, meaning she was going to stay with them until she fell asleep. But to Jay and and Erin, it gave them a little bit of hope that they wouldn't be losing one of the most important things to them.
A/N: I really wanted to end this chapter on a happier note than all that court drama and tears that went in the beginning. Anyway, I really hope you guys like it! And may I just say that 200 followers to this story just about made me cry. It make me so happy you guys like it. So please read and review. I hope to have another chapter up next week.