Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 180 -

Весса.

The trial resumed too soon.

It was all I could do not to reach behind me and pluck Alessandro from Layla so I could hold him in my lap. I was terrified this was one of the few opportunities I'd ever have to hold him again.

"Bruce, good to see you today," Judge Hopper said to Chad's lawyer as soon as he took the bench.

Kensington's smile was oily. "Judge, has it really been a whole weekend?"

"It has! Though do tell your mother her roast is delicious," Judge Hopper grinned.

"Of course I will, your honor," Kensington smiled back.

Ms. Loveless looked about ready to spit tacks.

"Anyway, getting back to the matter at hand," Judge Hopper said, clearing his throat, "I hear Mr. Chad Cartwright wanted to testify on his own behalf?" "He does, your honor," Kensington replied.

Judge Hopper made a summoning motion. "Well, bring him in, then."

I turned my head as the courtroom doors opened, and for the first time in over a year, I saw Chad Cartwright-the cowardly, abusive asshat himself.

He was in a motorized wheelchair which he manipulated by blowing into a tube. He seemed to have wasted away some, and while others in the courtroom may have been moved by his pathetic appearance, I only thought to myself, 'Karma.' "Mr. Cartwright, I understand you will be unable to take the stand, but do please situate yourself wherever you're comfortable and can still see myself and the attorneys," Judge Hopper said kindly.

Chad nodded and maneuvered himself in front of the witness stand. He looked around with big, sad, blue, puppy-dog eyes that used to move me as well. Now all I could see was a masterful performance.

"Mr. Cartwright," Kensington began after all the courtroom pomp and circumstance of swearing him in was over, "thank you for joining us today. I know it's difficult for you to get around, after the incident."

"Yes," Chad said. "It is difficult for me to get around. But I wouldn't be anywhere else. I need to save my son."

"Objection," Ms. Loveless interrupted, standing. "Mr. Cartwright signed away his rights as a father. Alessandro Valentino is no longer his son."

Judge Hopper narrowed his eyes on Ms. Loveless. "Really? Really? You're going to be THAT petty to a paraplegic?"

"I wouldn't care if he were physically missing everything below his neck. Language matters," Ms. Loveless insisted.

Judge Hopper rolled his eyes. "Sustained."

"Thank you, your honor," Ms. Loveless responded before sitting back down.

Kensington was looking at Ms. Loveless with a withering expression. Ms. Loveless simply gave him a tight smile back. "Fine. Mr. Cartwright, your biological offspring is in the court here today, is he not?" Kensington asked Chad. "Yes," Chad replied.

"Could you point him out to us?" Kensington continued.

Chad pointed in Alessandro's direction with his head. "That's Alessandro Valentino, the child I was coerced to sign away my parental rights to."

"Coerced?" Kensington said, raising an eyebrow in surprise as though this whole testimony wasn't rehearsed.

A fat, crocodile tear rolled down Chad's cheek. A nurse quickly bustled out of the gallery and dabbed his face with a handkerchief. "Mr. James Valentino beat the hell out of me. Twice. I was afraid if I didn't sign over my rights, he'd kill me." "So, you're telling the court, under oath, that Mr. James Valentino beat you up, not once, but twice?" Kensington replied with mock horror.

Chad heaved a sob. "That's right. I didn't want to. I didn't want to give up my little boy. But I didn't want to die, either."

I looked to my left and saw James was nearly purple with rage. I put a hand on his thigh, reminding him not to have any outbursts and not to leap over the table and strangle what little life Chad might have left in his body out of him. "Did Mr. Valentino assault you before you signed your paternal rights away?" Kensington asked.

Chad nodded. "Immediately before. He demanded I sign the paperwork."

"And you say there was an incident before that occasion that gave you reason to believe Mr. Valentino might, indeed, kill you?" Kensington prodded.

"Yes, sir. Mr. Valentino... Tally, his daughter, and I had a fight. He went protective dad all over me. Followed me to where I was staying, dragged me in, and beat the ever-loving-sh*t out of me." Chad let another tear fall, which the nurse also wiped away. "I was so scared."

"Of course you were," Kensington crooned, laying a sympathetic hand over Chad's and squeezing it, even though it was pretty clear Chad would be unable to feel it.

"I just want my son back. I'm sorry, your honor, I still think of him as my son. Tally and I were fighting when I signed my rights away. I'm sure that's why she decided Becca was the better alternative than my family," Chad hiccuped, looking up at Judge Hopper.

Judge Hopper gave Chad a sad look, then speared James with a look of disgust.

"Your honor..." Ms. Loveless began.

"Yes, yes, I know. Objection something something parental rights something something prejudice against my client..." Judge Hopper grunted.

"I'm glad you're taking my side so seriously, Judge," Ms. Loveless replied sarcastically. "It'll make things even easier on the appeal."

Judge Hopper's head reeled back as though Ms. Loveless had slapped him. "Excuse me?"

"Well, it's clear to me that my client is not going to get a fair judgment in these proceedings, so I'm just waiting for you to replace in favor of the plaintiff so I can draft one hell of an appeal, and maybe with a call for your removal from the bench just as a little cherry on top," Ms. Loveless spat. "Counselors! Approach the bench," Judge Hopper seethed.

Ms. Loveless and Kensington walked up to the judge's pulpit, and there was a heated conversation that only they could hear.

Well, them and Chad. The longer they spoke, the wider Chad's insidious smile got as he looked at James and me.

Ms. Loveless eventually returned to our table in a huff. "I'm appealing this bullsh*t. And if we win, I'm still going to impeach his ass."

"Is it really a good idea to antagonize him?" James asked in a low tone.

Ms. Loveless smiled slightly. "At this point, as many grounds for appeal as we can get is what we're looking for. If I can provoke the judge into making more mistakes..." James nodded. "I see."

Kensington smoothed his hands over his suit and then turned to Chad once more. "Are you still afraid of Mr. Valentino, Mr. Cartwright?"

Chad's lower lip quivered. I wanted to punch him in the face. "I am, sir. But I love my son more than I'm afraid of him."

"Thank you, Mr. Cartwright," Kensington said. He turned to Judge Hopper. "I have no more questions for this witness, your honor."

Turning to Ms. Loveless, Judge Hopper barked, "Your witness, counsellor."

"I have no questions for Mr. Cartwright at this time, your honor," Ms. Loveless said, standing.

Judge Hopper, who didn't seem surprised, waved a hand. "Thank you for joining us, Mr. Cartwright. You may return to the hospital, if you need to."

"Your honor, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to stay. I've been wanting to see the proceedings since the beginning... but... well... you see the state I'm in," Chad mumbled. "Of course," Judge Hopper said. "You replace yourself a comfortable spot, son."

"Thank you, your honor," Chad replied.

Chad made a big show of trying to navigate his wheelchair around various obstacles to park himself in an aisle next to his parents, who fawned over him.

I couldn't imagine Alessandro growing up with them.

"Now, is there anyone else you would like to call, Bruce? Or should we leave it with the defendant?" Judge Hopper asked.

A phone rang, playing Katy Perry's "Roar."

"What the bright blue blazes-?!" Judge Hopper exclaimed.

Ms. Loveless dug around in her briefcase in an unhurried way, making the judge look as though steam might start shooting out his ears at any moment.

"Ms. Loveless, I'm sure it was made clear at the beginning of this trial that all cell phones were to be silenced during the proceedings," Judge Hopper puffed.

"Mhm," Ms. Loveless said absently. I could see from my side that her briefcase was meticulously organized, so she was making a show of looking for her phone just to piss him off.

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"MS. LOVELESS!" Judge Hopper roared himself.

"Ah. Found it!" Ms. Loveless pulled her cell phone from a pocket within the briefcase and then, much to everyone's shock, took the call. "Yes?"

"Ms... Ms. Loveless...?" Judge Hopper said, stupefied.

Ms. Loveless actually held up a finger to silence him. "Ahuh. Yes. Mhm. Yes. Yes. Yes, that would be great. And you say she's ready now? Excellent."

"Ms. Loveless!" Juge Hopper gaped, nearly purple with rage.

Even Kensington was looking at Ms. Loveless incredulously.

After a few minutes of "yes," "no," "mhm," and "okay," Ms. Loveless finally ended the call. She looked around the courtroom as though she hadn't been completely aware of her disruption. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you waiting for me?" "MS. LOVELESS, I am HOLDING YOU IN CONTEMPT OF COURT!" Judge Hopper shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Oh," Ms. Loveless said, unperturbed. "That's most unfortunate. For how long?"

"As long as it takes for you to apologize for your unprofessional behavior!" Judge Hopper fumed. "At least a day. Maybe two. I haven't decided yet. Bailiff !"

"Two days. I think that sounds about right," Ms. Loveless replied with a nod.

Judge Hopper gawped like a fish out of water. "Excuse me?"

"Well, I have disrupted the court proceedings, I should be duly punished," Ms. Loveless said. "And the punishment should fit the crime."

"It should indeed! And I'm fining you three thousand dollars!" Judge Hopper added.

Ms. Loveless nodded. "Of course. Should I cut a check now or when I get to jail?"

Kensington was staring at Ms. Loveless with a calculating look on his face. "Your honor, I think she might actually be enjoying this. I think it might be part of some scheme." "Scheme? I would never!" Ms. Loveless gasped theatrically.

Judge Hopper's eyes narrowed. "Are you wasting the court's time on purpose, Ms. Loveless?"

"Your honor, I am sorry about the phone call, but it was an emergency," Ms. Loveless said.

"Did one of your twenty cats die?" Kensington scoffed.

"Twenty-three, and no, that wasn't it," Ms. Loveless grinned.

"What was the emergency?" Judge Hopper demanded.

"Hmm. Maybe I'll tell you in two days," Ms. Loveless said.

"You'll tell us right now, Ms. Loveless, or I'll make it three days!" Judge Hopper snapped.

Ms. Loveless shrugged. "Fair enough."

I looked at James. He looked at me. We had no idea what was going on, nor why Ms. Loveless looked so happy about being thrown in jail for contempt of court. Ms. Loveless wiggled her phone at Kensington.

"I've got a witness," she said.