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A tear escaped my eye and I had to quickly swipe it away. I needed to stay strong for him. It wasn’t my reputation that was being drug through the mud, but I couldn’t seem to get a hold of my emotions.
Because Tyler didn’t deserve any of this… AndImade it worse.
A vision of him walking back to our apartment complex without Stevie flashed in my mind and I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it. It’d kill him.
It suddenly felt like my air supply was cut off and I was left gasping. I held my chest and tried to breath, but my anxiety was suffocating me. I gulped and tried to make a break for the bathroom, but Casey caught my hand and shared a pained look. “It’ll be okay, breathe,” he whispered, then mimicked a deep breath for me while holding my hand. “Tyler needs you here. He’s worried. Every time they say he’s violent, his eyes snap this way. I know my brother, and I’d be the same way. He’s used to people leaving. If you leave now, he’ll think you believe the lies. He can’t be worried about losing you too right now. If you can tough it out, please stay for him.”
I closed my eyes and continued trying to breathe steadily.
And that’s when Tyler’s lawyer finally stood. He rounded the desk, buttoned his flashy suit jacket, and slid a hand over his slicked back hair.
John started off by reading a progress report from Stevie’s teacher: “Stephanie is making excellent progress in my class. She has an easy ability to make friendships and she clearly always wants to stand up for the underdogs during recess. She has no fear of questioning authority when she feels something is unfair.” Tyler smirked a little at that. “And she’s excelling at math and shows a keen interest in art. She’s an excellent addition to my class,” John finished. “This is the same school where my client’s girlfriend, Josephina Petersen, works. My client should never have been accused of injuring Miss Petersen in the first place,” he said, then he used the screen across the room to display a side-by-side picture of my face along with my administration’s email regarding how it happened.
Tyler bit his bottom lip nervously and cut his worried eyes to mine like he was sorry for even bringing it up. I tried to give him a reassuring nod.
John then spoke from my mom’s testimony– I hadn’t even known she was a character witness– about Fiona and Tyler’s past relationship. He argued that Fiona kept him off the birth certificate because she didn’t want to distract from his hockey career, but by putting Tyler’s name as Stevie’s middle name, it proved that Fiona held him in high regard.
Unfortunately, the Haleys’ lawyer popped up from his seat and shouted, “Hearsay.”
John didn’t hide rolling his eyes. “Fine, you can say Fiona’s feelings about my client are hearsay, but you cannot argue that she ran away from those two,” he said, jerking a thumb toward Fiona’s parents. “Please direct your attention to this Missing Persons alert. Fiona was reported missing the September of her senior year of high school because she ran away from home. Why would she want her daughter to go back to the same home she ran away from?”
Casey was nodding his head now.
“I hope he touches on hockey,” I whispered to him because I needed to say it aloud. It was difficult to sit still and keep my mouth shut.
“And the fact that they’re discriminating against my client because of his respectable profession when it’s the very thing allowing him to provide for their granddaughter is pretty questionable,” John said loudly. He went on to compare Tyler’s penalty minutes to the league average– which Tyler was way below.
John ended his argument by saying, “And if hockey is a problem, my client is ready to give it up in a second in order to obtain full custody ofhisdaughter.”
Tyler’s nose flared as he gave a swift nod in confirmation. He was choosing Stevie over hockey… just like Fiona knew he would so many years ago.
John strolled over to his seat beside Tyler and stayed standing.
The judge bent her head over the paperwork in front of her for a minute, then pursed her lips. “Before I ask Miss Stephanie Tyler Haley to come in, I’d like to ask the two parties seeking full custody a simple question.”
54. Tyler
I stood quickly and could see Rhonda grumbling under her breath as she reluctantly got to her feet.
The judge’s eyes narrowed to Rhonda. “What do you call her?”
Rhonda shared a flustered look with her husband. “Her name, obviously,” she scoffed. “Stephanie.”
I couldn’t stop myself from blurting out, “That’s not her name.” I clenched my jaw, trying to harness my rage over the fact that she didn’t even fucking know her granddaughter. She was dragging her in here, wanting custody, all because she felt she was owed it, not because she actually knew Stevie and wanted her.
Rhonda’s furious eyes flashed to mine. “Yes, it is. You were not even aware of her existence until a few weeks ago.” She laughed shrilly. “I shouldn’t be surprised.”
Heat climbed my neck as the judge banged her gavel. “Mr. Jettersen,” she addressed me, “what do you call her?”
I tore my eyes from Rhonda and looked at the judge. “Her name is Stevie. She’s named after Stevie Nicks because Fiona, who was my best friend, was a huge fan. I wish I could ask her to confirm everything I’m saying right now, but Fiona used to analyze the shit–” John harrumphed at my curse word, but I licked my lips and continued, “she used to analyze all of Stevie Nick’s lyrics and all her interviews. She called her a true feminist icon.” I chuckled thinking about her yelling at me to listen harder to the lyrics. “She was all about women making their own money from their art. Fiona, she was a beautiful artist, and I know she was teaching Stevie how to paint, and if she’s interested, I’ll make sure she learns as well. But I know Fiona would say she named her Stevie so she grows up to know that there’s power in being a woman and there’s power in being an artist. I will raise Stevie to know that. I will raise her with Fiona’s wishes in mind.” I was still slightly shaking when I sat back down.
The judge nodded and motioned to the sheriff in the back of the courtroom. “Let her enter, please.”
My little girl entered the room and I immediately stood and smiled at her. She gave me a shy smile and looked nervously at all my teammates in the benches, then she gave them a little wave. “Hi boys. Nice to see you today.”
My guys all laughed and waved back, and that eased away a little tension from the room. Rhonda rolled her eyes. Earl cracked his knuckles in frustration.
“Hello honey. What is your name?” the judge asked her.
