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He started the transport and pulled them out of the driveway. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, realizing he wanted Ayla. He wasn’t ready for this to be over.
He wasn’t ready to give up Ayla to Katie, mostly because he wasn’t ready to give up Katie, either. He had made a huge mistake. He had picked wrong.
How did he undo it now?
He felt all the weight drop on him as they got out of the car and headed inside. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen. He knew he was going to have to explain that he wanted Ayla and that he was going to make it work.
He also knew he was going to see Katie, and he missed her. He missed how she used to look at him and how she made him feel like he deserved the world.
He turned and bent down to Ayla's level. He placed his hands on her face, and he gave her a soft smile.
"I'm going to fix this," he whispered. "I'll try with everything in my being."
EIGHTEEN
KATIE
She stared at herself in the mirror. She straightened her back and put on a soft smile. She wanted to make sure she looked like the perfect candidate to take Ayla. She knew what Axur would be wearing as she picked the outfit out herself. That was if he still wore it. Maybe he wouldn’t.
She shook her head. She needed to focus. She looked back at her outfit. Everything was new, fresh from a store the other night. She’d bought herself a new navy blue dress that ran past her knees. She purchased simple black flats and a silver necklace and earrings to match.
It was elegant but stunning. It made her feel confident, which is what she needed. She was asking the court to give her Ayla.
She had no idea how this was going to go, but she hoped it went smoothly for Ayla's sake. She had already gone through so much. The poor girl deserved to have a family and stop worrying about where she was going to live.
She heard the door open, and someone entered the bathroom. She sighed, glancing at her watch, and seeing the time. She needed to get moving. Their meeting would start soon.
She slipped outside the bathroom into the huge hall and headed for the room where their appointment was set. She found the door and pulled it open to see a handful of people she didn’t know already sitting.
She slipped past them toward the front and took a seat at a small table. She looked over at the other side, seeing where Axur would sit. She drummed her fingers on the wood, nervous.
She needed to win. Ayla needed her to win. She couldn’t stomach if another person took her and had to raise her. She didn't know what her future would be like with Ayla.
She chewed on her cheek, rubbing her hands together under the table. She could hear people talking behind her, catching snippets of things.
“It’s General Axur’s niece.”
"Are there any other petitioners?"
"Really, honestly, a human raising a Luxenian child …"
She closed her eyes for a moment. She reminded herself to ignore everyone. People knew who Axur was, but that didn’t change the fact that he didn’t want Ayla, and there was no other guardian. The judge would see she was best suited to raise Ayla and would give her custody.
She looked at her watch, seeing the minutes ticking by. She frowned, wondering if he was even going to come. Was he going to miss it?
She grew angry and clasped her hands tightly under the table. Even if he didn’t care who had custody of Ayla, was he really going to make this even more difficult on her?
She didn't think he was the type of person to break her heart, yet here she sat, trying to keep herself together.
Then, the door opened, and she turned to find Axur walking in. Ayla walked with him, and she could tell right away that she’d been crying. She wanted to pull herself up and hug Ayla, but she couldn’t.
Axur seated the child and took his spot at the other table. She noticed he wore the outfit she picked out for him, and she grew nervous. He looked good, and she hated it. She wished he at least looked like he was having a rough time.
Someone cleared their throat, and she realized the judge had made it into the room and taken her seat.
“Everyone, please be seated.”
She chewed on her cheek, glancing at Ayla. She missed her. She missed waking her up and watching her bloom from the shy girl she first saw. She didn’t want to miss the child anymore, so she really hoped she won.
