Chapter 13

Tuesday I got a phone call late in the afternoon. My home number showed on the display. I picked up the receiver. "Hey, baby," I said, a greeting that should work for either Nina or Sandy.

Nina's voice. "Hey babe! How's your day?"

"It's been a normal day. So far."

"We had two visits. One was a big truck with a piano on the back, and the second was a nice black lady from social services."

"How'd that go?" I asked.

Giggle. "I gave her the grand tour. She had to ease around the guys bringing in the piano. I told her it was a medieval torture device and we were going to chain Sandy to it."

"Oh, baby, some of those people don't have a sense of humor."

"She did. Actually, after the piano guys left, she sat down and played on it. She's GOOD! Plays at her church. Knows our piano teacher." She paused. "I don't think we're going to have a problem with her report."

"Good!" I said. "That's a load off my mind."

"You coming home at the regular time?"

"Yeah, sweetie," I said. "You started cooking?"

"Not yet," she said.

"Good! Let's go out and get something."

"'Kay," she said. "Me an' Sandy'll talk about it."

"Do I get a say?"

Giggle. "You get a vote. But we'll outvote you, ya know..."

"'Kay, baby doll. I'll see you in a bit. Love you!"

"Love you too!" click.

I leaned back in my chair and breathed a sigh of relief.

Harvey walked past my door and saw me with my eyes squinched shut.

"Somethin' wrong, Dan?"

"No ... well, yeah, if you've got a minute." He sat. I related the story.

"Is the woman crazy?" he asked, incredulously.

"Deluded, I think," I said. "Like Sandy needs more turmoil."

"And the hearing is Thursday? Look, just take the day off. You've racked up enough comp time to more than cover it."

"Thanks, Harv. I appreciate it."

"You need all the help you can get, buddy. You got a new wife and a full-time kid now."

"Yeah, it's been interesting since the middle of May," I admitted, sighing. "And you know, it's been pretty good, until Jennifer ... I mean, I was over her, but I didn't wish her dead, and now this..."

"You'll do okay, Dan," Harv said. "Nobody in his right mind..."

"We're talking' about the courts, Harv... 'Right mind' has nothin' to do with it."

"Oh, I know, but this is waaay past crazy ... anyway, do what you need to do. We got you covered."

"Thanks, buddy!" Yeah, okay, 'boss' but we were engineers and he was first among equals. "I appreciate you lettin' me cry on your shoulder."

Four o'clock came and at four fifteen I was walking through the gate to my car, chatting with my co-workers.

"Having your daughter around kinda cuts into your nookie time, don't it?" one said.

"Nina and I get our time, buddy. Sandy knows people need time alone. It's not like she's gonna walk in on us."

Another piped up, "Yeah, goofy! He's an engineer. He knows all about door locks and all that high tech stuff!"

Laughter. I got in my car and drove home. I pulled up in the driveway and got out as our front door opened and Nina and Sandy came out to meet me. My neighbor was in his front yard and he waved at us. We waved back and went inside. New piano.

Sandy said, "You should've seen that lady, Mizz Sheffield, play, Dad. It was something."

Nina agreed. "She gave it a workout! Said it's a good piano but we need to get it tuned."

"Yeah," I said, "The guy at the music store said we needed to do that since it's been moved. We need to make an appointment to have the guy come do it."

Sandy slid onto the bench and uncovered the keys and tried to do something. Didn't work. She turned to me. "Mizz London's coming Thursday, and we'll get started."

"Okay," I said. "But you have to remember, it's going to be long time of doing things that might not be exactly enjoyable before you get to where you want to be."

"We know, Dan," Nina said. "and we're going to encourage each other."

I eased into my recliner and kicked the foot rest up, sighing.

Sandy stood by me. "Too tired for your daughter to sit in your lap?"

"I get 'im next, Sandy," Nina said.

"Come on!"

Squeal! "Dad, that lady was nice. The one that visited. We showed her the house and the yard an' your office an' my room an' everything."

"She was interested in our bookshelves and your video and CD library," Nina said. "I would've been, too. She said you had too much good stuff to be faking."

"Well, I hope she's on our side," I admitted.

"I think she's s'posed to be on MY side," Sandy said.

"Smart kid," I answered, kissing the top of her head.

She wiggled and bounced up, turning to Nina. "Your turn!"

"Just a little while, and then we'll make him take us out for barbecue," Nina said, sliding into my lap with smooth familiarity. Her kiss was rejuvenating.

Wednesday morning I called the lawyer. "Dodd," I told him, "A social worker came by yesterday to check out the place."

"D'you know who it was?" he asked.

"A Mizz Sheffield," I said.

"Oh, good! She's completely fair, Dan. Who'd she talk to?"

Sandy and Nina. She got there while our new piano was being delivered. Nina says she seemed satisfied."

"That's a big plus for us," Dodd said. "Now, look, the family court business is strange. You need to be there at eight, you and Sandy, and Nina, and prepare to wait. They have you on the list, but there's no telling where you're at, and they won't give you a time to show up. You just have to be there when they call."

"My tax dollars at work, no doubt." I snorted.

"Uh, yeah. But that's between you an' me. Don't say that out loud," he laughed.

"I'll be good," I said.

"When they call you, I'll be there, and so will our sleazy friend. I'm assuming that Mizz Garrett will be there also. She'll be waiting like you folks. Do NOT confront her, Dan. That wouldn't be good."

"I will be the epitome of self-restraint and grace."

He continued. "Now these family court things are kind of informal. The judge will review the stuff on the case and might ask questions." He paused. "And then the judge'll pronounce his decision. I think we'll be happy. I will petition for our Mizz Garrett to pay attorney fees and court costs, and from that sum I will take you and your delightful family out for dinner."

"Isn't that..."

"Crooked? Dan ... Dan ... Dan... ," he laughed. "I'm an esteemed officer of the court. Would I do anything crooked?"

I laughed.

"No, actually, I want to pick your brain about another lawsuit I'm involved with."

"Then that makes it fair," I said.

"Good!" Dodd said. "I'll see you and your bunch tomorrow!"

I snuck out at lunch and met Nina and Sandy. I repeated much of Dodd's conversation.

"So it looks good," Nina said.

Sandy's eyes watched me closely. "Yes," I said. "It sounds good for us. Remember, if your grandma is there, we're NICE."

"I know," Sandy said. "But I wonder why she's doing this..."

Nina handled that one. "Baby, people are complex things. Very often they don't do things that make sense from where we're sitting, but that's because they have things on the inside that we can't account for. We don't know what your grandma is thinking, baby."

"I know, Nina," she said.

We finished our meal. "Ya'll're doing the library today?" I asked.

"Uh-huh," Nina said. "I talked to them and they said they'd be glad to have Sandy with us, any time they have the program."

Sandy smiled. "I read to little kids. One of the library ladies stays with me, but she says I read good enough to help." Her eyes rolled. "Dad, they're little kid books. Easy."

"Well, show 'em how much fun it is to read, baby."

I paid the check and kissed each of them and went back to work. Very much routine, the afternoon was.

Thursday morning we rolled into a restaurant for breakfast and then showed up at the courthouse. Cursing, I returned to the car with our cellphones. Not allowed. I locked them in the car and returned to the waiting room. I found Sandy sitting between Nina and her grandmother.

I did greet her politely. And her husband, who looked a little off kilter this morning.

She returned my greeting perfunctorily, her lips tight. She stroked Sandy's hair, that is, until Sandy slumped sideways against Nina. She looked at Nina with thinly veiled anger.

Nina just smiled. I knew my Nina, and she was pretty good at reading people, and I imagined that she didn't miss the look. She patted Sandy's shoulder. "Like my little sister," she smiled.

A bailiff called for us. I entered the courtroom last. Nina, Sandy and I stood with Dodd. Glenda stood next to the sleazeball who was her attorney. The bailiff read the case off and then swore the whole bunch of us to oath.

"Mister Smythe," the judge said, "I have serious question as to why you see fit to bring this question before the court. What do you say..."

The smarmy bastard played his best card. "Your Honor," he said, "my client has limited knowledge of the suitability of the father to provide a proper home for the child, having had little contact with him since he and her daughter divorced. She is petitioning to insure the best of homes for the welfare of the child."

I cut my eyes to Dodd, who was just barely smiling.

"Do you have evidence that her father is NOT a suitable parent, or that his life circumstances preclude him from giving her a proper home environment?"

I sensed that we had a judge who'd perhaps seen a little too much of the sleazoid lawyer. I kept my thoughts to myself.

"He has recently married an extremely young girl, Your Honor..."

The judge raised his hand. "Smythe, don't go there. Last week you were in my court claiming that a kid needed to stay with her single, seventeen year old mom, no daddy known. And Mister uhhh ... Gleason here's her natural father, fully employed, and legally married." He paused. "I have a visitation report from social services. Very favorable. I have a background check on both Mister Gleason and his wife, Nina Sayers Gleason, and I'd have 'em babysitting my great-grandkids." He directed his comment to Mrs. Garrett and her husband. "Folks, I question your judgment in undertaking this quest. You would be advised to reconcile with your grand-daughter's father if you wish to remain in her life. I find no reason for awarding custody to you."

I felt Sandy tug my hand, barely suppressing a squeal of glee. Nina touched my other hand.

"Mister Gleason, Miss Sandy, Miss Nina, "I'm sorry that you had to even show up her today. Mister Gleason, did you incur any charges for retaining the services of Mister Grantham?"

"Yes, Your Honor," I said. "I haven't got an amount, though."

"Mister Grantham, I see where you've counter-sued for fees and costs. Mister Smythe, you are advised that if I have to pass judgment on that issue, I will find for the Gleasons, and I will attach substantial costs to it. I recommend that you settle with them in an expeditious manner. Custody remains with Dan Gleason. This case is closed."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Sandy said.

"You're welcome, Miss Sandy," he answered.

We got out of the building as soon as we could. On the courthouse steps, Dodd laughed. "Boy, that's as close to a public butt-chewing as I ever saw from THAT judge. Smythe would've been better off just dropping the issue before we walked in there." He bent over to Sandy. "Miss Sandy, you don't have to worry about anything now, baby!"

"But I do have to worry. If I don't learn to play piano, he's gonna chain me to it." She smiled sweetly, eyes sparkling.

"Good kid there, Dan," He laughed.

We walked towards the parking lot, the three of us, hand in hand. I heard a voice call my name. I turned and saw Andy Garret hustling toward us.

"Dan," he said. "Look, I'm sorry about all this. I mean, we lost our only daughter, and that's hard enough, but Glenda kinda went off the deep end. I'm tryin' to get her to go see a doctor or somethin' but she can be hard-headed. All I'm askin' is that you still let us visit Sandy, okay?" All in one breath.

"We'll visit, Paw-paw," Sandy said. "I won't forget you." And she held her arms out for him to hug her. Glenda was nowhere in sight.