[Fanfiction] WELCOME TO MY WORLD - Chapter 14

Chapter 14 

Marina's POV

The sweaty and trembling hand of Clara clutched mine, as if she felt hate me. But she not felt it, she just felt frightened.

After weeks amid panic attacks when she thought about losing the boy, I could calm her, at least a little. Helena got us a lawyer and I swore by God that I would pay her as soon I could, but she insisted there was no need.

My job was ruined and after Leticia defame me, anonymously, even the small jobs I did, had been canceled by the contractors. I don't even know what she invented about me. I preferred not to know, we already had too many problems. And so we were almost at rock bottom.

We were in front of the forum and, though she had a deadpan expression on her face, I knew, because the pain I was feeling in my hand, that she was only pretending to reassure Ivan.

Outside some people dressed socially walked, some were quiet, some not, like us. Ivan held my right hand but soon he let it go and grabbed the hem of my pantsuit, now he also looked scared. It's as if I was the safe haven for them. They did not know I was also crumbling from within. I just did not want to show it to them.

Our "witnesses", if I may so call them, would come later. We would enter into the audience and Ivan would expect in an adjoining room. He would also be heard. He asked me several times if the judge would talk to him and if he could choose who he would be staying.

We sat in the waiting room and, after some time, our lawyer arrived. No, he was not late. We arrived half an hour before combined. We don't wanna risk doing anything wrong.

Then we saw Cadu entering accompanied by a young guy with a unfriendly expression. He came to us with a small smirk on his face. He said something to Ivan and sat a few feet away from us. About 10 minutes after that we were called.

We entered and nothing seemed as scary as I imagined. There was only one big table where we sat, I, Clara and our lawyer, Cadu and his lawyer, and a middle-aged woman. She was about medium height and very, very serious and she sat on the edge of the table. And on a desk next to, a gentleman was in front of a computer.

The hearing was started.


***


After about half an hour Clara tried to control her tears. Cadu did not disguise his triumphant smile.

- Ms. Marina Meirelles ... - She read my name on paper - ... appears here in my information that you are unemployed a few weeks ago. Is this true?

- I'm almost ...

- I think my question was clear, right? - She interrupted me coldly.

- Yes ma'am.

- Mrs. Clara also is not working, right.?

- We are looking for ... I swear. - Clara spoke tearfully sobbing and soon our lawyer offered her a glass of water.

- Ladies, Mr. Carlos Eduardo gave me the impression of not wanting his child to be created by a couple of women. That seems to me totally inappropriate. - Cadu smiled and I looked her totally outraged - Calm down. What I think inappropriate it's the fact he want to use that as an argument. And even worse is Dr. Rafael does not have advised him properly. - The lawyer squirmed in his chair before the reproachful gaze of the woman - However, what I seek to provide to Ivan is a stable home and two unemployed people can not offer him that. - Clara held me tight and sobbed against my chest. - I'll listen what the child has to say and then I'll tell you my final decision.

I sighed heavily and I could hardly get up from the chair and help Clara to compose herself. We sat in the next room and then Ivan came to us to comfort the mother.

- We won, right? - He asked worriedly.

- Not yet, my dear. The judge wants to see you. - I've spoken stroking her hair.

Before we could say anything else another woman came and took Ivan to inside the room where we had just left.

- Marina, we'll lose him. - She spoke clinging to my body.

- We will not, my love. Will be all right. -  I wanted to believe what I was saying, but it was getting difficult.

-  How? A miracle will happen here? He will convince that woman? I bet he's scared to death there in that room. That woman is crazy and she is scaring the boy. Marina, I was terrified with her!

- Clara, Ivan is smart, intelligent and strong. You can be sure she will not put fear in him, because she just want him stay well.

- Do you think it's 'well' to stay with Cadu?

- For who is watching the situation outside, it is Clara.

- So ... we'll really lose him.

- The ...

- Just hold me tight. If there is nothing to do, hold me tight and we'll pray together. By a miracle.


***


Narrator's POV

In the next room Ivan sat in the big chair and faced, with the ugliest face he could do, the woman in front him. The boy was afraid of having to be separated from his mothers but he tried to keep his strong pose because, as he always said, he was the man of the house and needed to take care of both.

The judge looked at him for a moment expecting him untie his ugly face but he seemed willing to sulk. He was definitely angry with her. He was probably thinking "that is the woman who made my mother cry." The judge chose very well the words she would use. In few seconds an almost motherly glow took over her eyes.

- Ivan, now it's only two of us and you ...

- Your Majesty, don't send me to live with my father. - The woman was interrupted by the boy who had now a completely desperate face and eyes shining. He was fighting bravely so that insistent tear no rolled down. He needed to be strong. But the tone of voice made it clear to the woman that he was very afraid.

- I think you meant 'Your Excellence'. - The woman smiled kindly - But please call me Sarah.

- Is your name? - He asked slightly calmer after seeing that the woman was not the monster he had imagined.

- Yes, that's my name.

- It's a beautiful name.

- Thank you. - Smiled - But what then? Let's talk about you? Why you don't wanna live with your father? Is there something wrong with him?

- No! - He answered quickly - I love my father. I have nothing to complain about him. He always treated me very well, very affectionate. He is a big daddy.

- So?

- I love Mom and I love to live with her. I feel like something is missing if I was living with my father.

- But if you will live with her ... will not miss anything?

- As long as I can see him always, as I have seen ... no ... will not miss anything. - He replied with a smile.

- Tell me what you do daily. - She asked by analyzing the expression of the boy who to hear that question is clearly excited.

- I do many things, but it depends on the day. For example, Monday through Friday, I go to school in the afternoon. In the morning I stay in home, I do homework of school and I play. At night, almost always, I play video game with my mother, while my mommy makes our dinner. Saturday and Sunday, we always go out, even to the beach or the park. So I play soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, if there is some friends. If not, we are sitting or lying down, the three of us looking at the sky, playing to discover cartoons in the clouds.

- Really?

- Yup! Oh, and you know what? My mom is teaching me to shoot photos.

- Clara?

- No! She doesn't know. I'm talking about Marina. - He said to the woman who made a face of who finally understood what previously seemed a bit confused.

- You call Marina of mother? Do you consider her as your mother?

- Yes, I forgot to explain that. My mother is Marina and my mom is Clara, did you understand?

- Perfectly. - She answered, enchanted by the boy - But it's not so long that you live together.

- Well, Your Majesty. - He started, ripping off a small laugh of the woman - From the beginning I clung my mother very much. I did not know, before she came to live with us, but she is a very beautiful woman, inside, is not only her outside. I thought she was arrogant to be rich, because it was what my dad always told me. But it took little time for me to realize that I was wrong. She always play with me, she lets me sleep in bed with the two of them, she puts me to sleep. Do you know I helped my mother to ask my mommy in dating?

- Oh really?

- Yes. Write what I'm telling you! Those two are getting married soon because I'll help them with that too. Majesty, I don't know what them would be without me. - He spoke to a comical face making the woman laugh again - I love Marina as my real mother. Even doing so little time we met, but ... love is so, is not it? My mom always told me that love happens at first contact. She loved me since she knew I was in her belly and even before she knew already felt different. And she said that when she saw Marina she also felt it. With dad was not so ... took time ... so I think that love is ... inst inst ... - He stammered trying to hit the word.

- Instantaneous. - Sarah helped him.

- Yes!

- It's a nice theory, Ivan. But you have to understand, we don't live just with love. Your mothers can't afford to bear your tutelage.

- They will get jobs. They will, yes! Don't you ever heard of Marina Meirelles ?! My mother is famous. She is going through a crisis ... but when we love ... we can overcome any difficulty. - He said returning to desperate tone of minutes ago.

- Ivan, you could go visit them often.

- It would not be the same thing, you know. My dad lives in Sâo Paulo now. They never let me miss anything. I swear! - He thought about it - I sell my video game, all my games. I'm sure one of my friends will want to buy. We don't need it, we can play football in the park or even in the living room. And we can play fight in their bed. - Finally the boy lost control and the tears rolled down his face.

- It's okay, Ivan. - She pressed the the boy's han - No need to cry. I just want the best for you.

Ivan knew that despite the mild tone of the woman he was losing the fight. Surely he would have to go with Cadu and this not pleased him. Though he loves his father, he didn't wanna to go to Sao Paulo or anywhere without his mothers. He wiped the tears on the shirt and tried to calm himself to keep talking.

He didn't know that the woman in front him had a lump in her throat and asked God to make her make the right decision.

- He hit her! - Ivan spoke with wide eyes. It was painful to say that. He didn't want his father had problems but ...

- What? - Sarah looked, worried.

- My dad. I was at his house. He still didn't know we were living together. I told him unintentionally. He took the car and told me to stay home. I insisted and he took me with him. We went to my house. When we arrived, Marina answered the door and he punched her. - The woman looked surprised.

- She didn't report the police ...

- I asked her to don't do that, but I told him to stay away from them, otherwise, I myself would report him. I don't want get my father in trouble, Mrs., but I know it can help them. He was just nervous, he had never done that before and it was on that day that he decided to take me off them. It was also that day that I realized how much I love Marina, so I started to call her 'mother'.

- Thanks for telling me this, Ivan. I think I've bored you too. Can you come out and say to them that I'm calling them to enter again?

- I can ... but can I ask you two things?

- Of course.

- No makes my mommy cry again.

- I'll try, honey. And the second?

- If they ever divorced ... I wanna be able to go Marina's home too.

- Do you think they will divorced?

- No. But if ever happens, I don't wanna stay away from my mother.

- If one day it happens, we'll see what we do. Until then don't worry about it. - Smiled.

- You're nice. I liked you.

- I liked you too, Ivan. - The kid left the room leaving a pensive woman.

When the others returned to the room the judge asked about the punch and despite Cadu denying it constantly, she believed in the two women.

Yet Sarah had not yet decided. Actually she wasn't almost changed her opinion. She wanted to do the right thing. Her head told her she should give custody to Cadu, but her heart ... But she was a judge and she had to act with reason. She needed to think at best for the kid, even if he be angry, even if Clara started to cry. God only knew how hard was to make that decision under the circumstances. But it was necessary, she would have to have a firm hand ...

The woman pulled in as much air into her lungs and opened her mouth to give her verdict, but she was interrupted by knocks on the door. A white-haired gentleman came in and made excuses.

- I'm busy here, Dr. Alfredy.

- It's important, excellence, and can change your verdict ...