Jolene Price checked her smartwatch, fifty-five minutes late, and sprinted to the courtroom doors. She brushed past the court clerk and settled herself next to her lawyer.
“Where have you been?” He hissed between his teeth, tapping his pen in rapid-fire clicks on the table.
“I had an emergency, ok?” Jolene didn’t need to specify that it was a wardrobe emergency. If she wanted to win, she needed to look the part, put together, a responsible guardian.
Behind Jolene sat the centre of her world for the past four years—Gary. A heavy wooden rail separated them. She pointedly ignored his sitter and ruffled the golden curls atop his head before turning her attention forward. She had to get custody, whatever the cost. Gary cocked his head sideways and gave a toothy grin. Her emotions and her ulcer gnawed at her. Maybe she shouldn’t have upped her intermittent fasting this week to fit into her Top Shop pencil skirt.
“All rise. Court is now in session.”
A grey-haired woman in her seventies, robed in black, emerged from behind a wall and sat without a word. Jolene allowed herself a tiny smile. Surely another woman, dare she hope—another mother—would side with her over her ex-husband?
Jolene’s lawyer remained standing as everyone retook their seats. “Honourable Madame Justice, pursuant to section 85(1)(a) of the FLA and the landmark case of Rogers v. Rogers, where the divorcing couple…” Jolene zoned out the legalese monotone. It was an open-and-shut case. It didn’t matter that Jolene’s ex cared for, fed, and nurtured Gary, took him to daycare, and spent time playing with him every day. There was precedent. She was the mother. Gary belonged with her.
She heard whining and turned back to see Gary trying to reach over the rails.
Jolene felt her chair being kicked. “Huh?” Her lawyer glared at her and then nodded toward the judge who was also staring at her.
“Mrs. Price, I’ll ask again.” The judge frowned. "There is no existing custody plan, and you have no record of purchase, is that correct?”
“No, but, I…” Jolene stuttered. “Gary belongs to me. I found him. I brought him home. Me!”
“But you can provide no proof of ownership. Furthermore, Gary’s best interests are to be accounted for. The defendant, in addition to caring exclusively for Gary for the past year, has provided credit card receipts for food, healthcare, daycare, and boarding expenses.” The judge leaned forward, her voice dropping an octave and raising in volume. “Therefore, I find in favour of the defendant. Gary shall remain with Mr. Price, and he shall retain full custody. Court adjourned.”
The lawyer sighed, another case lost. Jolene cried. Her Insta posts with Gary got the most likes.
The sitter dropped Gary’s leash, and the golden retriever sailed over the rail straight into his dad’s arms licking him with abandon.
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Originally published by Short Edition, Loft 112, Calgary Central Public Library short story dispenser, Sept. 26, 2022.
Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova via pexels.
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