Chapter 7 - A Mother’s True Inheritance
The doors closed behind Julian and Clara as the deputies escorted them down the private judicial elevator to the holding cells below. Clara’s hysterical wails could be heard echoing through the shaft until the heavy steel doors muffled her completely.
The courtroom fell strangely peaceful. The gray rain outside had begun to taper off, revealing thin slivers of pale gold sunlight cutting through the heavy clouds over the Gateway Arch in the distance.
David Ramos turned to me, a tired but triumphant smile on his face. “Audrey, we have a lot of paperwork to process, but the court receiver has already begun unfreezing your personal accounts. You have your home back. You have your company back.”
“I don't care about the company, David,” I said honestly, looking down at Leo, who was still clutching his band-aided rabbit. “I just wanted to make sure they were safe.”
Judge Norris stepped down from the bench, bypassing her formal robes, and walked over to where Leo and I were standing. She was a woman known throughout Missouri for her iron fist in family law, but looking at Leo, her eyes were soft and grandmotherly.
She knelt down in front of the little boy.
“Master Leo,” Judge Norris said.
Leo peeked out from behind my coat. “Yes, ma'am?”
“You did an extraordinarily brave thing today,” she said gently. “You told the truth when people bigger than you tried to make you afraid. The law exists to protect good people, but it only works when brave people speak up.”
She unpinned a small gold badge from her lapel—a replica of the Great Seal of the State of Missouri—and pressed it into Leo’s palm.
“This is for you. To remind you that you never have to be afraid of the dark again.”
Leo looked at the shiny metal, his eyes widening. He looked up at me, seeking permission. When I nodded, he closed his small hand over it tightly. “Thank you, Judge.”
“Now,” Judge Norris said, looking up at me with an approving nod. “Mrs. Vance, I suggest you take this young man to get the biggest ice cream sundae in St. Louis. My court will handle the rest of the garbage left behind.”
As we walked out through the double doors of Courtroom 4B, the hallway was deserted. The cold marble floor no longer felt intimidating. The terrifying echo of Julian’s threats had vanished into thin air.
Suddenly, a sharp, tight contraction gripped my lower abdomen. I stopped in my tracks, leaning heavily against the brass handrail along the corridor wall.
“Mommy?” Leo asked, his face suddenly full of panic. “Are you okay? Is the baby coming?”
May you like
I breathed through the tightness, counting to five, just as the doctors had taught me. When the cramp released, I looked down at him and laughed through a sudden rush of happy tears.
“She’s coming, Leo,” I smiled, resting my hand over my belly. “I think she wanted to make sure you won first.”
