Running on Insulin

Chapter 54

"Which leads me to asking you, Mr. Smith, what on earth you're doing in my courtroom if your client isn't even contesting this adoption. From my understanding, he not only had his rights terminated, he seemed happy enough to be relieved of the care of his only child."

"Your honour," the lawyer stood up. "My client realizes that his treatment of his daughter over the years was harsh and substandard. He recognizes he doesn't have the capacity to provide appropriate care and therefore isn't contesting her adoption. He asks only that he be given the opportunity to say goodbye to his only child. He is remorseful of the way he treated her throughout her life and after the tragic loss of his beloved wife. He attributes that treatment to his grief over the loss of his partner.

He is simply requesting one visit by Samantha to the Masonville Federal Penitentiary."

I watched Samantha's face transform into a mask of horror. She looked ready to run. I grabbed her hand so she knew we were still there. Still with her.

"If I don't allow this, will he then contest the adoption?" The judge asked.

"That option has not been taken off the table," the lawyer said.

"You realize I'm signing the certificate today, right?"

"He can still contest it should he choose," the lawyer said.

Marie stood up.

"Your honour, Mr Deitz has a recorded history of physical and psychological abuse against his daughter. You have the records in front of you. You have the psychologist's report. The loss of his wife wasn't some tragic accident. He shot her. His intended victim however was Samantha! This is psychological torture if you force this girl to visit her - former parent."

"Mr Deitz is remorseful for the way he's treated Samantha. He's been seeing a counsellor in jail and just wants the opportunity to say goodbye and apologize to her."

The judge sighed.

"This was supposed to be an easy case. Mr. Smith, you put me in a very difficult position. I need to do what's best for the child. However if I don't honour Mr. Deitz's request, he's going to tie this up in courts as long as he can.

Samantha, I'm sorry to do this to you, but I have to grant the visitation so that I can send you home today with your new parents."

Samantha's face fell. She looked not only ready to cry, but also to bolt.

"I am, however going to insist that both her parents and social worker are present at this meeting. And this meeting must occur within the next seven days," the judge said.

"Thursday morning is the next visitation," the lawyer said. "Samantha can go Thursday morning at 11 am."

The judge sighed, clearly unhappy with this turn of events.

"Fine. Josephs, you must bring Samantha to Masonville at 11 Thursday morning. However," he paused and signed a piece of paper. "I am happy to sign this adoption order. Samantha, you are now legally the adopted child of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph. Enjoy your new family."

The judge smiled and we tried to smile back. I pulled Samantha to me as we left the courtroom. I could feel her shoulders starting to shake. Out in the hallway, I sat down on a bench and held Samantha to me as she began to cry.

"I told you he'd do something. I told you he could find some way of getting back at me," she cried into my shoulder.

The judge came out of the courtroom a minute later.

"Sorry," he said. "I had to recess my court to come talk to you. I did not want to do that, but I know Stanley Deitz well enough that if I didn't accommodate this request he would tie up your adoption petition in contest after contest. In my brief I'll make it clear that this request is the only one to be accommodated and any further requests will be considered criminal harassment.

Samantha, I'm so sorry I had to do that. But, once you go up on Thursday, you're done. He won't be a part of your life anymore and you can truly start healing and living the life you deserve."

Samantha didn't look up from my shoulder, where she was still crying.

The judge gave us a sympathetic look, shook hands with Tyler and went back into his courtroom.

I kept hugging Samantha while Tyler and Marie talked quietly making plans for Thursday morning.

Once we'd gotten everything arranged, we headed out to the car.

"I'm glad the adoption is finalized. We can all go up in my car on Thursday, if you'd like," Marie offered.

"Actually, yeah," Tyler said. "I don't think I'll be in any state to drive. I'm so angry right now."

"I understand," Marie said. "I am too. The good thing is, Samantha is now legally your daughter. The visit doesn't have to be long and hopefully we can put this all behind us when it's done."

"Unless she has to testify at his trial," Tyler said.

Marie didn't say anything. But she did bend down to Samantha and got her attention.

"I know it's not the final outcome you wanted. But once Thursday is over, so is that chapter of your life. And Tyler and Jenna are now legally your parents. Nothing can change that."

Samantha didn't say anything. She didn't nod.

We walked out of the courthouse and back to the car.

"I wanted to go out for lunch to celebrate, but I suspect no-one's feeling too celebratory right now?" Tyler said.

"I just want to go home," Samantha said quietly.

We got into the car and drove home.

As soon as we pulled into the drive way, Samantha ran in the house and up the stairs.

Josh was at the door with a bottle of champagne.

"Uh," he said. "This is not what I expected. Did it not go through? Did her dad actually get custody back?"

Tyler shook his head as he closed the door.

"Worse," he said. "He's making her go visit him supposedly to say goodbye."

"What?!" Josh exploded. He looked towards the stairs where Samantha had run.

"We're going to have to keep an eye on her for the next couple of days," Tyler said. "I'm worried she'll try to bolt."