My world seemed to come crashing down when Daniel, my ex-husband, submitted a petition for full custody of our children. The money, the polished image, and the flawless “dad brand” were all things that he flaunted for everyone to see all at the same time. I was frightened that his wealth and rehearsed appearances would be more important than the sleepless nights, the school lunches, the homework help, and the consistent love that I had poured into parenting Emily and Jack.
The brutality of the weeks leading up to the hearing was evident. As if they were golden tickets, Daniel paraded gifts in front of the children. Emily was presented with a brand-new iPhone that came with every accessory imaginable, while Jack was presented with a PlayStation 5 that was loaded with tons of games.
On certain weekends, they would travel in limos that they had rented, eat at places that were extremely costly, and smile for photographs that would be uploaded on the internet with captions describing what a “fun dad” he was. Following that, he appeared in court the night before the court hearing with a golden retriever dog that had a large red bow tied around its neck. When he was under the impression that I was unable to hear, he whispered to the children, “This is just the beginning of what you’ll get if you choose me.”
The deception that was behind the puppy made my stomach turn, but I wasn’t unhappy about the puppy itself because dogs had always been a part of our dreams.
As I entered the room with Emily and Jack on the morning of the hearing, I did my best to maintain an air of composure despite the fact that fear was pressing down on me. Andrea, my attorney, gave me a slight nod, but her eyes conveyed the same sense of concern that I was experiencing. After that, Daniel showed in, looking dapper in an expensive tailored suit, and was accompanied by attorneys who appeared to have been taken straight from a court drama.
With a sneer on his face, he came in close to Sarah and added, “You just can’t keep up with me.” It is not lost on the children. His legal team was the first to enter the courtroom, and they began by presenting him with glossy images of Disneyland vacations, extravagant dinners, and broad smiles. One of the attorneys sighed and said, “Look how happy they are.” “Why should we exclude them from this way of life?” In that wooden chair, I felt myself shrinking, and I prayed that the judge could see through the smoke and mirrors that were around him.
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