One Hundred And One Sleepless Nights

Even if today wasn't the day where I may possibly lose my daughter I think it would still be awful. It's a Tuesday. Everyone always says how bad Mondays are, but let me tell you Tuesday is the day of the week where you know what kind of week you'll be having. Mine is shit in case anyone was wondering.
Mom and Dad actually came up for the trial. Mom threatened to lynch Vic. But according to Richard that probably wouldn't be wise. When the gang and I walked into the court house we got a few looks. I did have quite the entourage. Mom, Dad, Kate, Kellin, Cope, Austin, Alan, Charlie and we're expecting Leah too. I walked to the room the hearing was taking place in. I saw Vic was already there with Polly. He didn't have anyone to back him up besides her, obviously.
"Vic." I nodded stiffly.
"Zandra," he replied curtly. "You look nice."
"I know." I responded and took my seat next to Richard.
"Did you make a decision?" Richard asked.
"I can't do it. Don't bring up her mother." I decided.
"Of course." he sighed.
I saw Vic stand up and walk away from his lawyer. He was headed towards my table. "Stay away you child stealing bastard!" I head someone call. Looks like Leah has arrived. I turned and widened my eyes. She's made a 'Children Need Their Mothers!' banner out of a old scarf Vic left at mine once and drugstore lipstick.
"It's okay." I told her.
"Zee, I got you this." Vic said and set down a single daisy on the table. I swallowed hard.
"Vic-" I tried.
"I'm sorry you have to be here today... and not there." he said before he hurried away.
Every year without fail today Vic and I go to my grandmothers grave. We lay down a single daisy - her favourite flower. Even after Vic and I broke up he always made sure he was free to take me. He knew how much it meant.
"The case of Fuentes versus Knight in the custody hearing of Alexandria Zandra Fuentes will now commence!" a man said at the front. Everyone looked at him. His face was straight. Honestly he looks kind of terrifying.
"Singers suck!" Leah yelled.
"Ma'am, do you need to be removed?" a woman at the front asked.
"No, but he does!" she replied.
"Quiet." I told her. She's going to get herself kicked out.
"We will hear from both, now the requests of their clients. Mr Hanley?" he asked.
Vic's lawyer stood up and walked over so he was standing in front of the guys up front. He folded his arms across his chest and gave them a smug smile. The bastard. “My client wishes to apply for leading custody of his daughter, leaving Miss Knight with a three days of custody during the week, and visits every other weekend.” he said. Someone was writing it all down. What are we? In the stone ages.
“And Mr Stevens?” they asked Richard. Richard stood up from next to me and walked to stand by Vic's lawyer.
“My client wishes to remain the primary care giver for her daughter, offering Mr Fuentes custody every second weekend and on Mondays and Wednesdays.” he said. He thought of this, it's actually a pretty shit offer, but it sounds good.
“We call the father of Alexandria Zandra Fuentes, Mr Victor Fuentes to be questioned, and then the mother of Alexandria Zandra Fuentes, Miss Zandra Knight to be questioned before making a decision. Mr Fuentes, if you would take your seat in the stand...”
To put it lightly looks fucking terrified. Well he should, even if he did give me a flower. Vic's own lawyer goes up to question him first. “Mr Fuentes, would you say that you are a good parent?” he asks.
Vic doesn't say anything for a while. "Yeah, I am." he finally replied.
“Can you describe your relationship with your daughter?”
“It's good. She loves me, she's a real Daddy's girl... When I get to see her I mean." Vic said as everyone took notes. I wish I knew what they were writing. It can't be good.
“And how often do you get to see your daughter, Mr Fuentes?” the lawyer asks.
“Well, I get to see her most weekends and in the week. But sometimes it doesn't go down like that. The arrangement doesn't always work too good." Liar! It was fine before Polly flew in on the scene.
“Why don’t they work out?”
“Zandra is busy. Before she got fired she'd work late some nights and ask her friends to pick Alex up. Now her schedule is a little erratic. She's always trying to work on shoots and stuff to bring money in. She'll need me to mind her and drop her at my mom's..."
I almost want to stand up and disagree. Is looking after Alex that much trouble? He actually told me how much more suited to modelling I am! It's not like I just dump Alex!
“So, would you say that Zandra is a tad unreliable?” he asked.
“I...” Vic stuttered. He looks even more terrified now. “I wouldn’t say that word. It’s just her hours in her job change. They're not set to five days a week, it's whenever she can get a shoot. Plus she has other commitments.” Vic said.
"And what hours do you work, Mr Fuentes?”
“My work varies. I'm in a successful band. When I work is up to me really. When Zandra was pregnant I didn't record or tour. I dedicated all the time to her," Vic told them, which is one huge fucking lie! If you dedicated all your time to me then why did you almost miss Alex's birth?! "But when I record or write I could work from home or from a friends house or the studio for an hour or so at a time. When I play home shows it's on an evening. When I tour I'm not at home obviously, but my future wife is, who Alex is really keen on." Vic said, making my blood boil. How can he make a job where he is never home sound like such a freelance thing?!
“Do you think it would be a correct statement if I said your job allows you to give your daughter more time and attention than say Miss Knight?" Vic's lawyer asked.
“Objection!” Richard yelled. “He’s leading the witness. Zandra's job commitments have nothing to do with her parenting abilities. They are in no way related.”
“Could you please rephrase the question?” the guy up front asked.
“Do you think Miss Knight's job in any way affects her ability to be a reliable and good parent for Alexandria?”
Vic frowns at the table and I watched him take in a deep breath. "Maybe."
"Why?"
“If she's on a shoot she can't pick her up from school. She can't do fun things with Alex because she's working. Alex has to go to friends' houses and even family that aren't . . . um the most stable of people."
"Could you explain what you mean by stable, please?"
"Just her parents for one. They weren't together and then they were but weren't talking and then they loved one another again. Her mom has had problems with drink in the past. Then there's her sister Katelynne, she has a pretty short temper. Not that I want to say anything against anyone, but a lot of Zandra's friends have parties and stuff. I sometimes feel weird that Alex is getting exposed to all of that."
BASTARD! I internally screamed.
“And do you think you could offer more of a stable and safe environment than Miss Knight?"
“Yeah.” he sighed annoyed.
“You mentioned previously that you are engaged?”
“Yeah. I'll be getting married in the near future.”
“And how do your fiancée and daughter get on?”
“Polly loves Alex unconditionally, despite the fact that she isn't any relation to her by blood,” Vic said easily, “Alex loves her too. They get on great. Better than Alex and some of Zandra's friends even.”
“Thank you Mr Fuentes.” Vic's lawyer finished, looking completely, annoyingly smug and proud of himself.
“Mr Stevens, have you any questions?" they asked Richard.
“Yes,” Richard stood up. He looks at me one last time and smiled confidentially. He's asking for permission but I frowned. I can't do it. I can't let him dig up all that stuff about Polly. I just can't. “Mr Fuentes, when Zandra was pregnant what was your initial reaction?"
"When I found out?" Vic asked and he nodded.
"Scared I guess."
"Do you recall your physical reaction?"
"I-" Vic gulped. "I ran."
"Why would you do that, if you don't mind me asking?"
"We were at a party. My girlfriend at the time announced it."
"Don't bring me into this you cock sucking slime ball!" Leah screamed.
"Miss!" someone snapped.
"You of course broke up with this girlfriend. But could you tell me about your relationships after this one please."
"I guess," Vic muttered. "I was with a girl named Charlie-"
"Don't bring her into it either, you cheater!" Leah screamed.
"You will be removed!" a woman threatened.
"Then I was with Zandra. I haven't had any other serious relationships apart from my fiancée."
"I see, now what has a common relationship ender been on your part, Mr Fuentes?" Richard asked.
"Could you rephrase that?" Vic asked carefully.
"It takes two people to end a relationship. Why did it end? Did you grow apart? Were the arrangements not working? Were there other people?"
"I cheated." Vic eventually admitted.
"Just so I understand," Richard went on. "You cheated on Zandra while she was at home looking after your daughter while you were touring. Correct?"
"Yeah." he muttered, not meeting anyone's eye.
"You and Zandra obviously had been together for some time when this happened. Tell me how long have you been in a relationship with or even known your fiancée?"
"Since December last year."
"When did you introduce her into your daughter's life?"
"...December last year." he said nervously.
"Zandra relayed to me it was two weeks after you met your fiancée, correct?"
"Correct." Vic sighed angrily.
"Interesting," Richard said, a smile tying the corner of his lips. "But if we can go back to when Zandra was pregnant. To ensure you saw the scans and was kept updated did you visit regularly?"
"No, Zandra came to me."
"But as I'm sure all of the mothers and fathers in this room know travelling while pregnant is no easy feat." Richard said, making the people up front nod.
"Zandra moved in with me." Vic rushed.
"Away from all of her friends and family?"
"I- yeah but-"
"I see," Richard smiled. "Would it not have been more practical and not as stress inducing for Zandra to be around her friends and family in this time and you come to her as you were as you say not working?"
"I guess it would have." he admitted. Damn Richard is good. Now I know why I'm paying him so much!
"Do you think Zandra has put more time than you into raising Alexandria because of touring and the like?"
"...Yes." he eventually replied.
“Do you agree that Zandra is a good parent?"
“I do, of course I do.”
“Thank you, that’s all.” Richard said before he came to sit back down.
After that I thought I'd lost. I was sure actually. But now I'm not so sure. Richard grilled him. Vic looks like he's going to cry. But he did look like that before. Either way, I feel like we've done it without bringing up Polly's past.
“Mr Fuentes, you can return to your seat. We call Miss Zandra Knight to the stand.” they said. I gulped and stood up. I could barely walk. As I passed Vic he wouldn't even look at me. He knows he's lost! I sat down at the stand and faced my audience. Leah had just threw her tights at Vic just in case he was contemplating suicide. "Mr Stevens, go ahead." they urged.
“Do you think that your current custody arrangement is fair, Miss Knight?” Richard asked me.
We've practiced this question so many times. “I think it’s fair and flexible. Alex gets lots of time with Vic. I never not let Vic see her without a good reason. If I gave her two lives I know that would cause more harm than good. Alex is happy, I can ensure everyone."
“Is it just you and you two living in your apartment?"
"Yeah, but we have good friends. I know that if I need anyone my family would come up in an instant. Isn't that proved by my parents and sister being here? I don't see Vic's family." I can't help but say.
"Do you think your job affects your daughter in a negative way?" Richard asked.
"She understands. She's used to it and knows that it's so I can buy her nice things. We still have quality time." I explained.
"Do you think there's enough contact from Mr Fuentes?"
"Well, sometimes it's hard for her. When Victor is on tour I mean. But she's never voiced any complaint about the current arrangement we have. She's content with it."
“And do you think changing the living arrangement could upset or anger Alexandria?"
"I do. She can be a very sensitive and aware little girl." I told everyone.
“Ladies and gentlemen," Richard said to the room. "I think it’s clear that Alexandria is happy with her mother and the arrangements. I don't see any need for change. These arrangements have been in place since Victor Fuentes brought around the end of their relationship and I think they should continue until Alexandria's happiness calls to be compromised. Change will negatively affect Alexandria and Mr Fuentes does agree that she is a good mother. Yes, she works an unconventional job. But she is doing the best with what she has. She is doing what she must to bring in money for her small, modest family! Alexandria's father still sees her more than most children with split parents do. The request for custody is nothing more than a request to satisfy one man's greed that has only been encouraged by a woman who has a hunger for quick marriage and children! This request has not been made out of concern for Alexandria and shouldn't be granted. Thank you." he finished, giving me a sense of accomplishment. I sat there absolutely gob smacked. I know he's good but fucking hell. That's movie style. It blew me away. I don't know what everyone else is thinking but I think he deserves an oscar.

Notes

Hey! What did you think? Wow this took forever to write! It was originally one chapter but I've had to split it into three! But please please tell me what you think! Who's going to win? Predictions? How funny is Leah? What about Richard? :)