Met His Old Lover

"And possibly two 'parents'?

"I'd accept an elevation of possibly to probably." Beth replied with just the hint of a grin.

"Just for the record, Beth, and thank you again for your candor, child services read it just the way you did, as did the psychiatrist Jeff hired, a man who I have the utmost respect for. I think we're done here. You are a charming and very beautiful young lady...and when you smile like you just did you light up a room. I hope you find reasons to smile a lot more often. He'd be a fool to let you get away a second time...and I know he's not a fool."

Beth rejoined the rest of 'her' family in the courthouse corridor. Lee rejoined them at almost the same moment.

"What happens now?"

"He could call in just you and your ex to render his judgment, he could take it under advisement—which I doubt---he might address the entire family—I doubt that in view of the ages of the kids...I'm not sure. Oh, wait a minute, this is not in character! He's walking out of his chambers and coming toward us!"

"Counselor, I wonder if I could have a couple of minutes with your client and his family alone...I know it's irregular."

"Absolutely, your honor, I'll be just down the hall."

As soon as Lee was out of ear shot, the judge spoke, ostensibly to Jeff but in reality to all of them.

"Jeff, take your beautiful family and go home...wherever that home is or becomes. Lee will brief you on the details but in brief, I'm giving you residential and full custody of these beautiful children." He turned, bent down and addressed the young children. "You're going to live with your daddy from now on." The judge did not miss the way the two children's faces lit up.

He continued. "Your former wife will be granted limited, supervised visitation, normally that's selected alternate holidays and two weeks in the summer; you'll work that out later. I've suspended all child support payments to her. You are free to move as long as it is to a reciprocal state and the one indicated in your attorney's brief is such a state. Normally there is a requirement to check on how things are going after twelve months but that does not generally entail a court appearance. One final thing, Jeff...could I speak to you privately, just for a sec?"

The judge led Jeff a few feet away from Beth and the children. "She loves you. You love her. Don't dawdle and feel free to send me an invitation. Now get out of here. I have some unpleasant news to deliver to the other party in this matter."

... eyes were still as blue...so blue...

"I never quite pictured you as a Dan Fogelberg kind of guy. I mean, his love songs are a girl's dream but most guys..." She and Jeff had returned home after dropping the kids at school for the few hours remaining. She was looking for some music to put on the stereo.

"I never used to listen to him. I always thought he was a lightweight...until I started paying attention to his words. I was driving along one day a couple of years before I accosted you in the produce section and heard, 'Same Old Lang Syne'. I bought the damn album...I must have played that one song a hundred times...and every time I did I thought of you...and then I cried...sobbed uncontrollably. Then I listened to the rest of it, it's called 'The Innocent Age' and then some of his other songs...'Seeing You Again'... 'Longer'. I can't say that I loved them all but that one song...I owe old Dan a big debt. Without that song who knows if I ever would have been approaching that exit and made that impetuous decision."

"Well, at this very moment I need something a little different. This is absolutely one of my favorite songs...Tracy Chapman...dance with me."

give me one reason...don't want leave...change my mind...give you what you need...too old to chase...love you...no more to say...

"You gave me all the reasons I could possibly need...changed my mind baby...never lonely again...not you, not me...I can and do love you...always have...you can give me what I need and I can do the same for you. No more chasing a dream...we're going to live it baby...we are living it...you and me...together at last."

The two lovers danced slowly together until the song ended and then just held each other tightly.

"We have time...a couple of hours...come to bed with me..."

"I was afraid you'd never ask! I wasn't sure...I brought a special outfit for the occasion...one I only wore once...and only for you."

"Oh, my!"