Bittersweet Irish Cream Ch. 19

Jamel sighed. "So we all got tested and I was the one who had the genetic marker and the worst heart. Ty's heart? Perfect, no signs of the defect. Donny, who smokes weed almost daily, had a better heart than I did. Lavell has the genetic marker but he doesn't smoke, or drink much. So the only thing he did was add more veggies to his diet. But me? I had to change my entire lifestyle, just like my father. So I left the Army."

"Connor said you retired from the Army to be there for your family after your father's heart attack," Jack said.

"I did. That part is true. My dad needed me home and to take over the business for him. But it was a wake-up call to take my heart and my health more seriously too. I stopped smoking and started exercising. Lost some fatty weight and built up muscle. By the time I met Connor I hadn't had a cigarette in over three years. But it's genetic so I still need to be careful."

He chuckled in memory. "When Connor used to smoke a cigarette, I would hand him a piece of gum before we kissed, so I wouldn't be tempted by the taste of nicotine in his mouth. He just gradually stopped smoking without me saying anything and I was happy he made that change for me and for himself."

"So Connor doesn't know that you have this major, genetic heart condition that can kill you at any moment?" Jack asked.

"Well I try not to think about it like that, so thanks," Jamel said with a smile. "Connor knows I see a cardiologist twice a year because we have a family history of heart disease, and that's the truth. So far I'm healthy and I do all the things I need to do to keep it that way, from eating right to reducing stress around me."

"Reducing stress?" Jack scoffed. "And you're marrying Connor McIntyre? A second time!?"

"Right." Jamel laughed a deep throaty laugh, making Jack laugh too.

When the laughter died down, Jack had decided what he wanted to tell him. "You know that night when you came to get me from Grafton Hill?"

"Yup."

"I saved a young Thai woman from a sex trafficking ring disguised as a masseuse parlor. The owner of the place was the person who repeatedly molested and raped Jacqueline's mother. He was Jackie's biological father."

"Holy shit." Jamel turned to him. "Does Ethan know?"

Jack nodded. "He knows. And he knew what I was going to do before I did it."

"Wow," Jamel responded softly. "So what did you do?"

Jack hesitated, then said, "I exposed him for the animal he was. Physically carved some choice words on his chest. Then I took away his anatomy so he will never harm another person with it again. And she injured his spine. We anonymously exposed all his sex trafficking businesses and he was arrested for it, and all his other despicable deeds came out. He was sentenced to 30 years in a federal prison."

Jamel said, "So you saved her life and countless others. Where is the Thai woman now?"

Jack shrugged. "We agreed to lose contact when we went our separate ways. But two years ago I received a message on Instagram from an unknown account with only one picture of Cat Island in Thailand. The message was written in Thai, but it said, 'Thank you Jack.' A week after that the account closed."

"Wow," Jamel said again. "Well I hope she's happy. And I hope he's getting the karma he deserves in prison."

Jack nodded. "He did. I found out that the other prisoners didn't take too kindly to a wheelchair driving, no-dick-having child rapist in prison with them. He was badly abused until he took his own life a year into his sentence. So I didn't have to kill him myself. Kept my promise to Ethan and God."

"Hmmm... Sounds like justice to me," Jamel said.

Jack was quiet, then asked, "Did you ever tell Connor about that night?"

Jamel shook his head. "Nope."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Then Jamel asked, "Was that the first time you did something like that?"

Jack shook his head without looking at him. "No. And you don't want to know about the first time."

Jamel nodded in understanding. "So you're like a secret vigilante. You got a code name? Black Jack?"

Jack turned to him to see Jamel's smirk. "You're ready to head back?" he said with a smile of his own.

"Sure," Jamel responded and stood up first.

Jack stood up behind him and they began to walk down the hill together. After a long moment of silence, Jack answered him. "Red Jackie."

Jamel understood and laughed a big laugh again. "Red Jackie? Oh shit, I was close!" Jack laughed heartily as well. Then Jamel changed the subject. "This is my first time in California, you know."

"Really?" Jack asked.

"Yea," Jamel responded.

They casually walked and talked back to the house. When they arrived Ethan and Connor were in the kitchen at the breakfast table in the nook drinking coffee. Connor was holding Jamie. "Hey, you were gone a long time. We thought you guys abandoned us," he joked.

Jamel came over to Connor and Connor raised his head for a kiss. "Not yet," he said softly, and kissed his lips again. "Not ever." He straightened up and ran his hands through Connor's hair. "You look good with babies." Connor shrugged his response and looked down at Jamie's face.

Jamel looked at his friend and Ethan raised an eyebrow at him. He smiled back. "I'm going to shower. Thanks for the hike, Jack. And the talk."

"Anytime," Jack said as he took a sip of Ethan's coffee and slid in the chair next to him.

Jamel went into their room and Connor looked at Jack curiously. "What were you two talking about on that long hike? Me?"

Jack smiled slyly. "You'll never know." Connor scoffed back and held onto Jamie tighter.

~~~~~~~

On Friday the group happily passed through the gate exit talking when Freddie heard her voice: "Fredrick!"

He turned around and saw his mother walking toward them through the crowd that was waiting for their loved ones. "Mom!"

Everyone stopped walking as Stephanie Brown-McIntyre approached them in a long sweater jacket and big shades. Freddie ran to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. After he had been away from his parents the last two weeks, he realized how much he missed her.

She looked startled at his affection but after glancing at all the faces watching them, she began to pat his back.

Ethan spoke first, "Hi, Stephanie. Everything okay? I told Matty I was going to bring him home and I meant it."

"Hi Ethan. Yes, everything is fine, but you don't have to, I'm here." She turned to her son. "I'm here to take you home," she said sweetly.

She began to move him away but he pulled back. "Wait! Is he..." He stepped back and spoke quieter. "Is he mad at me for going to California?"

"You let me worry about that. Just come home now."

"Hold up!" Connor said, dropping his bag on the floor. "You're not gonna just take him without a guarantee that Matty's not going to hit him. I'm the one he should be mad at. I took Freddie away, he didn't even know what was happening. If he wants to hit someone, you tell him to come find me."

"Oh shut up Connor, he's not going to hit him!" she said nastily.

"He better not! Because I meant what I said!" he yelled at her.

She scoffed at him. "You just always have to make a scene, don't you?"

"Oh, you'd rather we have this conversation about your abusive husband in private!?" Connor said loudly. "Because everyone here knows, Steph. They all saw his face. And I know what that feels like to have my father beating me and no one to protect me.

"The one thing I won't let happen is for him to be abused the way I was. So if you aren't going to protect him from your own husband, you leave him with me, and I'll protect him."

She snarled at him. "You have no idea how it feels to be in the position I'm in. So before you start on me about protecting my son, why don't you ask your own mother why she didn't protect you all those years. Deal with your own issues and stay the hell out of my family business."

Connor's face contorted in anger. Jack pulled Connor back at the same time Jamel stepped in front of him, both of them knowing that he was on the verge of going off on his sister-in-law.

"Listen, Stephanie," Jamel said calmly. "We know you love your children and want to protect them. We also just want what's best for Freddie. He's your son, no one is keeping him from you or stopping you from taking him right now. We just want to make sure that when you do, Matty doesn't find another reason to hurt him. All we're saying is, let us help you keep Freddie safe from him. It's family business, but we're all family here. We all love and care about Freddie too."

She stared at him blankly. "Who are you again?" Jamel's serious face broke into a smile as she said again, nastily, "No really, who are you? Why are you talking to me?"

Jack scoffed. "Dammit Steph, why do you have to be such a....?" Jack knew his girls were listening so he opted not to say the last word.

She yelled, "I don't want you talking to me either, Jack!"

"Okay!" Jamel raised his voice. He took Freddie's suitcase and handed it to Connor, saying, "I'm done. Your turn. Keep it civil."

He stepped back as Connor nodded at him and stepped forward. "Come here, Fred." Freddie was hesitant, glanced at his mother but approached his uncle.

Connor said, "Remember what I told you. The next time your father puts his hands on you, you come find me. You know where I work. And if you can't get to me, you go straight to the Inn, find your uncles over there." He pointed at Jack and Ethan.

"And if it happens in the middle of the night, you get in a cab and take it to our house, let yourself in with the key I gave you and pay it with the money in the cookie jar. You can come to our house any time, day or night. If I'm not there, you know your uncle Mel will be there. We'll both always be here for you." He pulled Freddie in and they hugged.

Connor turned to Stephanie. "You tell that piece of shit brother of mine that I meant what I said. If I find one bruise on Fredrick's body again, I'm going to personally beat the shit out of him, and then Jamel is going to call the police and his friend who is a social worker and mandated reporter. You will lose all your children and husband in one night. Fuck with me if you want to, and see what happens."

He rolled the carry-on right into her legs. She flinched and then glared at him with hatred. Connor said to his nephew, "Go with your mom. I'll see you soon."

Fred nodded and hugged Connor again, then he hugged Jamel. He turned to his best friend and they gave each other a dap, saying, "See you at school." He did the same to Jack and Ethan, and both the girls wrapped their arms around him, hugging him tightly. He turned to his mother and took his suitcase, turned around and gave one last wave.

Jamel said loudly, "Oh, by the way Stephanie, I'm Jamel Jones. Your brother-in-law," he said sarcastically.

She turned to him and he smiled at her, then lifted up his ring finger, making sure she caught the double meaning behind the gesture. She scoffed, rolled her eyes and turned back around with her son behind her.

Connor watched them walk away. Jack came over and stood next to him. "He'll be okay."

He turned to his friend looking concerned. "Really? Because I wasn't."

"Yea, but he has something that you didn't have: An Uncle Connor to protect him." Jack patted his back.

Jamel stood next to him too. "And an Uncle Mel."

Connor looked at his husband and wrapped his arms around him. Jamel held him, always surprised when Connor showed him affection in public. He said to Jack and Ethan, "You all get home. I got him."

Jack nodded and turned to Ethan, who was holding onto both of his girls hands and Jamie strapped to his chest. He glanced at EJ who was also looking concerned. "C'mon EJ, let's go home. You'll see him tomorrow," he said reassuringly.

~~~~~~~

They debated whether to bring Jamison into the courthouse for the hearing but their attorney said it was not necessary. So they drove out to Greenwich for the first hearing at the end of March, dropping Jamie off his Ethan's parents first. In the hallway, they stayed far away from the Reedlins until they were called into the courtroom. But both noticed that the Reedlins did have a team of lawyers with them.

Cindy was not concerned in the slightest. "I know their law firm. Davidson, Hayes and West is the kind of cutthroat law firm that genuinely tries to destroy the little guy. But that's because they hire the best associates and paralegals. The actual senior attorneys, like them idiots over there, don't know shit about their cases and suck at litigation. I, on the other hand, am the best."

Ethan smiled at her, appreciating her confidence. Although he did not feel as confident as he and Jack sat and waited for the hearing to begin. The bailiff called out, "Docket number J39592 in the case of Timothy Jamison Starling. Judge Ella Frye is presiding. All rise."

They did so, then sat down. Everyone was quiet waiting for the judge to begin her questioning as she reviewed the documents in front of her. Finally she looked up. "I have read through all the briefings and I have a few clarifying questions. Starting with Mr. Starling."

Ethan sat up even straighter than he already was. "Yes, your honor."

She asked, "Patricia Reedlin came to you to ask for your assistance with her labor and delivery, correct?"

"That's correct, your honor."

"And was there ever any talk or prior arrangement for you to take custody of the child?"

Ethan hesitated, then said, "No, there was no prior arrangement, because we all assumed she was going to parent her own child."

"Yes, I got that part. I was simply asking if it ever came up as an option in the five days she stayed with you in Rhode Island, or the three days you were in the hospital with her."

"No. We never discussed the option of her giving me custody," he said honestly.

"Thank you. And because she disappeared from the hospital you decided it would be in the child's best interest to take him home?"

"Yes, your honor."

"What made you decide that taking custody of him would be in his best interest?"

"Well she put my name on the birth certificate-"

"I got that," the judge said, cutting him off. "What I am asking is why did you make the decision to bring him home and raise him? You have three children already, and adding an infant would be difficult for your family, would it not?"

Ethan hesitated again, then looked at Jack. Jack whispered, "We talked about it."

Ethan nodded and repeated, "We talked about it, Jack and I."

"And what was the discussion, exactly?"

Ethan hesitated a third time. Cindy said, "Your honor, permission for Jack Frazier to speak on Ethan's behalf as well, since it is Mr. Starling and Mr. Frazier raising Jamie together."

"Your honor," a lawyer on the other side interjected. "The boy's birth name is Timothy. I ask that the court demands the proper use of the boy's name in legal proceedings, thank you."

Cindy glared at him. "Your honor, his legal name is Timothy Jamison. The boy has been going by the name Jamie since birth, a derivative of Jamison. Jamie is a proper nickname that should be acceptable in court."

"You can refer to him as Timothy or Jamison in court, no nicknames," the judge said. "And yes, Mr. Frazier, you may also speak."

"Um.. thank you, your honor." Jack paused, then said, "Ethan and I discussed many different options for Jamison, including leaving him at the hospital in the nurse's care or calling social services and letting the state take custody. Ultimately we decided it would be in Jamison's best interest because Ethan had already created a strong bond with him, having cared for him for his first three days, and we wanted Jamison to be raised with family, like with his half brother."

"Thank you, Mr. Frazier. And one of those options was to take him to his grandparents home, correct? Who are also his family?"

Jack hesitated, then said, "Yes, your honor."

"And from the written testimony, Mr. Starling, you informed the Reedlins that you considered taking him there but decided for them that they were not ready or prepared to care for a newborn?"

"Yes, your honor," Ethan spoke up. "We still had baby items in the home and had the capacity to care for a newborn right away. That was another reason we decided to keep Jamie- Jamison with us."

"I understand. And did you ever attempt to find Ms. Reedlin to obtain her full consent for custody?"

Ethan paused, and looked at his attorney who was taking notes. She looked up at him and nodded for him to answer so he did. "No. Trish.... Ms. Reedlin is not someone who can be found when she doesn't want to be found."

"So you didn't attempt to hire a private investigator, or go to the police and report a missing person?"

He shook his head. "No. She wasn't missing, kidnapped or taken. She willingly left."

"I understand that, but you took custody of her child without her expressed permission-"

Ethan cut the judge off, "She put my name on the birth certificate." She looked at him sternly and he backed down with, "Your honor. Respectfully."

She clasped her hands together. "Mr. Starling, until or unless the birth mother gives her expressed permission for you to solely take custody of her son, it was your responsibility to exhaust all options in the best interest of the child. You willfully did not inform the grandparents of his arrival or of their daughter's disappearance. You did not inform social services so they could conduct their own investigation. You did not try to find the birth mother or the birth father. You cannot just claim a child as your own without going through the proper, necessary and legal steps."

"I didn't know what those steps were," he implored. "I didn't know what to do."

"You have an excellent family law attorney sitting right next to you," the judge countered. "Why did it take a legal action against you to seek out counsel on how to proceed in this matter?"

Ethan was speechless. He did not like the way this hearing was going at all. Jack raised his hand. "Permission to speak again?"

"You may, Mr. Frazier."

"In part, I think we were both waiting for Trish to change her mind and show up before we took any legal actions. We were hoping that maybe she just needed to get away, that it was too overwhelming for her in the moment, and that she would take custody of Jamie back. Sorry, Jamison. We were willing to be a placeholder until she decided she wanted to parent again, no matter how long it would have taken."

The judge considered his words. "That was noble and considerate of you. I truly believe that you and Mr. Starling did have good intentions with Jamison and his mother's best interests at heart. What is missing is the follow through, Mr. Frazier. Because I am here to tell you that good intentions are not going to be enough for you to keep custody of Jamison."

Both Ethan and Jack felt crushed. Jack slid his hand over to Ethan's and laced their fingers together on the table. Ethan looked over at Tim who had a look of triumph on his face, but not for long. The judge turned to the Reedlins next.

"Timothy and Mallory Reedlin, when was the last time you heard from your daughter?" she asked.

Tim spoke on their behalf. "The day before Thanksgiving."

"And according to your written testimony, she did not mention that she was pregnant or had given birth, correct?"

"That is correct, but that is not uncommon for her," Tim said. "Patricia is a very private person and keeps things close to her until she is ready to reveal them."

"An entire pregnancy from her own parents? That seems odd, unless there was some distance or estranged relationship between the two of you."

"Not at all," Tim said. "We are very close with our daughter."

Ethan whispered to his lawyer, "He's lying."

"Oh she knows," Cindy whispered back. "Look at her face."