Double or Nothing Pt. 04

She cried. "Daddy, I am so sorry, I didn't know. I really didn't."

My heart moved an inch or so at her declaration. The embers in my heart warmed, but they didn't burst into flame. I looked away from my former daughter. I couldn't afford to look and feel anything for her.

The judge spoke again, "Ms Morrison, can I have your focus again, please?" Mackenzie looked up at the judge. "I thank you for your honest response. I think that is the first time you have given us the truth here today. At this time, I would invite Mr Other or his council to respond to the charge of mental cruelty."

Kim spoke up, "We thank Ms Morrison for her honest testimony just now, however at this time, we have nothing to add other than we continue to refute that claim of mental cruelty."

"So noted, thank you, councillor, I think we can safely dispose of this claim, can we all agree?" The judge looked at all of us and gained consent from both sides.

"Now onto the case of financial hardship," he said. "I am having difficulty reconciling this one, Ms Morrison. In your parents' divorce settlement, the finances originally defined as university funds for yourself, I allowed to stay with Mr Other as you allowed yourself to be adopted by Mr Morrison. This was because your biological father was the only person that contributed to that account. Since your mother and yourself had chosen to walk away from him, place a restraining order on him and have Mr Morrison adopt you, I felt the funds forfeit. In your mother's letter that she left your biological father, she noted that the reason was that he could not provide the finer things in life as a plumber." He held up a copy of the letter; Carol went red seeing it after all this time.

"Now, as you removed yourself from his direct care, I cannot understand how you can blame financial hardship on him. Would you care to explain? Mr Forsythe, you may respond on behalf of your client as I believe she is still upset from the previous discussion." The judge said.

"Yes, Your Honour," He looked at some paperwork before him, "Well, the Morrisons' view that their current financial situation is directly attributed to their interactions with Mr Other after the divorce.

The judge nodded, "I follow you so far, counsellor, but your logic may be flawed. Please continue and give me the reason why the Morrisons' financial difficulties are Mr Others fault?"

"Well, Your Honour, if Mr Other had not continued to meet with doctor, I mean Mr Morrison, then Mr Morrison would not have been put on probation. He would not have threatened Mr Other, not have assaulted him and lost his job and put them into a situation where they now have to rely solely on Mr Morrison's trust fund to survive."

The judge sat back in his chair and picked up a pen, eyeing Mackenzie's lawyer.

"Mr Forsythe, I am not sure if you heard how ludicrous you sounded when compared against the evidence I have before me. You state that Mr Other is responsible for the Morrisons' financial situation and needs to pay them? Because from what I see here, it was the Morrisons who did the abuse. So much so that Mr Other died twice! All because he happened to be in the Morrisons' location each time." The Judge was enjoying the lawyer's discomfort.

"Yes, Your Honour, we maintain that if Mr Other weren't in those locations, Mr Morrison would not have done what he did, and the Morrisons would not be in the situation they are in right now. So, Mr Other needs to pay financial restitution for that."

"I see...." I think that was the judge's favourite phase.

He turned to Kim and me. "Would you care to respond?"

"Of course, Your Honour," Kim said, "While my client can acknowledge interaction that has resulted in the altercations with Mr Stephen Morrison, Mrs Carol Morrison and Ms Mackenzie Morrison. At no point does my client accept fiscal responsibility for these interactions."

Kim took a breath.

"We live in a free society where we choose our interactions with people. In each of the incidents where my client interacted with the Morrisons, he was approached by them. He never initiated the contact. In each interaction, except for the incident in the hospital, where my client had been injected with unknown drugs. My client tried to remove himself from the situation. In each interaction, it has been my client who was abused. "

"Further, it is our position that the Morrisons could have chosen not to interact with my client and just walked away from interaction with my client. If they had, they would not be in the financial situation they are in today. Had they kept to themselves, we would not be here. Their situation is cause and effect."

The judge looked at Kim.

"An interesting position, councillor. And one I agree with in these circumstances."

I looked at Mackenzie again. She had missed all of that interaction. She was still sobbing in her chair. Carol was still looking first at Mackenzie, then at me.

"Well, under the circumstances, I rule that the money stays in the hands of Mr Other, I think that..."

I raised my hand, "May I speak, Your Honour?"

The judge looked at me. "Of course, Mr Other, on what would you like to speak?"

I drew in a breath like the councillors had when they spoke. This was not going to feel good.

"Your Honour, I can tell you right now that I have no love for my ex-wife. She so casually tossed me aside for someone else that I will never forgive, nor will I forget what she did to me. I also have been wounded by what my daughter has done. How she has treated me over this past couple of years has hurt a lot. So much of the love and affection I once had for her is gone."

"I can understand that, Mr Other. I see that more often than I like in this job. What is it that you're trying to say?"

"I would like to perform a final gesture to my daughter," I said.

Mackenzie looked up at me suddenly, and hope was in her eyes.

"Your Honour, I have built a new life over the past couple of years. But to get there, I have had to go through physical and emotional challenges largely caused by both the ladies on the other side of this court and the di...." I smiled. "The man you removed earlier.

"Through everything, I have managed to find love again. Indeed, we have just gotten married this past weekend and plan to go on our honeymoon after we conclude here today. I have found that I may never want to see either my ex-wife or former daughter again. I want to move forward in love with my new family and continue to forge a new life, to be happy."

The judge raised an eyebrow. I put my hand out to Kim, and she pulled out the document she thought I wanted. Her look was, 'do you really want to do this?' I didn't, but I wanted closure. I wanted it done.

"This document is something my legal counsel has put together. It states that I will pay the one hundred and forty-two thousand dollars from the bank account I originally intended for Mackenzie's university funds into a special trust account."

Carols mouth was hanging open. I don't know what Mackenzie thought; she was staring at me, still crying.

"The money in this trust can only be drawn down on for Mackenzie's living expenses and education costs when she enters university. As she is seventeen, Mackenzie will be able to enter university next year, so if she is successful, most of her tuition and costs can be covered by this money. However, if she does not enter university, then the trust stays inaccessible until she reaches thirty years of age, at which time she may draw down on up to five thousand dollars a month.

"The only other condition that I have is that never again shall either Carol or Mackenzie Morrison have any interaction with me."

On the other side of the room, I heard Mackenzie take a breath. The judge just looked at me.

I explained. "Every time my ex-wife talks to me, she asks for this money. Since the divorce, I have not touched the account. I am tired of fighting over it, so I will give it to Mackenzie under the conditions I just discussed. I cannot handle the heartbreak that occurs every time I have contact with my daughter." I kept speaking clearly, but I knew tears were streaming down my face.

"I cannot stand to know if I will find the loving girl I raised or the young woman who hurls me abuse and calls me names. Yet, even now, after so much pain and heartbreak, a part of me wants to run over there and hug her, hold her and tell her how much I love her."

I heard Mackenzie sob. If I were to look around the room, most people, even Carol, would have a tear in the eyes. "Your Honour, I cannot move forward with my new life if I keep having to look backwards. These women have hurt me, but I know I can heal if I let go. My new life with my new family beckons to me. But if I can do this one last thing for the young woman over there, the girl I once called daughter, then walk away without allowing, excuse my French Your Honour, but without allowing the dickhead, Stephen Morrison, access to that money, I think I can find some peace. So much of my life would be different if he did not seduce my ex-wife. I would likely still be divorced, but I may still have a relationship with Mackenzie.

"Anyway, this is my offer to Mackenzie. Thank you." I concluded.

I turned away, grabbed a tissue offered by Kim and wiped my eyes.

The judge cleared his throat, "Would you like to add anything, counsellor?"

Kim also cleared her throat, "Yes, Your Honour, we have set the timeframe to accept the agreement at thirty days from today. Should Ms Mackenzie Morrison not accept this offer in that time, the offer shall become void, and my client will retain the funds."

"I think that is fair, council." The judge nodded, responding. "Okay. In the matter of mental cruelty, the matter is concluded in favour of Mr Terry Other, with no financial impacts on either party. Each side shall cover its own legal costs.

"In the matter of financial hardship, I again conclude the matter in favour of Mr Terry Other, again with no financial impacts on either party, again each side shall cover their own legal costs.

"The financial offer on the table to Ms Mackenzie Morrison is noted but is outside the bounds of this court.

In my closing statement, I would like to address Mrs Carol Morrison. Mrs Morrison, may I have your attention?"

Carol squared her shoulders, "Yes, Your Honour?"

"Mrs Morrison, it's not often I address someone in the gallery, however in closing, I believe I need to give you a caution. In every interaction, your husband, your daughter, or you have with your ex-husband. Much of what is documented portrays you in a poor light. Much of what has transpired is directly or indirectly due to your actions. You believe you are in a very tough spot financially, which I don't believe is true."

Carol swallowed.

"It is not my place to tell you how to live your life. However, I would suggest you need to give a lot of thought to your current situation and that of your daughter. And I suggest that you steer clear of your ex-husband moving forward regardless of what your daughter chooses to do about the university trust. Let him move on. It sounds like he's happy. It feels like you need to find some happiness for yourself too."

"Yes... yes, Your Honour." Carol replied.

"That is only advised, Mrs Morrison." The judge admonished, he looked at the room. "Well, this has been entertaining, but I really don't want to see any of you back here again. This court is adjourned."

And with that, we were done. Kim took the agreement over to Mackenzie's lawyer, and we got out of there. Over at the café, we found Paul and the girls eagerly awaiting news. I was a little melancholy after court, so Kim told most of it, including my impassioned speech towards the end. My wives were proud of me and held onto me tight, continually whispering love in my ears every few minutes.

We spoke for around an hour, and at one point, Kim pointed out Carol and Mackenzie leaving the courthouse. The dickhead wasn't with them. They were in the distance, so it was hard to see them, but they looked hunched over and worn out. I could honestly relate.

Our honeymoon was amazing. During those ten days, I got to know my girls' bodies better, and there was not a part I didn't get to kiss or touch, and I know they can say the same. We wore very little clothes the entire time, and even when we did, the girls in their tiny bikinis were appreciated by not just me but also everyone around, men and women alike. When we went out, I must admit I walked ten-foot-tall, an incredible, curvaceous redhead on each arm, their swimsuits hugging and accentuating each curve, showing a good amount of flesh while hiding away the treats that only I got to see. By the time we returned home, I had almost forgotten all about my previous life.

It was a footnote, but Mackenzie had signed the agreement, so Kim took care of everything and moved the money into the trust. She asked if I wanted to know the university course that Mackenzie would take but, I declined, I felt that part of my life was now done.

It was two months later that we found out both girls were pregnant. They had both gone off birth control a month before the wedding and didn't tell me, the little minxes. They both came down with morning sickness within a couple of days of each other. Some tests and trips to the doctors confirmed that I would be a father again, twice over. Mum and dad, William and Martha, were thrilled. I got ridiculed and hive fives in equal measure around the office.

We were all in for a shock when we got to the twelve-week scan. Both my girls were pregnant with twins. I wasn't sure how we would handle it, four babies, all at once, but as I snuggled in with my girls that night, I knew we would handle it together.

Kim and Paul couldn't believe it, and Kim gave me shit for weeks about how much of a horn dog I must be to knock up two girls at once, each with twins. Kim also let us know that she and Paul had fallen pregnant again, and Candice would get a sibling to go with her new cousins. So that made five new babies in the crew.

Our only dark cloud was that mum was getting quite fragile. Her cancer had progressed. It wasn't looking good, and we were all worried. Harmony talked with several specialists, and before she was too big to travel, we visited three cancer specialists, one up in Brisbane and two in Sydney. After looking through mum's medical data, they all advised just making her comfortable and keeping the treatments going in her local hospital.

At that point, we all convinced mum and dad to move to Bathurst. This way, they could be close to us and help out with the babies when they were born. It also would ensure we were close to mum for support.

By the time the girls were six months along, we had mum and dad moved into a little place about fifteen minutes down the road. Dad was working part-time for one of the local builders, and mum generally had someone hanging out with her day or night.

We'd also convinced Kim and Paul to move as well. They moved into a house close to mum and dad's. Kim was about a few weeks ahead of the girls and grumpy. Paul and I had to take care of most of the move, while Kim scolded us for everything being wrong as we moved boxes. She was nesting.

My niece Candice thought it was all a grand adventure through it all. She was getting into talking in complete sentences and thought it was funny when mummy told dad to move the same box into three different rooms within minutes of telling him to move it the first time. She also loved rubbing the pregnant bellies of her mum and aunties, feeling the babies kick. Both Melody and Harmony were getting big quick. Being a little ahead of my wives, Kim was quite large as well.

I also should note that the aircon in the house was cold. It was a lot like that scene from Father of the Bride, part two where Steve Martin keeps changing clothes going in and out of the house. All three pregnant ladies were craving the cold, so we made sure they were temperature controlled at all hours of the day.

Towards the end, it was also one of the few times that my wives didn't snuggle with me at night. It wasn't that they didn't want to. It was too difficult for them. I cuddled each of them separately in our bed each night, and we made do with falling asleep holding hands until the kids were born.

When it was time, it all happened at once. I've mentioned the twin connection before. Well, my girls certainly had it in labour too. At thirty-eight weeks, they went into labour within two hours of each other. Being they were carrying twins, we all agreed it was safer for a caesarian birth. Both my girls were prepped in operating theatres side by side as I was walked between them, nervous as anything.

First born from Melody was my son, Adam. He had a huge shock of brown hair and a set of lungs that any father could be proud of. Next was my angel, Grace with Harmony, she was bald and quiet, but in those first minutes after birth, she had striking green eyes! Next was my third daughter, Beth, born from Melody. Like her brother, she had a fantastic set of lungs. And last was my second son, John, named for his grandfather. Harmony and I were going to call him Colin. However, his features were so much like my father's that we chose to honour dad.

Three days later, Kim went into labour and gave birth to Candice's little sister, Holly. We would be raising a brood between us, but I knew while chaotic, there was no place I would rather be.

I almost came to regret those words for the first six months. With four new kids to look after, no one got an ounce of sleep. There were always nappy changes. The girls were constantly feeding one of the kids. I can say we almost killed each other a few times. But from about six months, all four of them started sleeping through the night, and we managed to find a rhythm, and our intimacy returned with a vengeance.

The kids were almost two years old when we lost mum. She held on as long as she could, and we fought alongside her every day. She spent as much time with her grandkids in her last days, giving so much love and affection even in her frail state that I hope the kids have lasting impressions of her as they grow older. There is almost a wall of photos with her holding all six of her young grandchildren along mum and dad's hallway. Dad was sad but proud. Mum had fought every step of the way, never giving up. We knew it was close when she asked the five of us to come and see her one Saturday afternoon.

We spent an afternoon doing what we always did as a family. We made jokes and remembered times growing up. We laughed about the chaos we now found ourselves in with six kids to raise all at once. I think mum knew it was time because she started with my wives when she asked for a few minutes alone with each of us. She hugged Melody and Harmony tight even though her skin was hanging off her bones and her muscles had no mass.

"I love you both so much, my beautiful daughters. You have made my Terry so happy. I never thought I would see the joy in his heart again after what Carol did to him. But you both came into his life through thunder and lightning and mended his heart and mind so well that I can never thank you enough."

More platitudes of love were exchanged between the women, and my wives were crying when they came out, and Kim went in with Paul while I held my girls, our kids quietly watching a movie in the background. After a few minutes, Paul came out tears in his eyes, asking me to head in. I sat on the bed. Kim was already crying, holding and hugging mum like a little girl of twelve again.

"Oh, my babies," mum said in her weak, strained voice. "I love you both with everything I have. And I don't think a parent out there could be any prouder than I am of you two. I have watched you both grow, but I love how you have always been close, even as adults. You have learned to love and help each other through pain. But I have something I need to ask both of you."