All is Fair in Love and War

29

Gabriella sat in a chair across from a Mediator with a clipboard. She nervously bounced her leg. The deafening silence of the room and the Mediator taking notes only made her more nervous. "Do you really need to be taking notes right now?" Gabriella asked. The mediator looked up from her clipboard. "I mean, he's not even in the room yet. What could you be possibly taking notes on right now?" She questioned.

The mediator held the clipboard and pen close and calmly stared at Gabriella. "Is there a reason for your antsy behavior?" The mediator asked. "I'm not antsy." Gabriella defensively replied. "You've been a nervous agitated wreck the entire 5 minutes we've been in this room." She replied. "Because a mediator with a clipboard who's responsible for determining if I'm even worthy of being around my child without being surveyed is taking notes when the child isn't even in the room. How would you feel?" Gabriella replied in annoyance.

The mediator sighed, "Most people in your position at least try to act with more civility." She muttered and took notes. Gabriella nervously watched as she took notes. "I'm sorry." Gabriella sighed. The mediator glanced over at her. "I'm frustrated, okay? I've been worried sick, I haven't been away from my son like this before, and I don't like feeling like some caged animal with a bunch of eyes on me as if I'm a threat when I'm already in a confined position."

The mediator lightly tapped her pen against the clipboard and silently stared at her. Gabriella sighed and looked off, "But that didn't matter right? You read the court records and report and you think I'm some monster." Gabriella muttered. The door slowly opened before the mediator had a chance to reply and in walked Mateo looking around confused before recognizing and seeing Gabriella. Her eyes lit up just like his, the both happy to see each other.

"Mommy!" He shouted and ran into her arms. She held him tight and rocked him in her arms trying to fight the tears that wanted to emerge from the overwhelming emotions. The mediator was about to intervene and separate them but stopped herself. The rules of supervised visitation like this didn't allow for physical contact but she couldn't help but notice the look on Mateo's face and how desperately he seemed like he needed to feel his mother's embrace again.

"Baby, I'm so sorry." Gabriella softly whispered as she continued holding him close. She slowly pulled away and repeatedly kissed his cheek. "Are you okay? How are you doing?" Gabriella asked. Mateo nervously looked at the mediator in the room from the corner of his eye and looked away from Gabriella's gaze. "I'm fine." He replied. His body language said differently. He didn't look bruised from anywhere she could see at least. She wanted nothing more than to grab him and take him home but she couldn't. Not yet.

Gabriella sat on the ground legs crossed with Mateo. "Are you eating well? Are you sleeping well?" She asked. Mateo silently nodded and looked off. She felt hopeless. She knew something was wrong but he wasn't telling her. "I'm going to get you back home." Gabriella said. Mateo looked up at her with sad yet hopeful eyes. She gently held his small hand. "I promise." She softly added.

The mediator silently observed their interaction and took notes. They spent the little time they had together playing games and drawing random pictures. The time came to an end and all Gabriella heard was the chime of a timer. Mateo looked at Gabriella upset, knowing his time with her was over. "It's time to get you back to your dad." The mediator said.

Mateo looked off with a frown. Gabriella gently touched his chin and turned his face to look at her. "It's okay. I'll see you again soon." Gabriella said trying to give him a sense of comfort. He gave her a tight hug and got ready to leave. "Come on, Mateo." The mediator said as she opened the door. Mateo stopped at the door and looked back at Gabriella. "You promise you'll bring me back home?" He asked.

Gabriella faintly smiled and nodded. "I'll do anything I have to." She replied. "You promise?" He asked. "I promise."She replied. He sighed and nodded before walking out of the room with the mediator. Gabriella tried to keep herself composed as they left the room. She wanted to breakdown sobbing but knew she had to do everything to appear stable and sane.

The mediator re-entered the room and sat back down in her chair. "He really seems to love you." She said as Gabriella silently stared at her. "Why do you seem so surprised?" Gabriella replied. The mediator stayed silent for a moment and looked at her. "You know most people I deal with sit in that same chair. They know how to act very well just to save face." The mediator said.

"Are you accusing me of faking?" Gabriella glared. "No." The mediator replied. "But I can't lie and say I'm not surprised. When I was given the details of your case I was skeptical. But you don't look like the monster the report tries to make you out to be." She explained. "What are you getting at?" Gabriella asked.

The mediator sighed. "Your profession isn't helping your case." She replied. "Excuse me?" Gabriella questioned. "You're a mother. You have responsibilities and a son to think about. You shouldn't be in such a violent line of work. You need to think about Mateo." She replied. Gabriella glared, "All I've ever done was think about Mateo. I got into this line of work for Mateo. Do you think I do this kind of work and put myself at risk for fun?" She questioned.

"There's plenty of other jobs you can do." She replied. "I don't even have a degree. This is the only work I know. No regular minimum wage job would provide enough for me to bring in food and keep a roof over my son's head." Gabriella argued. The mediator stayed silent. "I'm not a violent person. I know what you probably assume of me, but I'd never hurt my son. I only ever try to do what's best for him. I only ever think about him." Gabriella said.

The mediator slightly leaned forward. "Then what about this woman you were seeing. This other fighter was it?" She asked. Gabriella got quiet and looked off not wanting to hear anything about Taylor brought up to her. "It seems like she has these violent tendencies. You say you think about your son. So why would you have her around even after she allegedly hurt your son?" She asked.

"I'm not seeing her and she isn't around anymore." Gabriella said through gritted teeth. "But you let her hurt your son?" She questioned. As much as Gabriella despised Taylor in that moment she couldn't help but get defensive. "She would never do anything like that. She wasn't the one who hurt him. Ask Mateo, he was always safe around her. He liked her even more than he did me sometimes. A kid who didn't trust someone wouldn't want to be around them.

The mediator stayed silent and looked down at her clipboard. "I know you saw it too." Gabriella said as the mediator looked up at her. "You probably don't care to take my word for it but I know you're not stupid. It's your job to pay attention to things like this. I know you picked up on his strange behavior." Gabriella said. The mediator stayed silent and looked away. "But people like you never care to believe me so I don't know why I bother." Gabriella sighed and stood up, "I'll see myself out." She quietly replied and left the room leaving the mediator to her thoughts.

Gabriella got into her car and checked her phone. She had it on silent and she had a long list of notifications on her phone. She saw a missed call from Olivia and called back.

"Hello?" Olivia's voice answered. "Olivia? It's me, Gabriella. I was doing visitation so I didn't have my phone on." She explained. "Don't worry about it. I actually wanted to talk to you about the upcoming hearing." Olivia said. "Okay...is everything alright?" Gabriella asked. "I believe we might have something that could change this case...maybe fix all of this and help you get Mateo back. But I don't know if you'll be for the idea." Olivia said.

"Anything. Just tell me what we need to do." Gabriella said.

"Taylor. We need her on the witness stand. I think she could be a key part in this." Olivia replied.