LOOK AT HIM. LOOK. FUCK.
Charlie's POV
"I'm sorry?" Ms. Dunlevy asks.
"I said, this is the first I've seen Genevieve in twenty-two years."
"And why is that?"
"Because, I got pregnant with twins; Genevieve went with their father- took his last name and such. And I kept...Charlie. It was just easier; I couldn't have managed two, considering now how I worked my ass off just to raise one."
"Language, Ms. Dunn- Luddy." My mom blinks.
"So your ex-husband kept-"
"We were never married, let's be clear. And yes, he kept Genevieve- well his parents kept Genevieve, because God forbid he didn't continue his education while I had to sacrifice mine."
"Objection- what does this have to do with the parenting of Ms. Dunn, Mr. Malik, or Ms. Sello?" Our lawyer says, and yeah, my thoughts exactly. The last thing I want is to sit here and listen to my mother bitch about how much I've ruined her life...once again. Especially when that has absolutely no impact on how I treat my babies.
And when I've got nothing but Genevieve, the devil in disguise, is my twin sister floating around in my brain on repeat.
Ms. Dunlevy turns abruptly to face the court that's pretty much empty. "Oh, but you see. It has everything to do with it. You are a product of your environment, and Mr. Malik and Ms. Dunn, as we have heard over the past couple of days, have had less than stable home lives, not to mention were beyond reckless teenagers. And that, without a doubt, impacts how they parent their own children to this day."
"Except when it doesn't," my lawyer argues, not so casually.
"Mr. Adams." The lawyer huffs next to us as the judge calls him out.
Ms. Dunlevy turns back to face my mother. "So would you say that the fact that Ms. Dunn grew up in a single parent household, in which the parent was constantly working, impacts her in any way?"
My mom actually thinks about this. "I don't know, but if the fact that she went out and had sex with a random boy is any indication, than I'd say it did." She looks me dead in the eye as she says this, and I swallow. I just want to scream out for my mother to just let it go. I literally have to bite my hand to stop from screaming at the top of my lungs how much of a fucking hypocrite she is, because I have this funny feeling that Zayn's warning extends to me as well.
"I have no further questions."
My lawyer walks up. "I'm going to be frank with you. I don't understand why you're on the stand."
"Because those are my daughters."
"Yet, you can't speak to how either one of them parent that little boy, or to how Ms. Dunn parents her birth children."
"Charlie's irresponsible. That's got to speak for something. And don't get me started on her druggie boyfriend."
"Do you have proof, or are you simply slandering my client?"
"He told me a while back, and I'd like to say that that hasn't changed in two years."
"Well, let it be known," my lawyer turns to the judge. "That my client will take a drug test, if you desire, your honor- both of my clients will, in fact."
The judge nods, but doesn't say either way. I mean, I'm pretty sure he would pass, since he did that rapid detox thing, but still. I start to bite my thumbnail. Zayn notices the nervous habit, taking my hand in his...spit and all. What a babe.
