Demi had to rush into the lavish bathroom next to the elevator before she could go into the courtroom. She popped her contacts out of her irritated eyes, dabbed at her tired eyes, then slipped her glasses onto her nose. She combed her fingers through her hair, took a deep breath, and said a mini prayer. She had to win this thing for Kayla. She had to get Kayla out of jail. She had to do this.
Demi stumbled out of the bathroom, but before she could head into the court room Kayla's mom, who she had met a few times, stopped her by placing her hands on her wrist.
"Ms. Demi, thank God I found you before the trial," Lisa breathed out.
Demi narrowed her eyes at the woman's shaking hands, and she wanted to ask her if she was okay, but that would be a dumb question. Her daughter was 13 years old and she was about to go on trial for the second time. Of course she wasn't okay.
"What is it? I really have to go in and prepare for-"
"I want Kayla to win today. Jail is the last place my baby needs to be. But when she gets out, I don't know where she'll go." This made Demi stop trying to come up with ways to get the older woman to leave her alone.
"What do you mean? She'll go with you," Demi said, but Lisa shook her head.
"I can't take care of her, Demi. I can barely take care of myself. Kayla thinks she needs me but she doesn't. I mean, I've raised her so far and look where she is," Lisa explained as Demi sighed.
"All Kayla has wanted is to see you. If she doesn't get to live with you she'll be devastated. And if you can't take her they'll put her in the system and she'll just be destroyed even more," Demi responded, trying to talk some sense into her. How could she possibly think that giving up her child was the right thing to do?
"They found drugs in my house, Demi. They're not mine but because of the color of my skin and the man who they belonged to is dead, I'm going to go to jail. I know I am. So before I do I want to do right by my daughter. I know you're gonna win this for her, but can you do me a favor?"
Demi urged her to go on so she did.
"Can you please take legal custody of Kayla?"
"Lisa-"
"It'll be temporary. You know, it's a 50/50 chance of me getting off. If I do, I will take Kayla back. If I don't, I'll send her to live with her grandmother. Either way, this is temporary. Kayla clearly trusts you and after a year in jail, I don't want to rock her world too much by just shipping her off with her grandma. Please, Ms. Demi?"
"Lisa, I have to get to court. Um...we can discuss this later. I'm sorry."
Demi felt like she was stumbling all over her words and that never happened. She gave Lisa one last look before walking to the courtroom, taking a deep breath before entering. It took them a few minutes but the guards brought Kayla out in the purple dress that Trey had helped her pick out. Obviously Trey needed to start doing all of her shopping for her because he had impeccable taste.
"Are you nervous, Ms. Demi?" Kayla asked as she tugged at the purple dress. She looked like a little kid in it and that's what Demi had been hoping for. With a system that tried to take away her childhood, Demi had to make her look like the child that she was.
"I don't get nervous before things like this, Kayla. I can't afford to. Are you?" Demi asked as they waited for the judge to enter the courthouse.
"I don't know." Kayla shrugged as she relaxed back in her seat. "I'm glad my mom is here." She looked behind her and Lisa was sitting right there. She glanced at Demi before Kayla turned back around.
