The Secret The Cheerleader Doesn't... - Chapter 57: Chapter 57
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Cassie POV
"Your honor, I would like sole custody of the two children; Jessika Maeve Meryl and Jakob Louis Meryl. I have been the provider for our family since the beginning. My ex was a stay-at-home parent that was uninformed with financial and legal issues for our children. I believe it is in the best interest for our children to remain in my custody and have visitation with her," Ani said, glancing over whenever she mentioned me.
I stood quietly beside my lawyer, clenching the blank papers she gave me as hard as I could. The judge nodded and turned to us, "Your statement?"
I looked at my lawyer and she gave me the signal to go. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Your honor, what Antonia has said is completely true. In the past I was unaware of such issues and was a domestic parent. I worried about the household issues, such as groceries, cleaning, cooking, and schedule of the children. Antonia was the provider financially, however, she has little to no connection with our children. She rarely attended their events, barely gets home by eleven o'clock at night, and has very little time to spend with them. Even though she has such a packed schedule and socializes with them very little, I am aware that she is devoted and loves our children completely. However, the only time she has ever spent with the kids without me was when I asked for a month to prepare myself for our divorce and was hospitalized. She has never taken the initiative in building a relationship and connection with them. Currently I am employed full time, make enough money to support our children and myself, am renting out a home, and have a schedule that will provide attention and love to our children. Antonia Meryl does not have a schedule that will provide her time with the kids. I do not wish to take the kids from her completely but I do wish to have a fifty/fifty schedule. Thank you."
My lawyer provided the paperwork to show that I was employed, renting a home and more. I was still clenching the paper as my lawyer whispered to me, "You did great."
Nodding, I whispered, "This is just the beginning."
~
"Thank you very much Janice," I said as I was leaving for my car. This was our first court date and surprisingly, I thought it was going to be worse. I thought Antonia was going to tell them I was incapable due to mental problems and being up the past... but she just talked about her concerns with my employment and stuff.
Checking my calendar on my phone I saw how I had a therapy session with Dr. Martin. Knowing I wouldn't be able to grab a lunch after before work started, I swung by a sandwich shop. As I was gazing up at the board, this girl behind the counter greeted me, "Hi, welcome to Devins Subs! What are you thinking of getting?"
"I'm a traditionalist... a PB&J please," I pulled out my wallet to pay.
"Will that be the meal?"
"No thank you," I waited for her to get the machine ready and then inserted the chip. After a couple seconds, I removed my card and waited by the window. It was just her and I in the store, so she made conversation.
"Do you work around here?"
"No, I have an appointment over here today. I work at the dance studio downtown," I said, watching her rush around. She had blonde hair like me but it was much curlier. "Have you been working here long?"
"Not really," she said, "I'm getting my masters in English right now, so I'm just supporting myself through it!"
"Hardworking, that's a great trait to have," I said.
She giggled, "Very true! My brother used to tell me 'work hard, play hard'."
"A wise man he is," I said, tapping my foot to the low jazz music.
"He definitely is! He's a professor for physics in Washington," she was very excited about it, "we have an age gap due to our mom getting pregnant ad a teen."
"How many years?"
"21."
"Holy shit!" I said, making her laugh.
"Crazy right!" She was wrapping my sandwich now, "My brother became a professor at 40! He's 45 now!" So she's 24... damn I'm old. "Here's your sandwich! Hope you come back," she said, smiling.
"If it's any good I will," as I picked it up I noticed a number written near the bottom. Glancing at her, she just blush and ran to the back room. As I headed to my car I looked at the note she left behind.
"Wanna get a coffee?"
Chuckling, I placed the sandwich on the seat next to me and drove to my appointment.
~
Tonight I was making homemade pizza. As I was putting it into the oven, I heard the front door open. It was only 3:40 so I knew it wasn't the twins. I waited to see who came around and to my luck it was Jennifer.
"You're here again," she said, placing a bag of groceries on the counter, "you don't have to come everyday."
"Until the courts give Antonia and I a schedule, we have agreed that I will have dinner with the kids everyday," I said, setting a timer, "though that's none of your business."
"When it comes to Antonia, it is my business," she said, opening the fridge and putting things away. I watched her and chuckled. "What?"
"She doesn't like it like that," I said, "the things she uses the most go to the front and top shelf. Fruits are in the left drawer and veggies on the right. Bottom drawer is for cheese, lunchmeat, and snack bags. The right shelf on the door is supposed to be filled with sauces for cooking, while the left is for dressings and little cans." She glared at me, making me chuckle, "For someone who is constantly in Antonia's business, I thought you'd know that." She slammed the door shut, making me cringe, "She definitely hates that."
"What are you trying to do Cassidy?"
"It's not Cassie anymore?" I said, leaning against the wall to see her, "I'm not doing anything, seems like you've got a guilty conscious."
"I'm not guilty of anything."
"You're guilty of many things," I laughed, "but it's not entirely your fault. It takes two to ruin a marriage... well, in this relationship I guess three." I could tell I was getting under her skin... just like how she used to get under mine. Smiling, I said, "I love what you did to your hair... bought extensions and bleached it to my color. Quite obsessed are we."
"Why would I want to be a predator?" She asked, chuckling at me.
Grinning I said, "Well... it takes one to know one." We both just stared down at each other. She was becoming hostile while I... I was amused. When the timer went off, I pushed myself up and took out the pizzas, "You remind me a lot like a girl Antonia and I knew."
"Who?" She asked.
"Victoria Jean," I said, placing the pizzas down carefully. She looked confused and my smile grew, "You see, she also liked Antonia and tried ruining our relationship back then.... Now let me ask you something Jennifer... who is still in Antonia's life? Victoria or me?"
"Your honor, I would like sole custody of the two children; Jessika Maeve Meryl and Jakob Louis Meryl. I have been the provider for our family since the beginning. My ex was a stay-at-home parent that was uninformed with financial and legal issues for our children. I believe it is in the best interest for our children to remain in my custody and have visitation with her," Ani said, glancing over whenever she mentioned me.
I stood quietly beside my lawyer, clenching the blank papers she gave me as hard as I could. The judge nodded and turned to us, "Your statement?"
I looked at my lawyer and she gave me the signal to go. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Your honor, what Antonia has said is completely true. In the past I was unaware of such issues and was a domestic parent. I worried about the household issues, such as groceries, cleaning, cooking, and schedule of the children. Antonia was the provider financially, however, she has little to no connection with our children. She rarely attended their events, barely gets home by eleven o'clock at night, and has very little time to spend with them. Even though she has such a packed schedule and socializes with them very little, I am aware that she is devoted and loves our children completely. However, the only time she has ever spent with the kids without me was when I asked for a month to prepare myself for our divorce and was hospitalized. She has never taken the initiative in building a relationship and connection with them. Currently I am employed full time, make enough money to support our children and myself, am renting out a home, and have a schedule that will provide attention and love to our children. Antonia Meryl does not have a schedule that will provide her time with the kids. I do not wish to take the kids from her completely but I do wish to have a fifty/fifty schedule. Thank you."
My lawyer provided the paperwork to show that I was employed, renting a home and more. I was still clenching the paper as my lawyer whispered to me, "You did great."
Nodding, I whispered, "This is just the beginning."
~
"Thank you very much Janice," I said as I was leaving for my car. This was our first court date and surprisingly, I thought it was going to be worse. I thought Antonia was going to tell them I was incapable due to mental problems and being up the past... but she just talked about her concerns with my employment and stuff.
Checking my calendar on my phone I saw how I had a therapy session with Dr. Martin. Knowing I wouldn't be able to grab a lunch after before work started, I swung by a sandwich shop. As I was gazing up at the board, this girl behind the counter greeted me, "Hi, welcome to Devins Subs! What are you thinking of getting?"
"I'm a traditionalist... a PB&J please," I pulled out my wallet to pay.
"Will that be the meal?"
"No thank you," I waited for her to get the machine ready and then inserted the chip. After a couple seconds, I removed my card and waited by the window. It was just her and I in the store, so she made conversation.
"Do you work around here?"
"No, I have an appointment over here today. I work at the dance studio downtown," I said, watching her rush around. She had blonde hair like me but it was much curlier. "Have you been working here long?"
"Not really," she said, "I'm getting my masters in English right now, so I'm just supporting myself through it!"
"Hardworking, that's a great trait to have," I said.
She giggled, "Very true! My brother used to tell me 'work hard, play hard'."
"A wise man he is," I said, tapping my foot to the low jazz music.
"He definitely is! He's a professor for physics in Washington," she was very excited about it, "we have an age gap due to our mom getting pregnant ad a teen."
"How many years?"
"21."
"Holy shit!" I said, making her laugh.
"Crazy right!" She was wrapping my sandwich now, "My brother became a professor at 40! He's 45 now!" So she's 24... damn I'm old. "Here's your sandwich! Hope you come back," she said, smiling.
"If it's any good I will," as I picked it up I noticed a number written near the bottom. Glancing at her, she just blush and ran to the back room. As I headed to my car I looked at the note she left behind.
"Wanna get a coffee?"
Chuckling, I placed the sandwich on the seat next to me and drove to my appointment.
~
Tonight I was making homemade pizza. As I was putting it into the oven, I heard the front door open. It was only 3:40 so I knew it wasn't the twins. I waited to see who came around and to my luck it was Jennifer.
"You're here again," she said, placing a bag of groceries on the counter, "you don't have to come everyday."
"Until the courts give Antonia and I a schedule, we have agreed that I will have dinner with the kids everyday," I said, setting a timer, "though that's none of your business."
"When it comes to Antonia, it is my business," she said, opening the fridge and putting things away. I watched her and chuckled. "What?"
"She doesn't like it like that," I said, "the things she uses the most go to the front and top shelf. Fruits are in the left drawer and veggies on the right. Bottom drawer is for cheese, lunchmeat, and snack bags. The right shelf on the door is supposed to be filled with sauces for cooking, while the left is for dressings and little cans." She glared at me, making me chuckle, "For someone who is constantly in Antonia's business, I thought you'd know that." She slammed the door shut, making me cringe, "She definitely hates that."
"What are you trying to do Cassidy?"
"It's not Cassie anymore?" I said, leaning against the wall to see her, "I'm not doing anything, seems like you've got a guilty conscious."
"I'm not guilty of anything."
"You're guilty of many things," I laughed, "but it's not entirely your fault. It takes two to ruin a marriage... well, in this relationship I guess three." I could tell I was getting under her skin... just like how she used to get under mine. Smiling, I said, "I love what you did to your hair... bought extensions and bleached it to my color. Quite obsessed are we."
"Why would I want to be a predator?" She asked, chuckling at me.
Grinning I said, "Well... it takes one to know one." We both just stared down at each other. She was becoming hostile while I... I was amused. When the timer went off, I pushed myself up and took out the pizzas, "You remind me a lot like a girl Antonia and I knew."
"Who?" She asked.
"Victoria Jean," I said, placing the pizzas down carefully. She looked confused and my smile grew, "You see, she also liked Antonia and tried ruining our relationship back then.... Now let me ask you something Jennifer... who is still in Antonia's life? Victoria or me?"
End of The Secret The Cheerleader Doesn't... Chapter 57. Continue reading Chapter 58 or return to The Secret The Cheerleader Doesn't... book page.