The Secret The Cheerleader Doesn't... - Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Cassie POV
"The reasonings you have provided for the court to have full custody of the children hasn't proven why Ms. Cassidy Meryl cannot support or care for the children,"  the judge said, making me sigh with relief.
"We have a few questions your honor to ask Ms. Cassidy Meryl," Antonia's lawyer said, making me nervous now.
The judge seemed tired.  It was obvious he saw messy divorces everyday... we're just adding one more to his list.  "Fine," he huffed.
"Ms. Cassidy Meryl, out of curiosity, when was the last time Jessika Maeve Meryl and Jakob Louis Meryl went to the doctors?" He asked.
I looked over at my lawyer and all I saw was a clenched jaw.  Thinking to myself, I realized... I never went to the kids doctor appointments.
"I'm not sure," I said.
"Objection your honor, many parents can't answer question," my lawyer said.
"Your honor, the question leads into my next," he said, grinning a bit.  I could tell he enjoyed watching people in pain... Antonia got the best lawyer... one with no morals.
"Overruled, proceed."
"Ms. Cassidy Meryl, what are Jakob's medical conditions?" And with that... I knew I was in deep shit.
~
"I fucking hate Harmon Matthews!  Fucking disgusting dick," Janice continued to curse him out.
I kept replaying it in my head....
'Your honor, Jakob Louis Meryl has asthma and scoliosis.  Both conditions that could be life threatening if a parent doesn't react correctly and quickly to help their child.  If an accident was to occur and Ms. Cassidy Meryl was asked what medical conditions Jakob has, she wouldn't be able to answer correctly which could put Jakob Louis Meryl's life in danger.'
"How did I not know his medical conditions?" I asked but it was really just a question for myself.
"Don't beat yourself up over it... we can fight this.  Don't worry about it, I got you," Janice was confident that we could win....
But I wasn't.
~
I was at work when my phone suddenly went off.  Telling everyone to go on a break, I went outside to take the call, "Yes Antonia?"
"You need to get over to the kid's school," I could tell she was driving... or someone was driving her.
"Why?"
"Jessika got in a fight with another student."
And without anymore information, I excused my class and hurried to the school.  When I got there, I was still in my black leggings and athletic sweater.  A second behind me Antonia pulled up, but I didn't wait for her as I ran in.
Jakob was sitting outside the office so I went straight to him, bypassing the principal who was coming up to me. Antonia, however, went straight to him.
"Jakob, what happened?" I asked. He immediately got up and didn't waste a moment.
"Mama please don't be mad with Jessika... it was justified, I promise!" He seemed distressed.
I pulled him into an embrace, "Are you okay? Is Jessika okay?"
"She isn't the type to just start fighting. She's been thinking a lot and after everything that kid said... she just lost it," he was rambling on but I didn't need an explanation or justifications. I just needed to know they were okay.
"Jakob," I stopped him, "are you okay? Is Jessika okay?"
He nodded, "She will probably have a black eye but that's it."
"Okay," I said, kissing his forehead, "now, let me go talk to the principal."
He took my hand, gripping it as hard as he could, "They won't tell you the full story."
Before I could ask, Antonia came in like a wrecking ball, "Where the hell is Jessika?"
"Mom-" "Jakob, I do not want any excuses. Do not try and defend her. If she's old enough to break a kids nose, she's old enough to deal with the consequences," it was obvious she was angry. She's tried for years to teach the kids to use their words and not resort to violence.... But her outburst won't solve anything.
"Stop yelling at him," I said, "your anger won't erase what happened. Instead of being pissed be a therapist and ask the important questions you were taught."
"I don't need you to tell me how to talk to my children," she said, dismissing me.
"Obviously I do," I said back, but I knew us fighting would do nothing. Instead I just waited until the principal came over.
"Good afternoon Mrs. Antonia and Cassidy Meryl. Jessika is in my office. How about we head over there," he seemed kind but I was wary... Jakob said he wouldn't tell the full story. Jakob stayed outside while we entered. Jessika had cuts and bruises all over her face, but outside of that she was okay. I took the seat closest to her, making sure to take her hand into my lap. Antonia sat beside the principal. "It seems that your daughter was upset over a comment one of her classmates made and instead of coming to an adult or walking away, she decided to get into a fight."
I squeezed her hand but she just remained emotionless.
"What was the comment?" I asked.
"You know, the average things kids say," he said.
"I don't know," I said, narrowing my eyes, "my daughter doesn't start fights for no reason sir.... What was the comment the boy said?"
"Does it matter?" Antonia said, "She put her hands on another person Cassidy. It doesn't matter what the boy said, violence isn't the answer." The principal agreed with her, but I continued to press the issue.
"I would like to know what exactly he said."
"Mrs. Meryl, there is no point in saying it again. We should focus on how we are to go about this situation," he was trying to get me off of it... annoying me further.
"No, tell me what he said."
"Enough Cassidy!"
"'Do you ever join in when your moms are fucking?'" Jessika said, catching our attention, "I told them to stop and leave me alone... I even walked away but they followed me. 'You're a faggot right? Can we watch?'... I didn't respond to that one. I just kept walking. 'You're an orphan right? How would your biological parents feel about you being raised by faggots and being one?' I told them I had parents and to stop talking to me. 'I bet your parents are happy they died, so they don't have to deal with your faggot ass!'... After that comment, I fucking pummeled him to the fucking ground and didn't stop until he was bleeding and crying."
Antonia didn't have anything to say... nor did the principal. I just stared at Jessika. She didn't change her expressions at all. She seemed as if she didn't care... but she was crushing my hand.
"I don't care if people call me gay, a faggot, a taco muncher... I do care they talk about my moms but I don't wanna cause problems for Jakob so I shut the fuck up... but my dead parents? I don't give a fuck who says it... I'm beating your ass and Mr. Cruz... don't act as if I haven't report this behavior before. Jakob and I both have - four times! You've done nothing. Every time you just say 'they're just being boys', well fuck you. I don't give a shit if they're just being boys or whatever they are trying to be, they shouldn't be talking about my family and I made sure they never would again... unlike you and your staff of useless shits ," she said, looking over at Antonia now, "so mom... still think what was said doesn't matter?"
~
Jakob drove back with Antonia while I took Jessika home. She was to have on school suspension for a week. The boy would have after school detention for three days... what bullshit.
We remained silent the entire way there but I wasn't stupid. I could see her crying through the reflection of the window...
She's been fighting alone.
Jessika skipped dinner and stayed up in her room for the rest of the evening. Jaelynn stayed with her boyfriend, so it was just Jakob, Antonia and I. The tension was so awkward that I didn't know what to do.
"Don't hate her," he said, stopping everyone from eating, "you don't get how often she gets harassed at school... how many times I've had to stop boys from... from doing stuff. It's not easy for her and she's trying really hard."
"She still shouldn't have hit the other boy," Antonia said.
"I agree but you weren't there," he said, "you're never here, so don't act as if there are ways out of stuff. You get to escape our problems, while Jessika and I deal with it. You get to act all happy and pretend with Jennifer, while Jessika and I come to terms you'd rather be with her than us."
"I'd never choose Jennifer over you two!"
"Then why does it feel like that?" He shouted this time. He wasn't crying, wasn't emotionless either... just angry. "Why do your children feel unloved by you? Aren't you a psychologist? Don't you know how to communicate and show affection? Why do you suck at it so much? Why do you show no effort towards us! I hate making excuses for you! I'm tired of telling Jessika to not be angry or yell at you because you're loving us in your own way, well mom, your own way is shit! It fucking sucks and it just fucking hurts at this point! Fix it! Do self reflection... do something, anything! Anything but this." He just sat in his seat, staring at the table, "Mom... no matter how hurt, mean, and heartless you are... you're Jessika and I's motivation. We both want to impress you so much that we're willing to work ourselves to death to do so... we still admire you... we still love you... you're the strongest person we know... the most caring person we know... but we want to live with mama."
A hole as big as the universe formed in my throat. Looking over at Antonia, I saw just how painful that was. She wiped her mouth and stood up from the table, "We're all in a lot of pain and anger right now... I think it's best to save this conversation for later... Jakob, if you're done you can head upstairs and get ready for bed. You can leave when you're finished eating Cassidy... I'll clean everything up." She turned away and went into the kitchen.