I turn. “It’s me.”
“Judge McDonald would like to see you. In his office.”
“I’ll be right with him.”
“What’s going on?” Seth asks immediately.
I adjust my tie, displaying a confidence I do not possess now. “Surely he wants to discuss terms.”
“Terms? What terms are we talking about?”
“You don’t have to worry,” Paul interjects to help me. “Rowan’s got everything under control. Right?” My friend turns to me. He doesn’t look too convinced, either.
“Absolutely.” I take a breath and pick up my bag. “You don’t have to worry about a thing. I know exactly what I'm doing.”
* * *
“DO YOU HAVE ANY idea what you are doing?” The judge asks me angrily, his brow furrowed as soon as I set foot in his office.
“Won’t the opposing lawyers join us?”
“Sit down.”
I obey immediately.
“I wanted to talk to you face to face before this gets out of hand.”
“I don’t understand what you…”
“Stop it! I know very well what you think you can do.”
Good that he knows! I am groping in the dark.
“But you will not mock this court.”
“With all due respect…”
He nods at me, suggesting that I should stop, then leans back in his chair.
“Do you know how many cases like this have passed before my eyes in the past years?”
“I can only imagine.”
“And do you know how many of them were as desperate as yours?”
I shake my head slowly.
“Ninety per cent of them. And do you know why?”
I remain silent.
“When it comes to children, Mr Kennedy, there is not always a right or wrong choice.”
“Judge…”
“You and your client are not a couple.”
“If you are questioning my claims based on sexual orientation, I can?—”
