Catching Feelings [bwwm]

Chapter 22- To The Mother

I sighed as I sat back down in the courtroom.

Honestly, I was getting tired of being here, in this same chair. It felt like, for the last couple months, we were all spending more time here than we were in our actual homes.

I could see the amount of stress this whole court case was putting on everybody, and I was glad it was almost over.

Today was the day we'd be hearing from the most important and influential person in this whole case – Josie.

Nobody wanted to submit Josie to the uncomfortableness of seeing her mother face to face for the first time since she was a toddler, so Josie would be answering questions asked by her therapist via video.

Once everyone had filed in the court, and the judge was ready, the video began.

Kimberly, the therapist, spoke first.

"Josie, what do you know about your mother?"

She replied calmly, "My mother? Oh, you mean the one who abandoned me before I reached kindergarten? Yeah, I don't know her and I don't really want to know her."

Wow, salty.

"And why's that?"

"The only thing she's ever done for me was give me life - that's it. What else could I possibly need her for when I have my father?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Josie sighed and looked around as if she was thinking. "Oh, perfect example! A couple of years ago I had this thing at school. It was kind of like a 'bring your mom to school' day, and of course, Julianna was probably sitting in some hospital bed, getting her stomach pumped because she overdosed. But my dad didn't want me to feel left out, so he raised absolute hell until the school let him in. The catch was that he had to wear a wig, but my dad didn't care. He did what he had to so I wouldn't be unhappy or feel left out. That is why I don't need Julianna, because I have my father who would do anything for me."

"So you're saying not having a mother never made you feel left out?"

"I went 11 years without her and I don't see why I need her now."

"You sound very angry at Julianna. Why is that?"

"Listen, Dr. Kimberly, all I want to see is my dad happy and I may not know a lot about Julianna, but I know that I don't like her because, over the past couple of months, she's made my father very unhappy and stressed him out beyond belief."

"You think that your father will be happy again once the case is finished?"

"Once this case is finished, and full custody is awarded to my father, I believe he will be the happiest he's ever been. He'll have me and he'll have the woman he loves."

"Are you speaking of Mia? What's your opinion on her?"

"I love Mia because she makes my father happy. Also because she's super cool even though she's supposed to become my mom soon. Mia has helped me through things that my mom was supposed to be there for but wasn't. Plus I can tell how much my dad loves her, even though Mia seems to be oblivious. I just... I just can't wait for us to be a family."

This girl is a blessing. Protect her at all costs.

"So you're saying that you do not want to be with your mother Julianna Menteur?"

She sighed. "I, Josie McKenna-Paige Stiller, do not, and I repeat do not, want to live with my mother. I know without a doubt that I'll never feel the amount of love my father and his family have for me if I am forced to live with my mother."