CHAPTER 41: VICTORY FLAG WAVING

My mind was still in haywire and currently not functioning well as my father disclosed to Attorney Sparks what I just told him minutes ago. They were in deep conversation, loud enough for me to hear, but I can’t seem to grasp what they are conversing due to my mind solely focused on my daughter’s current condition.


I am not aware of what my father’s course of action was, but all I am definite of was what he stated to me a while ago, that we will go to my hometown to pay a visit. He hasn't detailed to me precisely what we will do there, but I was hoping that we could bring Michelle with us on our way back here. That’s the only thing I wish for right this very moment.


Michelle’s bothered and agonizing tone continued to play inside my head, which severely intensified my eagerness to take her away from there and permanently away from Michael. Still half-doubting if I will succeed with what I intended to accomplish, my father calls out my name to get a hold of my attention.


“Penelope, are you listening to what Attorney Sparks was saying?” I shifted my stare from the window to him and looked clueless of what he was talking about. Sensing that I wasn’t all-ears with the discussion, he asked Attorney Sparks to repeat what she just conveyed.


“I have already spoken to the judge who handled your divorce case, Miss Hunt, and requested for his precious time to spare us a minute to talk to him personally tomorrow.”


I looked at her with utter confusion. I may not have ample knowledge about the law and how it works, but I am certain enough that what Attorney Sparks just said was impossible. No one could simply request or tell a judge to appear somewhere in such a short notice, not to mention personally spare a minute to someone he never met before.


“Pardon me, Attorney Sparks, but have I heard it right? You just asked the judge, the one who handled my divorce case against Michael, to personally spare a minute for us tomorrow?”


“Yes, I did” She responded with confidence as she gazed straight at me. I was in awe with the way she confidently spoke as if the one she was speaking of was somewhat close to her.


“Well I presumed he said he can’t spare us a time, knowing how hectic and busy his schedules were.”


Before she responded, she first made a glance at my father, who sat comfortably at ease now on his chair that made me glanced at him as well. I was astounded with the way my father looks now. Unlike earlier, his demeanor now was relaxed and under control, as if I am not in a state of panic and bewilderment now for my daughter’s welfare.


“Fortunately, he did say yes, Miss Hunt. We are scheduled to meet him an hour after we arrive at your hometown tomorrow.”


“He did say yes? But how? I mean, how come he agreed to your request? This is a judge we’re talking about here, not some random lawyer or court employee! How did you manage to make him agree with your sudden request, Attorney Sparks?”

She didn’t reply to my queries and simply stared back at my father, who was now beaming with utmost amusement and delight. I was extremely puzzled with what is happening right now. My mind was in a total spiral of confusion and astonishment, clueless of how she did the impossible undertaking possible.


“I told you, princess, to let me handle everything for you. Don’t ask how or why, just be rest assured that everything will be under control and we will have my little munchkin in no time soon.”


“But, Dad, I want to know how? What have you done to make a highly esteemed and respectable judge to compromise and agree on a sudden request such as this?”


“It’s a secret for now, my dear child. But I will tell you once everything is done with and once we have my grandchild with us. For now, calm yourself and prepare yourself for laters trip.”


It made me even wonder now how powerful my father truly was. So Lewis wasn’t lying about what he told me regarding my father’s connection and greatness. I was enormously awestruck with the thought, which made me look at him with utmost disbelief and completely lost for words.


“Once we converse with Judge Demitri tomorrow, we would ask him to reconsider the written agreement regarding the joint custody of your daughter, Miss Hunt. From joint custody to sole custody, which will all be in favor of you.”


“How will we do that? Michael wouldn’t let me have sole custody of Michelle, he will not agree with it. There’s no way he would agree to it.”


“He doesn’t have a choice but to agree, Miss Hunt, especially when the court will let your daughter choose which side she would prefer to permanently stay with. And I highly doubt that Michelle would choose her father, not after what happened the night before to her.”


Slowly, everything was coming into light inside my head. Little by little, my mind was grasping what Attorney Sparks was letting me perceive. My father used his world-wide connection, perhaps even his enormous wealth, to make the judge schedule a sudden hearing for a custody case. Once in session, neither Michael nor I have any say with regards to the custody case, because it would be in Michelle’s hand whom she wanted to go with. But after what happened the night before, how Michelle told me that she wanted to be with me and doesn’t wish to be with her father, I couldn’t help but smile widely inside my head. Simply because, I could almost see the victory flag waving at me.


Like a crazy lunatic, the corners of my lips suddenly curved with a wide smile, which made my father’s eyes brightly smile at me. As we looked at each other, unspoken words of delight and satisfaction filled our hearts. Then minutes after, he broke the festive silence amongst us.


“I assumed you had the final result already inside your head, princess. I told you, let me handle everything.”


“I’m perfectly seeing it now, Dad.”


“Remind me to tell Gregory later to prepare the whole third floor for my grandchild’s room and playden, Penelope.”


“Could she just stay in my room, Dad?”


“That wouldn’t be a problem to me, princess. If you wish to, then consider it done.”


“Thank you so much, Dad, for everything” I said wholeheartedly before swiftly standing and running towards him, giving him a big warm hug and a gentle kiss on his cheek.


“Anything for my precious daughter and my little munchkin.”