CHAPTER 47: DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE

Pamela and I just came back home from shopping for stock supplies. She moved in the day before as planned and I couldn’t have been more delighted now that she was finally living with us. We were heading inside when I noticed my mailbox with a new mail peeking from it.


“You head inside, Honey, I’ll just go get the mail.”


I walked back to the mailbox, grabbed the single mail from it and swiftly headed inside and straight to the kitchen. I placed the mail on top of the center island before busying myself in emptying the paper bags full of groceries. Minutes later, Pamela walked in and stood right next to the center island.


“This one is from the city office. I think you should take a look at it first. There’s an urgent stamp on it, which came from Judge Demitri’s office himself.”


“Really? I wonder why?”


“Have you filed the custody case you were telling me about? The sole custody you said you planned on filing against Penelope?”


“Not yet. Although I already talked with my lawyer, I haven’t filed it yet. Let me take a look at it” She handed me the mail, which I immediately opened with care. I carefully read it and was swiftly taken aback after fully running through its content. “Fuck! She really never fails to annoy me!”


“Why? What does the letter state?”


“It’s a summons from Judge Demitri himself.”


“Summons for what?” I could feel my mind swirling achingly at the course of action Penelope had abruptly done, which left me speechless. Pamela took the letter from me and started reading it. “It’s a custody case filed against you, Michael.”


Never in my wildest imagination did I think that she would have the guts nor the means to finance such a thing as filing a custody case against me. Everyone was fully aware that filing a case, any case in court, would cost a lot. Someone would be needing a hefty amount to even open a case in court. How on earth could someone like Penelope even manage to afford it?


“How on earth did she manage to afford to do such a thing?”


“Someone must have lent her, just like what you told me how she managed to file a divorce case against you before.”


“Most probably.”


“Well, at least you don’t need to file a custody case, now that she did the initiative of filing it ahead of you.”


“Yes, you’re right.”


“It says here that the hearing will be in session later at three. I’ll come with you, Michael.”


“Are you sure about this? Do you really wish to see her again?”


“I’d be going because of you, Michael, not because of her. You need moral support, so it’s appropriate that I come along.”


“Alright. Wait, I’ll call my lawyer first.”


My mind was deeply indulged with what was about to occur that I lost track of Michelle. I was only reminded of her when Pamela and I were about to leave for the said hearing, an hour before three, which made me stop and head back inside.


“What is it, Michael?” She called out loudly.


“Michelle. I forgot all about her. I’ll just have a glance at her in her room, then we will go” I uttered before hastily walking towards the stairs. Once outside Michelle’s room, I gently knock thrice and call her name. “Michelle? Princess, are you sleeping? Daddy would be out for a while, but I would be back immediately” I didn’t hear any noise from the other side of the door, which most probably Michelle and Carol were both asleep. With that in mind, I walked away and headed out where Pamela was waiting for me.


“That was quick.”


“They’re both sleeping, I guess. There’s not an ounce of noise that could be heard inside her room, so they are most probably both asleep. I’ll just see her later when we return.”


While on our way to the courtyard, I felt myself agitating and anxious about something I couldn’t quite name why. Pamela must have noticed my uneasiness and voiced out her concern.


“Are you nervous? You look like you’re constipating. Are you alright?”


“I am neither nervous nor constipated, Pamela. But I’m feeling a bit anxious over something, which I couldn’t name why I am feeling such. It’s as if something was not right. I have this feeling inside of me that something was off, but I couldn’t tell what.”


“Maybe you were simply excited about what the result would be, Michael. We both know that you will win in this over her. There’s no way the court will grant Penelope sole custody of Michelle. I mean, what does she have aside from herself and her enormous pride? She even didn’t have a decent job, for Christ sake. How would she be able to finance your daughter’s schooling, not to mention her everyday needs? She may have financed this hearing, but she wouldn’t win the case over you. She simply can’t, Honey.”


What she stated somehow eases my agitation and anxiety. She was right. Penelope would never win this case over me. The court wouldn’t grant her plea. She doesn’t have the means to provide for Michelle’s every need. Assuming she already landed herself a decent job now, but could it suffice both their needs? Knowing how costly it was to raise a child, could she afford to raise Michelle on her own without jeopardizing my daughter’s health and welfare? I doubt it.


Penelope doesn’t stand a chance against me, not before and definitely not this time. She simply wasted the money lent to her and had given me a huge favor of winning a case over her without shelling out a single amount from my pocket. This only shows how brainless she was. She’s going to make a fool out of herself in court later.


‘Thank you in advance, Penelope, for making my life easier for me this time. You could have simply handed over Michelle to me, which would have saved you from additional debts. But since you were so full of yourself and think that you could outstand me, then I would be greatly honored to see you fall right down the pit after today’s hearing is over.’