My lawyer was kind but honest.
“Courts often give biological parents a second chance,” he explained. “Especially if they claim they’ve changed.”
The hearing was scheduled quickly.
The boys insisted on coming.
“I want the judge to see us,” George said firmly.
So there we were.
Vanessa’s lawyer spoke first.
He described her as a grieving widow who had once struggled but had “rebuilt her life.”
Vanessa wiped tears from her eyes.
“I made mistakes,” she said softly. “But I want to reconnect with my sons.”
Then she glanced at me.
“My mother-in-law is elderly. I worry about the boys’ safety.”
Elderly.
The word hung in the air.
I noticed the judge nod slightly.
My stomach tightened.
After everything… could I really lose them?
