Mel came in with her lawyer, Carol, without acknowledging Ian or me as she sat down. Ian and I came here earlier to meet with Gabriel and go over what to expect today. Gabriel once again reminded me not to let anything Mel might say cause me to react in any way that would have them question my suitability to parent my sister or make me sound as if this was a vendetta against Mel. Izzy stayed outside with Ben since she said she’s never been good at supporting in silence the way Gabriel told her she’d have to. The mediator waited until everyone was seated before she looked at each of us and said anything.

“Good morning, I’m Janice Richards, and this is Clark Williams with child protective services. Mr Williams is here today because there is also an emergency placement order, due to the troubling statements Jenny Marcus made yesterday. Mr Williams is here to observe as we try to find a way to work together towards an agreement concerning Jenny Marcus. He will be allowed to question you as we go forward, but only if he feels it’s pertinent to his decision. I’m not here to render a decision, but in hopes to work with both sides in reaching an agreement in the best interest of Jenny Marcus. It’s my hope that we can work out some sort of agreement between us and that Mr Williams will agree it’s in Jenny Marcus’ best interest. These are the cases I hate to see cross my desk. A parent and child sitting across from each other, not able to work together towards a common goal. In this case, the well being of Jenny Marcus, who stated yesterday that she feels living with Mr Kinney and Dr Holding is not only what she wants but what she needs at this time. By being here today, you’re both telling me you’re unwilling to work this out as a family. One of the reasons these cases bother me is knowing that what happens in this room is going to further divide the family at a time when you need to work together to help this young woman, whether or not we can find a way to work this out today. I say this because in these situations there are never any winners when a family is at odds. With that said, I want to advise everyone sitting here, you pay these two lawyers to talk for you for a reason, and both sides need to allow them to do that job. You’re here to answer questions, and hopefully, we can do together what you couldn’t accomplish as a family unit. I understand it’s human nature to want to defend yourself or your actions, but for now, it’s about listening to each other and finding a workable solution to this dilemma we’re facing. Carol, you can go first.”

“While my client understands her son’s concerns after yesterday, she doesn’t feel that separating herself from Jenny at this time would be beneficial to Jenny’s well being. Gus has very little experience at parenting, and with the issues Jenny raised yesterday, an experienced parent would be more beneficial to Jenny. She is also very confused as to the reasons Gus is questioning my her fitness, and can only assume it stems from his recent reunion with his birth mother, Lindsay Peterson. My client and Ms Peterson parted acrimoniously after Ms Peterson’s affair produced a child that my client was unwilling to raise along with the children my client and Ms Peterson agreed together to have. The relationship ended badly with Ms Peterson leaving my client to raise both children alone. My client understands how Gus might see the situation differently and took issue with the way my client kept the truth of the reason for Ms Peterson’s leaving, from him. My client felt at the time it was best for her and her children to move on with their lives, as Ms Peterson was no longer capable of being a healthy mother to Gus and Jenny and even if Mr Kinney is unwilling to acknowledge it, in essence, abandoned them. Ms Marcus didn’t want to cause further issues for the children by having them witness their mother forgetting them. Ms Peterson’s mental health had deteriorated to the point where she was placed in a psychiatric hospital, where she continues to be due to her ongoing mental health issues. She feels that right now Gus blames her and Mr Novotny, Jenny’s biological father, for his mother’s mental state and not that she felt what she was doing was best for him at the time. Ms Marcus is willing to concede that Gus had a right to know the truth about his mother from her, but he doesn’t have the right to want to hurt her or his sister because he’s angry at the deception both of his parents played a part in. Jenny shouldn’t be his way of getting even with the mother who loved and raised him. My client is willing to work with Gus, but not willing to give up custody of her daughter in order to do that. She feels Jenny is better off living with her during this time and has no problem allowing Mr Kinney to help her help Jenny Marcus. My client feels that while Mr Kinney has always been supportive of his sister, his current feeling about Ms Marcus are really why he’s taking this action. In the past, there has never been any concern about how Ms Marcus parented Jenny Marcus. ” 

Janice then nodded to Gabriel, after she finished writing down notes.

“While my client Gus Kinney willingly admits to being angry at being told all his life by Ms Marcus that Ms Peterson left them because she wanted the child she was carrying more than she wanted the children she and Ms Marcus had together. That’s not why my clients are here today. They’re here because they’re both concerned about Jenny Marcus’ welfare, both mentally and physically. Jenny Marcus needs the stability and security staying with Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings can give her. Which they don’t feel Ms Marcus, as of right now, can do for Jenny Marcus. This concern comes from Ms Marcus’ behavior of late, which is why he questions whether she can make sound decisions as to what’s best for Jenny Marcus. Her recent actions have caused Ms Marcus to lose her job, as well as her ability to find work in her chosen field of law. We understand it wouldn’t call into question her fitness as a mother, but it does call into question her character and judgement. The loss of her job was due to trying to hurt her own client in a case where the client and his ex had already agreed to all the terms. It led to her having to leave Canada in order not to face the consequences of her own actions. We further question her ability to parent when she showed up demanding that her son help her convince Jenny Marcus to pretend interest in a religion even Ms Marcus doesn’t practice, in order to live with Ms Marcus’ parents. Parents who have never approved of either of Ms Marcus’ children, due to the way they were born. Only, that wasn’t really what Ms Marcus truly wanted Gus to do. Instead, it was to make Jenny Marcus believe Gus was choosing his partner, Ian, over Jenny Marcus. Ms Marcus wanted to cause a rift between Jenny and Gus, not caring that it would hurt both of them, in order to attain her wants. Ms Marcus wanted the rift to happen because Jenny Marcus values Mr Kinney’s opinion over Ms Marcus’. Jenny Marcus depends on Gus for emotional support in a way she doesn’t feel she can get from either Ms Marcus or Mr Novotny. After sitting with the psychiatrist yesterday and listening to Jenny Marcus, it was clear to anyone in that room that breaking the bond between Gus Kinney and Jenny Marcus could be detrimental to Jenny’s mental well being. Jenny Marcus doesn’t feel that at this point in time staying with Ms Marcus is in her best interest. And, reading the report from yesterday, the doctor felt Jenny’s reasoning wasn’t teenage rebellion, but needing the emotional support she knows she can depend on from her brother and his partner. Ms Marcus’ recent behavior towards Jenny is another example of what concerns Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings. On the night Ms Marcus arrived in Pittsburgh, Jenny Marcus and Ms Marcus got into a heated argument, which ended with Ms Marcus hitting Jenny Marcus hard enough to put her on the floor and leave a handprint shaped bruise on her face. As an experienced parent, Ms Marcus should have remained in control of her actions and found a better way to deal with the argument. Jenny Marcus and Mr Kinney will both tell you this is completely out of character for the mother they were raised by, but as of late, Ms Marcus hasn’t been the mother they thought they grew up with. When I say thought, it means both of them are able now to look back and see things in a different light. Mr Kinney was told all his life by Ms Marcus that his biological mother left him because she didn’t love him enough to stay, not caring how that affected him. Ms Marcus made upsetting statements in front of Jenny Marcus about the mistake she made picking Mr Novotny to father her. Which led Jenny to believe that without her in Ms Marcus’ life, Ms Marcus would have been happier. Which has led to where we are now- wanting to help Jenny Marcus realize that the world wouldn’t be better if she disappeared. And so, in our opinion, what would be best for Jenny Marcus is to be with her brother Mr. Kinney and his partner Ian Holdings,”

“Gus Marcus-Kinney.” Mel points out.

“Gus Peterson-Kinney according to his birth certificate,” Gabriel counters.

I didn’t expect Mel to do anything stupid. Even though she screwed up her career it didn’t mean she didn’t know how to behave in this setting. The only real sign that she was angry was the tightening of her fist when Gabriel talked about her losing her job and the bit where he mentioned about her hitting Jenny. It wasn’t the part of hitting Jenny that caused the tightening of her fist, but the part where he said her experience didn’t seem to stop her from abusing Jenny. 

Janice ignored the interruption, only looking at Carol. “I’ve got quite a few statements of character for Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings, along with one about Ms Marcus, from Gabriel. But I don’t see any from you for Ms Marcus.”

“Ms Marcus was unable to find someone willing to supply her with one. Unfortunately, as of right now, the people she once could depend on to support her are supporting Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings instead,” Carol tells her.

“What about… Mr Novotny?” Janice asks, looking through the paperwork.

“Mr Novotny has also sided with Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings. But, as he’s on a psychiatric hold right now, his opinion wouldn’t have much merit in this case due to extenuating circumstances,” Carol tells her.

“Which are?” Janice asks.

“Mr Novotny’s opinion is based on the hope that if Gus Kinney gets custody it will give him access to Brian Kinney, Gus’ father. It has nothing to do with Jenny Marcus, but his hope to re-establish a relationship of any kind with Brian Kinney,” Carol tells her.

“Mr Brian Kinney wants nothing to do with Michael Novotny and we didn’t feel his opinion was needed to help our case. We agree Mr Novotny’s motives have nothing to do with Jenny Marcus’ well being. I also want to add that while Brian is Gus’ father, he isn’t involved in this case beyond his statement about Gus and Ian,” Gabriel tells Janice.

“Why do you feel you need to add that?” Clark asks.

“It seems to be an issue for Ms Marcus, which she brought up in front of Brian Kinney, Justin Taylor, Lucas Cameron, Gus Kinney, and myself in a meeting she attended with Lucas Cameron. Ms Marcus was offered again to let Gus help her by taking Jenny Marcus until Ms Marcus could work out her own issues. Ms Marcus’ response was to say that she’d drag Brian Kinney into the mud with her. For what purpose we aren’t sure, since Brian Kinney has nothing to do with this case other than the fact that he helped to raise Gus,” Gabriel tells her.

“Ms Marcus feels Brian Kinney’s lax attitude when it came to Gus could reflect on how Gus would parent Jenny Marcus. When Gus disagreed with Ms Marcus, he went to his father to override her. Ms Marcus worries that the same will happen with Jenny- that if they disagree, Gus will help Jenny defy anything Ms Marcus doesn’t agree with,” Carol tells Janice.

“Is that true Mr Kinney?” Janice asks me.

“I’m sure Ms Marcus believes it, but no, that’s not what my father did when I disagreed with the choices Ms Marcus made about my life. He disagreed with the move to Canada, but only because it would take me away from him. He didn’t stop my mothers’ from doing it, and financially helped out even though he didn’t have to after giving up his rights to me to Ms Marcus. He also refrained from saying anything to disparage Ms Marcus in front of me, not letting his dislike of her to color my opinion of her. Ms Marcus on the other hand seemed to want me to view my father as a selfish, narcissistic man who only cared about himself. It’s how she dealt with me when I didn’t agree with her, telling me I was acting like my father. It’s also something she would do with Jenny, saying Jenny didn’t want to be anything like her father. Ms Marcus thinks my father encouraged me to go against her because I picked a different college than the one she wanted me to go to. I wanted to go to NYU, she wanted me to go to a college in Ontario and live at home with her and Jenny. She also wanted me to go to law school, which I’ve never had any interest in, instead of studying Marketing and Finance. She didn’t like that I wanted to go into advertising like my father, and on numerous occasions, she argued that he was pushing me to do it, instead of being a lawyer as she wanted me to be. I applied to NYU as well as a couple of colleges in Pittsburgh, on my own, without telling her or my father. My first choice was NYU, and when they accepted me, it was only then that I told my father, since he agreed to pay for whatever college I wanted to go to. Ms Marcus stated that she would only support me if I did what she wanted, and blamed my father when I was the one who made the decision without either of their input involved. My father didn’t help me to defy Ms Marcus, instead, he did what he promised to do, which was to pay for the college of my choosing. Ms Marcus also didn’t like that my father wasn’t willing to tell me who I could love, the way she felt she had the right to. She made a point of telling my father she expected him to cut me off if I continued my relationship with Ian since she felt I was defying her by being unwilling to break off the relationship. My father didn’t understand her reasoning since he didn’t feel either of them had the right to make this kind of decision for me. He does have expectations of me; like being responsible for my actions and doing the best I can at anything I do, and he wouldn’t give me a pass if I did something wrong. He taught me to admit my mistakes and learn from them, to not take anything for granted, and to work for what I want. He also taught me that even when he doesn’t like what I do that he’ll always be there for me, unlike Ms Marcus. I feel like those are the values Jenny needs right now. She shouldn’t have to worry about what happens if Ms Marcus doesn’t agree with her,” I tell her.

Janice smiled at my answer and turned to Mel. “After reading the evaluation on Jenny, do you have plans on getting her help?” 

“I would do so to the best of my ability, but I also have to wonder where this all came from. Jenny has never once given me any indication she felt this way,” Mel tells her.

“That’s a huge concern for me Ms Marcus, that this caught you unaware. There are always signs in cases like this, yet you didn’t notice your daughter is having issues with her self-worth?” Clark asks.

“I noticed she’s been very defiant towards me lately, fighting me over everything and anything. Something I’ve been dealing with for a while with Gus, who Jenny idolizes,” Mel snaps.

“You feel your reaction to Jenny’s defiance was appropriate?” Clark asks her.

“It wasn’t something I’m proud of, but as you heard, my life has been stressful and my reaction wasn’t normal for me,” Mel tells him.

“Has the stress reduced in your life and are you making plans to get counseling, not only for yourself but Jenny, too?” Clark asks her.

“As you heard, I’ve barely had time to do more than set-up a residence. Other than that I haven’t had time to do more than show up for this farce, much less look into doctors for the problems Jenny only just made us all aware of,” Mel tells him.

“My clients are willing to help no matter what the outcome of today is. Dr Holdings has already gotten the names of doctors, both here and in New York, who are experienced in this kind of issue. They want to make sure Jenny has the help she needs now, and are willing to take care of the financial cost, since Ms Marcus’ finances might not be able to give Jenny the level of care she needs right now,” Gabriel tells him.

“I noticed a lack of employment for Ms Marcus,” Janice says, looking to Carol.

“My client is actively attempting to seek employment in her field of expertise, but the unfortunate situation with her former employer has followed her here and made it hard for her to find work in her field at the moment,” Carol tells her.

“I’ll need documentation that Ms Marcus is actively looking for work,” Clark tells her.

“How does she plan to support her daughter until such time as the matter is cleared up?” Janice asks her.

“As of right now, Ms Marcus would be dependent on the support she receives from Jenny’s biological father, which she has every right to use to provide for Jenny. With the way this case was rushed, she hasn’t had time to do more establish a residence and prepare for this. Ms Marcus also doesn’t have any documentation as of right now since she’s had no responses from potential employers,” Carol tells them.

“How do Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings plan to support Jenny?” Janice asks Gabriel.

“Mr Kinney is gainfully employed in his father’s company, and Dr Holdings has a thriving practice of his own. Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings can both support Jenny with just what they make as a couple, but Dr Holdings wealth also includes money he inherited from his family, which he hasn’t needed to use, as they are financially stable without it. Dr Holdings practice is thriving and he has a good standing in his field,” Gabriel tells her.

“If Jenny lives with you, how do you plan to juggle college, a job, and raise your sister, Mr Kinney?” Clark asks.

“My job and college can be done around the times Jenny is in school and anytime they might interfere, Ian and I can work our schedules around Jenny’s needs,” I tell her.

“And if you can’t?” Carol asks.

“Ian’s sister is more than willing to help us if we need her, and my family is also more than willing to help if we need them to,” I tell her, knowing where she’s going with this.

“Would Mr Taylor be included in this?” She asks.

“He’s my father’s partner and soon to be husband, which in my eyes makes him family,” I tell her.

“What was your relationship like with Mr Taylor before your recent reunion?” She asks.

“Is there a reason Mr Kinney’s relationship with Mr Taylor is an issue?” Gabriel interrupts.

“Ms Marcus feels it’s relevant as to why we’re sitting here today,” Carol tells him.

“We’re sitting here to work on an agreement for Jenny Marcus. So, unless you can show why Mr Taylor’s relationship hurts or helps the case, we need to move on. I’ve allowed the discussion of Mr Brian Kinney since his influence as a parent is relevant to establish how Gus Kinney might parent based on his examples. It hasn’t helped Ms Marcus’ case for Jenny when it sounds as if Brian Kinney was the better parent to Gus Kinney. It also doesn’t help Ms Marcus’ case that she sees her own choice for a father for Jenny as a mistake on her part, and has made sure that her daughter is well aware of this. Especially since it led her daughter to the heartbreaking feelings she expressed yesterday. So unless you feel this line of questions is going to establish something in favor of your client, I suggest we stick to the point, which is how to come to some agreement between Ms Marcus and Mr Kinney as to what is best for Jenny Marcus,” Janice tells her.

“Ms Marcus feels it establishes Gus’ change of view toward her, and especially her ability as a mother,” Carol tells her, not sounding as if she was happy about asking this question.

“I’ll allow it, but it better be relevant to this case,” Janice warned, looking at me to answer.

“We didn’t have a relationship. Because at six-years-old I let the adults in my life influence how I felt about Justin. I stopped seeing the man who was there for me, and only saw that he hurt my father again. I told him I didn’t want him in my life, and he did as I asked, but still made sure I knew he was still there for me. He did it by sending me small things to let me know that even though I believed I hated him, he still loved me. He was showing me that nothing had changed for him. It didn’t matter how much time passed, he still loved me even when I pretended he was nothing to me. I acted as if the only way he could have loved me was because he wanted my father, not me. Which Mr Novotny put into my head at six, and I let myself believe it because I was angry at losing my mother and at Justin for not being able to be there the way he was until we moved away from Pittsburgh. Ms Marcus was also saying my father was better off with Mr Novotny, which made me believe I was right to get Justin out of our lives. My life didn’t get better without Justin in it. Instead, I spent the next fourteen years wishing I hadn’t pushed the man I saw as a second father away from me for a man who used me in hopes to get my father to love him instead of Justin. It took seeing Justin with my brother Patrick to get me to remember the Justin I once loved as a father and who would still be in my life if I hadn’t so carelessly tossed him out of my life. Justin loves in a way that doesn’t change and didn’t let the past become an obstacle we had to overcome, or expect me to do anything but allow him back into my life. He wouldn’t encourage me to do anything unless I felt what I was doing was the right thing for someone else, just the way he only helped my mother because she needed to get help,” I tell her.

“You don’t blame him for his role in your mother’s disappearance in your life? Mr Taylor was the one who took your mother from you and helped to hide what happened to her. Yet it seems the only one you’re angry with is Ms Marcus, who was there when Mr Taylor wasn’t. Mr Taylor also blames Ms Marcus, and she believes he’s influencing you to see Ms Marcus as a villain instead of the loving mother who raised you and Jenny. It’s interesting how your view of Ms Marcus changed once you and Mr Taylor re-established a relationship. It’s also interesting that somehow you only seem to blame Ms Marcus for what Justin Taylor did- helping your mother leave you,” Carol states.

“My mother reached out to Justin because she needed help and Justin had proved to her in the past that she could go to him and he wouldn’t judge her, versus help her. He didn’t help my mother to leave, but to get the help she needed. My mother was breaking from the constant abuse she received, from not only Ms Marcus but from Mr Novotny for months. Ms Marcus took issue with Justin not being willing to condone her behavior or listen to why she felt my mother didn’t deserve anything more than everyone’s disdain for getting pregnant. Justin did what my mother desperately needed, because to him that was more important than who was right or wrong in the situation. He was willing to take on the responsibility of my mother’s care, in hopes that she’d get better and be able to be a part of my life. I see what Justin did as the actions of the kind of person I hope I’d be if anyone needed help. So no, I don’t blame him. Before you try to imply that Justin has anything to do with my decision to sue for custody of Jenny, he didn’t know about it until Ian and I made that decision together, without talking to him or my father about it. Justin’s only encouragement was in how I view what he did at that time, and I now feel I’m doing the same thing for my sister. I don’t care about anything but helping my sister know she’s worth loving and is very wanted. I won’t subject Jenny to things like the visits she was sent on to her father and stepfather, where they treated her as if she wasn’t welcome in their lives,” I tell her.

“Ms Marcus was following the custody agreement she made with Jenny’s father,” Carol pointed out.

Ian took over, since this was something Jenny once asked him. “Does that agreement also say Ms Marcus was allowed to ignore the way they treated Jenny on those visits? I ask because this is something Jenny asked me herself after visiting her father and being sent home early because David Cameron didn’t like her behavior. The behavior in question was that she didn’t want to listen to Mr Cameron tell her that she should be grateful for the money he has to give Ms Marcus because Mr Novotny stupidly agreed to give her a child. She asked me because her mother’s answer was Mr Novotny sued her for custody now he had to live with what he fought her for. Ms Marcus didn’t take issue with how Jenny was treated, just that Mr Novotny didn’t get out of visits because he went against Ms Marcus when Jenny was born. That’s a pattern of behavior Ms Marcus tends to follow throughout her life, punishing people when they don’t do what she wants them to do. It’s a concern Jenny had just yesterday- what happens when she does something that Ms Marcus sees as a betrayal to her…”

“Which happened when Gus, the son she claims to love as much as Jenny, didn’t go to the college of her choice to study the subject of her choice. He then lost her support again by being unwilling to break off a relationship she didn’t like. What happens as Jenny gets older and starts making her own choices that go against you, Ms Marcus?” Gabriel asks Mel.

“I wanted Gus to choose a college closer to home because I didn’t want him to run wild and end up forgetting he should be focused on his schooling. Something his father did and I felt he would encourage Gus to do since he saw nothing wrong with partying all night and barely making it to classes each day. My objection to the relationship was more my questioning what a thirty-year-old man would see in a seventeen-year-old,” Mel said, not even realizing the mistake.

“You mean nineteen don’t you? Since Gus was nineteen when he and Ian met and started their relationship, or were you referring to Brian Kinney’s relationship with Justin Taylor? ” Gabriel asks.

“What?” Mel asks, looking confused.

“Never mind… Ms Marcus, did any of your concerns about Gus’ life become realized? Did Gus run wild and forget about school?” Gabriel asks.

“Relevance?” Janice asks.

“To establish whether Gus’ level of responsibility when it comes to raising a teenager, based off of his own behavior,” Gabriel tells her.

“Did what you fear will happen in Gus’ case?” Janice asks.

“I… to be honest, I don’t know… but only because our relationship hasn’t been as close since he left home,” Mel stumbled.

“Why was that Ms Marcus, that you don’t know something as simple as is he putting school first?” Gabriel asks her.

“Why don’t we ask Mr Kinney that question. Are you putting school first, since it’s something that will be important to Jenny Marcus’ upbringing?” Clark asks since Mel refused to answer.

“I’ve maintained a 3.7 GPA, passing every class I’ve taken. My class load is heavier than most since I’m trying to get my degree faster in order to graduate sooner. Since it was brought up, I plan to lighten my class load now to be able to help my sister, since graduating earlier isn’t as important to me as taking care of my sister,” I tell her.

“If I may ask, what happens if you and your partner break up? I only ask since this would also affect Jenny’s stability.” Janice asks Ian.

“If that were to happen it wouldn’t change my commitment to helping Jenny. I understand why you are asking the question since Gus and I aren’t married and couples break under pressure. Which could happen, as our focus, which is normally on each other, shifts to include Jenny into our lives more than she’s been in the past. Gus and I do plan to get married in the future. It’s something both of us have discussed and agree it’s what we want. It’s not something either of us decided on a whim, but through spending the last three years together and seeing that our lives fit together. Ms Marcus questioned what a thirty-year-old man saw in a nineteen-year-old. I saw a man who takes his responsibilities seriously and cares for those he loves even when they aren’t perfect. Gus still loves Ms Marcus even now, but he won’t sit back when he feels strongly about anything that affects Jenny’s well-being,” Ian tells her, as I squeeze his hand instead of kissing him.

“Why haven’t you gotten married, if, as you say, you both agree? It would make your case stronger in the eyes of a court.” Gabriel asks us.

“We wouldn’t get married now, just to win. We’ve already combined our lives as if we were married already,” Ian tells him.

“In what way?” Janice asked.

“Everything we own is equally owned by each other. We have the same accounts in both our names and I’ve already changed my will, leaving Gus as the beneficiary of all my assets should something happen to me. We’re only waiting now because we want to get married at a time of our choosing. Because our marriage shouldn’t be done just to win but to show we love each other by making the commitment,” Ian tells her.

“Ms Marcus, while I understand wanting to raise your daughter yourself, can you understand the concerns of the doctor who saw Jenny yesterday? One of her concerns is that Jenny doesn’t feel she can talk to you and that you’ll listen to her. I ask because it does concern me how you handled her father’s and stepfather’s treatment of her, in which it sounds as if you didn’t?” Clark asks.

“How Michael and David chose to handle their parenting of Jenny isn’t my responsibility,” Mel told him.

“I can agree, how they are as parents isn’t your responsibility, but making sure your children are not put in a hostile environment is. Which brings me to the statement made by Ben Bruckner about what he witnessed happening in your household when he visited with Mr Novonty,” Clark tells her handing the statement to Carol. “In that statement, he admits to feeling ashamed of his own inaction to protect the children from witnessing Mr Novotny and Ms Marcus’ systematic abuse of Lindsay Peterson. I’d like him to come in and explain to us why he felt this behavior wasn’t unusual for Ms Marcus.”

BEN

It was hard walking into the room and not remember Michael coming home ranting about Gabriel calling him a pornographer and looking at Hunter and me as if we were a danger to Jenny. Even if I didn’t like what Gabriel implied at the time, I’ve come to respect him for his skills as a lawyer and a shark. I was introduced to everyone before sitting down and the questions were started.

“Mr Bruckner, we have a few questions about your statements concerning Ms Marcus as a parent. I wanted to allow Ms Marcus’ lawyer to question you since the statement isn’t flattering to her client’s character,” Janice tells me.

“My first question is how your opinion is relevant to this case. You haven’t had any contact with Ms Marcus or Jenny Marcus in over fourteen years. You state you saw Jenny Marcus as a daughter, but have been all but absent from her life. Why should we care about your opinion now when you have no idea what Jenny’s life is like?” Carol asks.

“I wasn’t given much of a choice in the matter. I wasn’t a recognized parent since the US didn’t see gay marriage as legal, which meant I couldn’t fight for any say in Jenny’s life against her two biological parents. My statement is about what I saw during the time I was still in a relationship with Mr Novotny. The relevance is that while people can change and become better people, the core of who you are doesn’t change,” I tell her.

“You feel you can sit in judgment of Ms Marcus when you state you did nothing to help or stop what you call the systemic abuse of Ms Peterson? Even if Ms Marcus had emotionally abused Ms Peterson, how does that really apply to her parenting, or lack of?” Carol asks me.

“I’m not going to judge what she did to Ms Peterson, because it would be hypocritical of me to do so, as I did nothing to stop it while it happened. I feel my statement is relevant since it doesn’t sound as if Ms Marcus’ way of dealing with things has changed, ” I tell her.

“Ms Peterson cheating on her and hiding a child from Ms Marcus is somehow her fault?” Carol asks.

“I’m going to interrupt, as Mr Bruckner’s opinion on fault has no relevance in this case,” Janice warned.

“It does if it’s all about him wanting to get back at me for not wanting him involved in my daughter’s life. It’s not my fault he got HIV and made it so he couldn’t have children of his own. He wasn’t happy when Michael agreed and almost ruined his marriage not liking that Michael and I could have something his irresponsibility took away from him. He thinks he can sit there and talk about me as if I did everything wrong, yet his life doesn’t exactly leave him looking any better,” Mel retorts. 

“Mr Bruckner, how long were you allowed to be in Jenny Marcus’ life?” Gabriel asks.

“The first three years,” I answer.

“During that time, Ms Marcus, had Mr Bruckner done anything to endanger Jenny’s life? Did he love her as he would a child of his own, or did he resent her?” Gabriel asks her.

I watch Mel squirm a bit since while Gus was young he’d been there to see how I was with the sister he has been very protective of since her birth. “No, he treated her the way any father would, but he wasn’t supportive during the time I was trying to get pregnant. In fact, he started using steroids and wasn’t happy with how much of Michael’s time was taken away from him. In the end, he walked away without a backward glance when he left Michael,” Mel tells him.

“Is that what you told Jenny, that Mr Bruckner walked away, not loving her enough to stay and be the father she was raised with?” Gabriel asks.

“I told her the truth. Ben chose to cheat on her father, not caring anything about how it affected her,” Mel said, knowing Gus would tell the truth if she didn’t.

“So, you didn’t tell Jenny that you threatened to sue Mr Bruckner for everything he had, on behalf of Mr Novotny if he didn’t agree to get out of her life? Or that unless you and Mr Novotny were willing to allow him to continue to be in her life, he didn’t have a choice in the matter? I mean, it sounds as if you rewrote history to make sure Jenny thought, once again, that a parent left her because they didn’t love her enough to stay. When the truth is Mr Bruckner wanted to stay in her life, but couldn’t because you didn’t want his loving influence on Jenny. What did Mr Bruckner not do that you objected to? He paid the child support for his partner, her biological father. He welcomed her into his home and treated her like his own. Yet somehow you didn’t want him around her, why was that?” Gabriel asks her.

“I agreed with Mr Novotny, if Ben wanted to leave him, then he was no longer going to be a part of Jenny’s life,” Mel told him.

“Was there some reason you agreed to deny Jenny a father, who from all the accounts I have, is a good father to his son and would have likely been one to Jenny, unlike her biological father, who in most cases had to be forced to spend time with her? I guess what I’m really asking is why you would deny your daughter having more people in her life who loved her while leaving her to stay around people who barely tolerated her? I just don’t get why you would agree with Mr Novotny, whose own mother has said that he only saw Jenny when she or Mr Bruckner insisted. The only reason Mr Novotny paid child support was because Mr Bruckner paid it and he was the one who spent time with Jenny during those visits. Did you agree with Mr Novotny because he was willing to help you by taunting and humiliating Ms Peterson? I’m having a hard time understanding how an expert parent such as you would choose to let your daughter get hurt over and over again when she could have had a parent show her she was more than a toy to play with and discard when he got bored.” Gabriel tells her.

“She was my daughter, and I didn’t want her around someone like him! I refused to reward him when he couldn’t keep it in his pants any more than I was willing to overlook Lindsay dropping hers,” Mel shouts at Gabriel.

“So in your mind, it was fine if Jenny suffered the loss of anyone? Jenny can suffer now because Gus is willing to have a relationship with his mother and brother, the two people you threw out of his and Jenny’s life? Is that really the problem you have with Gus? That he is willing to establish a relationship with someone who betrayed you and only you?” Gabriel asks.

“I’m the one who had to go through a miserable pregnancy and then end up alone when my wife fucking cheated on me!” Mel says, starting to lose control.

Carol tried to stop her, but she obviously didn’t know what we all did, that once Mel felt she was right she wouldn’t stop until we all heard everything she had to say about her feelings. 

“I’ve sat here listening to everyone talk about Brian Fucking Kinney as if he was a saint and not a fucking whore. Do you want to know why I didn’t want Ben around MY KID? I didn’t want him around and have to once again deal with my child acting as if they didn’t owe ME their loyalty, instead of some asshole who never wanted to be a father. None of you can understand what it was like to constantly come in second in my own home. My daughter wasn’t going to have anyone to run to in order to defy me!” Mel yells at all of us.

“So, you were willing let Jenny see Michael, knowing the kind of damage he could do to Jenny’s self-worth and esteem? I mean, what did it matter to you how it hurt Jenny, just that you wouldn’t have to compete, the way you felt you had to with Brian?” Gabriel smirks as if he knew it would set Mel off.

“All the good that did, he’s still causing problems,” Mel snaps.

“In what way?” Clark cut in.

“All Jenny hears from Gus is how great Brian is and she sees the things Brian gives Gus. She likely made up all the bullshit she said yesterday, thinking she’ll get the easy life Brian gave Gus,” Mel tells him.

“So you don’t believe Jenny needs help?” Clark asks.

“She shouldn’t be rewarded for making all that shit up yesterday,” Mel tells him.

“Jenny knows better than to worry me or Ian like that. If there’s one thing I know about Jenny is that she wouldn’t make up something that horrible, even if it got her away from you,” Gus tells her.

“Even if she made all that up, she still needs help,” Clark tells her.

“All she needs to understand is that she won’t get her way. Which I plan to make happen,” Mel tells him. “I can deal with this, something you haven’t been doing,” Mel tells Carol when she tried to get her to stop.

“How do you plan to do that?” Clark asked.

“I plan to ground her and limit her exposure to the people in her life that likely encouraged her to act out the way she did,” Mel tells him.

“When she still acts that way, what then? Another slap to straighten her out?” Gabriel asks.

“She knows she better not to push me that far again, doesn’t she?” Mel snaps.

“It’s obvious this mediation isn’t going to help this situation. I’ll inform the judge we couldn’t make any progress. I leave it to you Clark, good luck. Mr Bruckner, thank you for your time.” She says, dismissing me from the room.

IAN

Ben got up and followed Janice out of the room. We all waited until the door closed before Clark said anything to us. I was surprised at Mel blowing up the way she did, she knew how important it was to her case not to sound out of control of herself. I watched Clark for his reaction to Mel’s statements and he looked very displeased with Mel’s dismissal that Jenny needed help. Hell, even Mel’s lawyer looked ready to throw her hands in the air when Mel ignored her warnings to stop.

“I came here today for only one thing, to assess the three of you and decide what was best for Jenny Marcus. In most cases, we try to keep the child or in this case the teenager, with their biological parents, as that bond being broken can cause more harm than good. The issue today is where would be the best place for Jenny to be in order to help her. Jenny wants to be with Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings because she feels as if they will help her in a way she doesn’t feel Ms Marcus is willing to or capable of doing at this time. It worries me that Ms Marcus went from sounding concerned to sounding as if by striking her daughter it taught her a lesson. With that said, I feel it’s best for Jenny to stay with her brother until Ms Marcus straightens out her life. Ms Marcus, you’ll be required to attend anger management and parenting courses before Jenny can see you unsupervised. I’m also going to require that Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings send me progress reports from sessions Jenny attends. It also means, that until I feel Ms Marcus is ready to resume the responsibility of her daughter’s upbringing, Mr Kinney and Dr Holdings will retain custody. Any questions?” Clark asks us. 

“I’d like to speak to Gus and Ian alone,” Mel tells him.

“That’s up to my clients,” Gabriel tells her.

“It’s fine,” Gus tells him.

Mel waited until we were alone before she cemented my disdain for her as a human being.

“I took care of you all your life and I’ve always treated as if you were mine. I worked my ass off to support you and Jenny, giving up my life to give both of you everything I could. I did the best I could to give you both a happy childhood,” Mel tells him.

“For the most part you did, I can agree to that. I just don’t understand the part of you that feels like we can’t love anyone but you,” Gus tells her.

“Can we get to whatever you asked to talk to us about,” I tell her.

Mel ignored me, looking at Gus. “I’m willing to agree that maybe you were right, that I need some time to straighten out my life. I want you to know this is hard for me, but I need to be able to use the support money until I can sort things out,”

“You’re unbelievable. Fine, keep the damn money, just don’t come to me for more,” Gus says, getting up and leaving the room.

“I’d prefer you don’t use this to turn my daughter against me. It’s only until I can get back on my feet,” Mel tells me.

“Why did you do it?” I ask.

“What?” Mel asks, looking confused.

“Why did you blow up? You knew what exploding like that would do to your case,” I tell her.

“What makes you think I did it on purpose?” Mel asks.

“Because, while you did a stupid thing with your last client, you know what was expected in order to win this kinds of case,” I tell her.

“I’ll never like you,” Mel tells me.

“I don’t care if you do or don’t,” I tell her.

“But I do love my daughter, even if she doesn’t believe me right now,” Mel tells me.

“I’d believe it more if you hadn’t reduced this down to money a minute ago with Gus,” I tell her.

“Think what you want, just make sure Jenny is happy,” Mel tells me, getting up. Leaving me to wonder if this was just another game.