JR’S POV

The lady from Child Services tells me that until my mothers were finished I had to stay here. I ask to call my Dad. She handed me the phone.

“Dad, you need to come to the police station. Mom and Mama were arrested for using Gus’s credit card,” I tell him.

“JR, I can’t afford to come to Canada,” Dad tell me.

“We’re in Pittsburgh, they were arrested at the hotel here. I’m stuck here with some woman from child services. They’ll probably let you get me,” I tell Dad.

“I’ll get there as soon as I can. When did you leave Canada and why didn’t someone call me. I deserve to know these things,” Dad rants.

“Just get here Dad,” I hang up and tell her my dad is on his way.

MICHAEL’S POV

I call Ma and get sent to voicemail.

“Ma, I need you to come with me to the police station in Pitts. JR is there and Linds and Mel got arrested for using Brian’s emergency card. I need to be able to tell them you and I will take care of JR in your house. Call me, it’s an emergency,” I tell her.

I got on the bus and rode to the station. I ask to see my daughter. They take me to an interview room. JR is sitting there biting her nails and has makeup on, she looks like a whore in that makeup.

“I’m Michael Novotny, JR’s dad, and I want to take my daughter home,” I tell her.

“Good afternoon, My name is Gina. We need to talk about the process on allowing JR to leave with you,” She is so polite.

“I have partial custody, that’s all you need from me. You need to let me take my daughter out of here,” I tell her.

“Unfortunately Mr. Novotny, JR is in custody here because she has charges pending and we need to establish her case. She is being put on parole here until the hearing and with a positive test for drug use, she will need to complete a rehab program. I will also have to visit the house that she will reside in to make sure it meets our standards,” She tells me.

“We’ll be living with her grandmother and JR doesn’t do drugs. It’s a big misunderstanding,” I tell her.

She opens her file and pulls out a paper. I read that JR has tested positive.

“JR, is this true?” I don’t believe it.

“I was doing some Crystal that night so yeah it’s true,” JR shrugs and acts like it’s not a big deal.

Gina asks me if my mother recently changed her mind about my living with her.

“We had a disagreement, but she won’t turn me out. She will look after JR and me,” I tell her.

“She was contacted, per Carl Horvath’s instructions, and said you didn’t live with her and wouldn’t in the future. If you want custody you need to find suitable housing. There is an offer to take JR, from Ben Bruckner. He has a house and is able to pass the requirements. It might be good to take him up on the offer. It will keep JR out of foster care,” She tells me.

I tell her I will be back. I ask where Carl is. I go to his office and see him sitting at his desk.

“I need Ben’s number. If he is willing to help me with JR, I need to talk to him about where we are going to live,” I tell Carl.

“Ben is willing to help JR but it has nothing to do with you. I was asked to tell you, he won’t have contact with you and you can still see JR. He will arrange supervised visitation through your mother or child services, but he doesn’t want any direct contact with you,” Carl tells me.

“I won’t let him take her if I can’t live there too. I’ll tell child services about his HIV,” I threaten.

“They already know Michael. Ben’s new husband is willing to help clean up your daughter’s mess. Do you realize the fines she is going to have to pay? It’s obvious to me that getting a doll is much more important to you than your daughter, but they aren’t going to let you take her to live in your shop. For once, do something for your daughter. Let Ben help her,” Carl gets up and leads me out.

“Brian will help me,” I tell him.

“Brian isn’t going to help you. You burned that bridge too many times. Grow up and realize you need to take responsibility of your life. Be a father and offer your child a chance to change before we find her in an abandoned building, dead from an overdose,” Carl shuts the door in my face.

I don’t care what they think, if Ben wants to take in JR, he is going to help me too. I call Hunter and tell him I need Ben’s number. Hunter tells me he promised not to give it to me.

“He is trying to take JR from me Hunter. I can’t take care of my daughter if I don’t know where she lives or even who this guy is that Ben married,” I tell him.

“Brad is the guy who took care of Ben and I. He makes sure we are taken care of and doesn’t have excuses for why he can’t get over a relationship that never existed. I love you Michael but I can’t let you drag us down into your gutter,” Hunter ends the call.

I call everyone on my phone list and no one answers. I go to the desk and ask to see Mel or Linds. He tells me they are still in processing and until it’s done, only their lawyer will be allowed to see them.

I walk back into the room with JR and tell her to go with Ben until I can work out something. I told her to call me as soon as she has the home phone number. JR tells me she doesn’t want to go with Ben, he abandoned us. Crap, I guess I better tell her the truth.

“Ben got a job offer in Philly and I told him I wouldn’t go. I told him he was no longer allowed to contact you if he left me. I wanted him to stay and thought it would keep him from leaving. Ben left but told me that he wanted to see you. I got your Mama and Mom to help me block him. I didn’t want him to be allowed to see you if he wasn’t going to stay with me,” I tell her.

“GET OUT, I HATE YOU. YOU TOOK BEN FROM ME AND DIDN’T EVEN GIVE ME A CHOICE IN IT. HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME? I’VE SUPPORTED YOU WHEN EVERYONE TURNED AGAINST YOU AND YOU FUCKED ME OVER. ALL THREE OF YOU. I HATE ALL OF YOU,” JR is yelling loud enough that a cop comes in.

Gina asks me to leave the room. I watch as she talks to JR. JR tells her that she refuses to have anything to do with me. I know she is upset but I wanted to punish Ben, not her.

BEN’S POV

I see Michael and hear JR. Brian and I talked on my way here. JR is in trouble and Michael is doing his usual.

“Ben, we need to talk. I can agree to let you take JR but you need to help me too. I mean we were married and JR is our daughter,” Michael whines at me.

“You don’t have a choice Michael. I know Deb finally kicked you out. Do you have a place to live or even a prospect for a place?” I ask him.

“If you’ll help me I could find a place. I could move in with you till I do, you owe me,” Michael must really think I would still fall for his shit.

“Michael, I divorced you because I don’t want anything to do with you. I will help with JR because I never wanted to leave her. You forced that on me. I need to get to her. Excuse me,” I walk in to see JR.

JR gets up and runs to me. I miss her, she is the reason I stayed as long as I did. The social worker, Gina, tells me that she needs to see where we are going to live and will allow for an emergency foster order. We walk out Michael is gone, no surprise there. I look at this child and see JR is trying to grow up too fast. Brad has a soft spot for kids and was willing to help me with her. He told me his only condition was that I didn’t let Michael suck me in his vortex.

I still remember the day I left. Michael threatened to take Hunter, who was 18 already. When that didn’t work, it was JR. He told me he wouldn’t allow someone who could abandon his marriage to abandon his daughter. I tried to talk to Mel and Linds but they said that Michael’s decision was final. I left with Hunter and other than trying to get money, that was all Michael called for.

I meet Brad three years ago. It took me time to trust in relationships after Michael. I used my HIV as the reason he wouldn’t want me. He told me I would have to do better than that. I eventually started to trust him and we were married a year later. The relationships are like night and day. Brad and I take care of each other and there is no one else in the relationship. I blamed Brian for keeping Michael childlike. Brad told me that Brian let go of Michael when Justin came but Michael tried to strangle hold Brian. Brad hasn’t meet them yet but maybe it’s time.

LINDSAY’S POV

I called my mother and told her that she needs to help unless she wants to read it in the paper or see it on the news. She told me she would send a lawyer for me. I decided to play abused housewife and that I was only following Mel’s orders.

Anton, Mother’s lawyer, arrived and asked for a private room. He was looking over the evidence.

“Lindsay, can you get Gus to say that he gave you permission to use this card. Even though it’s Brian Kinney’s card, Gus is the card owner,” Anton asks me.

“Gus isn’t going to help me. He lives with his father and won’t go against him,” I tell him.

“You said that you felt helpless to Mel, and that was why you used the card, fearing abuse?” He asks.

“Yes. Mel abused my son and kicked him out. She is very volatile if she doesn’t get her way,” I cry a little.

“Do you have any proof of abuse on Mel’s part towards you?” He asks me.

“I don’t have bruises if that’s what you're asking. She is emotionally abusive to me,” I tell him.

“Anyone ever witness her do anything to you?” He needs to stop asking questions and help me out.

“No, but abusers don’t advertise,” I tell him.

He starts looking at the charges and tells me he needs to view the surveillance tapes. He leaves me in the room for a hour and comes back.

“Linds, I suggest you plead out and offer the restitution. Nothing in the tapes I viewed suggest anything but a car ride was going on. The most damaging is the tape of you shopping at a superstore. You're the one that was shopping they were trailing behind you. Mel even tried to put some of it back, you looked like you were arguing with her. Also according to the timeline you were alone when you booked a hotel. The police said that you offered the card, not Mel. Mel is going to be charged with aiding because she was with you and used the card also,” Anton tells me.

“Can’t my parents just pay it back? I mean they don’t want people to know about this. It’s not even all that much money,” I tell him.

“You charged close to ten thousand, even saying it was for gas doesn’t explain all of it. Five thousand for Jenny Rebecca Novotny-Marcus’s bail. You spent close to a thousand on a shopping spree. Nothing you purchased was necessary, and a judge wouldn't allow that as an excuse. Gas and food could be essential. Even with all that, the card was stolen, that is what the Judge and the DA are going to look at. If you plead out, there is a good chance you’ll get the minimum sentence of 10 months in jail and 3 to 4 years of probation. If you choose to fight you're going to need a lawyer better than an appointed attorney,” He gets up to leave.

“You're not going to help me?” I ask.

“I don’t fight for client who can’t win. Your mother only paid for me to come down and advise you,” Anton walks out.