serendipity

09: "custody of maxon ariti"

(seraphina's pov)

court.

i spent pretty much the rest of yesterday getting everything together and ready for today.

to say i'm nervous would be an understatement.

not only is there a possibility max won't be living with me anymore, but some heavy things are gonna be said in front of too many people. they just aren't memories i like to think back on.

but, i need to have custody of max. so i will say whatever i have to.

i woke up a little early so i could take max to brunch before we have to head to court.

i keep my hair wavy and just fix it up so it doesn't look like a rats nest. i put on black heels with black dress pants and a white blouse that slightly looks like something a pirate would wear.

oh well.

max doesn't like dress pants so he's wearing black jeans with a white button up.

around 11, we head to the cafe and get something to eat.

xavier knows what's happening so i haven't been into work for a few days.

max and i don't talk a whole bunch. we're both a bundle of nerves. max understands some of the situation so he knows how serious this is.

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with brunch mostly silent, max and i head to the courthouse and get ready for this shit show.

the guys and valentina meet us at the front and we walk in to together.

we wait outside the door of the specific room we'll be in, for someone to call us in.

ezra pulls me into a hug and it slightly calms my nerves.

no words have been exchanged, everyone is too lost in thought.

eventually, someone calls us in and says its time.

i pull max aside and say to the rest, "we'll be in there in a second."

they nod and head in.

i bend down to max's level and say, "i know this is scary, bud, but it's gonna be okay. i love you so much and no matter what happens, it's you and i, okay?"

he nods and his eyes well up with tears. i pull him into a tight hug and he returns it with as much strength and he can.

i pull him away and kiss his forehead before we head in.

here we go.

max goes and sits next to ezra while i make my way to the front where i'm supposed to sit.

i look to my left and see her, linda.

she even looks like a fucking bitch, great.

we make eye contact and she smirks at me while i just look away and towards the judge.

"today, we will be discussing the custody of maxon ariti. seraphina ariti, his 18 year old sister, currently has custody. their aunt, linda smith, believes seraphina is incapable of having that responsibly. seraphina you are here to explain why we should keep max in your custody. you may come to the stand and begin." the judge states.

you can do this.

you can do this.

you can do this.

that's what i keep repeating in my head while i walk up to the stand.

and then i begin...

"november 30th, 2018, was the day max and i lost our father. from that day on, we continued to lose our mother too. she isolated herself from both of us and neglected us. at first, she just stayed in her room and sulked. then around february of 2019, she started going to bars and drowning herself in alcohol." i state, already feeling the tears brewing.

this is what i did basically all of yesterday after i talked to the guys. i got receipts of incidents and anything i could to prove to them that i've been doing this a lot longer than people think and that i'm very much capable of taking care of max.

"around march of 2019, our mother came home and smashed a beer bottle against the wall and she didn't clean it up. the next day max stepped in it and i was the one who took him to get stitches at the doctor. he has a scar on his left foot, right above his heel." i hand the police officer a copy of our medical bill with my signature.

"may of 2019, was the first day our mother didn't come home for days on end. i cooked meals, i took max to the daycare, i did the grocery shopping, i took care of us," i say, handing them receipts from around that time with my card number on them and my signature.

"october of 2019, max got the flu. i took him to the doctor and got him the medicine." i hand him a doctors note and prescription that i kept from that visit. dated with my signature.

"when school time came around, i enrolled max in daycare, i dropped him off and i picked him up. i even got a part time job i worked on the weekends. my boss would watch max at the cafe i worked at while i was on my shift." i hand them notes from mark and dina, signed with their signatures.

"then, around july of 2021, our mother died and i got full custody of max. i moved us here, enrolled him in school, got another job, and even got us an apartment." i hand them my renters information the landlord gave me and documents the legalize my guardianship for max.

"since our father died, i have taken of max. for three years just when i was 15. i used my savings account our father made for us to pay bills, get groceries, and pay for everything that was necessary. max has his own but i saved his for whatever he chooses do with when he gets older. i still have quite a lot saved in my account." i hand them the receipts for it.

"i have a part time job that also helps us. i have a stable living situation in a good part of town by the school max and i are currently enrolled in. i am financially stable and i have a support system. someone to watch max when i can't and an adult that can be there if needed." i hand them a letter from valentina.

"thank you," i say and turn around to head back to my seat once i get the go ahead form the judge.

i look at everyone i came with and they have teary eyes. i look at linda and she is livid as well as shocked.

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the judge goes over everything while we wait outside to be called in again and all i can do is pray this goes in our favor.

everyone gives me a hug and tells me how brave max and i are.

i just hold max close to me before we're called back in.

i sit back down in the front and the judge looks at me and i see a ghost of a smile on his face.

"based off of the evidence and everything i have heard today, i believe that the custody of maxon ariti will stay with seraphina ariti," he bangs his gavel and closes everything.

i feel my heart sore and happy tears run down my cheeks.

i run up to max and spin him around in my arms as he giggles.

"i love you sissy!" max exclaims with a bright smile.

"i love you too, sweetheart," i say smiling softly at max.