First Choice

The Custody Of Esme Downey Trial (2018)

"What do you remember about your birth parents?"

"Not a lot. I remember there was never a time I got a hug or a kiss goodnight. There was one time I was shoved down the stairs and I got caught on a nail. I was in the hospital for 3 days before they sent me home with medications I only took if they remembered that they had a daughter." Tears began to flow as she began remembering some of the things they did to her. Tom was right, she was basically a baby at that time. It wasn't fair for her to go though what she did at such a young age. She gently wiped her cheeks as Phil handed her a tissue.

"Is there anything that you want to tell the jury before I hand the questioning off to Mrs. Grasson?"

"My father, Robert, has been an amazing dad, doing what he can to not only raise his son from one of his other marriages, but also adopting and raising me and raising 2 small children after that. He has dealt with so much because of me and I want everyone to know I can't imaging a better dad than him. Make use of it as you will." Phil sat down as Mrs. Grasson stood up and began asking,

"You have been calling Mr. Downey, dad all day. Why is that?"

"I have always thought about the difference between a dad and a father. A father is someone who helps in the process of conceiving a child, and will probably pay child support or what not. A dad is someone who is there for when you need him. If you're stranded on a high way, he will ask for your location and will come looking for you. He's someone who will help you when you're sick or upset or if you're like me, with anxiety. He is there all through the highs and lows and will help you do your homework even if he doesn't understand it. He's helped me through out my career as not only an actress but a model too and helped me make sense of this crazy world. That's what a dad is. yes, I may have a biological father but I have a dad who loves me more than life itself." Esme could have sworn that some of the jury were in tears.

"Would you consider going back to your birth parents, Mr and Mrs Nakamura?"

"No. I may not remember exactly what went on when I was just 2 years old but I do know that I would never live with anyone that didn't make me feel loved or safe at home."

"Even if they apologized for what they have done to-"

"OBJECTION YOUR HONOR!" Phil called out, startling Esme in her seat.

"On what grounds, Mr. Lawson?" The Judge asked.

"Using compassion to sway Miss Downey."

"I can answer the question, she's not asking anything wrong." Esme said. The judge nodded at Esme to continue. "I would accept their apology but I wouldn't go back to them. I'm sorry, Mr and Mrs Nakamura, but the day you left your 2 year old daughter in an alley in the middle of the night, is the day you lost a daughter. I will never claim the name Nakamura as I have and always will be a Downey." She looked right at her birth parents. "I'm sorry, I truly am but you lost a daughter on May 21st, 2003." It was then that Mrs. Grasson said that she didn't have any more questions for Esme and the Judge had paused the trial for a few days.

~~~

3 months later, It was the day that decided whether or not Esme was going to stay with Robert or going to go back to her birth parents. She was on a time crunch and didn't have time to change out of her White Force costume she she showed up to court in her superhero costume covered in dirt and fake blood with her dad right behind her in his Toney Stark outfit. When they sat down, Phil asked,

"How much time do we have before you have to be on set?"

"An hour for me, but Esme has to be back in 30 minutes. How fast can we do the closing and verdict?" Robert said.