Marry me? (BWWM ROMANCE)

Judge

"Wait, you have proof?" Opal asked confused. "Yeah," Ashley said, feeling conflicted over divulging this info. "Well, what is it?" Brendan asked hopefully. 'Please let this be the answer we need' he silently prayed. "I'm the twin's Godmother" Ashley sighed ready for the backlash. "What?" Opal and Brendan said in unison. "If you're the Godmother why don't you have the kids" Opal felt her heart stutter at the thought of losing the twins. "No, I never wanted kids, and for the first few months of the twin's life, all I could see was my best friend. It was too much for my brother and me, so we decided the twins deserved a loving family. " Ashley explained. "Wow" Brendan was stunned, this was it. The kids were as good as theirs. "So do you have the paperwork? Will you show it to the judge?" Opal asked scared of rejection. "Sure, I might not agree with your tactics, but I can tell you care for those kids. Plus the last thing Heather would have wanted, Is for her bitch of a mother to raise her children. Opal squealed with joy and hugged Ashley. Ashley was a good sport hugged her back. The three spent another hour formulating a plan for the court date and telling stories about the twins. Finally, it came time to leave, and Opal and Brendan thanked Ashley profusely before heading home.

"She's not here" Opal paced the courthouse waiting room. "She will be," Brendan said in an infuriatingly calm tone. "What if she changed her mind? What if Gladys got her?" Opal ran through crazy scenarios. "Opal your spiraling. Relax Ashley is probably just running a little late, and come on Gladys is a bitch, not a murderer." Brendan laughed "Hey never underestimate a pissed off woman." Opal kept pacing the floor, "Opal it's fine. She will be here soon" Brendan held Opal by her shoulders hoping the action would calm her down. "Hey, guys sorry I'm late"Ashley yelled running down the hall. "It's okay, Gladys and Joe are already inside pleading their case. The judge insisted on seeing us separately" Opal explained. "Good; we can surprise her." Ashley smiled. "Ashley" Opal, Brendan and Ashley looked back to see Gladys exiting the courtroom. "Gladys" Ashley crossed her arms not showing the old bitch any kindness. "What are you doing here?" Gladys asked confused. "I'm here to make sure you can't get those kids," Ashley replied, and before Gladys could comprehend what happened the trio was on their way to see the judge.

"Wow, that is quite a story" Judge Lindsey replied after hearing Opal and Brendan's tale. "Yes these few months have been crazy, but we have faith that you will make the right decision after hearing Ashley out." Opal gestured to Ashley, and Ashley showed the paperwork proving she is the godmother of the children. Once the judge was right and stunned Ashley told her everything she said to them.

Opal was losing her mind while on the one hand, she believed that the judge would listen to logic and reason. She didn't want to underestimate Gladys, for all Gladys could have put on an award-winning performance.

For a moment Opal looked up and made eye contact with Gladys from across the waiting room. "I will be okay" Brendan squeezed Opal's hand in support. "The judge is ready to see you." The Balif issued us all in, and Opal felt ready to faint. One way or the other this would all be over.The short walk to the front of the courtroom felt like a mile long. "I want to start by saying that these two children are loved immensely, by all of you" The judge paused to make eye contact with all of us. " However, only one couple will have custody of the twins." The judge must have a flair for dramatics judging by her frequent stops. "So without further ado, in the case of 5 months old Adam and Zoe, I am awarding full custody to Opal and Brendan Manfred." The judge banged the gavel, and Opal felt like she could faint. Instead, tears came out. " YES!" Brendan screamed, "Sorry your honor" he immediately apologized. "We did it" Ashley smiled. "This can't be happening" Gladys was shaken. Opal felt sorry for the woman, she knew it must have been hard losing a daughter and now losing grandchildren. Out of fear, of the judge changing her mind, Opal rushed to file the necessary paperwork, all the while trying not to make a scene. It took a little over an hour to get everything in order, but it was worth it. "Ashley We can't thank you enough," Brendan said. "No problem, I know the kids are in great hands." Ashley gave her last goodbye and left for the airport.

"Well, well, well. I have to say I didn't see that coming. " Gladys stood at the exit with a smug look. "Gladys it's over, just take the loss and mover on" Opal was done fighting with the old lady. "Ha, and leave my child with a drug addict and a Mentally broken woman. Not a chance." She sneered "Gladys please" for the first time that day Joe spoke up against his wife. "This is what Heather would have wanted," Joe explained. "She didn't know any better, you two mark my words, This isn't over" Gladys stormed out, and While Brendan brushed off the threat, Opal was cautious after all, one can never underestimate a woman with anything left to lose.

FAST FORWARD

It's been a great seven months since the verdict and the little mismatched family is thriving. Opal's clinic has been a doing well, and Brendan kept his promise and hired Ashley to work for him. Now coming up on the twins birthday, July 15, The Manfred's were busier than ever. "Okay, did you make sure to get the cake for tomorrow?" Opal asked while putting last minute touches to the decorations. "Yes, Babe. So that you don't ask, I also picked up the party bags and paid the photographer." Brendan was used to his wife's constant worrying. "Okay, that should be it" Opal exclaimed pinning the last balloon to the wall. "Too much?" She asked. 'For a one-year-old's birthday. Most definitely.' Brendan thought to himself, but he would never admit that to her. "No just the right amount of fussing." Brendan lied. "Yay," Opal beamed.

Motherhood looked incredible on her, and so did that tight navy blue romper. Brendan knew she wore that to torture him. Opal had a nasty habit of trying to test Brendan's resolve, ever since he told her that he wasn't comfortable fucking an HIV free woman. "So what should we do now?" Opal asked seductively. 'Please say, we should fuck' Opal pleaded in her mind. Seven months was a long time for anyone not to have sex. Even longer for a newly married couple, and while Brendan gave the worlds best head, It wasn't enough. "Come on O don't start again." Brendan didn't know how much longer he could resist. "Please Brendan, we will be careful. I swear." Opal leaned in and kissed his neck.

BANG.BANG.BANG. "Who the fuck is that?" Brendan broke apart from Opal and went to the door ready to curse out whoever was on the other side of the door. Brendan opened the door to see two cops. "Can I help you?" Brendan was confused "Brendan Manfred?" The officer on the left asked. "Yes," Brendan looked at the two stoic cops and tried to figure out what was going on. "Your under arrest for possession with intent to sell Methamphetamines" The cop on the right wasted no time pushing Brendan up against the wall with an unnecessary amount of force. "What the fuck?" Brendan wasn't a stranger to police brutality. "BRENDAN!?!" Opal came running to the door, Brendan could hear the fear in her voice. "He didn't do anything" Opal tried to reason with the officer reading Brendan hs charges. Brendan could barely concentrate, with the rookie fucker forcing him to the ground.

"What are you doing to him!?!" Opal's concern broke Brendan's heart. "Stand back" Brendan heard the unmistakable sound of a gun holster, he knew this fucker was itching to pull the trigger. "OPAL, GO INSIDE" Brendan screamed while the Officer #2 on his back dug his knee into his back. "Ma'am if you don't get back" Officer #1 didn't need to finish the threat, Brendan knew just what he was thinking. Hysterical Black woman, former Junkie Husband. He would feel no guilt if he shot her or me, even with all my money I'm still the poor kid. "OPAL, LISTEN TO ME GO INSIDE" Brendan screamed afraid for his sheltered wife, while he knew how the cops treated black people and the lower class. Opal always tried to see the good in everyone and in that thinking she can sometimes be naive. "Okay," Opal squeezed out the response in between panicking breathes.

While Brendan may find her naive, she was more than aware of the racist ways of the police. She saw that man reach for his holster and couldn't breathe, was he going to shoot her for asking questions? Probably, and he would get away with it too. She backed up into the house and watched the man she loved be escorted out of the hallway and down to the police precinct. "Please be okay" Opal cried as she prayed for Brendan to be okay.