Tales of the Underground: Blinded - 17. Petitions and Court Dates

I looked over at the guy resting on me. All it took was one night…one night full of so much emotion, so much pain…one night to get us on the same page, one night to start healing us both. We’ve both had so much taken from us, but we’re still here, we can still make a difference.

“Hey Carter” I gently poked looking out at the water.

He looked up and softly smiled “What’s up?”

“When we play...if I start to get mad you gotta be on top of me.” I exhaled confiding in him once more “It’s gonna happen, and if there’s not someone to pull me away…I’m gonna do somethin stupid.”

“I’ll be there.” He nodded “But I don’t think you’ll need me.”

“Don’t underestimate me cause I’m holdin you right now, or cause I’m talkin bout it.” I groaned forcing myself to face the truth “I got a mean streak in me, and when I get pushed…it gets bad.”

“So what if I do this?” he giggled grabbing onto me and yanking me down into the sand.

“You so stupid!” I yelped as he rolled onto me

Our eyes met and I couldn’t help but laugh as he returned back to the Carter I was falling for “ooo you are mean.”

I grabbed him by the collar and pulled his face down close to me. I faked like we were going to kiss but as he leaned in I shoved him away “How’s that for mean?”

“That wasn’t even mean!” he shouted “That’s just cruel!”

“What? You thought tonight was gonna be that nice?” I laughed “Thought we’d have a first date, open up to one another then kiss?” He climbed off of me in an attempt to hide a blush forming on his face “You did!”

“Can you blame me?” he shyly let out “I wanted the perfect night.”

“Man that’s some story book shit.” I shook sitting up “You ever even been on a date before?”

“What’s your definition of date?” he poked pushing me back over.

“So that’s a no.” I laughed staring up at the Chicago sky “Ever even kiss anyone before?”

“Riley!” he squealed beginning to pour sand over my hand.

“What?” I giggled “You ask me questions all the damn time, my questions too much?”

“No, they’re stupid!” he defended with a smile.

I looked over to him and shook my head “16 years old and you aint ever kissed no one?”

“Sorry I don’t just grab girls during gym and kiss them!” He teased

“It’s called flirting.” I confidently stated “maybe you need a lesson in it.”

“Oh yeah?” he played along “Are you the teacher?”

“You wish.” I smiled laying my head against his “How the hell am I gonna lose that girl?”

“She’ll get tired of you eventually, she just wants to shock mommy and daddy by bringing home the bad boy.” He sighed “Lucky for me I beat her to it.”

“Damn.” I laughed “I knew that’s all I am to you.”

“Yup, just the bad boy.” He joked grabbing onto me tightly “My dad is totally going to kill me if he finds out.”

“No one will find out.” I let out, not knowing if I was trying to comfort myself or him.

“Not ever?” he led starting to grow serious. I let out a deep breath but didn’t answer “I’ll give you as much time as you need…but I really want there to come a day where I can tell everyone I know…a day where I can show you off.”

“I’m not someone to show off.” I mused trying to be realistic about our relationship.

“Why not?” he provoked in a light tone.

“Got a bum eye, can’t really read, can’t really speak, covered in scars, and my past is…well you know.”

“and I wouldn’t change any of that.” He quickly replied without any hesitation “You are who you are, and I don’t want to change it one bit.”

“Sure about that?” I checked, not fully believing him.

“Well maybe we could teach you better grammar, and you could stop stealing from people…but the rest of it…I accept it…it makes you…you.” He lightly laughed. There was always something about Carter’s words when he started thinking deeply, something so inspiration…so complete.

“How you live with so much hope?” I poked as our eyes connected.

“What would life be without it?” he asked as a small smile grew on his face “Hope has gotten me through everything in my life…and right now I’m hoping you’ll be a part of that.”

“I hope so too” I confessed in an almost whisper.

The smile on Carter’s face seemed to ignite as he heard my words “How is your adoption going anyway?”

“I don’t know” I sighed looking down at the sand “Walter’s still tryin to hunt down my birth certificate.”

“Oh yeah?” he lead “That’s exciting.” I shook my head and once more kept silent “What’s the matter?”

“What if my birth father signed it…what if he wants a relationship with me?”

Carter nodded his head understanding my concern “Then at least you have him in your life, I mean if you want him. It’s your choice Riley…this is your life now, you choose how you want to live it, and if you need help, well, Mr. James is a smart man.”

“So then you think it’ll work out?” I breathed looking back to him.

“I don’t know, but I know we can make it.” He softly giggled “You have the right people in your corner, like I said it’s your life, but you don’t have to go through this process alone.”

Silence took the air as we just enjoyed the moment. Something about it was so surreal, the sounds of the city I love, the lights reflecting off the lake in front of us, the small glimpse of stars from above…Carter by my side…I’ve never experienced anything like it. The whole experience must’ve taken a lot out of me because I fell asleep on the ride home, and this time there were no nightmares to wake me up.

“You’re cute when you sleep.” Carter teased gently shaking me awake

“Shut up.” I groaned stretching out.

“There he is.” Carter giggled watching me closely.

I looked over at the house before turning back to Carter…fuck it. To his surprise I gently leaned in, he quickly shook off the shock and joined me. The second our lips touched I felt explosions ring out in my heart. I’ve kissed a lot of girls since I joined the Saints, some drunk, some high and even some sober…but nothing ever compared to this…nothing compared to the electricity that jumped my body as we shared our first kiss.

“Woh” Carter exhaled as I pulled away.

“tol you I knew what I was doing.” I teased sliding out of the passenger’s seat.

“You didn’t have to do that!” he yelped “I could’ve waited.”

“I wanted to.” I smiled “Besides I didn’t want you to keep talkin!”

He giggled in disbelief “Cutie”

“Shut up” I dismissed opening the front door “I’ll see you Monday.”

“See you Monday.” He nodded fighting off a huge smile.

The next 2 weeks seemed to go by faster than I ever expected. They were filled with scrimmages, tutors, homework, and classes…I wish I could say me and Carter went on another date, but we just didn’t have the time…we couldn’t find it. That is until this weekend! Friday I have a court meeting to petition for adoption and Saturday I have an “amazing surprise” planned with…well I bet you can figure that out.

I took a few deep breaths as me, Nancy and Walter walked up to the big court house, they tell me today won’t be a big deal, but I’ve had so much taken from me, been put in so many shitty situations…well I don’t trust it.

“Cy this is Mr. Kemp, he’s the attorney representing you during your adoption.” Walter instructed as I reached out and shook the lawyer’s hand.

“Mr. Walker, I’ve heard a lot about you.” He nodded “Some good, some bad, but we should be able to get you adopted none the less. Every judge in this system should love the story of a foster child finding his forever home.” I couldn’t help but shoot him a stern look to cut all the little kid crap “I just have one request. I think it would be best if in court we referred to you by your legal name, and not by your street name.”

“Whatever” I shrugged following them into one of the side rooms. We sat by for what felt like an eternity as other small cases were seen by the judge. I looked down at the suit I had borrowed from Aaron and shook my head…damn thing…this is the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been. Walter elbowed me as I began to play with the collar, snapping me back to reality.

Finally it was time for my case…I’d be lying if I said my hands weren’t coated with sweat. This right here, well it might just be the biggest moment of my life.

“Well typically these cases are pretty open and shut.” The judge began “but I see a lot of mark ups here on Mr. Walker’s record…a stunning amount. Mr. Walker do you affiliate with any type of street gang or organization?”

I looked to Nancy for help, but she quickly nodded, urging me to tell the truth “I was…not anymore.” I nodded, not sure what to say.

“And why do you believe you deserve adoption over the other children in the system? The city of Chicago has a ton of orphans looking for a home, and from my understanding it seems as though you have been looking for a jail cell instead.”

“Well your honor.” Mr. Kemp interrupted saving me from the spotlight “My client has already served his time, and he’s learned his lesson. Since being fostered by the James family he has begun to attend high school full time, while also making the varsity basketball team. He was the poster child for organized crime, but now he is the poster child for second changes.” He argued with confidence “What message would you be sending if you refused our petition? We ask that you show the youth of Chicago that no matter what mistakes they make, that they can still find a real home.”

The judge thought it over and nodded his head “And what do you have to say about this Mr. Walker.”

I took a deep breath and channeled the hidden confidence I always carried with me…I was raised to get past anything…to put on any mask I needed at any given moment. “I think my past is my past…that’s where it should stay. I went to juvy, and I struck a deal to clear the charges agains me. I messed up when I was younger, but I grew up in a house full of drugs, and I honestly didn’t know any better. “ I breathed finally finding my footing “but now I want somethin better for myself. I want to be somethin…I’ve taken a lot from people, and I want to start givin back…but to do that I need to get an education, I need to get a family.”

“Nancy and Walter James.” The Judge called out “Do you take Riley Walker’s statements as true?”

“We do.” Walter stood up and nodded

“Do you believe he is serious about making such a change.” He continued

“We do” Walter nodded once more.

“Well this is certainly one of the more abnormal cases I have seen in my tenure, but I am not interested in wasting tax payer money in delaying a teenager’s potential adoption. Mr. Walker let me make one thing clear to you.” The judge’s tone grew strict as he stared me down “Any other judge in this court system would allow people from your past to come out and testify against your petition, to come out and make a case for why you should not get your happy ending. However in light of your school attendance and extracurricular activities, along with recommendation letters from Mr. Carl Murray and Dr. Mae Burrows, well I can see that you are in fact attempting to make a new start for yourself. I approve your petition, and will process your adoption so long as you keep attending school and giving this your best effort. “

A breath of relief escaped my lips as I heard his words…I…I caught a break for once…my adoption is happening…it’s happening! “Thank you your honor.” Mr. Kemp smiled “I’m sure you can see on Riley’s face how much this means to him.”

“Now for this adoption to be finalized I am going to need one home visit and the documented waiving of David Walker’s parental rights.” The judge announced “the faster we get those two things completed, the faster we can amend Mr. Walker’s birth certificate and make him a permanent part of your household. For now I will extend the James families’ custody.”

Time slowed down as I processed the second requirement…David Walker?...what? “Thank you your honor.” Mr. Kemp finished as he led us out of the court room and back into the lobby. “Well that went the best it could’ve. For a few seconds there I thought it was going to be a fight, but it appears we lucked out on our judge. He’ll see to it that you’re adopted as soon as possible.”

I nodded my head trying to shake my shock, but couldn’t break away from my own head. Time seemed to accelerated, and before I knew it I was back in the car on the way home.

“So was that great or what?” Walter smiled trying to look at me through the mirror.

“Yeah” I forced out still thinking it all over.

“Everything okay back there?” Nancy poked noticing something was wrong.

“Who’s David Walker?” I exhaled still trying to pieced it all together

An awkward silence filled the air as they looked at one another, trying to figure out how to answer the question. “Well that’s your birth father.” Walter began “He signed your birth certificate the day you were born…we were going to too tell you sooner, but you’ve been so busy with school and basketball… we didn’t want to upset you.”

“I get it” I sighed in too much shock to care “So he knew about me?”

“It appears so” Walter nodded, but I could tell he was still holding something back, something he didn’t want to tell me.

“Do you know where he is?” I breathed still processing the moment “I…will he release his rights to me?”

“I think he will.” Nancy joined in taking the pressure off her husband “Cy dear… well...well there’s something we have to tell you.” I grasped onto the bottom of my seat bracing for whatever bad news was coming my way “Your birth father…he’s incarcerated.”

Disappointment flooded my brain as all the dreams of who my father could’ve been fell apart. Suddenly the hope that he was a better man, that he was something special fell apart. “Oh” I let out looking down “For what?”

“Cy, maybe it’s better…”

“For what?” I repeated, needing the answer to the question.

“First degree murder.” She explained trying to get me to look at her “Just because he made a mistake, it doesn’t mean that you…”

“It’s okay.” I interrupted “I get it…I’m from the Southside…I guess I always knew my biological dad would be a deadbeat.” I took another breath and thought it over “Do you think I could see him sometime?”

Nancy desperately looked over to her husband in shock “Oh Cy I don’t know if…”

“I’ll see what I can arrange buddy.” Walter interrupted “I can’t promise you anything, but I can look into it.”

“Thank you” I nodded seeing that he understood.

“But…why?” Nancy asked in fear. I could see on her face that she was worried he would find a way to take me from her.

“Jus need to see what he’s like.” I confessed “Besides I don’t want him to be my dad…I’m fine with how things are now.”

She turned back around and tried to understand my words. I could tell it was hard for her, I could tell she was just as scared as me, that she wasn’t sure if I actually wanted to be a part of her family…but I do…more than anything in this world I want Carter by my side and to be a member of the James family. To have a real mom and dad…damn…jus…damn.