“Your Honor. I was not a male stripper. I worked as a dancer in a club. I did what any parent would do—the best I could to take care of my child.” He stopped for a moment and took a drink from the glass of water sitting before him.
“Every day mothers and fathers sacrifice themselves, working long hours at jobs they simply endure in the hopes of giving their children a better life than they had; every generation wants something better for their children than the one that came before. I did what I did because the money was good; I’m not going to lie and tell you I didn’t make money from the tips. But it was all legal, and I have the owner of the club here with me who can testify that I was paid on the books and never did anything against the law.”
“That was a very impassioned speech, Mr. Reiss.”
“Your Honor, I love Lillie. She’s all I have left of my sister and of my family, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep her. My partner and I have created a stable home for her where she’s loved and cared for. She’s our number-one priority, as if she was our own daughter.”
“And is your partner here today?”
Tyler turned around and pointed to Marcus. “Yes, Your Honor, Mr. Marcus Feldman. He is the owner of the nightclub where I used to dance.”
“Step forward, please, Mr. Feldman, and join Mr. Reiss and his attorney at the table.”
Pale yet with a determined tilt to his jaw, Marcus walked over and stood next to him.
“How long have you and Mr. Reiss known each other?”
“We’ve known each other about five months now, and we’ve been together for around three months.”
“And you own a nightclub?” The judge didn’t look up as he spoke but rather jotted notes down on the pad before him.
“I do. Until recently I was the owner and manager, but since Lillie and Tyler moved in, I’ve handed over the day-to-day management of the club to others, so I can have more time at home with them.”
“And you think you’re equipped to take care of a four-year-old child? What experience do you have with children, Mr. Feldman?”
Marcus stiffened, and Tyler held his breath, hoping Marcus would hold back any cutting words he might have and save them for when they were outside the earshot of the judge.
“I may not have experience with children, but I know what not to do. I know not to put myself first, that their needs take precedence over mine. I know not to ignore them when they ask questions that might at first not make sense but if you spend time listening, can give you insight to what is happening in their world.”
Tyler could hardly believe the words coming directly from Marcus’s heart. What an extraordinary shift in his behavior from the shallow, glittery personality he’d once maintained. Or perhaps it was always there, lurking, seeking the right time to show what a truly wonderful person Marcus was.
“Lillie has taught me what it means to love and be loved. And no matter what happens here today, I’ll make sure to be a part of her life. But you can’t take her away from Tyler; she needs him—they need each other. If you do, she’ll lose not only the one person she loves more than anything, but she’ll lose her family and her memories.”
Stunned by Marcus’s heartfelt words, Tyler could only whisper, “Thank you.” There was little more he could add to what Marcus had so beautifully stated. To hear how much he loved Lillie was as if all the discordant notes that played in his head settled into a beautifully played symphony.
Seemingly impervious to Marcus’s plea, the judge continued on. “I’ve read the letter from Dr. Steinberg and more importantly, your sister’s journal.” Judge Fleischman took off his glasses, and suddenly he didn’t look so intimidating; he seemed almost grandfatherly. “I’m very sorry for your loss, Mr. Reiss. Your sister may not have made the wisest choices in her short life, but for the most important thing, the care of her child, after listening to those who’ve spoken up in your behalf today, I’d say she made the best choice of all.”
It took a few moments for the judge’s words to sink in and make sense to Tyler. Somewhat stunned, he turned to Josh whose grin lit up his face.
“Is he saying what I think?”
“Yes, Mr. Reiss, I am. As of now, I’m granting you temporary custody of your niece with an outcome toward full guardianship.”
No longer stern and foreboding, the judge’s warm brown eyes twinkled. “I have a granddaughter her age. I believe you’ll have your hands full, but from what I’ve witnessed today, I have no doubt you can handle it.”
After receiving congratulations from Josh and the social worker, Marcus grabbed him.
“I knew you’d do it. You stood up and spoke your mind. I’m so proud of you.” He hugged him close.
Tyler spoke into Marcus’s shoulder. “Everything I have, every dream, is from taking a chance and trusting you. And love. Always love.”
The shift in the air, that recognition of a moment to be frozen in time—Tyler held on to Marcus, letting the love they shared wash over him. If he had known this love and this man would be waiting for him, it wouldn’t have made this moment half as sweet. Without love, Tyler wasn’t sure the struggle was worth it.
Everything happens for a reason: the missed elevator or that wrong turn taking you miles out of your way, only to have you end up right where you were meant to be. Even though they may be standing in a grimy little courtroom, Tyler’s heart knew as long as he was with Marcus, he was home.
“Let’s go home and tell Lillie her forever starts today.”
Marcus smiled into his eyes. “Yeah. I like the sound of that.”
