Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)(152)

“Do you want to live with your dad?”

“No, sir,” she said simply. “I don’t want to leave my mom or Benji. Mommy, I don’t have to, do I? Am I going to live with Dad?” She looked to Lucy, her voice panicked.

Lucy shook her head quickly. “No, honey, he’s just asking you what you want.”

“I don’t want to leave you or Benji.”

“I know, baby. It’s okay,” Lucy said, wrapping her arm around Angie and kissing her head. Glancing back up at the judge, who was writing some things down as he nodded, Benji held his breath as the judge looked back to Rick and his lawyer.

“I usually don’t ask children their wishes, but I wanted you to hear her response, Mr. Hart. I urge you to not proceed for full custody because that isn’t what your child wants. She seems happy, and unless you can come to me with real evidence that Ms. Sinclair is mistreating her, especially when the evidence seems to indicate your misdeeds, or that Mr. Paxton is a negative influence, then, I’m sorry, I have no other choice but to deny your request and approve the changes to the current parenting plan.”

Everyone looked to Rick as he shook his head. “I want to proceed with the full custody part.”

The judge’s face changed to displeasure as he looked down. “Fine, I want everyone back here in two weeks. Maybe that will give you all time to think. Mainly you, Mr. Hart. At that time, if nothing further has been brought to my attention, then I will decide what is best for Angela Hart, since I’m sure we won’t come to an agreement otherwise.”

“Judge, Angela is to go to her father’s this weekend. Can we request that she does not go until after the next court date?” Mark asked quickly before the judge stood.

He took in a long breath and then looked to Rick. “Do you want to see your child, Mr. Hart?”

“Yes.”

“Then we will honor the current parenting plan. Maybe he’ll see that putting Angela through this isn’t something a seven-almost eight-year-old should have to deal with,” he stressed before standing up.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but I’d like to request that you reconsider,” Mark tried and Benji was hopeful. He had to leave with the Assassins this week for a four-day stint before the All-Star break and had been hoping that Lucy wouldn’t have to deal with the handover, but the judge shook his head.

“Mr. Sinclair, as much as I agree with you and believe what I’m certain you’re thinking, I want to give Mr. Hart a chance to do right by his child. But I will say this, if Angela wants to speak to her mother, you must allow her.”

Rick rolled his eyes and let out a long breath. “Fine.”

“Don’t make me regret this choice,” the judge warned before slamming his gavel to the desk. “See everyone in two weeks.”

Mark turned to Angie and picked her up, kissing her cheek before looking over at Lucy. “It’s fine. We’ll have this taken care of in two weeks. No big deal.”

Lucy didn’t look convinced as she slowly nodded and reached for her purse. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Anytime, honey,” he said, squeezing her arm. “Don’t worry, okay? He has nothing on you guys.”

“Okay,” she said as Angie took her hand. “Let’s go.”

“Benji! Let’s go to lunch,” Angie decided as she broke free from Lucy, going for him. He picked her up, kissing her cheek as he nodded.

“Sounds good to me, and then we gotta go home so I can pack. Gotta leave this afternoon.”

She made a face as they walked down the aisle, Lucy and Mark behind them. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I know, but it’s only six days, and then we leave for Florida.”

“Woo-hoo!” she cheered, laying her head against his shoulder as they walked out to the truck. “Grandpa, wanna come with us?”

“Sorry, love bug, I can’t. I’ve got another case,” he said almost automatically. Benji wasn’t sure if he was being truthful, but he knew that Lucy didn’t want him to go. He could see it all over her face. She was still holding him at arm’s length, which Benji guessed she always would. He had done some major damage to his children.

“Aw, okay, I’ll see you soon,” she said, wiggling out of Benji’s arms and going to Mark to hug him.

Moving around all of them, Lucy went to stand by the truck, opening the door before saying, “All right, Dad, thanks again. I’ll be in touch.”

Benji looked back at Mark as Angie got into the truck. He looked sad as he nodded. “Of course, honey. Talk to you soon. Benji, good to see you again.”

“You too,” he said before turning and getting into the truck himself. When he started to put his seat belt on, though, he could see that Lucy was mad and he was pretty sure it was directed at him. He looked over at her and she had her legs crossed, leaning into the door, the farthest she could be from him as she stared out the window. “That went really well,” he tried, and she just nodded her head.

“Yeah.”

Okay, then.

“Do you want to go to lunch?”

She shook her head. “No.”

Angie went to protest, but Benji stopped her. “Honey, Mom is tired. That was exhausting. Let’s go on home. I’ll make you a peanut butter sandwich.”