Chapter 33
Ryan walked into his private waiting room with his lawyer, Ms. Abernathy. Alicia and Ryan’s campaign manager was sitting there waiting too.
As soon as they walked through the door, Alicia stood up, “What was the hearing about? What happened?”
Ryan sat down and put his hands in his head. “I just need a minute to think Alicia. I just need a minute okay?”
Alicia turned to his lawyer, “What is going on?”
“We’re withdrawing our petition. Ryan and Vicky came to an agreement.”
Alicia looked confused, “I don’t understand…what kind of agreement could you have possible made?”
Ryan turned to his wife and took a deep breath, “My run for the Governorship is over Alicia. I withdrew my petition because you and I were caught on tape discussing our plan to win the Governorship when Angel was in the hospital.”
“What…how?” Alicia looked at Ms. Abernathy, “Isn’t that illegal? I didn’t know I was being recorded and neither did Ryan.”
Ms. Abernathy was putting some documents into her briefcase, “It would have been illegal if the person who taped you knew she was taping you. She didn’t. You were accidentally taped and it wasn’t discovered until a few days ago.”
Alicia was stunned. His campaign manager was stunned. However, she quickly recovered and wondered if it was too late to get on Ryan’s opponent’s campaign team.
Alicia turned back to her husband, “Ryan…I want a divorce.”
*****
On the opposite end of the courthouse, the only sound that could be heard in the Rutherford’s waiting room was the background noise of the local media station playing on the television. And, Jason wearing a hole in the floor pacing back and forth. They’d been in with the Judge for over an hour. He had no idea what was going on in there.
Just as he was about to go completely insane Vicky and John Lucas walked into the tiny waiting area. He couldn’t read either of their faces.
“Well? What happened?”
Vicky whispered, “It’s over.”
“What?”
Then, a slow but dazzling smile spread across her entire face as she shouted to roof tops, “IT’S OVER! Ryan is withdrawing his petition for custody and relinquishing all of his parental rights.”
After a moment of stunned silence, the room erupted into shouting and thanksgivings.
Jason picked Vicky up and spent her around before unabashedly kissing her deeply. He only put her down when Angel came running over to them wanting to be included in the celebration. He picked her up and spent her around too.
John Rutherford’s booming voice filled the room, “John Lucas thank you for what you’ve done for my family. What the hell happened in there?”
John Lucas threw up his hands, “I can’t take credit for this outcome. Shirley Martin gets it all.”
Everyone in the room turned to look at Shirley.
Vicky walked out of Jason’s embrace and over to her. She wrapped her arms around her tightly, “Thank you thank you thank you. I love you so much Aunt Shirley. I don’t know how I will every repay you. However, I’m just curious, why didn’t you say something to me?”
“Don’t thank me. Thank your mama. I have to believe she had more to do with this than me. Everyone knows I’m not good with technology. I didn’t do much but find a voice-mail. And, I didn’t want to give you or anyone else false hope. So, I called John Lucas instead and told him.”
John Lucas interrupted, “She made my job a lot easier. I have no doubt that we would have won this case but the ideal is to win it before you enter a court room. Ms. Martin provided me with not just a smoking gun, but a nuclear bomb.”
He played the recording and went on to explain the chain of events that led to Ryan giving up his parental rights and withdrawing his petition from the court.
Everyone listened intently until Sandy noticed the ‘Breaking News’ along with a photo of Senator Ryan Carter scroll across the screen.
“Shh..shh..turn the television up.”
Franklin found the remote and turned it up as the local anchor was reporting the breaking news.
‘In a stunning and surprising turn of events, Senator Ryan Carter just released a statement confirming that he is withdrawing from the Minnesota gubernatorial race. He did not specify what led up to this decision only that it was deeply personal and asked that we respect his family’s privacy. Speculation is running rampant as Senator Carter was embroiled in what could only be described as a nasty custody battle over his three year old daughter.”
Jason had heard enough, “Turn it off. Ryan Carter is officially done affecting my family. John Lucas, I just have one bit of unfinished business if it’s okay with Vicky.”
Franklin turned off the television. Vicky didn’t know what it could be but she was sure whatever it was she would be fine with it.
“I want you to draw up adoption papers for Angel.” He looked into his baby girls eyes before turning to his wife for her approval, “I would like to officially become her father.”
Her hands flew to her throat as her eyes filled with tears. But, she wasn’t the only person in the room with tears in their eyes, “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more certain of anything except marrying you.”
“Angel couldn’t have asked for a better father than you.”
“And, I couldn’t have asked for a better wife
