by D. Camille
Khalil lowered his face into his hand and listened for the rest of the time. He heard how he was allegedly corrupting his son, how he wasn’t feeding him properly, and how he was stifling his education. Inside, he burned as he forced himself to remain silent.
His parents sat behind him, hurting for their son as the vicious accusations were hurled at him. They waited, along with the rest of the court as the judge looked over her notes.
“Is there anything that you would like to say Mr. Lewis?” she asked. “I want to give you the opportunity to speak for yourself.”
Khalil stood slowly to his feet and wiped a hand down his face. “Your honor, I’ve sat here and listened to how I’ve been portrayed as a terrible father. I’m in no way a perfect man, but the one thing that I’ve concentrated on is being a man that my son can look up to and teaching him to be a black man in this country.”
“I’ve taught him who he is and where he came from. I’ve taught him…” he paused and lowered his head. “I’ve shown him that he is the most important thing in the world to me. I’ve loved and protected him since the day he was born.”
He looked up. “To have this woman, who has never made Kyros a priority in her life and this man whom I’ve never met…want to take my son, is the most heinous thing I’ve ever witnessed. To come in here and tell blatant lies about how I care for my son, when I’m the first thing he’s seen every morning of his life and the last thing before he goes to bed.”
“My son is not something that you visit on your whim. He is my soldier, he’s my little King… and I won’t ever stand silently and let anyone treat him less than that. I will protect him with my life, even from his own mother.”
Khalil took his seat as his mother and Khayla wiped their faces.
The judged nodded then replaced her glasses on her face. Picking up her pen, she began to write.
“Thank you Mr. Lewis.”
The court was silent as she continued to write. “I am ordering a full investigation into the allegations brought forth by Ms. Brown.”
Khalil felt his heart drop and Christian leaned over to him. “That’s a good thing. She’s going to let you prove the truth so that Melody will have no further recourse afterwards.”
The judge continued looking at Melody. “In two weeks another court date will be set and Ms. Brown, you will be required to prove your accusations against Mr. Lewis and vice versa.”
“In the meantime, Mr. Lewis will retain sole custody of the minor, Kyros Lewis and no visitation is granted during this period.”
Khalil sighed in relief along with all the family.
Melody’s attorney stood to object and the judge raised a hand. “No need to object. Ms. Brown has not seen her son in over three years by choice, two more weeks won’t make much of a difference and we do not want to disrupt this child’s life more than we have to.”
“Unless and until the allegations are proven, I see no reason to remove Kyros from his father’s care since there is no current evidence that the child is in any danger.”
The judge finished her orders and banged her gavel, effectively ending the session. Khalil watched as she walked out and closed his eyes.
When he opened them, he was surrounded by his family. His father embraced him tightly and patted his back.
“It’s going to be alright son. Kyros isn’t going anywhere.”
Khalil nodded and looked at the group. “I know…” He put up a hand. “I shouldn’t have popped off.”
Brandon stepped forward. “This is your son. I knew you wouldn’t stay quiet for long.”
Rion shook his head. “I’m surprised you didn’t jump over the table.”
“Did you see the judge?” Corvus asked. “Damn! She can order me to do anything.”
They all turned to him. “Get you brother Rion.” Khalil said frowning.
“Judge Baxter is always fair and has the best interest of the kids. We were lucky to get her for this prelim. Today was her last day on the docket. She’s officially on vacation so we’ll have another judge for our next court date.” Christian informed them.
“Who is the next judge?” Khalil asked.
“Not sure yet, but whoever it is…we’ll be prepared.” Christian informed him. “But they don’t come any better than Judge Danielle Baxter.”
Khalil looked towards the door where the judge had disappeared. He knew he owed her an apology for his behavior in her courtroom today. When she returned from vacation, he would make a point to do that apologizing in person. He’d had no idea that Melody’s attorney would come with such lies and untruths, but that was no excuse for his reaction inside of her courtroom. Hopefully, he could make amends to the young Queen.
******
Three days later, Khalil was driving Kyros to school. Kyros’ class was scheduled for a trip to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American history. Khalil was signed up as a chaperone for the group and Kyros was ecstatic that his father was coming along.
“Daddy, I can’t wait!” Kyros said excitedly from the back seat.
Khalil continued to drive. “We’ve been there several times Kyros.”
“I know, but not with my class.” Kyros said looking out of the window. “I can show them all the stuff you’ve taught me.”
Khalil laughed. “So you’re trying to show out?”
Kyros shrugged. “A little.”
“Okay, but not too much.” Khalil told him as they parked the car.
It was another cold day, this time with ice and snow. Khalil cautioned Kyros as he bounced from the car.
“Be careful son, it’s icy…”
In his snow gear and boots, Kyros smiled and took his father’s hand. “I’ve got you Daddy.”
Khalil laughed. “Okay, I’ve got you too.”
Together they entered the building and headed to Kyros’ classroom where the other children and chaperones were gathering. Khalil allowed Kyros to show him all the work he’d done and a tour of the new things in the classroom.
Khalil heard a familiar voice speaking with the teacher then turned in that direction. Long dark twists and thick thighs immediately caught his attention. Looking her over, Khalil noticed that she was taller than he remembered, or maybe it had been the dark robe she’d been wearing. She stood at around five-five with a nice little bevy of curves. Her head was covered with a knit hat and her natural twists that were pinned up before, now hung down her back.
His gaze moved slowly over those curves encased in tight corduroy, down to the sturdy boots on her feet. That robe had hidden quite a bit. Her pink puffy jacket along with matching scarf and gloves gave her a glow. Slowly, he made his way over to her, after the teacher moved away.
“Hello Judge Baxter.”
Danielle turned at the sound of the smooth baritone. “Mr. Lewis, how are you?”
“I’m well, thanks to you.” Khalil answered, looking down into sexy, dark eyes. “I had planned to visit your chambers when you returned from vacation to apologize for my behavior in your courtroom the other day.”
Danielle smiled. “There’s no need to apologize. You love your son.”
Kyros then appeared at his side and Khalil glanced down. “And here he is…this is my son Kyros. Kyros this is Judge Baxter.”
Kyros smiled at Danielle and her heart melted. He would one day be as handsome as his father because he was totally adorable right now. She watched as he extended his hand like a little gentleman.
“Hello Judge Baxter. It’s nice to meet you.”
Danielle took his hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you as well Kyros.”
“Auntie Danielle, they’re getting ready.”
Danielle looked down at her niece. “Okay, I’m ready. Let me introduce you.”
Her niece smiled. “This is Kyros and his Daddy.”
“You know them both?” Danielle asked.
“Yeah, Kyros is in my class and Mr. Lewis comes here all the time to help out,” her niece informed her.
Danielle nod
ded. “Well, it seems that you know my niece Kamryn.”
Kamryn smiled at Kyros before the two looked away.
“Yes, I have seen Kamryn on many of my visits and trips,” Khalil explained.
“Somehow I got roped into being a chaperone today, so I’ll follow your lead Mr. Lewis, since you’re far more experienced than I am.”
“You want to be in a group together?” Kamryn asked Kyros.
He smiled at her, in her purple puffy coat and hat. “Yeah, I can show you a lot of stuff at the museum.”
Kamryn smiled in return. “Okay.”
Khalil looked at Danielle. “I guess that’s a done deal.”
“I guess so,” Danielle agreed.
The group lined up to head outside and board the waiting bus. Kamryn and Kyros ran to a seat and sat next to one another, leaving Khalil and Danielle to take the seat behind them. The two children began talking immediately, tuning out everything else around them.
Danielle glanced out of the window at the snow and ice then turned to Khalil. “We picked a great day.”
Khalil glanced over her head. “Yeah, it’s pretty bad out today. Hopefully there won’t be any accidents.”
She looked into his eyes. “Hopefully.”
Studying her face for a minute, Khalil asked, “I want to ask you a question, but I don’t want to offend you.”
Danielle pursed her full lips. “Hmmm…I don’t know if I should touch that one.”
The teachers got all the children settled and the bus departed.
Khalil looked away and it was her turn to study his handsome face. Beautiful toasted skin with piercing dark eyes under wing-like brows. He wore a goatee that frame thick, full lips. Danielle remembered him in her courtroom in a tailored suit that fit his body to perfection. How she remembered something like that, she didn’t know…but she did.
“Okay, what is it?” she finally asked. “Is it about court?”
Khalil turned to her. “No, it’s about you.”
“Now I’m really not sure if I should proceed with this line of questioning,” she teased.
He held her gaze. “When I first saw you, I wondered how old you were. You looked very young to be a judge, but the way you commanded that court room, told me that you have experience.”
Danielle nodded. “You thought I’d be offended if you asked my age?”
He put his hands up. “Women get testy about certain things.”
“That’s true,” she agreed. “But since you asked in such a respectful way, I’ll tell you. First I want you to guess.”
He groaned. “Urghhh…don’t do that. That’s a trap.”
She laughed. “No, you started this.”
“Okay, so since I have to take into consideration that you’ve gone to law school and all that, I’ll say maybe twenty-six and that’s a stretch.”
Danielle’s eyes widened. “Really?”
He gave her a look. “Come on, don’t play.”
“And may I ask what is prompting this line of questioning?” she asked.
Khalil ran a hand down his goatee and grinned at her. “I need to know if you’re too young.”
“Too young for what?”
He glanced around. “There are kids on this bus.”
She laughed softly. “Yes, there are Mr. Lewis so I reserve the right to hear that answer at another time.”
“Definitely, but I need to hear the answer to my question right now.”
Danielle reached into her bag and retrieved her driver’s license. Quietly, she handed it to him and waited.
Khalil looked at the card and frowned. “No, this can’t be right.”
“According to my birth certificate and the State of Michigan, it is.”
He looked at her again. “You can’t possibly be older than me.”
She shrugged. “Black don’t crack. You should see my Grandmother.”
Speechless, he handed the license back to her. “Well, you’re absolutely amazing.”
“Thank you,” she said replacing the item in her bag. “And now you can tell me how old you are.”
“I’m thirty-two.”
Danielle nodded. “So just a year or so older.”
“You really look like a teenager,” he told her.
“I get that all the time and no matter how I dress I still get carded sometimes. I’ve just given up trying.”
Khalil studied her face some more. “You must take really good care of yourself.”
Danielle looked away. “Yeah, I had to learn to do that.”
“One day you should tell me about it,”
She turned back to him. “Is that something you think you’d find interesting?”
Khalil gave a rare smile. “I think I’d find a lot of things interesting about you Judge Baxter.”
The group arrived at their destination and exited the bus. Kamryn and Kyros joined hands and took off in front of their chaperones.
Danielle turned to Khalil. “I think your son is going to be my niece’s first heartbreak.”
“Or maybe her first love,” Khalil answered.
They followed the children slowly as they entered the exhibits. “So it’s my turn to ask a question that may offend you.”
Khalil laughed. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“First love and first heartbreak, are yours one in the same?” she asked quietly.
He sobered. “Unfortunately, yes.”
They stopped as the kids examined an artifact and she looked up at him. “I could tell.”
“How’s that?” he questioned.
“The way you looked at her in the courtroom.”
Khalil shook his head. “Trust me, I have no love left for her.”
Danielle smiled. “I could tell that too.”
They began walking again. “I could tell that she hurt you. I identified with your pain.”
He lifted a brow. “You’ve been hurt?”
“Who hasn’t? Be it by a person, a thing or an event…everyone has been hurt and has scars. Some physical, some emotional…and some both,” she explained.
As it became warmer inside, they both unzipped their coats before the children handed over theirs for them to carry.
“So how did you get to become a chaperone today?” Khalil asked when they began walking again.
“My sister, Kamryn’s mother, found out that I was on vacation so she had the little one give me the puppy face. I can’t tell her no,” Danielle confessed.
Khalil stared down at her. “I’m glad that you can’t say no…”
“To your niece,” he finished slowly.
Danielle smiled at him. “Tell me something Mr. Lewis,”
“Khalil,” he corrected.
She agreed. “Okay Khalil, tell me how your son knows so much about this museum? I’ve heard him tell Kamryn about everything we’ve looked at so far.”
Khalil laughed. “He said he was going to show out today.”
“You teach him a lot,” Danielle surmised.
“I teach him everything I can about his history,” Khalil told her. “I want him to know who he is.”
Danielle looked at Kyros. “He’s very bright, well adjusted, and polite.” She looked back at Khalil. “He’s the product of his father.”
Khalil looked at his son. “He’s my everything.”
Danielle pulled him to the side, away from the children but still in sight. “Listen to me, I made that order before I left because I could see how much you love your son and I read all that you’ve done for him. Not many men would take their child from birth and raise him alone, by choice.”
“I decided to make her prove those lies she said about you and when she can’t, she’s going to have to retract those words and publicly acknowledge the man you are to your son,” Danielle told him quietly.
Khalil stared down into her face. “I thought that after I had erupted in your courtroom, you would try to punish me and put me in my place, but I thank you for overlooking my emotion that day and seeing insid
e my heart.”
Danielle gave him a sexy look. “Oh, I saw more than your heart, Mr. Lewis.”
Khalil watched as she walked away and joined the children. Rubbing his head, he thought, of all the trips he’d volunteered for, this one was turning out to be more than he’d ever imagined.
Chapter 3
Catching up with the group, Khalil fell in step with Danielle as the children continued through the tour. She watched her niece’s face as Kyros explained the different exhibits to her in their youthful language. When Kyros was explaining about the history of the Museum, he paused and turned to his father.
“How many babies did Dr. Wright deliver, Daddy?”
“More than 7,000.”
Kyros nodded. “That’s right, more than 7,000 babies. What else?” he asked.
“Well, Dr. Wright wanted to make sure that future generations, especially young African Americans were made aware of and took pride in the history of their ancestors here and abroad; and their struggle for freedom.”
“He said it was one of the most important tasks of our time,” Khalil finished.
Kyros beamed proudly. “That’s why my Daddy teaches me all kinds of stuff.”
As the kids took off again, Danielle turned to him. “How do you know all of this?”
“All of this is me,” he answered looking around. “This represents me as a black man.”
Danielle looked at him. “Tell me beautiful black man, where is the black woman in your life?”
“There is a spot at the table, a side of the bed and an extra sink in the bathroom awaiting her.”
“She hasn’t found her way there yet…” he answered.
“Maybe she just needs a little direction.”
Khalil nodded as they moved forward. “I think I’m difficult to navigate.”
“Why do you say that?”
He shrugged a broad shoulder. “I’m a man who knows who I am and what I want.”
“Right now I want my son. I want to make sure he’s safe and happy,” he finished adamantly.
“And who makes sure Khalil is safe and happy?” Danielle asked quietly.
He paused and looked at her for a minute. “Good question.”
Soon the kids ran up to them announcing that it was lunch time. They followed the group to the eating area where children began pulling sacks from their backpacks. Khalil sat Kyros’ lunch on the table while Danielle did the same for Kamryn.
