Chapter 6

Tom was outside the judge's office, twenty minutes ago, and that was Twenty three minutes early. "Where are you?" He asked into his phone.

"Two young men couldn't figure out what to wear." She said as if to the two young and not to him.

He couldn't help but chuckle, at least they seemed to get how important this all was. "How far are you?" He asked.

"Twenty minutes." Tammy sighed. Tom instantly hopped the judge was running late. Just as he decided that wouldn't happen the judge opened the door, into the lobby before her chambers.

"Well, I guess I'll stall. Love you drive safe." He said and hung up.

"Teenagers, being teenagers?" She asked as she walked by Tom.

"Yes." He sighed. He felt bad, he knew delays happened from time to time, especially on short notice. That was his tone with this whole 'case'.Had this been someone else's case, he would have walked in like he had won already. Feeling like the was strutting in on a red carpet, this was literally open and shut. Instead, he was sweating.

"Councilor, please come in, and leave the door open, no one will be up to her after Five." She said. He nervously followed her in. "Can I get you something, say cold water?" She smiled at him.

He felt his face turn red. "Please."

"Relax, you have never been in here, as a potential parent." She sighed while handing him water from a small fridge.

"Well, we don't want to adopt, him, that would be strange." He clarified.

"Yes, I noticed that, but you can't tell me, you or your wife don't already look at him like a son." She sat at her desk.

"True." Tom chuckled, as he recalled all the things he had taught Jayden. "For the most part, if I want to see my son, it has to be together." He opened the bottle of water and took a sip. "Since his mom, passed he has really taken to Tammy." he smiled. "Hell, she posts all his choir concerts to her facebook."

"Is he good?" The judge asked.

Tom took out his phone, forgetting where he was and why, loaded Facebook and found the video with the solo, and played it for her. "I'd like to think so." He smiled.

The judge was very, very pleased, with the man already beaming with fatherly pride. If there was doubt this wasn't the right thing to do, it was clearly gone. "He is really good." Tom put his phone away, when the door to the lobby opened.

He eagerly met them, and almost blew a gasket. "You couldn't decide what to wear and you dressed in T-shirts, and ripped jeans?"

The judge chuckled. "Tom, please." She laughed. "look." She pointed at Benny. "Blue shirt, with a bright red pocket, and stylish blue jeans, with a ripped knee. Very trendy." She nodded. "He is wearing the same shirt, only red, with a blue pocket, and a pair of jeans with a rip on the other knee. And that hair." She carried on. "Sure it looks like you just put the gel in and just run your hand through it, but to get it exactly right, takes twenty or thirty times."

"Exactly." Benny, beamed. Everyone including Tom laughed.

"Boys, can I get you a Pepsi?" The boys accepted politely. "Please take a seat. Everyone sat, and she went over pages letting Tom translate them into English, she watched him like a hawk, to make sure he explained everything accurately, especially to Jayden. She was once again pleased, by the lawyer's boundless patience, and diligence.

The judge put her pen on the last line. "After I sign this, Tom, and Tammy, will be your guardians, are you ready?"

Jayden nodded. "I want. to be part of a home again..." He sighed.

The judge signed with great care spun around to her copier, made a copy, and slid it to Jayden. "For you." She smiled. "I don't often get to give many free second chances, don't waste it." She smiled.

"I won't." He smiled.

"We won't." Benny said while taking Jayden's hand. Jayden looked tense until the judge smiled at them.

"Who wants to go out to dinner?" Tom shouted.

"Where?" The two boys asked.

"Someplace expensive!" Tom suggested.

"Wendy's?" Benny looked at Jayden. Jayden nodded back.

"Boy's I was thinking nicer than Wendy's."

"Arbies?" Jayden asked Benny, who nodded back.

"How about the Texas Road House?" Tom suggested desperately.

"Aribes." The two answered in unison agreement.

"Well, they have spoken." The judge laughed.