Ben (The Sherwood)

He went on to explain that he was proud of the work I was doing for the plant, but he was talking about the changes that had come over me since Asia’s birth. He was proud of the man I was becoming. It had meant a lot to me because I respected Tim.

I had always loved this little town of Sherwood. Unlike my best friend Jackson Hand, I never wanted to leave but I still didn’t appreciate the kindness of a stranger. The caring showed by friends when my grandfather passed away. I stood at his funeral and was filled with regret that he was not seeing firsthand the positive changes that I was making in my life because of my daughter.

His disappointment in me, haunted me. All I could do now was try to keep doing right by Asia

and make him proud in spirit. I had lost my chance to do it in person.

I realized what a great man he was while we stood in the funeral home for four hours which shocked even my mother. Granddad was loved and appreciated. So many wanted to pay their respects that the line didn’t dwindle until nearing the last hour.

As I got closer to Samson’s office, I thought about the exception he made for me. The man played golf every Saturday. He didn’t have hours on Saturday because Samson believed in a work life balance. He didn’t usually take criminal cases either, but he did as a favor to my dad when he represented Walker.

When he defended, Drake Martin he did it as a favor to his wife who was the sister of Drake’s other cousin Bobby Mackintosh. Connections got you favors in small towns, Dad always said. Today, Samson was showing up in his office for me, so I didn’t have to take off work. His golf game would take place later. Then the rest of the day, he spent with his wife.

I turned into the parking lot that was once a side yard next to a small, red, brick ranch house that Samson had converted into an office. I stopped the truck in the lot that was empty except for Samson’s Escalade. He wasn’t a flashy man but for this one expensive vehicle that he treasured. Adelaide his wife had scratched the paint at the Dollar Store. Everyone in town said he went fishing for the day to avoid saying anything to her because he was so livid but the only thing he loved more than this truck was Adelaide.

I walked up the sidewalk to the front door and headed inside. Glasses perched on the end of his nose, Samson appeared in a pair of golf shorts that were like my dad’s ugly polyester, plaid shorts. They were fashionable in the sixties not after the year two thousand. I wanted to roll my eyes but refrained.

Samson approached with a folder flapping in the breeze of his wake. He stuck his beefy hand out to me. “Benjamin how are you son?”

“Mr. Hallows, I’m good.” We shook hands then he guided me to his office. Samson sat behind a large, expensive oak desk and waved me to one of the cushy, real leather, guest chairs across from him. The outside might seem simple, so you wouldn’t expect the extravagance of the inner office, but Samson had spared no expense in making his space comfortable.

Like Dad, Samson Hallows was clean shaven and didn’t understand the younger generations need to have scruff. They were the same age and had grown up in the same small town. Samson returned to Sherwood after law school. He raised his family here. His sons left town as he did. They went to college somewhere, in a large city but unlike him, they didn’t come back to Sherwood, Ohio.

“How’s Dillon doing?” I asked. He worked for one of the large colleges in Northern Ohio as the Assistant Athletic Director. Dillon was Elijah’s age, just turned thirty. In high school, he was the quarterback of the team all four years. No one could touch his arm.

Third year in college he tore up his shoulder in a college game which ended his career and any aspirations he might have had about turning pro. Some say he had it and some say he didn’t. I didn’t know or speculate either way. It didn’t really matter now. The injury took care of Dillon’s chances.

“He’s on fire as far as his career goes. He might not stay in Ohio, don’t you know.”

“Seriously. That will be hard on Mrs. Hallows if she can’t drive north to see him.”

“It will but I can stick her on a plane,” he laughed. “I won’t keep her home now that Dillon and Emma are talking about having a baby.” He sighed. “Once that baby gets here, it’s game over.”

I chuckled.

He was ready to get down to business. “Benjamin, your dad tells me that Asia’s mother left your daughter in your brother’s care where she was staying with them after her birth.”

“She did.” I wasn’t sure how that would appear to a judge. I only had been with my daughter three weeks of her nine-week-old life.

Samson nodded. “He said there was a letter from her,” he declared. I nodded and handed it across to him. He scanned through it then I told him what Disa had told me. Most was not even true.

“Ben, I would like to file a petition in court for temporary full custody for you on the grounds of abandonment. She’s only been gone three weeks. She has to be gone ninety days for that charge to stick.”

I nodded.

“If she comes back, she can’t take Asia from you, but she could go to court and force you to share her. Are you prepared for that?”

I inhaled. As hard as it would be to share her now after only three weeks if Jasmine came back after ninety days, I would still find a way to share our daughter with her because it was what was best for Asia. I told Mr. Hallows that.

He agreed that a judge would find it favorable if I was agreeable to come up with a shared parenting plan, should Jasmine return and want to see Asia. “Could I make a copy of this letter?” Mr. Hallows asked me. I nodded. I had been doing a lot of that. Just nodding. Unsure of myself. This unknown was unnerving to me.

He left me alone in his office for a few moments. I stared out the window, thinking about Disa and Asia waiting on me at home. That’s where I wanted to be right now.

When he returned, Mr. Hallows handed me the letter and I shoved it back in the envelope. I had almost thrown it away then decided one day, if Jasmine never came back, Asia might want to read it. One day, when she was much older. Dad had told me to bring it today.

“In about thirty days you’ll receive notice of a court hearing. We’ll appear together. Answer a few questions. The judge will grant you temporary sole custody of Asia while we wait the mandatory ninety days to ensure that the mother has truly abandoned her.”

I rose from the chair where I sat and extended my hand to Mr. Hallows. “Thanks, and thank you for seeing me today so I didn’t have to miss work.”