Beyond Acceptance Page #6

---

- No, I know it's complicated,

but most of this process is just paperwork

punctuated by well documented evidence.

I know this is critical time for

your family, but just try to relax.

Our job is just to present you

as the best placement option.

Remember, the judge is always trying

to act in the child's best interest.

- We'll do our best.

- Okay. We'll see you.

- Mommy? I'm right here, Honey.

The single most important event in

Evans' life happened when he was three.

It was spring time, and his adoption

was just weeks from being finalized.

They were some of our

best foster parents.

She had taken many difficult children

over the years, such a reliable person.

He was a teacher. I think he was

even up for teacher of the year.

I guess some things

just aren't meant to be.

There were a lot of hidden

issues in their relationship.

One night he just put a gun to his head.

She had to watch her husband's suicide.

Nobody knows how much Evans saw or

heard, but he's never been the same.

That night he tried

to hide from everybody,

and it's like he's been trying

to hide inside himself ever since.

She sort of gave up after that.

She never even told Evans goodbye.

Wow. He makes a lot more sense now.

Since then he's had five adoptive

placements halted because of his behavior.

There's just so much anger there.

I just thought you should know.

I really need to go now. We should

probably be alert for the hearing tomorrow.

Is there anything else

we can do to prepare?

If you could come up with a

list of the positive changes

you've seen in Evans since he came

to you, I could certainly use that.

- Sure.

- Thanks.

You didn't break it did you?

I'm proud of you, Jennie. You took

responsibility, and you made this all possible.

You about ready?

Here, let me help you.

I'm sorry. For everything. For

all the stuff you've been through.

I'm sorry for the way I've

treated you. I didn't know.

Can you forgive me?

Will you let me help you?

All arise. The honorable

Judge Wilson presiding.

Was that it?!

Evans has been placed in twelve

homes over the last seven years.

But his time here has been different. He

finally looks like he is beginning to thrive.

Your Honor, I would like to remind you that

my client is the rightful father of the child.

Nothing in Evans' life has ever been right. By right

he should have had both a family and a good home.

His time with the Border family has been one

of the only right things to ever happen to him.

My client has every legal

right to his own son.

It leads me to wonder how many other children

are out there that Mr. Evans has a legal right to.

Can we leave Evans in a home which

has no means of supporting him?

My client has a stable home, a successful career, and

most importantly, a willingness to take care of Evans.

It would not be in the child's best

interest to allow him to stay where he is,

especially when there is a

much better option available.

And finally may I remind you that Mr.

Evans has no legal right to this child.

Parental rights of the unknown father were terminated

at the same time and for the same reason as the mother's.

Evans is a ward of the state, and it is this court's

responsibility to decide where he would be best placed.

As a representative of

Bridgepoint Social Services,

I am recommending that the Border home is

the best environment for Evans to grow up in.

A child needs a mother and a father.

He has bonded with their daughter, Jennie,

in a way that hasn't happened for seven years.

If we take that way, what message are

we sending? That he's not important?

That love is an illusion?

That we don't care?

Can we really break his heart again?

Thank you for your testimony. We're

now going to take brief recess.

Aaron, can we talk for a minute?

- What do you want?

- What do you mean?

What's your price? I'll give you your

job back, anything. Just let me win.

Why do you want him so much now?

So he'll look good on your resume?

Aaron, I need some peace. Ten years ago I

wasn't ready. I refused to accept the truth.

I couldn't let a child get

in the way. I had potential!

But now, it's all different.

You weren't supposed to take it

this far. Please, let me have my son!

You had your chance. You want

second chances, talk to God.

Uh, we're getting

ready to start again.

And in summary Your Honor, for all

the previously mentioned reasons,

it is in the best interest of the child for him to

be placed in the home of his biological father...

We'll take him.

If you break one more thing

in this house, you're out!

Who is this about Aaron?

It's about winning and

losing, and I'm here to win.

Who is this about Aaron?

Every time he moves, he gets worse.

Hey, Aaron. See ya around, okay?

My client, Vincent Evans. Thank you.

Your Honor, may I say a few words?

What are you doing?

- The right thing, for once. I hope you'll forgive me.

- I'm sorry. What are you doing?

You know, it's funny how clearly I see

things now, but here's where this ends.

I know the standard procedure for

this process is to go on for months.

We'll have hearing after hearing after

hearing until everyone is so sick of Evans,

that a decision will be finally made.

He'll be placed with one or the

other, like a prize or a trophy.

And like so many trophies, he'll

end up on a shelf collecting dust.

Well I for one am not willing to put him through

that. It's time someone did something for him.

I had my chance, and I've never really cared about

Evans. Sure, I did all the right things, or I tried to.

But I can see now that it

was for myself not for him.

I originally opened up my home out of a desire to

please my wife and look good in front of others.

And that's what motivated me through the

months of paperwork and the endless interviews.

I thought maybe, once we got him home,

things would change, but it didn't.

Instead he became my challenge.

And when he proved stronger

than me, I couldn't handle it.

There's been a lot of talk here

about doing the right thing.

And I'm finally going to do

the right thing for Evans.

Vincent, you can have your son. He doesn't

deserve this. And I don't deserve him.

Your Honor, it would be best if this

ended quickly without further complication.

Amy's claims make me sound wonderful,

but I can't sit around any longer

pretending to be someone I'm not.

I'm not his father.

And I never will be.

Well normally at this

time, we'd recess.

I'd go consider the data and, as Mr.

Border said, this could go on for months.

But this appears to be different.

I think the answer is simple.

I have seen Evans in and out

of this courtroom for years now.

I've heard his story.

I've read the reports.

But today I saw something that I've

never seen before in Evans' life.

Selflessness.

Most of the people

around Evans are selfish.

Maybe it's work, maybe it's safety, maybe it's

sleep. Whatever it is, Evans is always second.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes