The Next Best Thing Page #10

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After Abbie and you split up...

did you ever see each other again?

- Maybe one more time?

- I don't know.

What business is it ofyours?

His name's Sam.

- What?

-Just turned six.

- Oh, no way, man!

- Come on. Look. He's got your chin.

I'm an idiot.

I didn't see it before.

Look, ifshe sent you here

looking for money, this isn't

exactly the right time.

No, no. As a matter offact,

she's counting on you having

absolutely no interest at all.

- So what's this got to do with me?

- I need your help.

Hey, Sam!

Slow down!

Ya-hoo!

Come on. Come on. Turn right!

Turn right! Turn right!

- Wow!

- Okay, let's go.

You can't get me!

Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah!

- I can get you back.

- Ha! I got you!

Hey, Kevin.

Glad you could come.

Sam, this is an old friend

of mine, Kevin. Say hi.

- Hi.

- No, say hi properly.

It's very nice to meet you.

Sam. That's a good name.

It's full ofJapanese people.

- Is it true, or are you joking?

- What?

Is that true about the tidal wave?

Will it happen?

- Whoa!

- He calls you Daddy.

I've been his father

since the day he was born.

So what's this

got to do with me?

Mm, I need your help.

- I need you to sue forjoint custody.

- What?

Abbie's getting married.

Her fiianc lives in New York.

She wants to take Sam there.

I can't stop them because

I'm not legally the father.

- I don't think I can

get involved in this.

- No, no, no, no, listen.

I'll pay all the court costs.

I'll pay foryour time,

whatever it takes.

They'll give you joint custody,

and once they do,

we'll make our own arrangement.

I'll take full responsibility for him.

You never have to see him again

ifyou don't want to.

- I can't agree to something like this.

- Hey, Dad!

- Hey!

Please help me.

Please?

This-- This is crazy.

I can't help you. I'm sorry.

Before I announce my ruling...

does anyone

have anything else to add?

I do, Your Honour.

Seems like I've spent my whole life

thinking about blood.

Worrying about blood.

And blood--

Well, it'sjust like sh*t.

We're all full of it.

It's good, it gets bad...

but it's not who we are.

Being a parent--

a real parent--

takes more than DNA.

No one can hand it to you,

and no one can-- can take it away.

I have earned my right

to be Sam's father.

So, no matter what you decide...

Sam is my son...

forever and always.

Mr Whittaker...

I know how deeply attached

you are to this child...

and that you've been

an exemplary parent.

And I personally believe that love

and devotion should not go unrewarded...

but myjob is to adjudicate

the laws ofthe state of California...

and at this time

I have no choice...

but to grant sole custody

to Sam's mother...

Abbie Reynolds.

Are you all right, darling?

Excuse me, Your Honour.

May I approach the bench?

- What's this about?

- Well, my client feels

he has a stake in this case.

- Your client?

- Kevin Lassiter, Your Honour.

- I'm Sam's natural father, Your Honour.

- You're a little late.

I didn't fiind out till last week.

Abbie never told me.

- Is that true, Ms Reynolds?

- Yes.

Your Honour, we'd like to present

evidence proving that Mr Lassiter

has a good steadyjob...

and a sizable extended family

in the area.

Are you asking for shared custody,

Mr Lassiter?

I just want to be able to spend

enough time with him to fiind out.

- I'm asking to know him.

- Counsellors, approach the bench.

- Why didn't you tell me?

- Look, I meant what I said.

I gotta fiigure this out for myself.

I gotta get to know my son.

- Oh, sure, we can--

- No.

This is between me and Sam.

This has nothing to do with you.

Look, I'm just being honest.

In light

ofthis recent development...

I will not renderjudgment

in this matter...

until a custodial examination

is completed.

We will reconvene

four months from today...

on November 1 5th,

and Ms Reynolds...

will have temporary custody

ofthe child...

but will not be allowed

to leave the state of California...

pending further order

ofthis court.

Sorry, Robert.

I know how diffiicult this is.

- You son ofa b*tch!

- Come on. Don't.

- I did what I had to do.

- You had to bring that guy

back into my life...

back into Sam's life forever.

- You gave me no choice, Abbie.

- You had a choice.

You had a choice.

- For as long as you live, you will

never be able to take this back.

- Abbie, let's go. Come on.

Robert, I'm so sorry.

- Hey, Robert.

- Hi, Ben.

How ya doin'?

Don't worry.

I never let him see me.

Look, um, I'm-- I'm sorry

about the way this all--

You know.

- Didn't leave.

- Nah.

I didn't-- I didn't take

the partnership, and I left the fiirm.

You do what you have to, you know?

- How's Kevin?

- We saw him once...

but that was months ago.

- Where's Sam?

- He's inside with Abbie.

- Teacher conference.

- What did he do?

He's got a reading problem.

Won't keep his book right side up.

Thinks his version is better.

- Dad!

- Sam!

- Hi.

- Sam, come back here right now.

- Dad!

- Sam, over here right now!

- But, Mom--

- Get in the car.

D-Dad! Dad!

- Dad!

- Look, uh--

It's too soon.

Maybe someday, huh?

Window.

We really messed up, didn't we?

How's Sam?

He's fiine.

He misses you.

I miss you.

I miss us.

Go have dinner with your father.

- Dad!

- Sam!

- How are you? How are you?

- Great, but no more daddies, okay?

Right.

Just have him back

after dinner, okay?

What do you want to have

for dinner, son? Hmm? Huh?

It's Thursday.

We have roast beast on Thursdays.

You're so right. We do.

- I love you, Sam.

- I love you, Daddy.

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