Chapter 38

Thank God she paid attention in biology. "Your honor, if we are going by semantics and technicalities Mr. Dwight still does not have any rights to them"

"How so?" the judge asked twisting his chair so as to face her.

"Science has proven that, the egg splits two to three weeks after conception for twins. And as these are identical twins, they were sharing the same uterus. Technically making them one big baby"

"Your honor is this a science lesson?" Patrick cut in.

"Yes and I would very much like to hear it. Please continue Ms. Lockhart"

"Thank you. As I was saying, the probability of knowing immediately that a woman is having twins, early in a pregnancy is rare, down right to impossible. Doctors have been known to miss the heartbeat of another baby up to the last week of the third trimester. Regardless, the best advisable time to find out how many babies a woman is carrying is after 8 weeks, even then there is doubt. So until the eighth week of pregnancy, the babies are still considered as one child" pausing to let it all sink in.

"Furthermore, when Ms. Reyes signed the contract she was 5 weeks pregnant. Not eight. By technicalities she was carrying only one child. The child he, Mr. Dwight signed away"

"Your honor this is ridiculous" Tracey hastily interrupted.

"Please go on Ms. Lockhart" Judge Mathis demanded, ignoring the outburst of the opposing lawyers. The judge nodded not knowing where she was going with this. But he liked it.

"Also, there is no history in the last 30 years of either Ms. Reyes or Mr. Dwight's families ever having twins. And identical ones at that. One could say that it was a miracle that Ms. Reyes had twins. So, it is no surprise why they overlooked the fact that she could be carrying multiple babies. So by a stretch, we could say that the contract was made solely for one child, just as it should be. In Childers vs. Baywriths, the Baywriths sued their surrogate Childers, for breach of contract because they had asked for a child not twins"

"Also opposing counsel, has no right or mind to claim the child they had not signed for. In Bonarez vs. Fredman, Natalie Bonarez got to keep her son, because Fredman only paid the surrogate Bonarez, for one child, not two. By law the baby was hers. So, Collins signed off the rights of his child. The other child is the mother's. The-he baby is in the custody of the mother and since we cannot possibly tell which baby Mr. Dwight signed for as the Reyes boys are identical with matching DNA's all rights go and still remain with Ms. Reyes.

Either way he has no right to them" Finishing her monologue.

And sitting back. She could not help the smile that graced her lips. Collins looked mad.

"I tend to agree with you Ms. Lockhart. Does the plaintiff have anything else to add before I give my ruling?"

Yes. Your Honor, in the mid-2000s Mexico, Canada and the United States came together to pour money into a failing company that employed thousands of people. So we argue for the restoration of the parental rights because of economic reasons."

Okay this should be interesting. Collins started grinning.

"On what grounds." The judge replied

"On the grounds that Mr. Dwight provides a credible and considerable amount of income for the American economy"Patrick answered

"So as such we should give him a prize? There is a reason why he is a billionaire. And why every year we have magazines and awards to give to the business savvy" Nina said.

At this the Jude and the judge chuckled.

"No. Ms. Lockhart. On the grounds that Mr. Collins can no longer conceive" Patrick retorted.

"Excuse me?"

"Mr. Collins had an accident that rendered him unable to have children. These kids are his only mark"

"And how exactly does the children come into this?"

"Your honor these kids are going to be the next heirs and successors of the Dwight Empire."

"Really?" he asked incredulous

"Yes"

"As such they need their father in their lives to be trained in order to be able to take over the company" Patrick continued.

"Your honor, is opposing counsel saying they need the children to run the empire of the Dwights"

"Your honor, Dwight Industries employ over a thousand Americans alone and more worldwide" they continued

"What does it have to do with the Reyes twins?" Nina asked.

"Their vital to the American economv" Patrick argued.

"And the American economy needs two little kids to be successful?" Nina scoffed.

"Yes. They are the heirs to the empire. They will be tasked with taking over the empire.

"I see"

"Your honor, that is just ridiculous. If Mr. Collins wants heirs he can have them" she argued.

"Ms. Lockhart I do not think that you would be so insensitive"

"I am not. If he really wants heirs he can adopt. Or he can just leave the Reyes everything in his will, like the Good Samaritan"

"Your honor that would not be necessary"

"And why not" Nina asked.

She laughed "he does not need to adopt when he has kids.

"Does Mr. Dwight have something against adoption?" Nina asked slyly.

"Of course not"

"Then why does he not want to adopt?" she baited.

"Because he has kids!" Patrick near screamed. He didn't think that it would be this difficult.

"No he doesn't. Mr. Collins signed over his parental rights. He has not been active in their lives ever. The only reason he wants them is because he is impotent" she argued.

"Your honor" Patrick yelled, standing up from his seat in anger.

Raising her hands in mock surrender "Sorry, statement retracted"

"Your honor if you grant this you will be giving way to a mountain of problems and many altercations. A place where, contracts and bonds that our institution and our empire has been based, can easily be broken. A pandemonium for all business and foreign relations. One where contracts can be disrupted and dissolved, simply because someone feels like it. It will upset the whole system. Even the precious economy that the opposition care about" Nina spoke

The judge nodded his head in understanding.

"And secondly, if this is granted, the security of adopted children will be damaged. If Mr. Dwight really wants children he can adopt. There are millions of children who would love a family with him. But he does not want to why? Because he cares about his bloodline. Your honor, that is important but what message will it send out there that adopted children are second class citizens to biological children. Abuse will reign"

The judge was silent.

"We will reconvene in an hour" then he got up and went into his chambers.

For the next hour, Nina, looked through all the files. Funny Jude had gone out and was since not back. She briefly saw him on his phone. She briefly saw Collins and his family.

Making their way out of the room.

Collins was freaking out. He had no idea what the judge was thinking. He thought that this would just be an easy and shut game. But now he had no idea what was passing though the judge's mind.

The minutes passed. And the bailiff called them back into the room. The judge was ready to give his verdict.

"I have granted this case standing. We will reconvene in two months to go over. At this I highly suggest the plaintiff hire a mediator to work with the defendant to come to a conclusion If it does not happen then this will go to trial"

Jude came walking into the room. "Your honor, I have something to add to the case" walking up to the courtroom.

"Yes?"

"I have just been on the phone with my client."

"Ms. Reyes" the judge stated.

"Yes but particularly Mr. Sinclair her fiancé"

"Your honor, we will be amending our claim" Jude stated.

Nina looked at him weirdly.

"To what exactly?"

"It will now be Dwight vs. Reyes and Sinclair.

Everyone looked at him confused.

"Please explain Mr. Ikichwa"

"As of next week, Juan David and Mario- Jose Reyes will become dual citizens" he explained.

"Excuse me?" Everyone asked in confusion

"Their mother, that is Diane Reyes, has come to the conclusion that it would be beneficial for the boys to have dual citizenship. American and Colombian"

"And the laws in Colombia will grant them that" Nina whispered. Understanding dawning on her face. She looked to Esther and gave her great big smile.

"Okay?"

"And how does this affect us?" Tracey asked confused. And she didn't like it. They were up to something. She knew it.

"Well your honor, you know how difficult it can be to have dual citizenship so it was advised that she give her and her children's American citizenship up"

"What!" Everyone screamed.

"For now" he pretended to quickly explain.

"So as of tomorrow the Reyes family are now Colombians.

With no ties to America or any Americans" he continued to explain.

"Your honor. They can't do that. Can't you see what they are doing" Collins yelled.

"Sit down Mr. Dwight. Mr. Ichikwa continue"

"Your honor, you have to understand that this was for pure simplicity reasons. It was a long and tedious line and this is all legal"

"They are doing this so they can avoid a trial. If they became Colombian we don't have jurisdiction and they escape" Patrick yelled.

"Oh but there will be a trial. Rest assured that you will get your trial" Jude interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

"There will be a trial. The only difference is that the boys will have dual citizenship. So there can be a trial"

"How?" the judge asked.

"Well, Colombian laws allow children to be adopted and listed as their parents. The process is already underway and a week from today the Reyes boys will be American again. And Diane will get a work visa and will be able to stand if this does

go to trial"

"Care to enlighten us on how?" the judge pushed. He was really starting to enjoy this case.

"Well, four days from now, Mr. George Sinclair will be the adoptive father of Juan David and Mario Jose Reyes. Or Should I say that Juan David and Mario Jose Reyes-Sinclair.

Granting them both American citizenship" he said with a smile.

Right there and then Nina could have kissed Jude. And Collins, his family could kill him.

"Well played" the judge said smiling a little bit.

"Well as such the claim is amended. I probably will see you all in two months. Have a good day" picking up his stuff he left the room.

Getting his coat, he gave a sharp nod to the opposing council, knowing that they wanted nothing more than to kill him.

He gave Nina and Esther an arm each. And walking from the court room he said quietly to the giggling ladies

"And that is how we play"