The courtroom was colder than it should have been. Like a hospital or a funeral home. The type of cold that settled in your bones and made everything feel a little too real.
Eli Moreno sat with his knees pressed together and his hands stuffed into the sleeves of his hoodie. He wasn't cold, not really, but he couldn't stop shaking. This was the day. The day everything could change, or not change at all.
He glanced down the row. His older brother Noah sat beside him, seventeen and practically a statue in his button-down shirt. He never looked nervous, but the muscle in his jaw had been twitching for the past ten minutes. He hadn't said a word since the drive here. Maybe longer.
Beside him was Ava Moreno, fifteen, her arms crossed tight, chewing the inside of her cheek. She kept glaring across the room.
And at the end of the row sat May Moreno. Eight years old. Her feet didn't touch the floor, and she clutched a stuffed dolphin, Finny, with both hands. She was small, too small to be sitting here, waiting to be told who she belonged to.
"Can we go home now?" May whispered.
Eli whispered back, "Not yet."
"When?"
"I don't know."
The courtroom door opened. Their mother entered, Sandra Romano, wearing a long beige coat and sharp heels that clicked on the polished floor. She didn't even glance their way. Her lawyer, Ms. Alden, followed right behind like a loyal hound.
"She's always late," Ava muttered.
Noah said under his breath. "Look at her. Like she's walking into a photo shoot."
Eli didn't say anything. He just looked at the woman who'd had custody of them for four years. Four long years.
When their parents divorced, everything had been messy. But the court gave her full custody without much of a fight. At the time, their dad didn't have the money or energy to push back. He didn't think she'd keep them away for so long.
But now he was trying. Finally trying to bring them back.
Their dad walked in next. Marcus Moreno. No lawyer. Just a worn-out man in a wrinkled shirt, with bags under his eyes. He gave them a nod. May waved back immediately.
"All rise for the Honorable Judge Harrington," the bailiff called.
They stood. The judge entered, sat, and motioned for them to do the same.
"We are here to finalize the custody arrangements for minors Noah Moreno, Ava Moreno, Elijah Moreno, and May Moreno," she said, shuffling through papers. "Ms. Alden represents Ms. Romano. Mr. Moreno, you are still unrepresented?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Marcus said.
"I would advise you again to reconsider that," she said, eyebrows slightly raised.
"I understand."
Eli felt like his whole body was being crushed. Why didn't Dad get a lawyer? Why didn't he do more?
Mom's lawyer stood, her voice calm and polished. "Your Honor, Ms. Romano would like to present her concerns regarding the children's well-being under Mr. Moreno's supervision."
Ava muttered, "Here we go."
"She believes Mr. Moreno is only pursuing custody out of spite," Alden continued. "After four years of no significant involvement, he now returns with an interest in uprooting the children's lives. Ms. Romano has documented Mr. Moreno's questionable financial dealings, including unlicensed business transactions and connections to known criminal affiliates."
"Uncle Jerry sells edibles. Big deal," Ava hissed.
"Shh," Eli whispered.
May tugged on Eli's sleeve. "What's spite?"
"It means… he's doing it to be mean," Eli said. "Which he's not."
Their mother took the stand. Her voice was soft.
"I've raised them alone for four years," she said. "I know their schedules. Their allergies. Their moods. Their friends. Marcus hasn't been there. And now he wants to rip them from stability because he's bitter. That's not love, Your Honor. That's revenge."
The judge asked if any of the kids wanted to speak. Ava stood before he even finished the sentence.
"My mom is lying," she said clearly. "She screams at us. She hits us. She throws things. She makes us scared to even talk. We want to live with our dad."
"Do you have any physical evidence?" the judge asked.
Ava hesitated. "No videos. But we all remember."
Marcus stood up slightly, hands clenched by his sides. "Asking a child for evidence of abuse?" he said, voice tight but holding back. "What kind of system demands a bruised photo to believe a scared kid?"
The judge didn't respond immediately, only scribbled something down.
One by one, they gave their statements. Eli said his piece, voice shaking. Noah was calm, focused. May just cried.
Then the judge turned to Marcus.
"Mr. Moreno, would you like to respond to the allegations against you?"
He stood. Took a breath.
"I made mistakes," he said. "That part's true. I lost myself after the divorce. I stayed away because I thought it was best. But I was wrong. I've worked hard to fix my life. I just want to be a father to my kids. Not because I hate their mother. Because I love them."
The judge watched him for a long moment. No reaction, no hint at what she was thinking.
They waited another hour before the judge returned with the decision.
"In the interest of stability and based on the evidence presented, the court grants continued full custody to Ms. Romano. Mr. Moreno may petition for supervised visitation. A review will take place in ninety days."
May whimpered.
Their mother smiled. Just a little. Enough for them to see. Enough to make Ava clench her jaw so hard her teeth hurt.
Marcus turned to his kids, crouching so he could see all of them, eye-level. His voice cracked but held.
"I'm sorry, kids. I really am," Marcus said, crouching again so they could see the rawness in his eyes. "But I'm not giving up. I swear to you. I'll get you back. No matter how long it takes."
Eli's throat tightened. His mind buzzed with things he wanted to say but didn't know how to. He wanted to grab his dad and ask a million questions. Why didn't you come sooner? Why didn't you fight harder before? Are you really coming back? Will they let you?
But instead, he just nodded slowly.
Marcus gave each of them one last look. "I love you. Remember that."
Then he stood and walked out of the courtroom. Alone.
And the four of them sat there, together, feeling more alone than ever.
Eli stared at the courtroom doors long after their father had disappeared through them. His legs felt heavy. He wanted to run after him, to beg the judge to take it all back. But he just sat there, chewing the inside of his cheek.
Ava wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She hated crying in front of their mother. She hated giving her the satisfaction. Ava glanced sideways and caught the small, smug curl of Maria Romano's lips. It wasn't a full smile, but it was enough to make her stomach turn.
"Get up," Maria finally said, her voice low but sharp. "We're done here."
May clutched Eli's arm. "I don't wanna go," she whispered.
"We don't have a choice," he whispered back, his voice rough.
Noah, still silent, stood first. He didn't look at anyone. Just picked up his jacket and walked toward the hallway. The others followed, slowly, as if gravity had doubled.
As they stepped out into the courthouse corridor, Maria walked ahead, heels tapping confidently on the linoleum. The kids trailed behind her like shadows.
Eli's mind raced. What would it be like when they got back home? Would she be worse now that she'd "won"? Would she gloat? Would she punish them for everything said in court?
He looked at his sisters, then at Noah. They were still here. Still together. That had to count for something. He remembered what his dad said.
"I'll get you back. No matter how long it takes."
He wouldn't lie. Would he? Even though he failed now, and in the past, that didn't matter. He'd come back stronger. He'd find the proof, bring it to court, and finally they'd be safe. Forever. Right?
They walked in silence to the car, the sound of Maria unlocking it with a sharp beep making May flinch. Eli held the door open for her and Ava, sliding in beside them as Noah wordlessly climbed into the front.
The car ride was silent. No music. No talking. Just the occasional sniffle or shuffle. Eli stared out the window, watching the buildings blur by. He imagined their dad still standing outside the courthouse, staring after them. He wondered if he'd wait there for hours, just in case they somehow turned around.
"Wipe your faces before we get inside," Maria snapped, not looking back. "No one wants to see a bunch of crybabies."
The house looked the same as always, too clean, too cold. As they pulled into the driveway, the weight returned to Eli's chest. Home wasn't supposed to feel like this.
As they stepped inside, Maria slammed the door shut behind them, her anger immediately filling the space.
"You think I don't know what you said in there?" Maria hissed, her voice low. She turned, her eyes cold as they landed on each of them in turn. "You want to ruin me? You want to make me look like the bad guy? I give you everything, and you repay me by-"
Before she could finish her sentence, her hand shot out, striking Eli hard across the face. The shock of the slap left his cheek burning, but he didn't dare move. Maria's gaze was like ice as she turned to May. Without warning, she swung her hand again, hitting May across the face with brutal force.
The slap echoed in the room, and May flinched, tears welling up in her eyes. Maria didn't care. She was only looking for an excuse to vent her fury.
Ava, eyes stinging from the slap, stood her ground, her hands clenched into fists. "You're a terrible person, Maria," she said, voice shaking with the mix of fear and anger. "You think this is going to make you right? You can't just hit us whenever you feel like it."
Maria's face twisted with rage. "You think you can talk back to me?" She stalked forward, grabbing Ava by the collar and slapping her hard enough that Ava stumbled backwards. "You'll respect me, understand?"
Ava's vision blurred with tears, but she didn't look away. "I'm not scared of you anymore," she shot back, her voice trembling but defiant. "You don't get to control us forever."
Maria's eyes burned with fury, but before she could strike again, the door creaked open.
Noah stepped into the room, his face tight with anger. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, glaring at their mother. His tone was sharp, his jaw clenched. He wasn't going to stand by and watch this happen anymore.
Maria didn't even flinch. She stepped aside, gesturing for Noah to step forward. "You think you're in charge, huh? You think you can stop me?"
Noah stood tall, despite the fear gnawing at his insides. "This needs to stop, Maria. You can't keep hitting us. We're not kids anymore."
But Maria's attention was already on Noah, her gaze sharp with disdain. Without saying a word, she turned toward the hallway. "Colton! Get in here."
Moments later, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the house. Colton Romano stepped into the room. His presence was enough to make the air feel dense, as if the temperature had dropped a few degrees. His stature wasn't imposing in the typical sense, but there was something about him, an unsettling calm in the way he carried himself.
"What's going on here?" his voice was a low growl.
Maria didn't waste time. Her voice trembled with frustration. "They're out of control. I don't know how much longer I can take it."
Without a word, his hand shot out, slapping Noah hard across the back of his head. The sound of the strike rang out sharply. Noah staggered but quickly regained his stance, his anger palpable in the way he clenched his fists.
"You think you can talk back to her?" his voice was like gravel, his tone deliberately slow, making each word feel like a threat in itself. He stepped closer, his presence closing in on Noah, suffocating the space between them.
"I'm not a little kid anymore," Noah snapped, his voice defiant. "You don't control me anymore."
Colton's lip curled into a barely perceptible sneer. Without warning, he grabbed Noah by the collar and slammed him into the wall. The impact made Noah's breath leave him, his body buckling under the pressure.
"Watch your mouth," he growled, his grip tightening around Noah's shirt.
Eli's heart pounded in his chest. He wanted to do something, anything, but his feet felt like they were glued to the floor. Ava's hand found his, trembling as she squeezed it tight, her own fear evident in her eyes.
Maria didn't move. She only watched, her expression unreadable.
"You're not too old for me to remind you who's in charge," Colton said, his voice almost a whisper.
Maria turned toward the basement door, her voice biting. "Get in the basement. Now."
Ava's voice cracked as she protested, "No, please, not again-"
Maria silenced her with a sharp shove toward the door, not caring about the begging or the fear. "Move."
The door creaked open, and the cold dampness of the basement hit them like a physical force. The dim light bulb flickered above them as Maria locked the door behind them with a heavy click.
The basement air was frigid, the cold settling into their bones as they huddled together in the dim light. Eli's teeth chattered, and he couldn't stop the shivers that ran through his body. It felt like the kind of cold that could freeze you from the inside out.
"It's so cold," May whimpered, her small voice trembling.
Eli wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. Ava joined them, and Noah followed, sitting down beside them with a heavy sigh. For a brief moment, they all sat there in a quiet embrace, finding warmth in each other despite the bitter chill that pressed in from all sides. Eli felt a strange sense of comfort just by being close to them. Maybe, for now, it would be enough.
May's voice broke the silence. "Do you think… do you think our real dad will help us?" she asked quietly, looking up at Noah with wide, uncertain eyes.
Noah met her gaze, his expression softening as he ruffled her hair. "Of course, he will," he said, his voice firm but comforting. "Dad never stops fighting. He'll do whatever it takes to bring us home."
"But what if-" Eli started, but Noah cut him off.
"No," Noah said, shaking his head, his voice full of conviction. "Until then, we'll stay together. No matter what. No one can take us apart when we're together."
Noah stared at the concrete floor, his mind heavy with thoughts he didn't know how to express. He had promised his siblings that they would be okay, but he wasn't sure anymore. Their dad was fighting, but how long could he last? How long would they last?
Noah glanced up, locking eyes with the others. Their faces were filled with the same hope and uncertainty. But for a moment, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, things would change. They had to.