Yours, Mine & Ours | Lumani
Featuring: Khamani & Luna Smith with Taylor Young & Camila Castillo de Leon; mentions of Cannon Young-Carter Location: Superior Court of California; San Francisco, CA Time Frame: Early afternoon; May 19, 2023 Notes: The 6-month return to court and the judge’s final ruling
Khamani
Khamani's full energy and demeanor had been different this time in court. While he'd been too nervous to feel wholly hopeful last time, this time he carried more confidence in himself. Cannon was being watched in a separate room by the social worker but the judge had paperwork from said social worker and was currently reviewing it while Khamani stood beside his wife as well as their attorney, Camila. Across the way from them stood Taylor with a look that almost conveyed indifference. She had a scowl but it was subtle; Khamani was familiar enough with it but wasn't paying her much mind. He was facing forward and watching the judge quietly read line by line through the social worker's evaluation. The near silence in the courtroom was a bit unnerving but Khamani stood patiently, hand holding Luna's.
Luna
Luna couldn't believe she had lost all hope in Taylor. The girl that had shown up at her job practically begging her for help was nowhere to be found. It was like she never existed, and while Khamani and many others had warned her of this, she felt betrayed. Luna loved Cannon with every fiber of her being meaning she'd fight tooth and nail for him if she had to but that also meant that she wanted to preserve his natural family for his sake and well, even for Taylor's. Knowing that the latter didn't want the same and seemed to be uncaring about how this affected her son made her even angrier. She tried to look over in Taylor's direction but knew it is futile to attempt to understand the woman. She was cruel and it was becoming certain to Luna that Taylor never cared about Cannon. Giving Khamani's hand a gentle squeeze, Luna rolled her shoulders back and shook off her disgust.
Khamani
Although he hadn't turned to face Luna right away, Khamani acknowledged, Luna's hand squeeze by gently circling his thumb along her skin while his yes remained fixed on the judge. He'd read the judge's name placard for what was likely the dozenth time, and he watched her lips move while she read the social worker's evaluation to herself. Near the end of it, the judge lifted her gaze in Taylor's direction and then lowered her gaze to the page again. As her eyes kept moving over the page, she said, "Ms. Young, I show here that during the last visitation, which had been around Cannon's fourth birthday, that you only stayed for approximately fifteen minutes and then left suddenly, even though the visitation was scheduled for two hours. Is that correct?"
Taylor gave a terse, "Yes, your honor," in response.
"Why did you leave?"
Taylor drew in a slow breath before telling the judge that something came up.
The two went back and forth before the judge essentially forced Taylor to admit to her own carelessness when it came to prioritizing other matters ahead of her son. The reminder made Khamani tighten his free hand into a fist but he continued to display a neutral demeanor while the judge continued pulling highlights from the social worker's evaluation. She then turned her attention to Khamani and Luna.
"Mr. and Mrs. Smith, it's my understanding from this evaluation that the two of you have been primarily caring for Cannon. In addition to the supervised visitation, the previous court order included monthly financial support be provided by Ms. Young. Have you received any payments from her?"
Luna
Luna listened to the back and forth, disappointed in Taylor and wanting nothing more than for this to end. She couldn't believe a mother wouldn't do everything in her power to spend time with her child. Especially on his birthday. Once the judge began to address them, she looked up and bit the inside of her cheek at the question. She knew the response. Taylor had not come through for Cannon in any way. If anything, Luna had the gnawing feeling that she only wanted to take advantage of the situation and get money from Khamani. She shook her head gently and waited for Khamani to verbalize what she was thinking.
Khamani
Khamani wished he could have gone into detail about all of his thoughts and experiences with Taylor but he knew it wasn't the time nor the place. All he had to do was answer the judge's question and if she wanted to know more than what was in the sociak worker's report, she would ask. Answering the question on the payments, he said, "No, your honor. We haven't received any money."
He'd seen Luna shaking her head from his peripheral vision and now, he saw the judge doing the same thing. The judge's head shakes, however, were directed at Taylor. "Ms. Young, is it in your interest to maintain any sort of relationship with your son?"
Taylor turned a neutral expression to the judge and took her time before responding, "I don't know. He probably doesn't want a relationship with me anymore. I doubt he even knows who I am anymore if Khamani and his girlfriend hav-"
The judge cut her off, "Ms. Young, I didn't ask you about Mr. Smith or his wife. I asked if you still wanted a relationship with your son. But your answer, along with your lack of financial support you've provided the last six months--which was court ordered by the way-- and your lack of interest in the visitations that you were allowed in the last six months all tell me that no, you have no interest in maintaining a relationship with Cannon. In addition, your choice to leave during the one visitation you requested around his birthday? All of that adds to the accusations that were cited when the initial custody case was made."
"What accusations?" Taylor nearly demanded, cmface screwing up in confusion.
"Neglect, Ms. Young. Evidence of neglect had been found and cited against you in the initial hearing. Thay is why I am granting full custody of Cannon Young-Carter to Khamani Smith as of today. In addition, Ms. Young, I hereby revoke your parental rights of Cannon Young-Carter. All rights under the law from this day forward belong solely to Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith, the courts will issue a copy of the custody papers to you and your attorney today." The judge then looked to Taylor, "Ms. Young, I'm also placing you under arrest for a failure to comply with the court ordered payments that were issued to you from the previous hearing. You will serve thirty days in the county jail, after which, if you do not comply with the payments, you will be ordered to serve one hundred-twenty hours of community service." And with a swift bang of her gavel, she adjourned the hearing.
Luna
Luna kept her silence, worried about the outcome of all of this. She hated that Taylor didn't seem to be remorseful or that she cared about the obvious neglect. It was like she was living in her own dream world. As the judge continued, she listened intently, keeping her hand in her husband's, silently supporting him the best she could. Ideally, he would gain full custody of Cannon but she worried there'd be more compassion towards his natural mother but the more she listened, the more she began to realize the judge was definitely on the right side. Glad that Khamani was granted full custody, she looked up at him and nodded before looking back at the judge. She didn't expect the jail time even though she probably should have and Luna tried not to look at the woman she truly hoped would be there for Cannon. Turning to thank Camila, Luna shook her hand and then faced her husband. "Oh God. We did it."
Khamani
As the judge rose from her seat and the baliff approached to escort a gaping Taylor from the courtroom, Khamani watched with a split second of surrealism flashing through his mind. And then, he faced Camila to also shake her hand and quietly thank her. He knew she would still be helping him out but today was a massive step for him, Luna and Cannon. Khamani set his attention to his wife, wrapping both arms around her and hugging her, very nearly lifting her off of the ground, "He's ours, baby," he whispered, head bent to the crook of Luna's neck. Once he knew that Taylor was out of the room, he drew back and told Luna, "I've asked Camila if she could help us with something else though and she agreed. And now that Taylor doesn't have parental rights, it's gonna get a lot easier." Smiling a bit, he took both if her hands in his and said, "I've asked Camila to help us file a petition to the courts for you be able to legally adopt Cannon as yours. We can handle this at the same time as his name change."
Luna
Luna was in complete shock but also relieved that everything had happened quickly enough for her not to react for too long. She was more focused on her son and her husband and when he turned to hug her, she couldn't contain her happiness, giggling softly when she was lifted off the ground. "He's ours." Luna's heart almost leaped from her chest, she had always known Cannon was hers. It was something she didn't know how to put into words but this made it feel written in stone. As she tried to gather her emotions, Luna's eyes welled up with tears and she thanked Camila as well, extending her hand at first only to move in for a hug. When her attention was back on Khamani, she listened intently, nodding as he spoke. When he explained what he had requested from their lawyer, Luna couldn't stop the tears anymore. "What? Really?" It was all she had ever wanted. "I get to be his mommy? It would be such an honor..." Luna nodded and her gaze flickered over towards Camila. "Thank you so much."
Khamani
Khamani was attentive to Luna, eyes darting between Luna's pair as he spoke to her and gauged her reaction to his plans for Luna to legally become Cannon's mother. He'd seen the tears in her eyes before he'd delivered the news and lifted his hands to wipe her tears. With a breathy chuckle, he nodded, "Yeah, really. You've already his mama in every way that's ever mattered to him thus far. But if we can make official in the eyes of the law, that's gonna mean a lot more. Not just to him but to me too." Khamani loved Luna and he loved Cannon. He knew from his work as a detective, and his more recent and immediate involvement with his own parental status that there were rights that came with being a child's legal parent or guardian. "I want us both to be Cannon's parents, Sunshine. Like we've already been. And... if something were to ever happen to me, I wanna know that Cannon's still gonna have his mama in his life."
Luna
Luna was already a mess, her mascara all over the place, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't help it. This was such a sensitive and important topic to her. Luna wanted nothing more than to be Cannon's mother legally and knowing that she would have that chance filled her with a happiness she couldn't describe. Hearing Khamani's explanation did make her slightly sad. The thought of not having him in their lives gave her an ache that she never wanted to experience. "I will be the best mama I can be for that little boy. I've loved him since the first day we met and I'll take care of him...always."
Khamani
Khamani kept running the length of his thumb under his wife's eyes. "You already are, baby." And he bent down and kissed her forehead. "Now we just need the law to recognize it. In the meantime, let's go get our son." He kissed the corner of one of her eyes and then held her hand while escorting her out of the courtroom so they could meet up with Cannon and the social worker, and take care of whatever was necessary for the trio to go home. Together.
