Jobella: A Story of Loss and Redemption

It has been a very long one and a half years since the first time that I saw this courtroom but it seems like forever. Nothing has changed much since that day. As I sit waiting, I take in all of the sights and sounds of it. It is a beautiful room for a courtroom with its mahogany furniture and hunter green walls and white marble floors. Behind the judges desk there are two stained glass windows. On the right side the window shows the Ten Commandments and on the left side is Lady Justice with her scales held high. This is one courtroom that has made the decision to keep the Ten Commandments on display even though the popular trend now is to remove them or any part of God from public offices. It would be too costly to replace such a magnificent rendering in stained glass.

This is the third time I’ve been in this courtroom. Hopefully it will be my last time at least on this side of the desk in the position of seeking justice for my family and myself. The next time I come hopefully it will be with a law degree in hand representing someone else who needs help as much I have the last two years. Because of the kindness and professionalism of my lawyer, Abigail “Abby” Freeman, I decided to become a lawyer myself with an emphasis in family law.

Today is the hearing that will determine if I will be granted the custody of my twin younger brother and sister, Joshua and Joanna. They will be four years old now. They have lived in foster care for the last year and a half. I’ve heard they are close to their foster parents and have started in pre-school and have made a lot of new friends. They may have forgotten all about their mom, dad and me after this length of time. They say you don’t remember much of what you knew before starting school, but I hope they remember me and what I did was for their own good and that I loved them so much. I want them to come home and live with my “new” family and me. I hope that they will be willing to leave their foster home and come live with me, if everything goes in my favor that is.

I’ve overcome a great deal of heartache and pain since mom and dad were killed but now it’s time to move on with my life. I look at my trembling hands and will them to be still. I twist the bright gold ring on my left hand and remember that at least all of life isn’t dark and hopeless and there are things left that are worth fighting for. To bring Josh and Joanie home to live with my new family and me would be worth every bit of it.