Brian and I took advantage of our week off. We spent most of our time at home with his family, just spending some quality time together. Some of my favorite moments were spent lying in the hammock with Brian next to me and Baylee asleep in our arms. It was the perfect way to spend Thanksgiving and remind us what we were fighting so hard to save. And during our week-long break, we received news that both Brian and my divorces had been processed and were finalized. John showed up at Brian’s family’s door with the final papers, knowing that we would want to know immediately.

Plus, as the week progressed, Jackie and Harold began to understand why Brian and I were in the situation we were in. Jackie sat me down one evening and told me that she had never seen her son so carefree and happy.

“It’s been a long time since Brian could be himself around someone. He’s always so worried that he’ll make a mistake or let his image slip. It has never been that way around you. It’s like all his worries fade away and all he cares about is being with you and your son. You’re good for him. You always have been,” Jackie told me.

She also told me that anyone who would try to interfere with our love was a fool. By the time Brian and I were getting ready to leave, Jackie was just as excited for Brian and me to be married as we were. I could tell that Brian felt a lot better now that his parents knew the truth and supported him completely.

As soon as we landed, it was off to discuss the case with Jackie. When we got there, though, we got one of the biggest surprises of our lives. For the first time since the beginning of the court proceedings, things were starting to tip in our favor.

*November 28*

“Your Honor, we would like to call Dr. Jorge Alveraz to the stand,” Jackie called, referring to the doctor who had delivered Baylee. We watched Dr. Alveraz make his way to the stand and get sworn in before turning to see Leighanne’s reaction. We watched as Leighanne’s face blanched, all the color siphoning from her skin, leaving her pale and afraid for the first time. She began frantically whispering to her lawyer, trying to find out how this had happened without either one of them knowing.

“Dr. Alveraz, please tell the court what kind of doctor you are,” Jackie requested.

“I am an OB/GYN,” he answered.

“And what is your specialty?” Jackie continued.

“I deal mostly with expecting mothers,” he responded.

“Now, Dr. Alveraz, have you ever seen my client, Brian Littrell, before?” Jackie asked, pointing Brian out.

“Yes,” he replied, glancing at Brian.

“How do you know him?” Jackie pushed.

“He came in with his pregnant girlfriend several years ago.”

“Is that woman here today?” Jackie asked. Dr. Alveraz nodded. “Can you please show the court the woman you are referring to?” Jackie requested.

All eyes shifted as Dr. Alveraz pointed to where I was sitting next to Brian. We heard several gasps in the courtroom, followed by a quiet murmur as people started whispering to one another.

“ORDER!” the judge yelled, trying to regain control on his courtroom.

After the room had quieted, the judge motioned for Jackie to continue. “Have you ever seen the woman sitting over there?” Jackie questioned, gesturing toward Leighanne.

“Yes. She accompanied Mr. Littrell and Ms. Davis during their appointments, but never actually came into the examination room with them,” he explained. “I was later told that she was Mr. Littrell’s wife.”

“Your Honor, I would like to present hospital records and a signed avadavat from Mr. Littrell, Ms. Wallace, Dr. Alveraz, and Ms. Davis, stating that unless given explicit permission by my client, Mr. Littrell, Dr. Alveraz or anyone on hospital staff was not allowed to discuss this particular matter to anyone, no exceptions,” Jackie said, pulling the file from his briefcase.

“OBJECTION! Your Honor, we were not made aware of this new information prior to now,” Leighanne’s lawyer screamed, outraged.

“Your Honor, I have here a signed evidentiary submission form, signed by a member of the opposing counsel’s team,” Jackie presented.

After reviewing the sheet, the judge turned to Leighanne’s lawyer, laying down his decision. “Overruled.”

Brian and I silently cheered, knowing that the tables had just turned in our favor. Whereas before, Brian and I had been discouraged and weighed down, we suddenly felt hopeful for the first time. Over the next couple of weeks, things continued to go our way. We were able to track down a witness to discuss my hesitancy to sign over my rights to Leighanne, and we had my psychiatrist confirm my distorted mental state due to severe depression. We were also, finally, able to find one of Leighanne’s ex-lovers who was willing to testify to his relationship with Leighanne during her and Brian’s marriage. On December 19, both parties finally rested the case, leaving it in the hands of the judge.

Brian and I were waiting nervously in one of the conference rooms while the judge reviewed the case. We had started out at the conference table with Jackie, but when we realized the process was going to take awhile, we found ourselves moving to the couch in the corner to attempt to find some comfort.

“Brian, what are we going to do if we lose?” I asked, my fear finally overpowering my need for quiet.

“We won’t lose,” he told me, confidently.

“How can you be so sure?” I asked, completely bewildered by his seemingly carefree attitude.

He looked down, a half-smile crossing his face. “I just feel it deep down. I should be worried sick, scared about our son’s fate, but every time I feel that worry start to surface, I feel an even stronger sense of calm wash over me. The Lord is trying to tell me that everything is going to be okay,” he tried reassuring me. Despite his attempts, though, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. “Come here,” Brian requested. I looked at him wearily, wondering what he was thinking. “Come here,” he requested again, the smile on his face growing at my reluctance. I maneuvered myself so that I was leaning back against him on the couch, his arms wrapped around my waist, as if to protect me from the rest of the world. “No one is going to take our son away from us. It’s easy to see how much we love him. No one is going to take him away from a loving environment, especially when it consists of both his biological parents. We just have to have faith that the Lord is watching over us and that He knows what He’s doing. Now, don’t think about it anymore. Just concentrate on my voice. Close your eyes and concentrate on the feel of my arms around you. Concentrate on my breathing.” The more Brian spoke, the calmer I found myself becoming. He had always had that kind of power over me, calming me with just a few soothing touches and words. And once he started singing, I was a goner. Before I even knew it, I was fast asleep in his arms, my worries left behind for my return to the waking world.

“Hey guys, wake up. The judge has reached his verdict,” Jackie whispered, shaking Brian and I awake.

We both rubbed our sleep-filled eyes and walked with Jackie to hear the fate of our son. We waited with baited breath as the judge entered the room and commanded us all to be seated. I reached out blindly, searching for Brian’s hand. He squeezed it in a comforting manner as we both listened to the judge’s decision.

“After carefully reviewing the evidence, it is the will of this court that full custody of Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell be granted to Leighanne Wallace,” the judge announced, leaving the entire courtroom in a state of shock. I gazed over at Brian, whose face had fallen as soon as the judge’s decision had been announced. His entire face showed his confusion, and I couldn’t stop the tears that found their way down my cheeks.

How did we lose? How could the judge rule in favor of Leighanne after everything we showed him? How could this be happening? After everything Brian and I had been through over the course of our relationship, hadn’t we proved ourselves and our love enough? I turned my face to the sky, asking God the question that kept replaying itself in my mind. Why?