Nora marched right up to the judgeâs front door and rang the bell.
âNora, I donât want you getting into trouble for me.â Lance took her hand. âLetâs go. I can figure my own problems out.â
âYou can go if you want, but Iâm staying. Iâm not happy unless Iâm getting in trouble. Donât you want me to be happy?â She gave him her most ingratiating, innocent, and utterly fake smile.
âYouâre evil.â
âWell...obviously.â She patted him on the cheek as patronizingly as she could. Mrs. B. opened the door and gave Nora a look of surprise.
âHello there, dear. I didnât think you had an appointment tonight.â Mrs. B. ushered Nora and Lance inside.
âNo appointment. Is the judge home? I need to talk to him about a legal issue.â
âDid you get arrested again?â Mrs. B looked like a worried mother hen.
âNo, I promise. Not this week. Not yet, anyway.â
âThatâs good to hear,â Mrs. B said. âThe judge is in his office. Go on in.â
Nora thanked the woman, and she and Lance headed back down the hall. Nora found Judge B at his desk, his nose buried in a massive legal tome. He gave her a beatific smile as she walked in.
âMiss Nora, what brings you here?â He came around his desk, and kissed Nora on the cheek.
âI need a favor, Judge. Or maybe just legal advice.â
âDid you get arrested again?â he asked, giving her a stern look.
âWhy does everyone always ask me that? Donât answer that,â she said. âJudge B., this is Lance. Heâs my bodyguard, and heâs got a problem. Tell him your problem, Sailor.â
âIâm all ears,â Judge B said, motioning Nora and Lance to sit. They moved books off the chairs and sat down while the judge sat on the edge of the desk and gave them his full attention.
Lance told the judge the same story heâd told Noraâthe quick marriage, the deployment, the daughter, the wound in his back and the surgeries, the wife whoâd withheld sex, the pornography and the custody fight, the only fight Lance had ever lost.
The judge nodded as he listened, asked a few questions here and there. At the end they all sat in silence waiting for the judgeâs verdict.
âSon...â the judge finally said, âyou got screwed.â
Lance laughed and shook his head. âI did and it was the worst sex I ever had.â
âAll this over some porn?â Judge B. sounded disgusted. âWho doesnât watch porn?â
âBlind people?â Nora offered her best and only guess. âAnd Lance wasnât even watching the really good porn.â
âSubspace.com?â the judge asked, sound disappointed. Personal experience, no doubt.
âThat. Canât stand that tame shit,â Nora said. âThe good stuffâs on Kinkster.com.â
âItâs pay-per-view, though,â Judge B. said.
âBut itâs worth every penny. Theyâve got the best group sex vid on there. Lots of feet action.â
âCan you send me the link?â
âExcuse me,â Lance interjected. âAre we talking about my legal situation or where to find the best kinky porn?â
âWhy canât we talk about both?â Nora asked Lance who replied with only a glare. âFine, back on subject. So Lance got screwed. What can he do about it?â
The judge adjusted his glasses as he spoke.
âI can help. Definitely. If everything youâve told me is trueââ
âIt is,â Lance said.
âThen there is some hope. I know the judge you hadâHawkins? Hate that self-righteous bastard. He sides with the mothers in 95 percent of his cases no matter what the circumstances. I can suggest a good attorney, and weâll get your case moved to another judge. Weâll have to petition the court for a new hearing based on new circumstancesââ
âWhat new circumstances?â Lance asked. âNothingâs really changed.â
âConsidering your fitness as a parent was called into question, youâll probably need a psychiatric evaluation, a thorough one. Once the psych eval clears you of being an unfit parent, then youâll have plenty of ammunition in your fight.â