Barclay Davis - Angela, The Final Act
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| Art by Scopedog |
Judge Ezekiel Stone has called everyone back into his courtroom, presumably to make his decision on who, between Frida or Archie, gains sole custody of their daughter, Angela. Everyone had taken their seats from where they left.
Everyone that is, except Max, who had left the courthouse after listening to Frida tell the court, under oath, that she deeply loves Max. Despite believing her before, Max always wondered if Frida's love for him was real and genuine. But now that he knows the truth, Max left the courthouse, wandering outside in a trance.
And all Frida can think about, at that moment, was "WHERE'S MAX?!!"
Soon, the bailiff, Letitia, enters, and bellows out, "ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE JUDGE EZEKIEL STONE!" Everyone in the courtroom stands, as Judge Stone enters, and, after he's seated, everyone else sits down.
There was an eerie silence in the courtroom, as Judge Stone just sat there without saying a word. He looked to his left, then to his right. Finally, after staring at the people in attendance, the judge produces a small smile, and begins talking.
"I know you're all waiting for me to hand down my decision on who gets sole custody of little Angela. But I have to make a confession here. I haven't made one, yet! Normally, in cases like this, it would have been a straightforward verdict from this bench. But recent developments have made my decision...somewhat complicated. And, because of that, I've had to take a good look at myself. And one of the things I've had to think about was that there's a lot more to consider than just a black and white outcome. People are different and complicated. And sometimes, we have to look at just what's under the surface.
"While Miss Olsen's past would have been a black mark on the outcome, she has proven that the child she has raised on her own, as well as her ability to provide for her, makes her capable of being a mother. While Mr. Sanders has the financial where with all to raise a child, his behavior and attitude has made him a somewhat questionable parental figure." Archie sneered at the judge when he said that.
Judge Stone continued. "That being said, my verdict still hangs in the balance. A stalemate, if you will, on a decision. And with that in mind, there is but one move to make, and I am making it now!
"This court asks that Max Edwards approach the bench immediately please!"
Soon, everyone was looking at Max's seat, which was vacant, as Max had yet to return. There was a lot of murmuring going on from all sides as to what happened to Max and where he went. Some believe he wasn't returning. Then, Frida got up and looked around the courtroom, and started panicking badly, shouting, "MAAAAAX!!!😨😨😨😨😨"
And, just as everything looked as if it might get bad for Frida, Max pops his head into the courtroom, and scans it, left to right. Thinking court wasn't yet in session, Max starts to casually stroll into the courtroom, when Judge Stone yells at Max, "YOU THERE!" Which caused Max to startle scream.
With Judge Stone pointing his finger at him, he says "Are you Max Edwards?"
Max, being put on the spot, starts going "uma-uma-uma...Yeah!" while shaking his head, up and down.
The judge curls his finger at Max, and tells him "Approach the bench, please!"
"Uh...yes, your honor." Max meekly says, as he walks down the aisle, past Frida, Izzy, and the Gang. Soon, Max is standing before the judge, looking and acting very nervous. He was trembling and sweating profusely in front of him, wondering why he would call him up in front of the court. Finally, Max lets out a big gulp, and smiles nervously at the judge.
Judge Stone starts talking to Max. "You seem to be a very earnest and trustworthy individual, my boy! Someone ready willing and able to help others. I can see why the young mother looks at you with love in her eyes and in her heart. And I can tell, just by looking at you, that you would do just about ANYTHING to make that young mother happy.
"Prove it!"
Max seemed rather confused by the judge's request. Judge Stone continued, "Just what do you plan on doing for her, Mr. Edwards? How far are you willing to go to make her the happiest woman in the world?"
Max, still confused with the judge's request, turns to look at Frida, who had a face of concern on her. Then, Max turned to look at the judge, and started pointing his fingers at himself, and at Frida, and started going "Duh, duh-ya mean-like-duhmeanher-and alldaotherkindzuhsy-an..."
"WELL?!!" The judge growls at Max, as his patience is starting to thin out.
Max was just staring at the judge, making that demand of his, with his eyes out and his mouth wide open. Then, Max made a smirking smile on his face and started to laugh. Soon, Max's laughing started building up, until he was laughing maniacally, like the Joker.
The judge tried to get Max to stop laughing, banging his gavel hard to get his attention while screaming, "MR. EDWARDS, CEASE THIS LAUGHING OF YOURS, IMMEDIATELY!!!" But Max never paid heed to the judge, as he was still laughing like a madman.
The entire courtroom was quite taken aback by Max's sudden behavior. Izzy asked Frida, "What. The. He..."
"I don't know!!!" Frida answered.
Archie said to Tyrone, "Uh...that's a good thing, ri..."
"SHUT UP!!!" Tyrone told Archie.
Then, without any more options, and his temper rising, Judge Stone said "BAILIFF?!!"
Letitia responds "SIR!!!" to the judge.
Letitia approached an uncontrollably laughing Max, grabbed him by his suit and started shaking him, while yelling, "Mr. Edwards, SNAP OUT OF IT!!!" Then, Letitia backhands Max's face, with her right hand, which got him to stop laughing.
As he was rubbing his face in from the slap, Max was looking at Letitia, who was sporting an annoyed face at him. Then, while still rubbing his face, Max tells Letitia, "THAAAAAANKS!!!😁😁😁😁😁"
Letitia just rolled her eyes at that, and walked away from Max.
At that point, a very angry Judge Stone started shouting at Max. "MISTER EDWARDS!!!" He says. "Would you care explain to me WHY you find this court's request to be so AMUSING??!!!😠😠😠😠😠"
Max, still smiling and rubbing his cheek from Letitia's slap, chuckled a bit, and told the judge, "Yes I can, your honor!" Max then approaches the judge's stand, reaching for his right pocket on his suit to pull something out, while saying "You see..." He then places it on his bench in front of him, and tells him, "I am SOOOOOOO far ahead of you!😁"
When Judge Stone sees what Max placed before him, his face did this:
Still bug eyed, he looks at Max, who has a very earnest smile on his face.😊
Max then grabs the object off the judge's bench, and places it back in his pocket. He then turns to look at Frida, and says to her "Frida? Could you come over here, please?"
Frida looked quite confused at Max's behavior. Then, the judge, looking at Frida, nods his head to the left as a way of telling her to go to Max. Frida then looks at Izzy, who, as he's looking at her, stretches his arms out to Max to reiterated what Max and the judge asked her. Frida gets up to go to Max, who walks up to her, until they're both standing in front of their table, with Izzy and the Gang looking directly at them.
Max then starts talking to Frida.
"Frida, what you just said here today moved me in ways no other words could have possibly done. It pierced through me and filled me with such unexpected emotions I couldn't begin to comprehend. I could never have imagined just how much I've meant to you, all this time. That I somehow managed to save you.
"Because, the thing is Frida...it was YOU who saved me!"
Frida was a bit confused by that last sentence, as Max continued talking to her.
"I could never have imagined, in a billion years, someone as beautiful and lovely as you could have ever been the slightest bit interested in someone like me. All my life, I've felt nothing good could have ever come my way. I was picked on, harassed, mocked, abused for no reason, other than they felt like it. I was pushed around and laughed at, just for existing. I felt like there was this big sign hanging over my head that said 'LOSER' that I could never shake off. I thought love was for other people. People who were worthy of it, and not someone like me. I felt as if I was doomed to be alone and unloved for the rest of my life." At that point, Frida had grabbed Max's hands and was holding them up to her chest.
"Then you showed up. Looking so incredibly gorgeous. Acting like the sweetest thing that ever existed. I had hoped, for the best, that we could be friends. Because I didn't think you'd find me, at all interesting, much less attractive.
"But here you are! The most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. Professing your love to me inside this courtroom. Telling everyone just how much I've meant to you. Frida, your love for me has changed me in ways I can't even begin to describe. I feel like I'm the luckiest guy in the whole damn world having you with me!" Frida couldn't control her smiling from that, as she started crying over Max telling her how much he loves her.
"Because of you, Frida. I finally found out what love was meant for me. It wasn't mocking me or ridiculing me for existing. It was saving me for when you finally showed up!"
Frida had put her left hand up to Max's face, as Max was rubbing it out of affection. Then, Max continued talking to Frida, saying "And yet...there was always this nagging feeling I had, in the back of my mind...that it was all a mirage. And that I'd find myself without you for good. But after what you just said here today. That feeling was grounded up and blown away like dust in the wind!
"And because of that...I went out and did something impulsively spur of the moment. And I had planned on showing you what I had just done, sometime when all of this was behind us. But now..." Max then was chuckling a bit, as his eyes pointed at Judge Stone, who was starting to get annoyed at Max endlessly talking to Frida.
Max then looks at Frida, and tells her "It looks as if my hand is being forced. Literally!" He then reaches into his right coat pocket to retrieve what he had shown the judge, and says to Frida, "And so..."
Max shows his hands to Frida, as it's covering up the item he wants to show her. He then lifts his top hand to show Frida what it is.
When Frida sees the engagement ring, she almost loses it, as she covers her mouth up with her hands while gasping as loud and long as she's ever done in her life. She then slowly looks at Max with her mouth and eyes wide open as big as Frida could possibly make at him.
Izzy and the Gang are seeing all that, in front of them, and are all reacting like this:
Max, giving Frida a soft, sweet smile, then gets down on one knee, while holding the engagement ring out in front of her, and says to her...
"Frida Olsen...would you please do me the honor of marrying me? So that you could spend the rest of our days together as my beloved wife?"
Frida didn't move a muscle. She was still in shock that Max was proposing to her. After just standing there for what seemed like forever, Frida finally shouted out...
"YESSS!!! YES I WILL MARRY YOU, MAX EDWARDS!!! I SO WANT YOU TO SPEND THE REST OF OUR DAYS TOGETHER AS MY DARLING HUSBAND!!!😍😍😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"
Max's eyes started getting all watery and glassy, and a smile was slowly curling up in his face, after Frida agreed to marry him. Then, Max got up to grab Frida off her feet, hugged her tightly, and started deeply kissing her. The Gang all got up off their seats to wildly cheer Max and Frida becoming engaged.
The courtroom had gotten out of hand, after what had transpired. Archie's side didn't say anything, as they were completely taken aback by Max's marriage proposal to Frida. The only one who wasn't shocked was Angela, who looked so happy that her mommy was going to marry Max. While, on Frida's side, everyone who wasn't on their feet cheering, was taking in all that happiness. Gail and Abigail were hugging their respective Elvises, and Jeffrey and Nancy were wiping the tears from their faces. Principal Brown was smiling and chuckling at Max's marriage proposal to Frida, and even McGilligan, who had rode Max hard early in his teaching career, produced a rare smile at him.
And Marie and Gerald, who had callously left the courtroom early, last time, were crying in each others arms, as the young woman they helped raised was going to marry the perfect man for her.
Frida had broken the kiss to tell Max, "Oh Max! I had always hoped you'd ask me to marry you, I just never thought it would be this soon!"
Max just softly said to her "Guess if you love something so much...you want to hold onto it for the rest of your life!" As they both resumed kissing.
The courtroom was filled with the Gang's cheers, as everyone on Frida's side were still exited over what everyone witnessed. Even the courtroom bailiff, Letitia, was smiling at them. It seems there was a lot of joy and happiness inside.
Until a very loud banging of the gavel was heard all throughout the room.
Judge Stone had a very angry look on his face, as he was trying to maintain order in his courtroom, screaming, while banging his gavel, "ORDER, ORDER!!! I WILL HAVE ORDER IN MY COURT!!!"
After throwing his gavel down in a fit, the judge looks at Max and Frida and says "So, THAT is your answer to my request, eh Mr. Edwards? Very well then. I shall now render my verdict!"
"This court declares that the child, Angela Frida Olsen Sanders, be given full custody...................."
"...to her mother, Frida Olsen. And her future husband, Max Edwards."
When the verdict was announced, Frida put her hand up to her face, with her fingers spread out, as she had the biggest of smiles and her eyes were wide open and glassy as she was about to cry tears of joy. Max was saying 'YESSS!!!' as he was fist pumping the decision. Max then turned to Frida, whom he was still holding in the air, and put her head on his shoulder so that he could keep hugging her.
And with that, the judge grabs his gavel, and announces "Court is now dismissed!" And as he bangs it on his table, everyone behind Frida was cheering wildly her winning custody of her daughter.
Angela then bolts away from Gia's grasp to go be with her mommy. When she gets near her and Max, Angela screams "MOMMEEE!!!" Frida sees her standing next to Max, and emotionally says, "ANGELA!!!!!" Frida quickly gets off Max so that she can hug her daughter.
Over on Archie's side, Tyrone is angrily putting his papers in his briefcase when Archie, looking maniacally desperate and panic stricken, grabs Tyrone by his arm, tightly, and screams wildly at him, "IT'S NOT OVER YET, WE CAN APPEAL THIS DECISION, TAKE IT TO A HIGHER COURT!!!!!"
Tyrone stares directly at Archie, and growls at him, "Well then, you better find someone that doesn't mind representing POND SCUM!!!😠" And walks away from him in disgust, leaving Archie in his tracks.
Then, Archie senses something to his left. He turns to see his father and mother staring at him with the most angriest of looks he's ever seen in his life.😠😡🤬
And, as Archie is looking at his extremely furious parents, he soon realizes that the life he's led, at that point, is OVER for him!😨😨😨😨😨😱
Tyrone then walks up next to Izzy. Izzy then looks at Tyrone and says "Tough loss for ya, Harvard?"
"Me?" Tyrone says. "I rarely lose. But when I do, I take it very personally. I stay awake for nights, obsessing about it, wondering what I should have done differently for a different outcome."
Tyrone then looks at Frida, who's crying tears of joy and making sobbing noises, as she's tightly hugging Angela, and says to Izzy "Buuut, in this case...I don't think I'll have any trouble getting a good night's sleep tonight. Good job, small time." Tyrone then shakes Izzy's hand and leaves the courtroom, as Izzy turns to look at Frida hugging her daughter.
After hugging her for what seemed like forever, Frida looks at Angela. Both had tears streaming down their faces, when Angela said, "Don't cwy mommy. Dere's nuting to be sad abowt."
"I'm not crying because I'm sad." Frida said, her voice all choked up. "I'm crying because I'm happy! You're finally back with me, Angela!"
And as Frida was looking directly at Angela, Max got down on his knee, with his head next to Frida's, on her left, and said to Angela, with the softest of smiles, "You're finally with US now, sweetheart."
"Awe yew weeely gonna mawee my mommy?" Angela asks Max.
"Yes, Angela." Max says to her, as he's hugging Frida. "I really am going to marry your mommy."
Angela just looked at Max, with the biggest of smiles, and said to him, "...DADDY!!!"
Both Max and Frida were completely taken by surprise by what Angela had just said. After looking at each other, Max chuckled a bit and said to Angela, "Yes, well I guess this WILL make me your daddy!" Then the three of them all started hugging together.
The Gang was looking at the three of them hugging together, with joy and happiness. Finally, Victor, who had been perched on Mitch's shoulder since court had resumed, says to the Gang, "I WANT IN ON THE LOVE!" Victor then leaps off of Mitch's shoulder, and lands on the back of Max's shoulders, where he crawls directly inside Angela's arms and is hugging her.
After seeing that, Mitch tells the rest of the Gang "Aw, C'MON EVRYONE, let's all join in on them!" They all get up - Mitch and Paul, Bob and Shontel, Pete and Carrol, Sam, Mo, and Jasmine, Gloria and Al, and Martha and Clyde - and went up to the four of them to engage in the biggest group hug anyone has ever seen.
Judge Stone had just cleared off the top of his desk and had gotten up to leave, when he was surprised to see the group hug in front of him. Then, after a moment, the judge turned to his right to leave. But he was stopped in his tracks by his bailiff Letitia, who had a sly smile on her face for the judge.
"Yes, bailiff?" the judge says to Letitia.
"I'm surprised at you sir!" Letitia says to the judge. "You're just walking away from that, without so much as a word to them."
Judge Stone looks back at the group hug and says to Letitia, "Yes, well. As someone wiser than me once said. Without love, nothing else matters."
"You seem to be getting a little soft there, your honor." Letitia said, still with the sly smile on her face.
"Don't ever spread THAT around, Letitia!" Judge Stone tells her.
"Understood!" Letitia says, as they both exchange high fives, and the judge is on his way out, leaving Letitia to look happily at the group hug.
And in the heart of the group hug, Victor tells Angela "See Angela? I told ya I'd get ya back in yer mommy's arms!🦀😁"
Angela had a huge smile at Victor, with tears were falling down her face, as she said to him, with a choked up voice, "...tank yew, Victor!" Victor was quite touched by Angela's thanks to him, as they hugged each other tightly, as did the rest of the Gang.
***
In the end, things couldn't have worked out better for Frida and Max. But gaining custody of Angela created it's own set of problems, as Max's one bedroom apartment was too small for the three of them, and Victor, to live in. So, in a smart move, it was decided they would all move out of Max's apartment and into Frida's old place, as she was still holding on to the lease she had signed.
There was also the matter of custody, now that Frida has Angela. So, with Izzy's help, Max and Frida signed official papers that made Max a co-dependent of Angela's, along with Frida.
And, after that, Angela referred to Max as her daddy!😁
Next, was Max and Frida's wedding. It took place in the summer, outdoors at Broadview Park, where the weather couldn't have been more perfect to hold a wedding. Max was standing at the altar, in a white tuxedo, while his groom mates - Mitch, Bob, Sam, and Pete - were in black tuxedoes. Victor was perched on top of Mitch's right shoulder, as they were both standing next to Max's left. Frida's bridesmaids - Gloria, Shontel, Martha, and Carol - were all dressed in pink.
The service had many visitors in attendance. Hirsh was there, as well as most of the faculty members of Danforth High, such as Principal Brown and Vice Principal McGilligan. Gail and Abigail were there as well as their Elvises, along with Jeffrey Robinson and his wife Nancy. Some of the people that attended school with Max were there too, like Wayne and his wife Janet, as well as the rest of the former bullies that used to pick on Max, as well as his old friends Maria, Kevin, and Marcus, and their significant others.
Soon, a limo drove up to let some passengers out. First was Gerald Webster, who was going to lead Frida down the aisle as the father of the bride. Next out was Angela, who Gerald had picked up out of the limo, and who was the flower girl to lead Frida and Gerald.
Then, Frida came out. She wore a strapless wedding gown that fitted nicely around Frida's fit, toned body, with a long train that followed her. Frida's hair was done up exactly the way it was when Max first saw her. Max couldn't believe how beautiful she looked in her dress.
Then, the minister conducted the wedding. After exchanging their vows, they put each others' wedding rings on - with Gloria handing Frida her ring for Max, and Victor handing Max his ring, that Mitch had given him. After putting their rings on, the minister pronounced them husband and wife. And Max and Frida kissed passionately for the first time as a married couple. After the dinner and party, Max and Frida were off on their honeymoon.
But it would not be the end of Max's good fortunes.
A year after they married, Mike McGilligan stepped down as Danforth vice principal to take up the position of principal at a middle school. His position was filled by Max, whom McGilligan hand picked for the job, and who he wished all the best of luck in his new job.
Max continued on as Danforth vice principal, until James Brown retired as its principal. Where he was replaced...by Max!
Max proved to be successful as Danforth's principal, making sure his students needs are looked after, while running the school extremely well. Frida continued in her role as teacher, receiving many kudos, as well as honors and rewards, for her outstanding work at Danforth.
Their success allowed for them to buy a house. By then, Angela was growing into a beautiful young woman in her own right, where she and Victor remained very close friends. So much so that Angela became a vegan out of respect for Victor. She was later joined by two other siblings of Max and Frida's, as well. A brown haired, green eyed girl named Natasha, and then a blonde, blue eyed boy named Tyler.
In the end, Max became a success. A far cry from when he started, as he struggled as a teacher and at life. But fate has a strange way of guiding people. For Max, his trip was a long and, more times than not, difficult one for him. There were far more bumps and bruises for him than triumphs. But, in the end, with Frida by his side, Max reversed that, and experienced far more success than setbacks, and was able to grow into the person he had hoped to become.
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| Art by Scopedog |
For someone who thought they weren't worthy of anything, Max Edwards ended up a man who earned everything!
The End