She had been walking around with an assumption that everybody just knew the right thing to do therefore everybody just did it. Never in her wildest dreams would she ever had expected to be one of 'those women' whom she had watched often times on talk shows like Maury Povich and Jerry Springer. She was learning that there really did exist a generation of men and women who had no problem standing before a court of law and swearing before the judge and God to tell the truth yet filling the atmosphere with their half-truths and excuses of why they weren't meeting their obligations.
"Ms. Townsend I see that you have filed a paternity suit against Mr. Jacob Ellis claiming that he is the father of your son…" The judge addressed her first.
"Yes sir, I've asked him to sign the baby's birth certificate acknowledging his fatherhood." She spoke assertively to the judge while being careful not to turn her head to the side and look at Jacob. Without her seeing it she could feel him staring at her with that cocky and disdainful frown on his face as if she were nothing. She ignored him and stayed focused. The Judge then turned his attention to Jacob.
"Ahem… Mr. Ellis are you asserting that the child in question is not yours?" The Judge asked. Jacob lower jaw muscles flexed slightly as he sucked his teeth and made a slightly whistling sound through the small gap between them.
"No sir, I recognized that I am the child's father." He stated all the while slightly poking out his chest and rolling his tongue around in his cheek. She was dumbfounded as her mouth involuntarily dropped opened. She couldn't help but crossing her eyes while a heavy sigh involuntarily slipped from her lungs. Why on earth had he been refusing to sign the baby's birth certificate if he were going to admit paternity? Why was it necessary to escalate their private lives and put them on display in the legal system she wondered?
"Then you do acknowledge your paternity before the court that you are the father to Jayden Eric Townsend?" The Judge asked to clarify that all parties understood what was happening.
"Yes sir, I do." He answered without hesitation. Marla observed his lower jaw flexing and knew that he was grinding his teeth. He was always grinding his teeth when he was uncomfortable in a situation. The Judge scribbled something on the paper before him and then addressed the Bailiff.
"Pass this to Mr. Ellis for his signature." He ordered. The Bailiff did as he was ordered. Jacob hastily signed his name and then passed the papers to the bailiff who then returned them back to the judge who promptly passed them to the court clerk.