Custody Battle

**Summary:** Trifa's parents get into a custody battle with the man who claims to be her father.

**(We open up on a party in a flashback. Everyone is dancing, drunk, or both. All except one young man, who stands awkwardly off in a corner, next to his dancing friend.)**

**Jared Edwards:** I don't...I don't want to be here, Joe...I think...I want to go home...

**Joe:** Ah, come ooooooooon Jared! Get into the \*hic\* party! Woo...

**(Jared awkwardly leaves the room and heads into an empty hallway. He takes a deep breath. Suddenly, he hears someone behind him.)**

**Tiffany Andersen:** Ooooooh, you're real hot, ya know that...

**(Surprised, Jared whirls around to see a younger Tiffany, drunkenly stepping towards him.)**

**Jared Edwards:** Oh! Um...thank you?

**Tiffany Andersen:** 'm sure ya woulden min' if I...

**(She comes even closer to him and takes his hand. Jared, now creeped out, turns to leave, but he's pinned against a wall. His eyes widen with fear.)**

**Jared Edwards:** No- Let- Go!- Please!

**Tiffany Andersen:** Ah, relax, it'll be fun!

**(She comes closer. The screen fades to black as we hear a shrill shriek.)**

**(Cut to Serenity Mania 5 years later sometime after Tiffany's trial, working until she gets a phone call.)**

**Serenity Mania:** Dr Serenity Mania speaking.

**Jared Edwards:** Excuse me, but are you the one who adopted Trifa?

**Serenity Mania:** Yes, why?

**Jared Edwards:** I'm father.

**Serenity Mania:** WHAT?!

**(The camera cuts to the family home. Yue chugs down another glass of wine.)**

**Yue Liang:** Trifa's father wants custody of her?!

**Serenity Mania:** It's crazy I know. And he's just reaching out now?! I don't get it.

**Yue Liang:** They want us to appear in court tomorrow maybe we can sort this out.

**(The camera cuts to the next day at court, Jared is waiting nervously. He never met his daughter and knows nothing about the people who adopted her. Yue, Serenity and Trifa finally walk in. Jared is confused he goes up to them.)**

**Jared Edwards:** Wait, which one of you is the one who adopted her?

**Serenity Mania:** We both did.

**(Jared notices wedding rings on their ring fingers.)**

**Jared Edwards:** Oh, so you two are...alright then.

**Lawyers:** All rise for the esteemed Judge Mallory.

**Judge Mallory:** Order, order. Case number 67CC-A. Jared Edwards vs Serenity Mania and Yue Liang for the custody of Trifa Liang-Mania.

**Jared Edwards:** Your honor, as the child's biological father, I implore you give me custody of her. It is by my parental right and with her mother now sentenced to 40 years in prison. She should be handed to the person who is closest to her.

**Yue Liang:** In our defense, we won the right to adopt Trifa with the consent of her mother who never wanted her and abandoned her. Yet you never came for her or looked for her and now you come in out of the blue hoping to have her back?

**Jared Edwards:** It's my right too! You may have won the right to adopt her but that can still be taken. Your honor I argue that my child is being raised in an unfit environment! The people who adopted her are unfit to be parents!

**Serenity Mania:** First of all, there was never a mention of her father in her papers and secondly who are you to say we are unfit because of who we are.

**Judge Mallory:** Everyone, please calm down. You both have good arguments but it is ultimately up to the inspection of the child and home in order to revoke the couple's custody of Trifa. Dismissed!

**(The judge bangs down her gavel. The camera cuts to the Ministry of Child Welfare where Trifa is being assessed.)**

**Woman:** Can you tell me about yourself?

**Trifa Liang-Mania:** Oh okay! I like to sing, I can fence, I love gymnastics! My mamas and aunts always hug me when I'm sad and they kiss my booboos. They tell me bedtime stories, they love me. I love my mamas

**Woman:** Tell me about your parents.

**Trifa Liang-Mania:** My mama is a doctor she makes people smile and she gives candy if you're good! My other mama does makeup for pretty ladies!

**Woman:** What about school?

**Trifa Liang-Mania:** I have lots of friends! I have 17 gold stars on my star chart! I love art class, math class, science class, French and story time! My mama would make cupcakes and bring them in on my birthday.

**(An IQ test is then performed on Trifa and the results come out.)**

**Lawyer:** The assessment shows that Trifa, despite having been traumatized by her biological mother's rejection, is a happy and healthy child mentally and physically. Her IQ is 143.

**(Jared begins to sweat, was he wrong? No, there has to be more to it. The camera cuts to the home inspection, the assessor and Jared arrive at a luxurious townhouse in Eaton Square. Jared's jaw drops.)**

**Jared Edwards:** Um....how much do they make?

**Assessor:** From our records, the residents here are of course Dr Mania, her life partner, her younger sister who is currently a student at Kentson High and Trifa. Dr Mania earns about £155,000 per year as she is a pediatrician and lecturer at several universities, her life partner earns £94,000 per year as a popular makeup artist and stylist.

**(Jared's jaw drops upon hearing those figures. They walk inside the house and they see Yue and Serenity are doing their respective work, Serenity preparing slides for a lecture and Yue designing the looks for an actress. Marisol is upstairs doing her homework but they don't see Trifa anywhere. They hear someone inside one of their studies.)**

**French Tutor:** Very good, Trifa! Now can you say 'Blue is my favorite color'?

**Trifa Liang-Mania:** Le bleu est ma couleur préférée.

**French Tutor:** Very good! Très bien!

**Yue Liang:** Trifa! I made you some apple slices!

**Trifa Liang-Mania:** Thank you mama!

**(She gives Yue a hug and is followed by a kiss on the forehead by Serenity. They walk throughout the house assessing everything, As they do Jared sees multiple pictures of the family together, he sees how happy Trifa is and how well she is being raised. The camera cuts to court.)**

**Jared Edwards:** Sir, I would like to hand over Trifa's complete custody to the people who took her in and raised her better than I ever could.

**Judge Mallory:** Are you sure Mr Edwards?

**Jared Edwards:** Yes, I am sure.

**Judge Mallory:** Very well then. I hereby give full custody of Trifa Liang-Mania to Yue Liang and Dr Mania. Case dismissed!

**(He signs the papers, making Yue and Serenity truly Trifa's parents. Jared smiles and walks up to them.)**

**Jared Edwards:** Thank you for raising my daughter. I know she'll be happy.

**(He kisses the napping Trifa on the forehead and leaves. The camera cuts to the townhouse where Yue and Serenity frame the papers on the wall, they walk pstairs and gives Trifa a goodnight kiss and the screen fades black.)**