Page 1 of Cade

CHAPTER ONE

Cade Norgenson stared up at his father. He was holding his hand, and on the other side, his father was holding his brother, Bodhi’s hand. Cade was seven, and Bodhi was eight. The judge stared at the boys, giving them a little smile, sensing their fear and unease. Cade tugged on his father’s hand, but his father only returned the gesture with a light squeeze and a pain-filled smile.

Across the aisle, standing beside a man in a dark green suit, were his grandparents. They were his mother’s parents, but his mother wasn’t alive any longer, and they were trying to take him and Bodhi from his father. Cade didn’t understand any of it.

“Mr. Norgenson, it seems that you have a steady occupation. You have a home that you make the mortgage payments on. Child Protective Services says that the boys are in wonderful condition, healthy, and happy. I’m trying to figure out why the Zuker family is attempting to gain custody of the children.”

“If I may speak freely, your honor,” said Sven Norgenson. He had a deep, crisp, clear voice with just a hint of his native Norwegian accent.

“It’s the way I prefer it, Mr. Norgenson,” smirked the judge.

“Sir, my in-laws are good people, but they have never liked me much. Karen and I ran off and got married without their approval. We were young and in love, but we were old enough to make our own decisions.”

“You were children!” yelled Patricia Zuker.

“We were twenty-one and twenty-two, ma’am,” said Sven. “We had the boys right away, and we had a good life. I’m thirty-one, your honor. As you said, I have a good job, a secure home, and I love my boys more than life itself. What happened with Karen was awful,” he said, swallowing hard.

Cade leaned into his father’s leg a little more, looking across at Bodhi. His big brother smiled at him, always trying to make him feel better.

“Yes, uh, breast cancer is awful, but losing someone so young is devastating,” said the judge, staring at the young man with sympathy. “Go on.”

“I’m not sure why Patricia and Henry think the boys would be better in their care instead of their own father’s, but I can tell you that there is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep my children with me.”

“See! See!” yelled Patricia Zuker. “He’s threatening me!”

“Mrs. Zuker, I’m only going to warn you one more time. Speak when I tell you, not before. Mr. Norgenson did not threaten you. He was expressing his desire to keep his sons and, quite frankly, I see no reason at all why he shouldn’t.”

“He’s not fit!” she yelled again.

“Patricia!” fussed her husband. She glared at him but said nothing as the boys huddled closer to their father.

“Cade? Bodhi? Will you come closer, please?” asked the judge. Cade and Bodhi nodded, trying to pull their father with them. Sven knelt down beside them, smiling.

“You’re both brave boys. The judge is a good man, and he just wants to speak to you two, not me. I’ll be right here.” They both nodded, walking toward the man in the black dress.

“Hello, boys,” he smiled.

“Hello, sir,” said Bodhi. Cade looked at the man, then down at his shoes. He gripped Bodhi’s hand, and his brother pulled him closer.

“You’re both fine, strong, big boys for your age. I can tell that you watch out for one another and for your father,” smiled the judge.

“Yes, sir,” said Bodhi. “That’s because our dad is big. He’s from Norway.”

“Yes, that’s where he was born,” smiled the man. “Many men from Norway are very large, and your father is no exception. Let me ask you something. Do you have fun with your father?”

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison. Cade looked up, speaking for the first time.

“He always takes us for ice cream once a week and to the movies on Saturdays. We get to pick the movie, too. He’s teaching us to play baseball, and when we’re old enough, we get to play football, too.”

“Now, that is a fine father,” smiled the judge. “Does he ever get angry with you?”

“No, sir,” they said in unison again.

“He doesn’t believe in yelling,” said Bodhi, his very adult voice sounding much too old for this age. “He says a man doesn’t need to yell to make his point.”

“Again, I agree with your father,” said the judge. “Has he ever spanked you or hit you?”

“Why would he do that?” asked Cade, scrunching up his nose. Sven couldn’t help but laugh behind them. Despite his size, he was the least violent man he knew. At six-feet-seven and three hundred pounds of hard-earned muscle, he was a force of steel. The problem was Sven Norgenson was a lover, not a fighter.

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