Zaden looked up, meeting the judge’s eyes, then his father’s, before finally turning to me. There was a moment, just a flicker, when he was simply my little boy again, worried about his Legos and bedtime stories. But then he seemed to grow a few inches as he pulled his phone from his pocket, his small fingers deftly navigating the screen.
“Your Honor, may I play a recording from last night?” Zaden asked, his voice steady, though I could see the slight tremor in his hands. The judge hesitated, his brows knitting into a frown, clearly taken aback by the unusual request from someone so young.
“Well, young man, this is quite unorthodox. But given the circumstances, I believe it’s important we consider all relevant information. You may proceed,” the judge finally replied, leaning back in his chair.
