Mummy Where Are You? (Revised Edition, new) by Jeanne D'Olivier Page B

up from a nightmare that refused to end.
                  It was the middle of the following week before we heard anything.  Dad and I had gone into town to get some lunch.  We had found a nice Sushi bar and were treating ourselves to Sushi and a glass of wine.  We still hung onto the hope that the outcome would be positive and we tried to see the lack of news as good news.  We refused to believe that anything other than M’s return to me would be the outcome. 
                  Half way through lunch my mobile rang.  It was Dan.  He said the Judgment was in - “they are sending him back." The floor threatened to go from under me as I stood outside to take the call.  “No” I screamed down the phone “No, this can’t happen.  We have to appeal straight away.”  Dan sounded flat, sad and resigned.  “I’m so sorry Maam.  I am as shocked as you are.  I don’t do appeal work, so I’ll have to point you in the direction of someone who does.  You better come into the office.”   Tears pouring down my cheeks I broke the news to Dad.  We abandoned our lunch and set off for Dan’s office which was at close walking distance.  Dad was on the verge of tears too.  We, none of us, could believe this. 
                  Dan was sympathetic but powerless to do any more for us.  His view was that the American Court had ruled on Jurisdiction because they feared an influx of mothers running to the States if they set a precedent.  However, whatever the reason behind the decision, the clock was ticking if we were going to launch an appeal and we needed to keep our wits about us and find someone else to take the case quickly before they put M on a plane back to the Island.  He may have already gone and I half expected my contact scheduled for the following day to be cancelled.  However, when I got home there was a message from the CAS to say that contact would go ahead as planned.  Whilst grateful for the chance to hold him for the last time in who knew when, I half dreaded it, as I knew that M would be in a state and had no idea what he'd been told.
                  We spent the afternoon phoning, yet again, through the phone book of names of lawyers that Dan had recommended, without success.  It seemed there were few Appeal lawyers in Florida and unlike British lawyers they didn’t routinely do their own appeal work but farmed it out to those who specialised.  Most of the Appeal lawyers were based miles away and whilst we would have driven to the ends of the earth if necessary, the clock was ticking fast against us and we didn't know how much time we had, if any.  We needed someone immediately.  We at last secured an appointment for the following afternoon with a local law firm who had connections with Appeal lawyers.  We tried to hang onto hope and spent a sleepless night praying that we could get an Appeal launched before it was too late.
                  The following morning I saw M with a heavy heart. The Social workers told me that I must reassure him that I would also go back to the Island.  They also said I could tell him that I would keep fighting to get him back which was something, but it was a very difficult contact and he was tearful and distraught  - whilst I did my best to stay upbeat for him, I was falling apart inside.
                  We spent much of the time just clinging to each other and telling each other how much we loved each other.  I told him that his Grandad would be able to see him when back on the Island and would return immediately and that I would get back as soon as I could. 
                  I knew now that I would also be facing prison charges and M who was a bright child seemed to have worked this out for himself – either that – or someone in his foster home or the CAS had told him.  He asked me “Mummy will you go to jail for taking me?”  I tried to reassure him that that was