The Great Emancipation

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For ten days after being served Julia and Orin tried to get ahold of Adam and Alexis including turning up at the Acres' house one night, and once at the school during the day. Both times they were turned away, which they reacted angrily to. In the meantime they had gotten an attorney and she called Adam to set up an appointment.

So twelve days after being served, Julia, Orin, and their attorney Sally Jenkins met in her office's conference room with Adam, Alexis, and Tom Acres, although Tom made it clear that he was there as the children's consultant and not their attorney.

Julia and Orin cried and pleaded with Adam and Alexis to withdraw their papers. Every entreaty was met by either Alexis or Adam saying "We've too long been shamed by Mom's cheating and Dad's unwillingness to either get her to stop or file for divorce. The only way that we'll remove our papers is if you both sign a contract that we can electronically monitor Mom's activities and if she cheats again you two sign the house over to both of us - as well as return the $15,000 you stole from us."

Only with Sally Jenkins intervention was it possible to keep the meeting from devolving into a screaming and swearing match. After everyone had calmed down somewhat Sally said "Your parents are willing to fight this to the end. That can't be good for you, and will destroy your finances so that you won't be financially independent, and destroy your family life."

"Actually," Adam said, reaching into a recently purchased briefcase and pulling out several items of evidence, "with what we have here we are certain to prevail." With that Adam played the DVD of Alexis' and his encounters with their parents and the Warren Thompson audio tape, and showed copies of the bank withdrawal of $15,000 from Adam's account along with Adam's confrontation with Julia.

"You do know that some of the electronics were obtained contrary to state law..." Jenkins started to say before Tom interrupted her. "So let them be criminally charged after they're emancipated. You know well that they'll only get a slap on the wrist and there is no way that the family court judge won't want to see and hear the evidence."

"Plus," Adam continued, "if this case goes to a hearing we will call to testify all of the guys we know for sure have had sexual relations with Mom and see how popular and humiliated the two of you will be," at which point he named six individuals before he asked "need I say more?"

After Adam finished Jenkins said "Please let us have a while to discuss this; maybe a half hour."

"OK," Tom Acres said as he marshalled Alexis and Adam out of the conference room.

Alexis and Adam had mixed emotions as they sat in the lobby of Jenkins' law firm chatting with Tom. He got Alexis talking about sports to relieve the tension, and within a half hour Jenkins asked them to return to the conference room.

"As much as it pains them, Julia and Orin have agreed to not contest the emancipation, will return the $15,000 and have their names removed from Adam's account as soon as the emancipation goes through, as long as Adam and Alexis will agree to have the court record sealed," Sally said.

"Agreed," Alexis piped up after a quick glance at Adam.

Alexis and Adam were both warmly hugged by their father, and received a perfunctory hug from their mother, before they left with Tom Acres. That night they celebrated with Dr. Homer and his family and Madeline Acres and hers.

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Given the capitulation by Julia and Orin ( didn't even attend the hearing) and given quick proof by Adam of financial independence, an emotionally abusive situation with their parents, and their moral objections to their parents living situation, there was no doubt that they would prevail. By the time that the twins were sixteen years and three months old they were emancipated, were living in the apartment that Dr. Homer had arranged for them, had $20,000 from their Go-fund-me page and $80,000 from Adams' bank account (which he split with Alexis), and support from the entire community.

Since he didn't want to leave Alexis in the lurch after he graduated, Adam got a paid local engineering internship during Alexis' senior year in High School. After that they both went to the same university, Adam on a full academic scholarship, and Alexis on a full field hockey scholarship, while they shared an apartment off campus. Adam ultimately ended up with a doctorate in chemical engineering and was the primary inventor on six breakthrough patented technologies. Alexis ended up being the field hockey coach at her alma mater. They both married people who didn't cheat, and each had two wonderful children.

Things did not work out well for Julia and Orin. Three years after the emancipation Julia was diagnosed with AIDS, and eventually Orin divorced her. They disappeared from the children's lives within a year thereafter.

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How do I know all of this? I'm Tom Acres and I consider Alexis and Adam to be my own.