The Monster Amongst Us

Chapter 6: Courtroom Hearing

It was the big day, the day for the world to finally see what the monster who walked into our lives, didn't want the world to see. The true monster within him, his true self without the mask on, his true colors. My sisters and I got all dressed up, and Hally wanted to wear lipstick, but mom said that was a bit inappropriate, so she used cherry ChapStick instead. Dad had taken off work, my big brother Cam was with us, his fists drawn at his sides, like he was ready for a war. My brother was my protector, he loved me and my sisters despite the fact that dad and he didn't always seem to get along. My mom was dressed in a black suit, she looked like she was a very important person. She was, to me she was my hero. We piled into the car and headed into town, to the courthouse. I don't know why they called it a house because it didn't look like a house it looked like a big fancy office building with lots of windows, doors and guards everywhere. We all hopped out of the car and started heading inside. "Now listen girls, be honest, be truthful, and don't let Divoc make you afraid to answer with the looks he'll try to give you. When they ask you to go up, I want you to focus on me or your dad, you hear me girls?" We shook our heads and headed inside. The moment of truth was finally upon us, weeks and weeks of waiting, felt like years and years of waiting. Here we were, ready to tell the world what that monster did to us that humid day at the beach. He would not get away without getting in trouble.

It was quiet at first till the judge with the funny clothes banged this hammer on the desk, I hope she knows that could break that thing, I thought. Then came shouting "ALL RISE" we all had to stand for an older lady that appeared in a black poncho looking almost like a pilgrim. There across the way was Divoc, I dare not ever call him my uncle anymore, not ever since that day he proved to me just how much of an evil monster he was that day at the beach. He got on the stand and lied through his dirty crooked teeth; we weren't allowed to speak when he was up there telling all of them lies. Finally, it was our turn to speak, I went first. I told them everything that happened that day, from him touching my inner thigh on the ride to the beach, to the penis touching my leg, him kissing my sister on the lips, the touching of our butts and private area. All the way to him trying to lie to the lifeguard, who didn't really do much to help us.  What Divoc's hands felt like, how he threatened me in the truck and made me bleed. I told them everything. Then Juney's turn, describing the way she felt when he kept touching her butt cheek under her bathing suit. Hally was the last to go, they simply asked her questions that she had to answer yes or no too. She did good, she told the truth, this was going to be the end of Divoc and he would never be able to hurt us or anyone else again.

They called for a break, we quickly went across the street to a restaurant and grabbed a bite to eat to go, we were starving, who knew telling the truth would make you so hungry? We went back across the street to the courthouse, to wait for them to let us know what they were going to do to Divoc. I really hoped they make sure that he can't do it to anybody else. I hoped and prayed that Aunt Tessy would come to her senses and doesn't continue to keep my cousins away from us. I miss my cousins and my Aunt Tessy. I wished I never went to the beach that day, I wished that I never had to go through what me and my sisters went through. I wish that Divoc wasn't a monster that came into our family. He ruined our family; he made the choice to touch our bodies inappropriately without our permission. We finished eating and mom, dad and our attorney were talking over the court events. We all gathered ourselves and headed back to the courthouse waiting area to be called back in.

As, they called us back in, we filed into our seats behind the table. Across the way was Aunt Tessy and Divoc, his ugly crooked smile, his dark evil eyes, starred straight at us as he ushers with his mouth "you fuckers!" Mom turned us around, "don't pay him no mind girls, he is trying to get you to be scared." The judge approached the bench, banged again on the desk. I jumped; it was loud. "Court is now in session ladies and gentlemen please take your seats. We have a few more witnesses to present and will then reconvene in the morning for a verdict." The Judge says firmly and sternly looking across the room as Mom explained quietly to us what it all meant. Leaving all of us to wonder who else they were going to bring in as witnesses to talk too. The lady attorney Mom and Dad hired, whispered something to them, but I couldn't make out what they said. "Balif, please bring in our next witnesses please." as the Judge sat waiting, the room was silent, you could hear my heart beating outside my chest waiting. Who was it? Along enter my dad's sister Aunt Jessica, her two girls Jammison and Jaxiee and stepdaughter Bilinda. They came in and sat directly behind us. I turn and look at them, why are they here? I turn as if everything is happening in super slow motion and look at my parents. Please, please, please tell me that they were on our side, and nothing happened to them.

They were called to the stand one by one, telling everyone what Divoc had done to them. Divoc touched each of them in their privates, snatching hair from each of their private areas and kept hidden away in a bag. He stuck his fingers in their booholes, kissed them in their mouths with tongue. My mom and dad looking and listening on in shock, their faces saying they had no idea about this information they were hearing either. My Aunt Jessica had her own attorney, he looked mean and serious. My cousins sat with their heads down, not daring to look up or over at my Aunt Tessy and her husband Divoc. I cried for them, I cried because I absolutely didn't want anyone else to have to go through what my sisters and I had. Yet, Divoc was doing this at every chance he could get my cousins alone and has been doing it for years. Jammison who was 14 years old, went first, telling everything from what she felt to how his hands felt, how his private felt hard against her leg as he had her sit on his lap playing with her privates. Divoc truly was a monster, he deserved everything the judge could give him. 

Finally, it was time for Divoc to approach the bench again. I didn't see a bench, but he sat next to the judge again just as we did before my Aunt Jessica and my cousins came in to give their truthful statement in a chair. He raised his hand again, promising to tell the truth, the honest truth so help him God. He peered his dark demonic eyes right in our direction. He sat up there calling all of us liars, telling the judge that we liked to make up stories. That we did that very often as he made up a lie about a cookout we had and how my cousin Jammison was swimming and asks him to go skinny dipping with her. Jammison jumps up and Aunt Jessica grabs her arm pushes her gently back down into her seat and whispers to her so softly not missing a beat of the death stare Divoc was giving. "Honey it's not going to help you, let him finish, we all know he's lying," sitting there not backing down from the stare down with Divoc. They finished questioning him and had us all return bright and early the next morning for sentencing as they re-cuffed and led Divoc back to prison. Back to prison in a cell where he belongs so he can't ever hurt anyone else ever again.

 I turn and hug my cousins, we sat there for what felt like forever just hugging each other and crying. Dad told them to come back to our house and we'd cook out on the deck. We arrive at the house; mom has all the kids go outside and play while they prepped the food inside to cook. I couldn't believe how long this was going on, this was the first time it happened to me and my sisters because we were never left alone with Divoc before. That wasn't the case for my cousins, cause any and all opportunities that Divoc could with each of them. In the hallway when everyone was outside, in the bathroom with the door locked, in the closet with his foot pinned to the door so no one could open it with one hand over their mouths. My Aunt Tessy was there every time, I mean she wasn't there with him when he did these things, but she was there with him. She brought him into our home, into my cousins' homes, she brought a monster that faked it till he got caught amongst us. How could she have not known? How could she stand by his side when there were 6 of us who were all telling the truth about the things, he did to us? How many more people has he done this too? My head was spinning, I got dizzy, and I passed out as I awoke to my mom standing over me with something that smelled so awful. "Corona, Corona, hunny are you okay?" Mom looks at me so worried, her eyes red from crying, "mom, I don't know what happened I just, I just got dizzy then it went blank, and I fell." My mom scoops me up in her arms and laid me inside on the couch and puts an ice pack to my head, "don't move from here till dinner is ready, got it?" I look at mom and smile, "got it." 

We all ate, laughed, cried, hugged and then it was time for my Aunt and cousins to go, it wasn't over yet, we had another big day ahead of us tomorrow. We all say our goodbyes and plan to meet up tomorrow before court. As the door closes, the lights to the porch go off once they're inside the car and take off, mom turns around "ok girls, showers, jammies and bedtime, we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow." Hally whined Juney stomped but they still got in the shower and still got ready for bed. I was exhausted, I lay in bed curled up in my blanket, hoping and praying that tomorrow is a win for us. Sleep took over and a shower was the least of my worries right then and there, I fell asleep.