Returned to Sender - Scarlett Johansson

Part 45

Sawyer's POV

It's time. Caroline has explained what's going to happen at least four times, yet as I stand here looking at the doors leading to the courtroom, my mind blanks. 

This is the moment everything is going to change, whether I like it or not. No matter the outcome today, I am never going to be the same; a part of me has been ripped away every time I interact with Cooper, and I'm just hoping that this time, the part he takes from me is himself.

"Sawyer, I don't want to rush you, but we can't be late," Caroline said softly as she moved to stand next to me as I continued to stare at the double doors. "Baby," Mama said softly, moving to crouch next to me.

"I know you're trying to cope, and no one is going to make you do anything you don't want to, but we need to go in now. You don't need to say anything for now, but when you get on the stand, you are going to have to answer Caroline's questions and the other lawyer's questions. Now I can give you one more minute to get your head straight, but then we need to go in, ok?" Mama said softly before straightening up and taking a familiar stance as Carlonie, as the pair act as bodyguards, although we have real ones of those standing behind us.

We spent the minute in silence. I think Mama was trying to prepare for this just as much as I was. After the minute was over, Mama signalled for them to open the doors, letting Caroline lead us into the room without a word. 

I could see the space where they were going to bring Cooper out in a minute, my eyes lingering on that space before shifting around the room. He looks up the empty space that the press and media usually occupy before moving to the group of people sitting in the public gallery, taking note of how the only people there are his friends, the ones from that night. The night that I had vowed to take to my grave, yet was going to have to explain in a while. 

"Don't worry. When we realised we were going to bring you out as a witness, we got the judge to rule that all people involved were to sign NDAs. They can't ever speak of what goes on in here, or they will face hefty fines and prison time," Carlonie whispers before pointing to a seat at the front of the gallery. 

"Your Mama is going to sit right here." She nodded for Mama to take a seat before pointing to the prosecutor's side of the table upfront. "I'm going to be sat right there", she said before pointing to the front of the room," the judge will be up there, the jury over there." she pointed elsewhere before leading me to a door. 

"And you are going to wait through here for a moment; it's the witness room. You will only be here for ten minutes, then they are going to bring you through, and we are going to do just as I explained. After you are finished, you can either come back through here, or you can go sit with your Mama," she explained softly, smiling sadly at me. "Will you be ok?" she asked, looking at me with concern. I just nodded and watched as she left.

There is a crack in the wall; it runs vertically at an angle of twenty-seven degrees. It branches like a tree, skinny slithers of paint peeling away from the cracks as it meets the worn floor. 

It's carpet, I hate carpet. Do you have any idea how many germs can be stored in carpets? A lot. 

The attack used to have carpet. 

I would spend hours working out the number of germs present on that carpet, running equations through my head in order to pass the time. Anything to try and keep my wits sharp while locked in that cage. There weren't any windows in here; I think it's supposed to be a safety feature, but there wasn't any show up there either. Actually, now that I am thinking about it, this room is just like the attack. 

The room is hot, too hot, and the carpet is a mucky blue, no longer the bright colour it would have been when installed. The cream paint is chipped and murky, and years of grime have built up over the years, coating the paint. The harsh artificial yellow from the swinging bulb above casts an intense light over everything.