The Boy She Illegally Brought To The Lavender Field (bwwm)

Chapter 18: Missing Sirius

"Guilty on all counts."

"WHAT?!" Diana yelled and stood up.

The bailiff put his hand on his baton.

The judge began giving Sirius his sentence for the beating of two white men on the night of the 17th.

Both victims sat in their tailored suits at their table with bruises painted across the smug looks on their faces.

Their story was that they wanted to ask Sirius for directions since they weren't from the same town, so they begged him to pull over. Once he did, Sirius instead got out and began to beat the men senseless, claiming that it was because they were white and he hated white people and had grown tired of them. Sirius disagreed but it was only followed by a side eye from Judge Mathers, as he believed the brother in laws of the former mayor would have no reason to lie on a negro just to win a court trial.

Sirius was pulled out of his seat and cuffed.

"NO!" Diana shouted. She got out of her seat as well and rushed to the swinging door in an attempt to stop Sirius's exit.
A bailiff stood in her way.
"No, no, no, don't take him. Don't take him. He didn't do nothin', I swear it! My husband wouldn't do anything like what they're talkin' about, please! I'm askin' you to listen to me! Sirius ain't no madman! Please!"
"Step back." commanded the bailiff.
"Please! He's all I have left! Don't take him from me! He didn't do no wrong! I swear! They're lyin'! My husband wouldn't do nothin' like that! Don't take him, please...!"

Diana's pleas and tears were ignored as Sirius left the room with his head down and eyes full of tears. He listened to his wife shout for him and knew he couldn't do anything about it but accept that he'd lost. It was either possibly be beaten to death and fight back or take his sentence like a man. Because nobody would believe the colored man feared for his life and decided to protect himself. He knew they didn't believe colored people could experience fear. Only anger and aggression. And he knew that to them...he proved their point.

Diana backed away once Nancy's brother and brother-in-law had walked towards the swinging door to leave the court. They both ignored her presence and kept walking. Diana took deep breaths, sniffing and watching everyone around her leave the courthouse as if this trial was end all be all. As if all of it was true. As if they could live with what just happened.

Nancy walked towards Diana and just looked at her.
"If only you would have stayed in your place, this wouldn't have happened."
Diana stared at her angrily. "Burn in hell."
"Uncouth, Diana." Nancy sassed and walked off.

Diana watched her, huffing angrily and with guilt and pain in her heart.
She fell to her knees in the walk way.

The murmuring amongst each other by the rest of the congregation continued as the last person left her kneeling there alone.

Diana's tears dripped onto the carpet.

"What do you want from me...?" she grunted quietly. "Have I not done what you asked us to do? I go to your church. I'm a good person. I pray to you. I thank you. I teach my children to do the same. I try my damn hardest to do what you've asked me to do, and still I lose. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" she shouted angrily. Her tears streamed down her brown cheeks. "I can't win...I can't win and I'm tired of losin'. You took the love of my life...and I still praised you. You take my baby...and...and I still praised you. And then you took the love of my life again..."
Her breathing shook on its way out of her lungs.
"I'm...so...fucking...tired..." she grunted. "I ain't deserve none of it..." she swore.
Diana looked towards the ceiling as if she expected to look God in its eyes.

"NONE OF IT!" she yelled with rage.

•~~~•

Annie sat on the couch at the Moore house, waiting for her mama to return home after the court trial, hopefully with her daddy beside her.

She watched the tv as she sat. Listening to both the speakers and the rain that slapped against the window from outside. Her eyes would occasionally glance at the clock she could see in the kitchen from the living room. Daniel should be off soon.

Her eyes trailed back to the television. James Baldwin was speaking. He was one of her favorites.

Although she'd love to pay attention and listen to his word, she couldn't help but continue to put her focus on that clock as she awaited her mama and good news.

However, Diana wasn't on her way home. She stopped somewhere else.

Stephen heard the doorbell ring and he removed his glasses as he walked towards it. He put the pair in his pocket when he opened the door.

Diana stood there damp with tears dripping down her face. The rain had stopped recently but she wasn't dry just yet. Her hair was a mess and her dress was damp but she didn't care.

Stephen stared at her wide eyed, wondering what she'd gone through.

"I want you to know that I hope that evil bitch rots in hell..." she cried. "Everyone's gone..." she said shakily. "Everyone. Annie's leavin' soon. What then, huh?"

Stephen stared, not knowing what to make of what he was witnessing.

"And I don't know what to do." she sniffed.

She bit her lip tightly while she and Stephen stared at one another. Her hands clutched her purse. She tapped her foot nervously.

"They took him...and they locked him up..." she cried and nodded in agreement with her own words. "Because your wife wanted to lie! And she knew she'd win! He's gone. My little boy is gone. My babygirl is leaving soon and you left me too and I don't know-...I don't know what to do...I can't-...I don't know wha-..."
Stephen cut Diana off when he pulled her inside and wrapped her in his arms. He shut the door behind her while she cried into his shoulder.

"It's like they killed him in front of me..." she wept. "They gave him thirty years...Thirty years and they pulled him away from me...those men lied. They all lied, I swear they lied, Sirius would never!"
Stephen kissed her head.
"I don't know what to-..."
"Shhh..." Stephen hushed.
Diana cried further.