Black Iris

White lies

A/N I've changed the date timelines in this series so much that none of it makes any sense. If there are inconsistencies, don't blame me, blame my cousin, Ina (her name is short for inability to remember timelines or write things down)

Rose

Gwen's mother was visibly nervous as she took the stand. She got sworn in and took a seat, looking anywhere but at the crowd.

"Mrs West, you have been called here to give a character witness to your daughter, Guinevere West, her partner, Mr. Blake Ivy, and a testimony to the night of the 29th of September." Robinson said, kicking off the questioning.

"Yes, I know," Mrs West said.

"Then let's just dive straight into things. How would you describe Guinevere's general character?"

"Gwen, she's always been a good natured girl. Quite quiet, polite. Shy at times. But- but she's a good girl. She's much like her father."

"Do you know Gwen to lie, Mrs. West?"

"Lie? Like, as a child?"

"As a child or in general, Mrs West. How do you find her candor?

"Just average, I guess. When she was a girl, she told a few white lies. But it was usually in the name of goodness. Protecting her friends, not wantin to hurt folks' feelings. That sort of thing."

"And, has that ever changed at all?

"Not that I know of, but..." and then, Mrs. West hesitated.

"But?"

She glanced at Blake, then back at Johansson.

"When Gwen was in high school, she got a part time job at the local library, and around that time she started acting more sheepish than usual. More touchy, more likely to snap, or go out without telling. So it wasn't lying, just different."

"Right. And what was it that categorised this as uncommon behaviour, rather than just the typical mood swings that come with adolescence, Mrs. West?"

He was trying to undermine her with that, and she knew it. She pursed her lips.

"I am hardly a doctor, Mr. Johansson, but by all means if you'd like to disregard my daughters sudden change in behaviour due to puberty, go right ahead. I was just answering your question. While it could have been puberty, it was a very sudden shift shortly after she began working at the library. I just thought it relevant to bring up, as it could be to do with Mr Ivy.

"Indeed, apologies if I seemed dismissive Mrs. West. What do you mean by that?"

Blake wore a cool mask of indifference, but I could see the tiny tells of anger. He was not liking how this questioning was going.

"I have reason to believe this is when Mr. Ivy met my daughter." She said, glancing at me then at Gwen.

"Is that what your daughter told you, Mrs. West?"

"No," she said with a breath. "Gwen told me she met Blake years later. After she graduated high school. But even then, I thought something felt off."

"You felt something was off?" Johansson echoed, and it was as though you could see the wheels turning in his brain.

She wasn't on his side anymore.

"Yes, I had a sense that she wasn't telling the truth."

"Respectfully, Mrs West, do you have any evidence other than a sense that substantiates your theory?"