Haunted Affairs

21 | Court

• 2 Years later •

I sat in the courtroom listening to everything, Ellie sat beside me and held my hand rubbing it gently, I watched my Mom and how she didn't care about anything, she almost felt proud of herself, and it made me sickened. I kept an eye on her, movements. I then looked over at the parents who lost their children but they didn't look at me.

It was like I was to blame too even though I went through the same treatment, I felt quite emotional as I heard what the judge was saying, and eventually, it came to a break. Everyone made their way out of the courtroom, Ellie and I met my lawyer for a coffee break. I knew it was my time to say my point of view but I was scared.

Even though I waited 2 years for this moment it felt like everyone was there to judge me, just like the other parents have. I am the daughter of a serial killer and I don't know how to save myself anymore from the cruel truth.

"Vae, just want to say just say the truth, the jury will be on your side honey," my lawyer said, I nodded.

After our 10-minute conversation, I walked back into the courtroom and made my way up to the stand, I sat down and took a slow breath. Everyone had their eyes on me, it was quite an intimidating and overwhelming experience, I looked at my Mom and her head hung low, she didn't dare to look at me.

I saw Ellie in the courtroom, she smiled and nodded signalling that everything would be okay. I started to hear the other lawyers asking me questions, I answered them honestly and didn't move my eye contact, I looked them in the eyes and answered so truthfully that it felt like I was reliving it all again, my hands were getting sweaty, my heart was pounding out of my chest.

I held the tissues, as I wiped my eyes, and I kept answering the questions, my Mom looked at me with somewhat sad eyes. I looked at her then back at the lawyer, I exhaled as I fidgeted with my fingers underneath the desk, I just wanted to go home and want this case to be the end.

We have been fighting for this to happen, so I could hear those words come out of the judge's mouth, but it was taking too long. I finally stopped speaking, I got down from the stand and walked back over to my seat where Ellie held my hand and hugged me "I'm so proud of you," she whispered, I smiled as I hugged her back.

After 40 minutes we were now waiting for the slow outcome to happen, I held Ellie's hand tighter as I felt myself feeling more pressured, the judge started to speak "Rose Anderson Morgan, you will serve life in prison," everyone started to cheer in the crowd, I immediately turned to Ellie and hugged her tighter as I cried with happiness, everything that we worked for was finally over.

I felt free, I looked up to see my Mom getting walked out with a bunch of Officers around her, and everyone started to leave the courtroom cheering. Ellie left to head back to her workplace as I walked out of the room, I saw Javier outside sitting down on the chairs, I walked over to him and smiled "You didn't have to come," I said as I looked at him.

He hugged me tightly then lifted my chin and kissed me gently "I wanted to baby, you should be so proud of yourself," he rubbed my cheek, I smiled as I hugged him.

Then I leaned down to the stroller in front of him, gently lifted our daughter into my arms, smiled and rubbed her tiny fingers "I'm surprised she's still awake after last night's situation," I smiled, and he chuckled softly "She can feel your stress Vae, that's all baby, but finally we all can have a decent sleep," he said.

I nodded, and gently kissed her forehead, before placing her back into the stroller and moving the blanket over her body, we both started to walk out, and I pushed the stroller. I felt his hand on my back as we walked to our favourite little cafe in town.

We finally made it to the cafe, I sat in our favourite spot, gently took Molly in my arms, took her bottle out of the cup holder and gently started to feed her, I looked at Javier walking over with our drinks as there's a waiter behind him carrying over our food.

"I've been waiting for this all morning," I said, I gently lifted Molly's bottle as I started to eat my ham and cheese panini sandwich, Javier smiled as his face spoke a thousand words.

"I love you," he said with a gentle smile, I looked at him as my heart melted "I love you too," I looked down at our daughter and then back at him "We did it,".

• The End •