picture you-monsters: the lyle and erik menendez story.

chapter 10.

Laurie's eyes rose to meet the eyes of every one else in the courtroom surrounding her. It was 1996. She was 28 years old.

Cameras snapped and clicked and she was recorded and taped. Roselaine Bishop and Laurie Castle were the two prestigious women who were dating the Menendez brothers at the time they murdered their parents. One knew, the other one was oblivious.

But also at that same time, the two were most likely the two most notable people in the  courtroom. People who the millions of people watching the case knew before the murders.

Laurie's eyes met Rosealines. She was younger than Laurie. And her appearance of what she saw wearing surely made it prominent. A light blue sweater. She matched the boys.

Laurie never got to meet Rose like she had wanted to. This was their first time ever even being in the same room together. Rose had her ink pen in her mouth, chewing and biting as she bounced her leg under the table.

Rose was very emotional anytime she went up on the stand. She cried when she had to talk about when Erik told her he was being abused. She cried when she talked about how she lied for him and she didn't regret it.

She cried a lot.

Laurie held herself strong. She kept herself grounded—her feet planted on the ground. She'd rather be anywhere else but there. She couldn't dedicate her life to Lyle anymore. She couldn't be like Rose, and swear her life away for Erik.

That's one thing she admired the younger girl for. She stood right next to Erik, never giving up on him or their relationship. It was warming and felt like a flicker of light in the dark for the case.

Laurie didn't lie for Lyle either. She couldn't do it.

"Lyle told me someone had murdered his parents. He didn't tell me who, he didn't tell me how, he just told me he walked in and they were dead."

"What time did he call you?"

"I'd say like maybe 12 am? I was in Florida so the time might've been different. I can't remember."

"Did you ever happen to meet Erik's girlfriend, Rosealine Bishop?"

"No."

"Can you tell me where Rosealine is at right now in the courtroom and what she looks like?"

Laurie looked back at Rose. She resisted the urge to call her strikingly beautiful. When she was dating Erik, she had golden brown hair. Now it was nearly the darkest brown you could get without going fully black. Her roots had came in and shed over her new hair while she was in prison.

"She is over at the defendant table. She's sitting bedside Erik, and her lawyer. She has dark brown hair and she's wearing a pastel blue sweater."

Rose looked down at herself as Laurie described her. She had forgotten how dark her hair had gotten. Laurie watched as Rose shrugged to herself, appearing unbothered.

One week later Laurie visited Rose in prison. She looked at Rose through the glass booth they were in. Smoke circled the air from Roses cigarette. She stared down at Laurie through the glass. With a shaky hand, Laurie picked the phone up off the hook.

"Real fuckin' funny to see you here," Rose said, her eyes boring into Laurie's.

"Didn't you say you'd never visit any of us in prison? Too low end for you, Laurie?" Laurie swallowed and sat up straight in her seat. To be fair, it was a misjudgment of words taken from a reporter.

Rose took a long drag from her cigarette.

"I wanted to tell you your resilience and the way you hold yourself in court is inspiring."

Rose scoffed. "What? Me crying is inspiring to you?"

"It shows you care. You don't have to care but that's proof you do. It takes guts." Rose nodded along, ashing her cigarette into the ashtray.

"Glad you—of all people—noticed."

"What is your deal?" Laurie hissed, leaning closer to the glass separating.

"My deal is you get to walk fucking free for the rest of your life, writing little fucking ballads and interludes and not to mention—albums for fucks sake—about me. And us. You can't profit off yourself, can't you?" Rose seethed.

"This is my first time ever meeting you, Rosealine. And you're so much more bitchy than I imagined."

"Yeah well you spend nearly a decade in fucking prison and you tell me how'd you feel." She quipped back, leaning back in her chair in annoyance.

"Look, I'm sorry you're in here. I really am. But there's a shot you could get out of here. Like a good shot."

"Whatever you say."

785 words.
i give the people what they want what can i say 🫦