HAVING 13 - Johnny Kavanagh

50. Courtroom catcalling

DISCLAIMER
This is not accurate to actual courtroom situations. There might be a bunch of misinformation, but just roll with it <3

Another warning for mentions of rape and abuse.

MISSY
June 23rd 2005

School was over. It was finally summer break, but today was the day I took Taggart Brady to court.

I was looking forward to exposing him for a while, but after I'd done it, it felt weird.

There was no way it could be that easy, right?

Nothing good ever came easy to me.

The worst part about this situation was that I had to tell my story today, in front of everyone I knew.

Edel updated Joey on everything going on, but sadly he couldn't make it here. Recovery was hard, but my brother could get through anything. I knew it.

I already felt more confident, because before Brady got to the courtroom, there were only two people on his side and twenty-something friends and family on my side.

Darren and Shannon, but not my other siblings because they were simply too young to hear about all of that.

Edel, John, whom were now my adoptive parents. John sat next to me.

It was still crazy to me. A few months back, I feared for my life whenever I stepped foot into the Lynch house, and now, there wasn't a trace of it left.

My parents were gone and I went from a council house to a Victorian mansion.

Gibsie was also here. My biggest supporter through it all.

Patrick, who also served as an eye witness for the night Brady attacked me outside of Biddies.

Hughie. Lizzie. Claire. Katie. Aoife. Casey. Even Joey's friends, Alec and Podge.

Johnny.

I didn't want him to have to hear the details of it all, but I had to do it for myself, and for all the other people he had hurt, or the ones he could've hurt in the future.

On Brady's side were his cousin, and Tate.

I felt crestfallen by the fact that she told the police that he abused me, but still sat on his side.

About thirty minutes later, Brady was inside and the judge asked me to do my testimony. Judge Nussbaum, was his name.

"Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" He asked.

"Yes," I forced out. I wasn't that scared or nervous, but I still couldn't look at Brady.

After the judge allowed me to continue, I took a deep breath. Brady's shite appointed lawyer stood up.

After a few minutes, it was time.

"On 25th of December 2002, Taggart Brady raped me—"

"Let's start at the beginning of the night," His lawyer interrupted.

I looked to John. He nodded and I cleared my throat. "Okay."

"What did you do before you met Taggart at the party?" He asked.

I frowned. "That has nothing to do—"

"Judge Nussbaum, let her answer the question," He demanded.

John stood up. "Irrelevant."

"Answer his question," Nussbaum told me.

I shrugged. "I was with some friends. I drank a few beers and had one molly—"