The Messenger

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

I gazed around the large courtroom I have been sitting in for more than thirty minutes. The judge was supposed the be here upon ten minutes of my arrival. I know this may be his or hers courtroom but I would appreciate if he wasn’t this damn late. The courtroom looks just like they portray it as on television. I assume the large mahogany bench on the far end of the room is where the judge would be seated. It’s slightly elevated  above the rest of the room. On either side of the bench stood a bailiff and a court reporter. The bailiff is a short stocky man that looked to be from the Mexican descent. His body build doesn’t fit the bailiff look at all, his stomach sluggishly hangs over his built that looked to be pulled way to tight. His height isn’t on his side either, he looks to be barely over five foot five. His gelled up hair might be giving him an inch or two. By the downward crease lines on his face I could tell he hasn’t cracked a smile in years. Overall he looks like a no nonsense type of guy that could possibly cause problems for people. He kept his eyes trained on me attempting to intimidate me with his gaze but what he will come to soon realize I am nothing like the other inmates that come in this courtroom.

Facing the judges bench are two long worn out tables the same ugly mahogany color. Hector and I sat at one while the prosecution sat at the other. I have worked with this prosecutor numerous times before when my cases were off in the trial. She was interested in me at one point in time and suggested that we go out in a dating manner once. I tried to break it to her as nicely as possible that she wasn't my type, I preferred women that didn’t remind me of a rodent in the face. I guess women doesn’t like it when you tell them that their face reminds them of an animal. From my choice of words she somehow got offended and hasn’t liked me since. I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes this case personal, trying everything that can possibly be done to make sure I never see the light of day again. In my defense I politely declined her offer three times prior to the incident. That day I just wasn’t having a good day, she decided to push my buttons and that was the result of it.

Behind the the tables sat the spectators in the gallery. Which is filled with dozens of people, I can see my colleagues from work, family I haven’t seen in years are all here. I spotted Linny, oh excuse me, I mean Caroline in the very back row with dark shades on (she is dead to me now, Caroline doesn’t deserve that nickname). Her thick brown hair covered most of her face but I knew it was her. After all, who wouldn’t recognize their own twins face among a million other.

Against the far wall on my right hand side, is the jury box. The people who decide my fate, who decided if I will rot away in prison or receive ‘help’ for my condition. I hope these random twelve people see that I am a good person at heart. My intentions were never to hurt anyone, that didn’t deserve it. I am only trying to achieve this goal that I know will ultimately better this earth. 

A sudden tapping on my shoulder interrupted my examination of the room. Hector silently jabbed his thumb toward the gallery behind us without glancing up from the paperwork in his hands. I craned my neck to look at whoever must have been calling my name. My jaw nearly fell off the hinges, to say I am surprised is an understatement. The doctor, Ariella, is sitting directly behind me in the front row. My eyes trailed from her face and down her body. She wore a dark grey, knee-length pencil skirt and a sheer white blouse. A few buttons were undone but not enough to give the world a full view of her voluptuous chest. Ariella had on little to no makeup, her beauty is all natural just as I suspected. Her long jet black hair was pulled into a neat bun that sat on the top of her head. The black heels set off the sexy sophisticated look even more. She giggled causing my eyes to find hers again, she must have found me checking her out.

“What are you doing here Ariella?” I called over the chatty courtroom. She slowly stood from her seat and quickly made her way over to me. 

“Once I heard that you were the one being accused of murdering that girl I had to come see it for myself,” she simply replied. I attempted to hide my shocked state by coughing awkwardly. “Why do you seem so surprised Liam? Do you not want me here?” She knitted her eyebrows together in concern, which caused me to quickly deny her question.