Full Hearted and Heartbroken

Chapter Twenty-three

23

My hands are tied behind my back and I am being carried by a man I don’t know.  Someone must have knocked me out, because I don’t remember coming into the city.  But when I open my eyes there are crowds and crowds of people around.  What are they all looking at?

“They found her,” someone whispers.

“That horrible girl,” someone else judges.

“Why would they want to find that little brat, that horrible child?” I hear someone else question.

What are these people talking about?  I ran off for my own good and for their own good.  Nobody liked me anyway so why do they want to find me to deal with me all over again?  I watch the people as I get carried by them and to a tall brick building.  Someone opens the building’s door and we all go inside.

The building has read walls and pictures of old people.  Where are these people taking me and what are they doing, or going to do, with me?  I am obviously in trouble, but why am I in this weird building?

There are lines and lines of people inside the building.  I think they are just lined up to stare at me; why else would they be lined up?  Am I really that amazing to look at, or is it that I ran off with a horrible, disgraceful, dangerous young man.  Almost everyone that is lined up to stare at me are woman, but there are a few men as well.  All of the women that we pass have a disgusting look on their face and are mainly looking at me.  If they happen to have an honorable look on their face, then they are probably looking at one of the strong, dependable men walking beside the man that is carrying me; the brave men that surrendered themselves to find me, a brat of a girl. 

We finally get to a huge room with two front desks and a large desk in the front facing the people.  We are in a court room.  The man that is carrying me puts me in a chair and puts my tied hands on the back of the chair.  I see Lloyd, Susan, and Henry at the desk beside the one I am sitting at.  They all look at me as though I am garbage.  Even Henry doesn’t look loving.  Now, he is supposed to be my brother, and brothers are supposed to be loving to a lost sister!

Next to me, knocked out cold and pale, is Lucas.  He looks terrible, all chained and bruised.  Someone, probably Lloyd, wrapped the chains around Lucas’ neck, waist, hands, feet, and all over his body; Lloyd and the police obviously beat him and punched him until he could see no more.  I also see Sandra, her daughter, and Noah sitting on the other side of Lucas.  What have I gotten myself into?

I stare at Lucas, trying to keep the tears from emerging from my eyes.  His beautiful face is now covered in dry blood and bruises.  His eyes are puffy and black and blue from fists punching them to many times.  Lucas’ soft, comforting lips are now cracked and bleeding.  The use-to-be white shirt that he is wearing is now stained red from all of his blood.  I am surprised Lucas is still alive because of what Lloyd and his men have done to him would have taken my life.

A man sits down next to me.  I look at him and then gasp.  Was this man really going to fight on my side?  Was my father really going to fight for my rights?  Before the judge comes out, Aaron leans over to my ear.

“I am so sorry for everything.  I didn’t know that treating you like I did and giving you to someone you didn’t know would lead to this,” he regrets, and then the judge comes out.

“Mr. Aaron Louis, you are going to side with Ms. Tammy Sue on this case?” the judge asks, his gray mustache moving with his lip motions.

“Yes, your honor, I am,” Aaron responds.

“And Mr. Lloyd Steel, you are fighting for yourself, with the help of Susan Louis?” grills the judge.

“Your honor, that is correct,” Lloyd remarks.