Thug-ish (Book 1)

30:Leti in court

Leticia

As a little girl, I use to dream about my future all the time. I'd marry a handsome man, didn't realize I was gay, and we'd live in a big house with our kids and both our families would come over all the time.

Never in a million years did I think I'd be sitting in a courtroom waiting on all four of the people who made me who I am today go to prison.

Mina and Calvin made me, they're my parents. Now Mina may have had her problems and she was that aunt that never quite came around until I became a teenager, but she was the fun aunt. Calvin was a decent father, he was actually there until I was sixteen. Then he just stopped coming around once I came out to my family.

Reina was my mom, at least I thought she was. She was strict as hell, but I always thought it was because she was mad at Calvin for getting with her sister. Now I realize that was all just a lie and she wasn't even my mom. Hector was the second father that I needed growing up. He picked up wherever Calvin slacked off.

All these people didn't use to be so bad, but the shit that they have done is unforgivable. They need to pay for their mistakes and I need justice, not just for me, but for my daughter and her family. Patrick deserves justice and I know Calvin killed him.

"Where is Calvin Jr.?" The prosecutor demands.

"He's not here?" I wonder. I look around the courtroom and sure enough he isn't here.

"We have no case without him. He is the key witness. He needs to be here. He's the only one that can say your parents gave him the order to take Jamiyah." He explains.

"I'll go call him." West pulls me up from my seat and I waddle out to the hallway.

The phone doesn't even ring. It goes straight to voicemail. What the fuck is he thinking? I call a few more times and the same thing happens.

I go back inside the courtroom and tell the lawyer what happened. He exhales and takes his seat.

"This isn't going to be pretty." West says.

*
*
*

"Ms.Atkins-Thorne, can you tell the court about your relationship with your cousin, Jamiyah Atkins-Martinez.?" The prosecutor asks.

"It's Mrs.West now," I say causing every member in my family to gasp and then I see Malo punch West in the arm. I want to laugh so bad, but I have to stay focused. "And Jamiyah is not my cousin. We were raised as sisters and that's never going to change."

"Okay Mrs.West, would you say you guys are close?"

"Yes." I nod.

"So you know a lot of stuff about her?"

"Yes, I do."

"Do you think she would have ever voluntarily left the hospital to go see her parents if she had her memory?"

"Objection!" The defense attorney shouts. "That is pure speculation. She has no idea what goes on inside of another person's head, your honor."

"Your honor, if the two girls are close then they would know how the other one would react to a situation."

"Overruled, I'll allow it." The judge says. "Answer the question Mrs.West."

"No, Jamiyah wouldn't have wanted to ever see our family again."

"No further questions." The prosecutor says.

The defense attorney gets up and walks over with a big smile on his face. "Mrs.West, are you a vengeful person?"

I shake my head. "No, of course not."

"So you don't believe in revenge?"

"Objection!" The prosecutor says. "He's already asked that."

"Please move on to the next question." The judge says.

"Who are the three people sitting behind the prosecutor?" The defense asks.

"Naomi, Mallory, and Jamiyah."

"And who are those people to you?"

"My family."

"So they're your family?" He raises an eyebrow. "What about the four defendants? Who are they to you?"

"My parents and my aunt and uncle."

"Isn't it true that your aunt and uncle raised you?"

"Yes."

"So doesn't that make them all your parents?"

"I suppose so." I shrug.

"And how is your relationship with all your parents?"

"Good."

"May I remind you that you are under oath."

"Not good."

"Hmmm...not good you say? Would you that your relationship has never been good?"

"No, it use to be okay. We use to have family dinners."

"What made the relationship not okay?"

"I found out my mom wasn't my mom and Calvin came back into my life."

"So you found out that your entire life was a lie?"

"No, that's not true."

"So you didn't find out that your parents had lied to you your entire life?"

"No, I did."

"So your life was a lie?"

"Yes, I think so."

"You think so or you know so?"

"I know so."

"And how did this make you feel?"

"I was upset."

"Upset or angry?"

"Okay, I was angry. I was really angry."

"How angry were you?"

"I just wanted them to feel my pain. To feel betrayed like I had."

"So you wanted revenge?"

"No."

"Well did you or did you not want them to hurt because you were hurting?"

"Objection. Badgering the witness."

"Overruled, answer the question." The judge says.

"Yes."

"No further questions your honor."