Standing By

Hearings

(Tim)

Sliding down into my seat, I couldn't help but groan. My back was now aching, my head was throbbing, and for some reason, I had to pee. I'd just been in the bathroom. Hadn't I peed in there? Surely I had; that's what people do in bathrooms. So why was my bladder full again? It shouldn't be if I'd just used it. I didn't remember peeing. But still, what else would I be doing in the bathroom? I didn't need to shit. Maybe I just went in there and only took a dump. But I never just shit. When I shit, I pee. Always have. For over thirty-four years. Shit and pee, shit and pee. Together. I've always thought that, hey, I'm already down here sitting on a toilet, might as well pee while I was there! I could hardly believe that, after a lifetime of shit/peeing, I'd have done any differently this morning.

Elliott jabbed at me. "Pay attention! He asked you a question!"

Oh damn, had he? I lifted my eyes to the judge. Sure enough, he was looking at me expectantly. I glanced at Elliott frantically.

He leaned over and hissed in my ear, "The question was how you're feeling and if you're well enough to continue."

I blinked. Avritt wanted to know how I was feeling? Why? "Um, well..." I scratched at my chin. "I have a bit of a headache, and my back hurts a little. Feel like I could use a trip to the restroom?" It came out more as a question than an answer.

He tilted his head to the side, studying me. "Mr. Foust, are you aware that you passed out about twenty-five minutes ago?"

I felt my mouth fall slack. I'd passed out? Like, just up and passed out? My eyes flickered to Elliott, who nodded at me.

"Like one of your spaced out episodes," he whispered.

God, another one of those. Why do I keep doing that? Feeling helpless over my own body and not remembering a blasted part of that, I shrugged at him sadly.

"I surmise that was a 'no, I was not'," Avritt said dryly. "Am I correct in that?"

I nodded slowly, then added for good measure, "Yes sir. I—I mean, no sir. Or—wait." OK, think, you fool! Try to make it seem like you are capable of higher-level communication! Try it again. "I was not aware that I had passed out." Maybe I should get my panicked ass to a doctor and find out what we can do about it.

Avritt regarded me for a minute. "Are you well enough to continue and finish your hearing? We can take a brief recess in between yours and Ms. Foust's."

Well, I guessed I was. "Yes sir."

"Very well." He picked up his notebook. "We were discussing the matter of a breached restraining order. So far, it has been established it was broken at the Bank of America; several family members and friends of the plaintiff are serving twenty-four hour sentences pursuant to their actions. It appears the defendant and his friends have not been properly apprehended for their actions; this needs to be rectified."

Oh. Well, no wonder I'd panicked and spiraled downward fast. I was fixing to go right back to jail. I grasped onto Elliott's arm, fat tears rolling down my cheeks. Not only was I in trouble, I was pulling my friends down with me. I didn't know if I'd ever forgive myself for doing this to Austin and Chance. I started to turn my head to the back to tell them, to show them, how incredibly sorry I was, but Elliott grabbed me and turned my focus back to Avritt.

"This would entail Mr. Foust, as well as, ah... Adam Chance and Matthew Brown to be taken into custody immediately following the conclusion of the hearings. Elliott Robinson appears to have been placed on the restraining order in error, as he is the defendant's attorney and maintains rights to be around the prosecution in all professional encounters."