Beautiful Soul

Chapter 4: The Trial/ Truth Comes Out

Before I get into the trial let me tell you how my life has been. Since we last talked I was put into a temporary home with other girls well a girl home. I had no say in what I wanted. Patricia was taken into custody and I was released 2 weeks later. Mama Flo has come and visited me since I got here. It's not a bad place I got new friends and two ladies Ms. Tracey Barnwell and Mrs. Myla Winstead are my house mothers. They have been very supportive of me during this time as have the girls it's 5 of us total. I'm the youngest, its me Bianca, Alise, Antoinette and the oldest one is Tyresa. They met Mama Flo when I got put in here. We became more like sisters. Over the 3 months I've been here we got close.

"Kyla?" I heard and turned to see Ms. Barnwell, "yes ma'am?" I stood up and brushed my hair. My stomach was beginning to show a little now. I'm beyond happy Because I get to choose who I want to live with!!! "It's time for your trial baby" we got in the car and headed to the courthouse. I stepped into the courthouse and a bunch of emotions hit me. I had to sit down. I rubbed my stomach. "Kyla?" I looked up and saw mother Walters mama Flo Ms Toya Caleb Ms Williams and everyone who was in my mamas class! I stood up and I ran to mama Flo. "Mommy!" I started crying harder. This was also the day the adoption took place.

We were shown to family court and I sat down beside my lawyer Erica who also happened to be mama Flo's little cousin. I looked behind me hoping that mama Flo would come up here. I was feeling my chest tighten and my breathing starting to pick up. I was shaking so bad. "KyKy '' I stopped calming down I heard Mama Flo behind me she kept telling me to breathe. Patricia was on the other side of the courtroom.

"ALL RISE" we stood up. I was feeling better. The judge looked nice.. "We are going to be doing the adoption portion of this trial first. So Ms. Florence could you please come to stand beside Kyla" Mama Flo made her way beside me. "After much consideration I decided that the best place for Kyla Renee Clark is with her aunt Florence Renee Watkins. Congrats to you both ''''WHAT?!" I heard Patricia scream. I looked at her, for the first time since I saw her I smiled. I wanted so badly to jump up and down like I was crazy but remembered that I was pregnant. Mama Florence hugged me. "Praise the Lord!" I heard Mother Walters scream. I smiled at her.

Then came the trial I had been dreading for a month now. "We call the stand Kyla Clark Watkins" my lawyer said. I stood up and made my way to the stand. I sat. "Can you tell me when the abuse started" I sighed "the abuse started when my father passed away when I was 12 years old. My mother would become enraged over little things. I was abused constantly." I sighed again. "But two months ago it was worse. Much worse, Two months ago my mother let two grown men come in my room and rape me it was a threesome, she wanted money and I was her last chance,they gave me money and told me to leave. My mother came in the room and she beat me repeatedly and never stopped until 30 minutes later. The money they gave me I bought a ticket and came to Chestnut I had to be where I felt safe." Then came my mother's lawyer "was it true that you disrespected your mother after your father died?" I looked at him and was wondering what this had to do with the trial. The judge looked at him "Counselor what has this got to do with the trial" "Simple your honor... Maybe the client deserved to be abused" When he said that something in me snapped. "Wait a minute! No one deserves to be beaten and raped NO ONE!! I didn't deserve any of that! I was 12 about to be 13 and she allowed this to happen! I have scars!! I have trauma that still keeps me awake at night!"

The judge looked at Patricia with so much hatred! "No more questions your honor" I shook my head. Erica stood up but the judge whose name was Judge Mablean said "the court would like to call to the stand Patrica Clark '', My mother was led to the stand she passed me she smirked. I sat down and my anxiety wanted to act up but I controlled it. Erica looked at her "Mrs. Clark we made you take a lie detector test and I have the result we asked you 4 questions." She gave the envelope to another lawyer I knew her! Ms. Joyelle Weems. She looked at me and smiled, she opened the envelope "Mrs Clark the first question we asked you was 'Have you abused Kyla to the point she couldn't go to school the next day' you answered no" My blood boiled Mama Flo went to get up I held her hand. "The results to that question was that you didn't tell the truth" The courtroom was silent. "Care to explain" "Well she deserved it. She never listened to me. She never did what I told her!" She looked at me and I went to say something but Mama Flo put her hand over my mouth. "Second question we asked you 'did you allow 3 or more men to rape your daughter repeatedly while you watched' you answered no" It was quiet enough you could hear a pin drop "The results of that question is that you did not tell the truth" "well I---" She shut her mouth and she sat in silence. "The third question was have you ever burned your daughter? You answered no '' I sighed and covered my hands with cigarette marks on them. "The fourth and final question we asked you was were you responsible for your husband's death" Mama Flo and I sat up as did Mother Walters Auntie Celia and Uncle Tyrell. Patricia shifted in her seat. "The results to those questions was that you did not tell the truth!" I was stunned and hurt at the same time. The judge hit her gavel. "Recess" I sat still I couldn't move. My mother was the reason my father was gone.