"Semi-Short Stories" [ Story Collection ]

The Trial [] 4/12 []

"Charles. You're the second born, am I correct?" Daciana's attorney, hands clasped behind his back, strolls towards the witness stand where Charles sits patiently. He appears calm and collected.

"Yes. Only a few minutes before my sister Charlotte." He offers the tall, somewhat intimidating man a smile. His eyes roam past him to where his mother is seated at the table to the right of the courtroom (to his left). He makes eye contact with her and she smiles supportively at him.

"May I call you Charles?"

"You may."

"Charles. What can you tell us about your mother, Daciana? What is she like at home? Is it as your older sister, Stella, has claimed?"

Stella, as the eldest child, had been called to the stand first. Since this case was about the treatment of the children rather than their father, Chad (Daciana's husband), was going to be questioned last and inquired about what was said during the previous statements. If he is also to blame for this situation, having him speak first may influence what the children have to say - Chad has not been accused of anything, but there was always the possibility.

Stella's statement wasn't positive nor negative - she had remained neutral on the matter. Yes, her mother wasn't the kindest towards her sibling, but the treatment went both ways: the two of them just didn't get along. That was what she had told the attorney.

Charles had something different to say.

"My mother is kind to me."

Daciana's smile grows.

"But that's because I knew how to keep her happy. I was nearly two when Max was born, so I don't remember them not existing - we grew up together and there was a clear difference in treatment, even as a child I could tell. Mother would nitpick every little thing Max did just to have a reason to yell at them - I knew what to avoid so I wouldn't also get in trouble. I did slip up a few times, however. There were occasions where I would do something that would have gotten Max grounded, but nothing was done about it. I remember when I was about eight and they were six...Max was trying to help put away the dishes and dropped and broke a plate." Charles glances to Daciana, who has lost her smile. She looks on the verge of being angry, if she wasn't already. He continues. "I recall that they weren't at dinner that evening, so I think they had been locked in their room. I broke a plate the next day and my mother was cooing over me and asking if I had been hurt."

There are murmurs amongst some of the attendees. The judge leans back in his chair, looking from Charles to Daciana to the attorney. The attorney speaks.

"Could there have been a chance that Max dropped this plate on purpose? Surely you can't remember the event in much detail, since you couldn't say exactly why Max wasn't present at dinner after the incident. Maybe Max was busy pouting about getting in trouble and chose not to go to dinner."

Charles shakes his head. "That wasn't an isolated event, sir, that was just one example."

The attorney nods slowly. "Then you wouldn't mind providing more examples."

Charles smiles. "I would love to."