Chapter 11 #3
“That’ll be all, Mr.Sykes. Thank you for your testimony,” Glen said. Blue wondered what Devon had been about to say.
Casey stood and stepped to the witness box. “Have you ever known Mr.Wallace to get into a brawl at a bar?”
Devon shrugged. “Not that I can recall.”
“And is he a person who pays his debts?”
Devon shrugged again. “I don’t know anything about his finances.”
“Thanks, Mr.Sykes. That’s all.”
Devon shot a sympathetic smile at Blue as he left the courtroom. JudgeHargrove looked at his sheet. “This says CharlesWentworth and ChuckWentworth. Is that the same person?”
“No, YourHonor,” Glen said. “It’s a father and son.”
“Let’s just hear from one of them, shall we?” the judge said and Blue’s heart sank. He wondered which one Glen would call.
“Then let’s hear from Chuck,” the attorney said in request, so the judge called in Blue’s boss.
Blue felt like the sky had opened and angels were singing.
Glen asked Chuck about his father and how he’d come to know Blue.
Then he asked about Blue’s job, his benefits, and his work ethic.
Chuck had nothing but positive, glowing things to say about Blue, and he breathed a deep sigh of relief.
Oddly, Mr.Casey didn’t want to ask any questions, so the moment Blue had dreaded was coming.
Anne stepped into the courtroom and made her way to the front, then climbed into the witness box. Once she was sworn in, Glen began his questions. “So, Ms.Black, how did you meet Mr.Wallace?”
“He’s lived next door to me for the whole eight years I’ve lived there,” she said.
“And what kind of neighbor is Mr.Wallace?”
Anne let out a chuckle. “Well, he used to be a real problem child!”
“Elaborate, please.”
Anne sobered. “He didn’t take care of his property. The grass was knee high and it was always littered with trash and mess.”
“And is it that way now?”
“No, sir. Neat as a pin.”
Glen started down a different path. “And how did you come to know he had an infant in his home?”
Anne smiled. “He saw me coming in and out in scrubs, so he knew I worked in the healthcare field. He came over and asked for my help with the baby.”
“And what was his demeanor?”
“Oh, gosh, he was terrified! I mean, totally and completely terrified. He had no idea what to do.”
“And how long did it take him to figure out how to take care of the baby?”
“About a week. I spent a lot of time with him during that week, teaching him how to care for her.”
“Did he want her?”
“Not initially, no. He was too scared. But he fell in love with her pretty quickly.”
“I see. And what kind of parent do you think he is? From your personal experience, I mean. You have two children, correct?”
“Yes. They adore him, and he loves them. They stay with him while I’m at work in the evenings. He helps them with homework and does some of my housework to help me out.”
“So you trust him with your children?”
“I absolutely do.”
“If there’s anything you could say to the court about Mr.Wallace and the infant, what would it be?”
Blue watched as Anne thought carefully. “I think I’d say…
I’ve seen him grow up in these six months.
The selfish single guy who drank and cussed and left his property a mess is gone.
He’s an adult now. I’m very proud to call him my friend,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.
Blue had to choke back the tears in his own eyes. God, he loved that woman!
“Thank you, Ms.Black. I want to reserve the right to ask further questions,” Glen told the judge.
“Granted. Mr. Casey?”
Cindy’s attorney stood and made his way to the witness box. “Someone turned Mr.Wallace in to child protective services. Was it you?”
Anne shook her head vehemently. “Absolutely not. I was committed to helping him keep his daughter. I would never do that.”
“Then who did?”
“I have an idea, but it’s pure speculation, so I’d rather not say.”
“Has he ever hurt the child in any way?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
“You said you’re proud to be friends with him, isn’t that right, Ms.Black?”
“Yes.”
A sickening grin stretched across Casey’s face. “Friends. You mean friends with benefits, don’t you?”
“Objection!” Glen shouted out. “No relevance.”
The judge shook his head. “I’ll allow it if Mr.Casey will rephrase, and when he does, answer the question, Ms.Black.”
Casey rolled his eyes out of the judge’s line of vision. “So is your relationship with Mr.Wallace more than just friends?”
Blue could see tears pooling in Anne’s eyes. “Um, I’m not accustomed to talking about my personal life.” She looked at the judge, but he nodded. “Mr.Wallace and I are in a relationship.”
“You were in that relationship before the baby came along, were you not?” Casey asked.
“No. I was not. I wasn’t the least bit attracted to the old Brent. But the new Brent is a kind, decent, hard-working, honorable man.”
“So does he have a split personality?” Casey asked, leering.
“Objection!” Glen shouted loudly.
“Sustained. You’ll refrain from asking Ms.Black anything that could be construed as an opinion on Mr.Wallace’s mental health.” Blue knew he hadn’t meant it that way―he was just trying to make a point.
“Sorry, YourHonor.” Casey stared at Anne for a few seconds, then said, “No more questions.”
“You may step down, Ms.Black, and thank you for your testimony.” Blue watched as Anne walked slowly down the aisle toward the courtroom doors.
She pulled a tissue from her bag and blew her nose, and his heart broke for her.
He hated that she was being put in the spotlight just for loving him, but he was beyond grateful that she was willing to stand beside him.
Blue thought Ms.Parker would be next, but the judge said, “The court calls PatriciaNewsome to the stand.”
Blue’s head whipped to face Glen. “Who’s that?” he whispered.
“Brent, listen to me. You signed papers for me to pull any records I needed on your behalf. I felt this was necessary or I wouldn’t do it. It’s going to be hard, but you have to trust me.”
“But I don’t know her,” Blue whispered back.
“Yes. You do. And you’ll remember in a few minutes. I want you to be prepared. This could be very emotional for you, so hang tough, okay?”
It was bewildering to Blue, but he nodded.
The courtroom doors opened and a small, thin woman of about sixty stepped in.
She had waist-length white hair pulled back in a long braid, and she was wearing a mid-calf length, shapeless, gingham print dress and a pair of what Blue had always called “Jesus sandals.” She gave him a brief smile as she walked past the table and Blue’s stomach quivered. He was sure he knew her, but how?
Formalities out of the way, Glen stepped to the box. “Good morning, Ms.Newsome. How are you?”
“I’m fine, thanks! Beautiful day.”
“Yes, it is. So we’re here today to determine who should have custody of a baby girl. Her name is IndigoDarling Wallace. Do you know her father, BrentWallace?”
“Blue? Of course I know Blue!” she said and smiled. “I was his foster mother for about seven months.”
The air got heavy and Blue had trouble sucking any in.
He remembered Ms.Newsome. His time with her had been short but he couldn’t remember why.
Any time he’d left a foster home, he figured he’d done something wrong, so he tried to put it out of his mind.
He wasn’t sure what he’d done that time.
Lost in thought, he heard the judge say, “Mr.Wallace?”
Blue’s head snapped up and he tried to speak, but he couldn’t. Next thing he knew, Glen was in his face. “Deep breaths, Brent. It’s okay. Everything’s okay.” Blue just nodded and tried to regain his composure. Why had Glen called one of his foster parents? This would be a disaster, he just knew it.
“I’m sorry, YourHonor. This is very stressful for my client,” Glen said, and JudgeHargrove nodded his understanding. “Now, Ms.Newsome,” Glen said, turning back to the little woman, “you said you remember Mr.Wallace?”
“Oh, yes! Of all the years I served as a foster mother, those seven months stand out as the best I can remember. I hope I helped him somehow.”
“What kind of child was Mr.Wallace?”
Her face grew wistful and her smile warm. “He was the sweetest little boy! He used to make little mud pies in the yard and bring them to me. He’d say, ‘MizPatty’―that’s what all the kids called me, you know―‘MizPatty, if I knew how to bake I’d make you a real cake.’”
“And what would you say his emotional state was while he was with you?”
“Somewhat fragile. I mean, he didn’t act out or misbehave, but he was a very unhappy little boy,” Ms.Newsome said, her face saddening at the memories.
“I see. What do you remember of the background you were given on him?”
“They said his parents abandoned him when he was just a little thing. He went from foster home to foster home. His little back and butt were a maze of scars, all kinds of scars, from whippings and all kinds of things. And cigarette burns too,” she said almost in a whisper, and Blue wanted to die.
“You said you only had him seven months. How old was he when he was with you?”
“About seven.”
“And why did he leave? Did he do something wrong?”
“Oh, heavens, no! He was very well-behaved! It was me. My husband passed away suddenly. Heart attack. Social services said I couldn’t have a male child in my home by myself, so they took him away.
I cried for weeks.” Blue remembered it. He’d cried for months too.
Patty had been kind to him, and he’d always fantasized that someday she’d come and find him.
She’d take him away from the people who were so mean to him and take care of him.
He’d be her little boy. But she never came and he thought that, just like everybody else, she hadn’t wanted him either.
“He used to ask me why nobody loved him and I’d say, ‘I do.’ I’ve got a feeling I was the only person who’d ever told him that. ”