We enter the courtroom that cold winter morning; Mom and Autumn dressed in their best dresses that were starting to wear and I in my suit that was tight at the elbows and short in the legs. Dad is already there, preparing for the trial with the family lawyer Ms. Young since dawn. We are all nervous for the bad verdict we expect to come at the end of that day but also ready to have the case closed. Dad was going to be found guilty; we just knew it would come.
The court begins and the jury ready to point their finger at the wretched Sydney Henderson for the crime he was accused of. Cynthia Pit is her regular tight black dress is first called to the stand with glossy eyes as if she had been crying. Expectantly, she began to tear up and as we were waiting for her to start accusing my father for the loss of her brother; yet she changed the story. Cynthia immediately fought back the streams running down her face and forced a sympathetic smile towards my father. She said, "Sydney. I am truly sorry for all the trouble you have been put through but I know now that there are many holes within the investigation" a shocked outburst came from the crowd when she sniffled and then pointed to her brother Mathew. "He! He was the one to damage the bridge which then lead to the death of dear Trenton. My brother Mathew Pit and his terrible friends Rudy Bellanger and Connie Devlin were the culprits to this dreaded crime. Not Sydney Henderson". She had barely finished speaking when Mathew was on his feet cursing at the sister that just ruined his life the way he had attempted to ruin my fathers.
The trial quickly came to an end when all three men were put into handcuffs and dragged out of the courtroom. That was the end of it. The end of the Henderson hatred throughout the people living along the river and much more sympathy.
Immediately after we left the court that day, we were approached by Leo McVicer. He hugged Autumn and I and then both my mother and father. We were touched for the first time by anyone other than our family. Leo's eyes were full of tears; he apologized for everything all the way back to accusing my grandfather for burning down his trees many years before. He then grabbed my mothers hands and told her "Elly, I am your biological father and if you would like; you may move into Glady's house with your lovely family and live there with our family". My mother was unsure how to react to Leo's proposal but smiled and said we would talk and give him an answer the following day. Autumn and I both knew she would say yes. Now not only were we free; we had a grandfather that wanted us and even more attention to follow.
The Pit family offered to take us out for dinner that night, as did the Voteur family. Everyone wanted their chance to apologize to the family they put down over all these years. And in consideration to all the offers given to us that night; we decided to go home.
We returned to that petite house along the river, with no heat and little room for our family to grow. Yet this time we were relieved. We were over all the torment and hatred and ready to be the Hendersons that everyone wanted to love. Finally we were happy and for the first time we all sat at the table with our little dinner and smiled. We prayed to God for He had finally shone his light on us and brought a new glow to our family. In the end, bringing us together with the community and each other. The Hendersons were finally ready to introduce ourselves to the world without any doubts in mind due to being brought down.