Terry Terry
Chapter 14
"The Trial"
The press got wind of what happened to Terry by an anonymous tip from Neil…so the news was all over town. Everybody got wind of it… Billie bought the paper before she left town early in the morning. She hadn't read it yet. She took the train and was sleeping and when she woke up, she decided to read the paper. She was stunned to see that the news about Terry in the early edition of the paper.
- What! She said out loud, he was with me all day! Oh no!
She started thinking about Terry.
- I'm his only alibi… what should I do? Go back? No, it's too early for me to show up now… but Terry…I need to make a phone call…
Georgina had left Terry with his family and she had gone to the office to work a little bit and make some phone calls. The phone from her office rang.
- Hello? She said.
- Georgina? Hi…
- Miss Andrew…Hi…
- What's happening with Terry?
- I'm taking care of the case, I posted his bail and he's now leaving with me until the trial…
- He's innocent…
- He told me he was with you….
- He was, for the whole day…
- So you're his alibi…
- Yes… I can save him, but… I'm not ready to come out yet…
- Miss Andrew, you're his only alibi…
- Yes, I am… you have to find out what happened…
- I already hire a private investigator to find out what happens… from the looks of it, Neil seems to be the culprit… he wants to get rid of Terry…
- That little moron! Said Billie, he must've slipped up somewhere… if things gets really desperate, I'll come out to save him… which means I have to turn around and come back. I can't go to the little house. I'll go to the other castle… tell the staff to clean up my room. Georgina?
- Yes?
- Get the paper work ready for Terrence's adoption. I don't want those Reagan to ruin him furthermore… now he's going to have a record…
- I'll get it expunge, once we prove he was framed…I start the paper work, right away…
- Did you get a hold of Reagan?
- Yes, he's in Singapore, he should be back in a few days. He was very upset. He likes Terrence a lot…
- Well he's got the family from hell with my lovely sister…I bet that tramp has the hots for Terrence just like her daughter…
- Miss Andrew!
- Sorry Georgina. My sister is a tramp! She doesn't mind entertaining younger men… she's lusting after Terry, believe me! I know my sister… well that's not important now. You get the paper work ready for Terrence's adoption.
- What about Madam Elroy…?
- Well, I'll take care of her… Terry makes Antonia happy, so she should like him a little just for that…
- He's got a girlfriend…
- Antonia is going to be glad to live in the same house with the boy she loves… bring me the paper work later tonight…
- Very well Miss Andrew. I'll see you later tonight. Have a good trip coming back.
- Bye Georgina. Set up a trust fund for him too… and take care of his bills whatever he has pending…I want my new son to relax.
- He's a very lucky boy. Everybody was willing to help him, even the staff at the Reagan were willing to dig in their savings to post his bail
- Wow… well being the only nice person in that house is not very difficult.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Terry was with his family, who started to leave in early evening.
- Bye Terry, said the kids.
- Goodbye, said Terry, thank you for coming.
- Bye Terry, said Sister Maria hugging him, hang in there.
- Thank you mommy Maria.
- Terry, said Miss Pony…
- And you too mommy Pony, you two are my mommies… Thank you so much.
The troupe from the Pony Home left.
The three cousins, had to go too.
- I'll call you later, Terry…, said Antonia, Nina…
Nina went to Antonia and she hugged her.
- Thank you so much Antonia, for all your support.
- You're very welcome, said Antonia hugging her back.
Terry, Jones, Ashley and Allyson were speechless.
- Did I miss something? Said Terry.
- Antonia is my best friend, said Nina smiling.
- And Nina is my best friend! Said Antonia smiling too.
- Since when? Said Ashley.
- Since we've got a lot in common, said Nina.
- Oh, said Terry, that's a good thing.
- I'll call you later, Nina, said Antonia.
The three cousins left. In the car, Ashley was still stunned.
- Why are you friends with her? She asked Antonia.
- Why not? Said Antonia.
- She's only with the man you love?
- She's a good friend. We both love Terry, we bonded during his arrest…
- Bonded? You've got to be kidding me!
- Ash, said Allyson…leave her alone, she's fine with what she's doing, don't make her feel bad.
- I can't believe it! Said Ashley.
When they got home she went to her room with her sister. Antonia went to see the great aunt.
- I can't believe that goody two shoes! She even got Terry's girlfriend to like her!
- Ashley… would stop talking about that. Antonia is a good person, she told Nina, she loved Terry… they're fine. Get over it!
- All right! Said Ashley sulking, I'm going to go to my room, you're not fun at all!
oOoOoOoOoOo
Jones was getting ready to leave Georgina's house too.
- All right bro. I'll call you later…he said, hang in there. You're a tough cookie.
- Thanks for being here bro…,said Terry hugging him.
- I had to support my twin and big brother…, bye Nina.
- By Jones…, said Nina.
He got in his car and he left. Terry was alone with Nina in the living room. She was in his arms.
- How are you baby? She said.
- With all of you here? With you here? Wonderful…you took the day off?
- Yes…
- Thank you…
- You don't have to thank me…
- And Antonia is your new best friend?
- Well she's a nice girl, who's also in love with you and she told me she's not going to try anything with you and I trust her… more than Ashley who won't even admits she likes you…we talked a lot the night of your arrest…
- Oh… I'm just speechless…
- You're a good guy Terry, apparently you bring out the best in people…Your good karma is going to shield you from all of Neil's attempts to ruin you…
- You think so?
- I know so…
- Did you miss me yesterday?
- I missed you all day, and I missed our smooches…
Terry smiled. She tuned to him and they started kissing… they fell asleep on the couch holding each other. Nina spend the whole day and most of the evening there. She was there when Georgina came back from the office and they had dinner together. Terry walked Nina outside and she got in her car and they took their time to say goodbye to each other. When he finally came back inside, he went to sit with Georgina in the living room.
- How are you holding up?
- I'm fine, said Terry.
- Don't worry about a thing, everything is going to be fine. I promise you…
- Do you know something I don't?
- I just know everything is going to be fine, she said smiling.
- Thank you so much for everything…You live here alone, do you someone special in your life?
- I haven't quite found the right man yet, she said smiling.
- Too intimidated by your job, because you're much more than a lawyer, you know that? That family relies on you for a lot of things…
- I love my job and I love that family…Mr. Andrew took me in when I was a little girl…
- Oh, so you know how I feel…
- Yes, I do… I work for the family, but I love what I do. It's great that you've got the opportunity for them to help you, adopt you as their own, and be one of them…It's ok, to let good things happen to you.
- The Andrews are going to adopt me?
- You didn't hear it from me…
- Oh my God!
Terry didn't know what to feel or how to feel. The Andrews? Antonia…his head was spinning. He stood up and he went to hug Georgina hard.
- Thank you so much, he said moved.
- Don't thank me… thank you good heart. If they hadn't adopted you, I would've adopted you myself…
Terry was touched by those words.
- You're my fairy godmother, Georgina! Thank you so much!
They talked for a while and then they both went to bed.
- How do you like your room? She said while the were climbing the stairs to the bedroom
- I love it, thank you, Georgina, good night
- Good night Terry.
Terry entered his new bedroom. He had taken his stuff for Allyson's car. He was taking his clothes off, to go take a shower in the adjacent bathroom, when his cell phone rang.
- Hello?
- Terry?
- Tammy!
- How are you?
- Fine…
- My father called me… I wish I was there.
- Don't worry about me big sis, I'll be ok.
- You're sure?
- Yes, I'm innocent and I'm going to prove it…
- Good luck.
They talked for a while and then Terry went to take his shower. He took his time and when he came out. He had missed a few calls. It rang again …
- Nina?
- No, it's not Nina…
- Eliza?
- I just wanted to tell you, I'm sorry Terry, that's all. I hope everything works out for you.
- Euh… thank you Eliza… I think.
- Bye Terry.
She hung up before he could say anything else. He was still stunned when Nina called back.
- Baby? Are you ok? She asked.
- Yes…
- You sound distracted.
- Eliza just called.
- What? What for?
- To tell me she was sorry… and wish me good luck.
- Oh… well, she's got the hots for you…you've softened her up…
- I guess, said Terry, I'm just stunned.
- You bring out the best in people…
- She might never acknowledge it…but who cares?
- You're so simple you know that?
- Why complicate things, when life could be so simple?
He talked with her. He talked to Antonia, he talked to Jones…and he finally went to bed. He was going to be fine, as a member of the Andrew family…he thought about the old eagle, the Great Aunt, but even her couldn't be worse than Neil…
Terry continued working with Georgina in his internship. She was still investigating the theft of the car. Terry would spend his evening with Nina, Jones and the three cousins.
The trial date was finally there. Everybody was there. The prosecution showed a video of a young boy with the car in question at a convenient store. Another tape, was showing them driving away. The boy in question was wearing a baseball cap and wearing jersey and jeans. It could be anybody. Terry had touched the car, so his fingerprints were on it. Mrs. Reagan testified that the car was hers, a present from her husband. Neil took the stand and said he saw Terry take the car. Terry was just shaking his head; how could he lie like that? Georgina put her hand on his…
- Don't worry, she whispered.
Terry smiled at her. There was someone who brought a note for Georgina. She read the note and her face changed. Neil's testimony was over.
- Miss Johnson? Said the judge?
- I have no questions for this witness, said Georgina.
Everybody was stunned. Terry looked at Georgina.
- All right, said the judge, you may call your first witness.
- I would like to call Mr. Todd Reagan to stand…
There was some whispers in the room. The door opened and Mr. Reagan entered the room. Neil was angry; his father liked Terry he was probably going to help him out of this jam.
Mr. Reagan swore on the Bible. Georgina who was wearing a navy blue suit and a white shirt stood up and walked to the witness.
- Mr. Reagan, would you introduce yourself to the court please?
- Todd Tyler Reagan.
- Who are you to the defendant?
- I'm Terrence White's foster father.
- How did you become his foster father?
- I wanted my son to have a companion, since he didn't have any brother, only a sister, I applied to be a foster parent and I sent my assistant to the Pony Home to get Terrence…
- Why Terrence?
- Because he was the same age as my son and he was a good boy. No prior, no record and he was doing very well at school; he's got a 4.0 average at his old school, which he maintained at St. Francis, the private school where I put him. My son was having problems at school with his grades. I wanted him to have a friend who could help him and also help a brilliant young orphan to make it in life.
- That's very generous of you. How did your family take?
- Not well at all. But I asked Terrence to give us a chance… and he agreed for me…I'm always on business trip, so I haven't got the chance to supervise things.
- Were you on a business trip lately?
- Yes, I just came from the airport, praying to get here on time…
- Why is that…?
- Because Terrence is innocent.
- But your wife accused him of stealing her car…
- That's why I'm here to clarify things… Terrence couldn't have stolen that car even if he wanted to…
- What do you mean by "Even if he wanted to"?
- Terrence is a very good boy. He was working for a while before I took him in and saving up money to buy a car. I had to force him to take an allowance from me. Despite all that, he was working in the stables with the foreman and earning money. When school was over, he had an internship at Andrew Enterprises …He went to the Pony Home to see his first family and one of the boy was sick, he needed an emergency appendectomy…The boy a little orphan didn't have medical insurance. Terrence took all his money, he was saving up for a car, and paid for the surgery…
There were whispers in the court room. Terry couldn't believe his hears; Mr. Reagan was keeping tabs on him… of course. Mr. Reagan continued talking.
- I was touched by his generosity, so I decide to make him a little surprise.
- A little surprise? What was the little surprise?
- I decided to buy him a car…
Everybody in the room started talking at the same time.
- You bought a car for Terrence?
- Yes…
- Could you tell us the brand of the car you bought for Terrence?
- It was a red Mustang convertible…
People in the court room where screaming. The judge had to order them to keep quiet.
- A red Mustang convertible ? The car Terrence is accused of stealing?
- Yes, said Mr. Reagan.
- But your wife, said the car was hers…, said Georgina.
- The dealer got the car earlier, while I was on my business trip. It was supposed to come just in time for back to school…My wife just assumed the car was hers. I've got the paper of the car, here they are.
Georgina took the papers and gave it to the judge.
- You're honour, since the car was actually his, he becomes the victim, I would like all the charges against my client to be dropped…
The judge looked at those papers . The ADA went to the judge and also looked at the paper.
- You're honour, giving the new turns of events, I'm dropping all the charges against Terrence White, he said.
- Very well, said the judge. Case dismissed! Terrence White, you're free to go…
Terry was surprised it was over. Everybody was happy and screaming of joy. Terry hugged Georgina. Nina came to jump to his neck. Terry approached Mr. Reagan.
- Thank you very much sir, I'm so touched…
Mr. Reagan hugged him.
- I'm sorry for all the trouble; I wish I had been here sooner. I'm sorry it didn't work out.
- Thank you again for everything sir…
- Call me sometimes to talk…
- I will sir, said Terry.
Everybody was hugging everybody with joy happiness, laughter. Sarah and Neil Reagan, made themselves scarce. Eliza and her father, looked at the scene for a little while and they also left.
Terry was free, from jail time and… from the Reagans! It was a big day, a brand new life; a new page was turned for Terry.
Wake up and See
It's just an ordinary day
Livin' the same way
Wishful words to get away
Back up and turn around
Zoom up and turn upside down
You've got a new you
What would you do
With a brand new life
Get set for a change
Around you, the world will rearrange
Right through that door
Some things you've never seen before
Back up and turn around
Zoom up and turn upside down
You've got a new you
What would you do
With a brand new life