2 words

by Mina52999

2 words, just 2 words. So small, yet they have so much meaning. 1 day, 1 glorious day, so short yet it has so much happiness. 1 promise, so dear that it lasts forever. "I do"

14. The Trial

Hey guys! So just a few things before we continue our story, 1, I won't be doing a sex scene between Flora and Helia, it's just not something I think I can do. Also, So I just decided to get a twitter, but it's kind of mostly for this because I want to be able to tell you guys when I'm updating, or if something comes up, or even just funny stuff I want to say...hehe. It's strictly for you guys and maybe a few celebrities I want to follow, not for people in my school. Also, I don't really want to give out my last name, not because I don't trust you guys to have it, but because I don't want anyone in my family finding it. So I just kind of made a fake one, but I actually really like how it sounds with my name! I'm under Mina Alvari. There's a girl in my school with the last name Alvari and I always thought it was pretty so when I made the account I was like...hey! Here's my chance! Lol. So follow me: Mina_Alvari. Now, on with the story!
Chapter 14:
My eyes locked with the judge's. As his hand rose in the air, mallet in hand, all I could think was, how could this have happened? Why? His words kept repeating in my head,
"I now place custody of Katherine Harrisburg in the hands of the Claire and William Harrisburg"
It was like everything was moving in slow motion, and then I suddenly found myself standing up, full force.
"NO! STOP!" I cried
Everyone gasped, looking at me. Helia squeezed my hand tightly, trying to pull me back down to my seat.
"Please your honor! Just 1 minute, that's all I need to show you that Katherine LINPHEA is my sister" I said, annunciating on Linphea
"Mam, the jury has decided. If you don't sit down we'll be forced to remove you" The judge said in an annoyed tone.
I looked down.
"Please" I whispered, my voice cracking
He sighed.
"What could you possibly say that would make me change my mind?" he asked
I looked up, our eyes meeting again.
"It's not what I can tell you, it's what I can show you" I said, digging into the pocket of my coat. My hands wrapped tightly around the object that may just save Katy from a life of resent and depression.
2 days earlier…
"Rose! Come on! Let's get a move on!" I called, honking the horn.
"Where could she be?" Jamie asked, checking her phone for the time
"I don't know. I told her to be out by 8 30, what time is it?" I asked
"8:45, we're going to be late" Jamie said
Suddenly Rose came running outside, her bag trailing on the floor behind her.
"Sorry!" She cried, jumping in the back seat.
I immediately turned the engine on and started driving…a bit more recklessly than I would usually.
"What happened?" Jamie asked, her eyes wide
"Katy was supposed to wake me up this morning. She totally forgot about me and just went to school!" Rose exclaimed
"Never mind that, what's important is that we're on our way now" I said
"We're totally gonna be late. What if they start the performance without us" Rose said
"We wouldn't be worrying about this if somebody would've just gotten an alarm clock like every other human being in the world" Jamie said
"You know I hate alarm clocks" Rose said
"Okay, okay, we're not going to miss it. The performance isn't for another hour, relax. They're just practicing now" I said
The 2 sighed in relief.
Today was the annual showcase. Every year the school holds a program where the parents come in to see what their children have been doing all year. They start with a big "opening act" the kids put together. Of course we teachers help a bit, but we encourage the kids to kind of make it their own. Then following the performance there are art galleries and writing walls set up. This year Rose wrote something for the writing wall, so I'm excited to read it. She wouldn't let me see it, saying it was a surprise.
"When are Mom and Dad coming?" Rose asked me
"Like I said, in an hour" I said with a laugh
"I'm so excited" Jamie said
"Did you put anything up James?" I asked
She nodded
"I painted something" She said
"I didn't know you liked to paint" I said
She shrugged
"What did you paint?" I asked
"You'll see" She said
I smiled, looking at her through the rearview mirror.
We got to the school a few minutes later. Rose, Jamie, and I made our way to the auditorium. All the kids, grade 1 to 8 were standing on the stage singing. Rose and Jamie quickly got up on stage, getting in their positions. I quickly joined some of the teachers I'd made friends with.
"Hey, sorry I'm late. I hope they weren't hard to handle" I said
"Don't worry, we wont tell Principle Garfield" Amanda Fisher, teacher of the 6th grade class whispered to me.
I smiled.
An hour went by in a flash, and suddenly parents were beginning to make their way into the auditorium.
"Parents!" One of the teachers called
I gasped, looking down and flattening out my skirt. I tried to dress as nicely as possible today. You have to set a nice impression on the parents.
"You know what, I'll go check if everyone's alright back stage then come join you guys to greet the parents" I told Amanda, who nodded.
I went backstage, where the girls were putting on a bit of make-up and the boys were just hanging out.
"Is everyone ready?" I called with a smile
"Wooooo!" They all screamed
I laughed
"Great enthusiasm everyone. Now just go out there and give it your best" I said
Suddenly Rose stood up on her chair.
"Guys! Let's do a cheer!" She cried
I laughed, shaking my head.
"Okay ready? Everyone repeat after me! A little birdie in a tree!" She cried
"Dude, this isn't color war" Jamie said
Everyone laughed.
"Fine. How about, go smart kids?" She asked
"GO SMART KIDS!" Everyone screamed
I rolled my eyes.
"And the most modest kids!" I screamed
They all laughed.
"AND THE MOST MODEST KIDS!" they screamed
"On stage in 5 minutes" I said, then left
I went to the front of the auditorium, and started to hand out programs for all the parents coming in.
"Hi. Welcome. So good to see you" I greeted. I don't know for sure, but I think my face was red the whole time. This is not the place for a shy girl….
"Flora"
I looked and saw Mr. and Mrs. Knightly coming toward me.
"Hi!" I said hugging each of them.
"So where are the girls?" Mrs. Knightly asked
"Backstage. The show will start in a few minutes" I said
"Okay. If you see your parents tell them we're sitting over there" Mr. Knightly said pointing toward some empty seats in the crowd.
I nodded.
"Sure. Enjoy the show" I said
They smiled then walked off to their seats.
Not too long after did my Father and Suzan come toward me smiling and waving. I was actually pretty surprised to see them smiling. Katy's trial date is in 2 days….
By now everyone knew about the whole thing. My Father explained it to Rose who didn't fully understand what it meant, so I told her not to worry about it.
"Hey" I said greeting them, handing Suzan a program
"This is so cool I've never seen you doing your teacher thing" Suzan said
I laughed
"My teacher thing?" I asked raising an eyebrow
She smiled.
"Helia's parents are waiting for you guys over there" I said pointing toward them
"Great! Thanks sweetheart" Suzan said, as she and my Father walked over to their seats.
Principle Garfield walked onto the stage, going toward the microphone.
"Welcome everybody" He said, smiling
That was the cue for everyone to sit down. I quickly shut the door to the auditorium then went to sit with Amanda in the front row with the rest of the teachers.
"This year and every year, our students reach for the stars and achieve their goals. Whether it be to become a doctor or a lawyer, or even a writer, we encourage our students to dream and go for the big time. For these first 6 months of school your children have done nothing but that. We are very proud of them and the work they've accomplished. Each and every one of them has worked very hard. So now, it is with great honor, I present to you Sheffield Academy's finest and brightest" He finished, stepping of the stage. The auditorium went dark, until a spotlight hit the stage. The children sang a few songs, then everyone clapped for them. Afterward, they served some desserts and drinks. Us teachers were sent to the galleries to make sure everything was ready for when the parents come in. I was told to stand by my class's writing wall. I promised Rose I wouldn't read her writing until she came, so I refrained from reading it.
Parents began to flood in, it was a bit overwhelming. I started to have a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach, nausea.
"Are you Mrs. Knightly?" A parent asked me
"Yes"
"I'm Nick's mother. He always tells me how much the class adores you" She said
I conversed with almost every Mother and or Father of every child in my class.
"Flora!"
I looked to see Rose running toward me
"Hey, what's up?" I asked
"You can read my story now" She said
I smiled, walking toward the wall.
"Let's see, which one is yours?" I asked
"This one here" She said pointing to one on the top left corner.
I looked up and when I saw the title I immediately froze.
There, written neatly in script, were the words "My Mother".
I looked at Rose.
"Rose" I said
I wasn't expecting this at all. She barely even knew our mother...
"Read it, it's good, I swear" She said
I looked back at the paper and began reading it to myself.
"My mother Naomi Linphea, was more than just your average mother. She saw the world in ways nobody else could see it. She always looked at the bright side of things, and she always knew just what to say. I looked up to my mother more than anybody else in the world. Since my mother passed away I needed somebody else that I can look up to. I wanted this person to be just like my mother- gentile, and kind, and loving. At first, I thought I'd never find this person, but then I understood. There's only one person I can think of that resembles my mother, and that's my sister, Flora"
I looked at Rose.
"I will not cry. I will not cry" I said
She laughed, hugging me
"It's true you know" She said
I smiled.
"I love you so much, and I'm happy that I remind you of mom" I said
"Girls, you have to come see this!"
We looked up and saw Suzan.
"What?" I asked
"You've got to come see what Jamie made" She said
We followed her into the art galleries. By my class's art section, there was a big canvas set up. On the canvas was one of the most beautiful paintings I've ever seen.
"Jamie, did you paint that?" I asked, my eyes wide.
Jamie was standing next to the painting, looking down embarrassed. Everyone was crowding around her painting.
The painting was of flowers, many different flowers, in a field. In the sky there was a single cloud, and behind the cloud the sun was peeking in.
"Jamie, this is extremely well done" Mrs. Knightly said, hugging her daughter proudly
"James, I had no idea you were this good" Rose said, sounding as surprised as the rest of us.
Jamie shrugged.
"You never asked" She said
We all started laughing.
"You and Helia are more alike than I thought" I said
"Thanks" Jamie said smiling
"Do you maybe want to bring this to our house after school, I think Helia would love to see this" I said
"Yeah! I want to know what he thinks" Jamie said
I smiled.
"I can assure you he'll love it" I said
She shrugged
Suddenly my phone started ringing. I'm not supposed to use my phone while working, but I asked for permission due to "family affairs".
"Speaking of the devil" I said to Jamie
"It's Helia?"
I nodded, walking to the corner in order not to be rude.
"Hi sweetheart"
"Hey Flora, how is the parent meeting thing going?" He asked
"You know, there's a reason you were the popular one in high school" I said
He laughed
"Am I supposed to understand what you mean by that?" he asked
"I'm not very good at this. You're such a good speaker, you know just what to say. I'm kinda sickish at it" I finished
"I don't know, I think you can sell it with your looks" Helia said
"Helia!"
I heard him chuckle to himself
"I'm kidding" he said
"Augh, I'm so nauseous" I said
"Really?"
"Yeah but it's no big deal..it's just stress" I said
"Are you sure?" he asked in a concerned voice
"Yeah, don't worry about it" I said
"Whatever you say" he said
"So what's up?" I asked, changing the subject
" I wanted to tell you that Brandon said something about you guys meeting today" He said
"Yeah, I'm meeting with him to go over some things before the trial" I said
"Yeah he said I should tell you to go at 5" He said
"Okay, sounds good" I said
"I'll see you at home" he said
"Okay" I said
"Just don't work yourself too hard" he said
"Okay"
We hung up, then I joined everyone again. They stayed for another hour, then it was time for the parents to take their kids home.
"I think we'll head out now" Mr. Knightly said
"Us too" My Dad said
"Are you coming too sweet heart?" Mrs. Knightly asked
"I have to stay a bit longer to clean up, so you guys can go along" I said
They nodded and left with Rose and Jamie. I sighed, walking toward my classroom. People dropped food, papers fell off walls, and the garbage was over flowing...now I see why the school told us to stay after. 1 thing I was not accounting for however, was the little girl sitting in the back row with her head on the desk.
"Amy?" I asked. Amy was a girl in my class, probably the smartest. She was always quiet too, very reserved.
Her head popped up, startled
"Oh! I..I..I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was over! I..I-"
"Where are your parents?" I asked, walking over to her and crouching down to meet her height.
"My..p..parents, they uh, they didn't come" She said
I was shocked, but I tried not to show it on my face because I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
"Oh...is somebody coming to pick you up?" I asked
"Um...I usually walk" She said
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How did I never notice this before?
"It's a little chilly to be walking" I said gently
She shrugged.
"I have a jacket" she said
I sighed, then gave her a warm smile.
"Well if you're in no hurry to get home, would you like to help me clean up?" I asked cheerfully
"S..Sure" she stuttered, but I saw a small smile appear on her face
She got up and followed me to the garbage can.
"Well, we better start here" I said
She kept silent and began picking up some garbage off the floor.
Once we were done cleaning I clapped my hands together.
"Done! Thank you so much for the help" I said
Amy smiled shyly. I looked out the window and saw it had started raining; not a storm but enough to make me nervous about Amy walking home by herself.
"You know what, why don't I give you a ride home?" I asked
"No that's alright" Amy said, picking up her stuff and heading for the door
"Sweetie, I'm not letting you go in this rain. What would your parents think of me?" I asked
"They won't mind...really they won't" She said
I picked up my keys from my desk and walked toward the door
"Please? If you don't come then I'll mind" I said
"I...I..guess" She said nervously
We walked out toward my car. Amy got in the passenger seat and I got in the driver's seat.
"Where do you live?" I asked
"ummm...North Laymount" She said
North Laymount? That's the bad side of town...
I nodded, brushing it off. I started up the engine then began driving.
"What's your address?" I asked
"333 Winsor avenue" she said
I nodded then began driving. As we entered the North Laymount area I couldn't help but think, how in the world do Amy's parents not worry about her? I would never let Rose or Jamie walk this..and I'm not even their mother!
"So you walk this every day?" I asked
She nodded
"It's a bit far from school isn't it?" I said
"I really don't mind...I like to walk" Amy said, looking out the window.
As we neared Winsor avenue, Amy suddenly jumped up.
"Actually you can stop here" Amy said
"Why?" I asked as we got toward 333.
That's when I understood. 333 Winsor avenue...was an orphanage. It wasn't too big; about the size of my parent's house. There weren't many windows, and on the top it said North Laymount Orphanage.
I looked at Amy, who looked everywhere but at me.
"An orphanage?" I asked softly
She shrugged and nodded slightly.
"My parents don't worry because my parents are dead" She said softly
My eyes widened, and I was about to say something when suddenly, the door to the orphanage opened and a lady ran out. She was middle aged and had a gentle face.
"Amy! Oh sweetheart I've been so worried!" she cried, opening the door, and wrapping her up in a hug.
" I told you I would be out" Amy said apologetically
"you said 3, it's now 4" The woman stated
"That's my fault, I'm sorry. I had her stay later" I said
"This is my teacher" Amy said introducing me
"Thank goodness, we thought she maybe got into some trouble. We were about to roam the area" The woman, who I presumed was in charge of the orphanage.
I smiled.
"Don't worry, she was in safe hands" I said
"I see that. Amy, why don't you go inside" she said
Amy nodded and climbed out of the car.
"Hi, it's nice to finally meet you. Amy says nothing but good things" the woman said
"Thank you" I said
"Does this come as a shock to you?" the woman asked motioning toward the building
"Yes...I had no idea Amy was...I mean not that there's anything wrong with it..." I rambled, searching for the right words.
"Don't worry. I'm Shannon Tormen, care taker of this orphanage" she said, putting out her hand for me to shake.
"If this isn't too intrusive, how is it that Amy is attending our school?" I asked.
"She's on scholarship. She was far too intelligent for regular public school, we could see it since she was just a little girl" Shannon explained
"I had no idea...she always so quiet" I said
Shannon smiled and nodded.
"If this isn't too much to ask, please don't tell any of the other students. Amy's a bit...embarrassed" Shannon said
"Yeah, I noticed on the way here. Of course I won't say anything." I said
Shannon smiled.
"Well it was nice meeting you" she said
"You too" I took that as my cue to leave.
I honestly can't believe what just happened. You'd never know that quiet little Amy was going through so much. I felt bad, but for the time being I have to push my feelings aside and focus on the trial. This experience, seeing a child crushed by the idea of no family made me even more compelled to fight for Katy. I won't let her have to go through what Amy went through, not again. There's nothing worse than the feeling of abandonment. I of all people would know...
Later that day I went to meet with Brandon. He explained some things to me, like what to do if they start to question me. I'd suggested that he maybe went over things with my parents and Katy, so the day before the trial Brandon came over to my parent's house. Helia and I went over too.
"So let's say Katy is called up and questioned, what should you do?" Brandon asked
"Uhh, answer the question?" Katy asked
"Yes, but you have to remember this: stick to the truth, don't hesitate when asked because they'll think you're lying, and remain as calm as you can" Brandon said
Katy nodded
"What kinds of questions will they be asking her?" Suzan asked
"Probably about her child hood, how you guys are treating her, where she grew up, those types of questions. As for you and Paul it'll be more, when was she pregnant, what hospital was Katy born in, many even about the...affair" Brandon said. I cringed at the word affair. I prefer to call it the...divorce...even though they weren't legally divorced.
"What if I don't know the answer to the question?" Katy asked
"Just simply state that you don't understand what they're asking, remain calm, and again, never ever hesitate when speaking. Think about what you want to say then let it out at one time" Brandon said
We all nodded.
"Don't fight with the Harrisburg's either, it'll make it worse" Brandon said
The Harrisburg's are the "other family". That's what we call them...well all except for Katy who prefers to call them the "moronic idiots who think they can just swoop in and say I'm their daughter".
"I think you should all get some rest because tomorrow's going to be a long day" Brandon said picking up his briefcase.
We all nodded getting up. Helia motioned toward the car.
"Hold on, I want to talk to Katy for a second" I said
He nodded, going over to talk to my dad instead.
I saw Katy heading up the stairs, probably toward her room.
"Katy" I said, catching her attention. She turned around.
"Oh hey" she said going into her bedroom. I went in after her. Her room was a mess, her bed unmade, and her closet looked like it exploded. On the unmade bed was a skirt outfit set out.
"Are you nervous?" I asked, shutting the door behind me
"Me? What? No way! I'm not afraid of anything...except for maybe roller coasters, but they don't count!" she said, her back to me
I grinned, remembering our trip to Florida and the merry go round incident.
"Katy" I said placing my hand on her shoulder. She finally turned around, meeting my eyes.
"It's okay to be scared" I said softly
She nodded, a smile soon appearing on her face.
"By the way, I found something in your closet the other day." Katy said digging into her draw
"my closet?" I asked with a laugh
"Yeah I forgot to mention that if I do come back tomorrow I'm turning your old bedroom into my styling studio" She said
"Hey, not if, when you come back" I said
"Right" She said
"So what is it?" I asked
"I found this picture of us, Taylor, and your mom" Katy said revealing the picture.
It was small and bent, as if shoved to the very back of the closet and forgotten. In the picture Katy, Taylor, and I were sitting on a bench eating ice cream. my mom was sitting next to us, holding the camera at arms length. My finger roamed over my mom's form, as if I was actually touching her.
"It's gorgeous" I said
"I know, aren't we so cute?"
I nodded
"I wonder what ever happened to Taylor" Katy said
"I hope she's doing well" I said
"Why? She was so rotten to you" Katy said
I shrugged.
"Hey, do you think I can have this?" I asked
"dude, it belonged to you in the first place" Katy said handing it over
I smiled.
"I should probably go, Helia's waiting. Just get some sleep and if you need anything you know where to reach me" I said holding up my phone
She nodded, then hugged me.
"You really are the best sister, do you know that?" she asked
"I try" I said
She laughed
"I just want you to know that no matter what, you and Rose are still my sisters. I don't care if it isn't biological or all that crap, you guys are the best thing that's ever happened to me" she said
I gave her a last squeeze then said goodbye, joining Helia downstairs.
"Are you ready?" he asked when he saw me
"yeah"
It wasn't until we went out to the car did the impending headache hit me.
As I got into the passenger seat of the car I put my hand on my head for support.
"What's wrong?" Helia asked grabbing my wrist to steady me
"I'm just tired" I said refraining from cringing
"Didn't you say earlier you weren't feeling well?" He asked, beginning to drive
"I'm fine, really" I said, giving him a smile
He narrowed his eyes then put his hand to my forehead.
"You're a little warm" Helia said
My hand shot to my head.
"It's warm in the car" I said
"Are you just making up excuses?" Helia asked with a laugh
"No!" I said hitting his arm lightly
Helia and I went into the house, and I immediately went to our room. I kicked off my shoes, then climbed into bed.
"Flora, you don't want dinner?" Helia asked
"Na, I just want to get some sleep" I said
Helia sat at the edge of the bed. He put his hands on my cheeks and stroked with his thumbs.
"You're sick and don't deny it" Helia said
I shrugged.
"Maybe you shouldn't go tomorrow" Helia said
I sat up
"No way! I've got to go!" I said
Helia gently pushed me back down
"Alright, get some sleep and we'll see how you feel in the morning" He said
I sighed, then nodded. Helia leaned down to kiss me.
"No wait! I don't want you to get sick!" I said
"Flora, I see sick patients all day, I'm like immune" He said
I rolled my eyes
"immune?" I asked
Before I could say anything else Helia lifted my chin and gave me a soft kiss. He stood, gave me a wink, then left the room.
In only 8 hours the moment of truth had begun. Helia and I went toward the court house a half an hour earlier to meet with my parents. I was dressed in a skirt and blouse, and Helia was in a suit. My phone began to ring.
"Hello?" I said
"Flora, did you get the file from my desk?" It was my Dad
"Yeah, we just came from your house. I've got it right here with me" I said digging it out of my bag
"Thanks for picking it up, I totally forgot it" He said
"No worries, stay calm, I've got it" I said in a comforting voice
"Thank you" He said
"I'll see you in a minute" I said before hanging up
"my Dad is going to have a heart attack or something if he doesn't calm down" I said to Helia
"Just remember, in a few hours this'll all be over" Helia said
I nodded in agreement.
All of a sudden I knocked straight into someone, the papers in the file flying everywhere!
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going" I looked up and saw a woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She too was holding papers in her hand which mixed with mine.
"Don't worry about it" she said giving me a warm smile. She seemed nice.
"Are you okay?" Helia asked helping her up while I gathered up all of the papers
"Yes, yes, I'm fine" she said
I handed her a pile of papers, praying I didn't mix anything up.
"Thank you dear" she said taking them
"Claire! Claire! Come on, they need us in the court room!" a man called from the entrance
"Claire...like Claire Harrisburg?" I asked
She nodded
"How did you know?" she asked
I looked at Helia, who gave me the 'we should probably get out of here' look.
"uhh...don't worry about it. We'd better be going" I said walking off with Helia as fast as we can
"Fraternizing with the enemy now aren't we?" Helia said
"I didn't know she was the enemy! She's too nice to be an enemy" I said
"she did seem nice" Helia agreed
We went inside, going toward the court room. It was depressing actually. My parents, Katy, and Brandon sat on one side, while Claire and William Harrisburg sat on the other side. The rest of us sat watching the trial. I sat between Helia and Bloom, my hands shaking.
The judge walked in taking a seat in the front.
"Hello everybody" He said, looking through the file on his desk. As he began with questions I kept looking over at the Harrisburg's. How could they be 'the other family'! They look so sweet, so gentle. Claire looked to be about 35, and had brown hair...like Katy...and brown eyes...like Katy...and a pointed nose...like Katy. There really were a lot of similarities between Katy and Mrs. Harrisburg, but at the same there were a lot of similarities between Katy and Suzan too.
Mr. Harrisburg had black hair that was beginning to grey. He looked older than my father, but just like Mrs. Harrisburg, he looked nice.
"Mr. and Mrs. Harrisburg, you claim Katherine is your daughter, am I correct?" Brandon asked
"Yes because it's true. I even have her birth certificate to prove it" Mrs. Harrisburg said
"Impossible! We have her birth certificate" Suzan said jumping up
"I don't believe you were questioned, take a seat Mrs. Linphea" the judge said
Suzan sat down crossing her arms
"As my client has just stated, we have the birth certificate. If I may, let us compare them" Brandon said
"It's so weird to see Brandon being all serious" Bloom whispered
I nodded.
"I was just thinking the same thing" I whispered
Mrs. Harrisburg's lawyer handed Brandon a paper and Suzan handed Brandon another.
"Let's see them" the judge said motioning for Brandon to bring them over
Brandon put them down on the desk. The judge took a close look, using a magnifying glass. After about a minute, he looked up.
"they're identical" He announced
I looked at Helia and we both raised our eyebrows
"this is interesting, I feel like I'm watching Judge Judy" Musa whispered
Stella snorted
"You watch Judge Judy?" she asked
"you watch Oprah" Musa said
"Touché" Stella said
"Guys! Shut up, this isn't funny" Tecna murmured
"I presumed so. Now we must figure out which is real and which is forged" Brandon said
the judge took the two and handed them to a man standing beside him
"He'll look over them and tell us which is forged" The judge announced
In the meantime, Brandon continued to question.
"Mr. Harrisburg, you stated earlier that you were both born in Massachusetts and have lived there since" Brandon said
"Yes"
"Then what exactly were you doing at the hospital of Connecticut?" Brandon asked
"Excuse me!" The Harrisburg's lawyer said
"I believe I'm speaking" Brandon said
"And I'm interrupting"
"Under what grounds?"
"Under the grounds that I'm trying to prove this family innocent" Brandon said pointing to my parents
"And what if they're not?" the other lawyer asked
"Dude, just shut up and let him speak" Rose said with a groan. She was beginning to get antsy and bored.
"Who said that?" the judge asked
"Me" Rose said holding her hand up
"no speaking or it'll result in immediate expulsion from the court room" he said
"Okay. Jeez, chill out would ya?" Rose said
"I said no talking" the judge said angrily
"Loud and clear" Rose said
The judge looked furious so Jamie covered Rose's mouth.
"Sorry your honor, she's finished" Jamie said apologetically
The judge looked at Brandon
"continue"
"How is it you gave birth to your 'daughter' in Connecticut, if you're from Massachusetts?" Brandon said
"Simple, we were on vacation and her water broke"
"Why were you vacationing if your wife was pregnant enough for her water to break?" Brandon asked
"I don't think their vacationing periods are your business, nor do they have anything to do with this. Are you finished?" the lawyer asked
"Very well" Brandon said, taking a seat beside Katy.
The Harrisburg's lawyer walked up and started to question Katy and my parents.
"Katherine, how was your childhood like?" he asked
Katy looked at him and swallowed nervously
"Come on Katy! Remember what Brandon said! Don't hesitate!" was all that went through my head
"Well...it wasn't bad. I lived with a friend, Taylor Montgomery for 17 years, then when I turned 18 I moved in with the Linpheas. They've been nothing but nice to me" Katy said
"What high school did you attend?" the lawyer asked
"Lincoln high school, I attended with my now sister Flora Linphea. We knew each other even before we found out we were sisters"
"Is that so? Now I'm curious to know how exactly you and your current wife met" The lawyer said
I froze. I saw my Father's eyebrow twitch up and his right hand ball up into a fist under the table
"We were work friends"
"Isn't it strange that you two married only after your late wife died. Isn't it also strange how Katherine and your other daughter Flora are only 1 year apart, Katherine being older, which would only mean that you conceived her while still being married" The lawyer said
" I don't believe that has anything to do with this" Brandon said
"Oh but it does. By you proving to be unfaithful to your wife it only proves how much more of a liar you can be"
My Father shot up, slamming his hands on the desk
"That's absurd!" my father shouted
"No sir, what's absurd is that we're standing here today when you and your wife are obviously guilty" the lawyer said
"That is enough!" the judge said, getting everyone's attention back
"we have the final results of which birth certificate is forged and which is the original" He said
Of course we had the original! I mean, we had to! Katy has to be ours, I won't let her-
"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Linphea but your birth certificate is forged" The judge announced
Gasps filled our side of the room
"impossible!" Suzan cried, grabbing Katy's wrists as if shielding her
"There's no way!" Katy screamed
"I...I was so sure..." I said trying to take it all in
"I object! Over ruled! YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!" Rose screamed, spitting out anything she knew about court
"So I'm not the only one who watches Judge Judy" Musa murmured
"Forging something like a birth certificate is a crime, so we're going to ask if you may stay back after the court is adjourned" the judge said to my parents
"We never forged anything!" My Father demanded
Suzan and Katy were already sobbing.
"I now place custody of Katherine Harrisburg,"
"Don't call me that!" Katy screeched through her tears
"In the hands of Claire and William Harrisburg" the judge finished
My eyes locked with the judge's. As his hand rose in the air, mallet in hand, all I could think was, how could this have happened? Why? His words kept repeating in my head,
"I now place custody of Katherine Harrisburg in the hands of the Claire and William Harrisburg"
It was like everything was moving in slow motion, and then I suddenly found myself standing up full force.
"NO! STOP!" I cried
Everyone gasped, looking at me. Helia squeezed my hand tightly, trying to pull me back down to my seat.
"Please your honor! Just 1 minute, that's all I need to show you that Katherine LINPHEA is my sister" I said, annunciating on Linphea
"Mam, the jury has decided. If you don't sit down we'll be forced to remove you" The judge said in an annoyed tone.
I looked down.
"Please" I whispered, my voice cracking
He sighed.
"What could you possibly say that would make me change my mind?" he asked
I looked up, our eyes meeting again.
"It's not what I can tell you, it's what I can show you" I said, digging into the pocket of my coat. My hands wrapped tightly around the object that may just save Katy from a life of resent and depression.
"Here, look at this" I said handing it over to him
"a picture? What does this have to do with anything?" the judge asked
"Look see it's me and that girl Taylor Montgomery and Katy. We're at our local park, you must recognize it" I said
He nodded
"I do" he said
"Look at the date" I said
"December 12 1997" he said
"We were 5 here. The Harrisburg's claim to have lost their child at age 5 on December 27 in Massachusetts. If Katy is pictorially standing here in Connecticut 15 days before they lost their daughter, how could she be their daughter?" I concluded
The judge's brow furrowed and I could tell he was deep in thought.
"Either way, the birth certificate the Linphea's handed over was still forged" the Harrisburg's lawyer said
"On the way in Mrs. Harrisburg and I bumped into each other and our papers got scrambled, could it be that we may have switched birth certificates accidentally" I said
The judge raised an eyebrow in shock, then turned toward the guard beside him.
"I want to see the security tapes of outside" he said
The judge was brought into the security room leaving us all nervously anticipating his return.
"Flora, you may have just saved us" my Dad said gripping my hands tight
"I'm having really bad anxiety" Katy said fanning her face
"It'll be okay sweetheart" Suzan said, stroking her hair
Suddenly the doors opened and the judge returned, an amazed look on his face. I never squeezed Helia's hand so hard. The room was dead silent except for the sound of the judge's footsteps against the floor tiles. The judge sat down and picked up his mallet. I suddenly felt like throwing up again, my head ache returning. I started to feel a few tears leak out.
" Please, please, please" I chanted in my head
"I now place custody of Katherine in the hands of...Paul and Suzan Linphea"
Slam! The mallet hit the table as if to say, case closed.
"AAAHHH!" we all screamed running around Katy who was being suffocated by my Dad and Suzan.
"Katy!" Rose screamed jumping into her arms. I joined the hug as we all cried tears of joy.
"I...I was so scared! I really thought..." Katy said through her tears
"It's over now Katy, you are forever ours and don't you ever forget it" Suzan said
As we slowly flooded out of the room, my smile turned to sadness as I watched Mrs. Harrisburg crying as well- only her tears were not tears of joy.
"E..excuse me?" I said softly, tapping her shoulder
She turned around, and when she saw me she quickly wiped away her tears.
"Y...Yes dear?" she managed to choke out
" I just want to say I'm really very sorry" I said
"You don't have to apologize, please go join your family, we'll be alright" William Harrisburg said
"No, it's not fair. You thought you had a child only to have her taken away from you...and it was because of me" They remained silent, just shaking their heads no.
"Katy...needs you. She's happier with you than she would have ever been with us" Claire said
That's when I had an idea.
"I know what it's like, to have something taken away from you. I lost my mother, and I lost my Father for my whole childhood. But I gained it back...and no child, or parent, should ever have to suffer" I said
They nodded
"There's a child in my class, her name is Amy, she's one of the most intelligent, kindest, and most adorable 13 year old I've ever met. 2 days ago, I found out she lives in an orphanage. She yearns and needs parents like you just like you need a child" I said
"what are you saying?" William asked
"I'm not saying you have to, but please, go see the orphanage. You need this just as much as they do" I said
I gave them the address, which they happily took, then went outside to join my family. I felt more comfortable now that I know I didn't just destroy their lives...
"Flora! Come on! We're celebrating at our house!" Rose said
"I would love to, but I really don't feel too well. I think I'll just head home" I said
Helia caught my glance, and I immediately saw concern in his eyes.
"what's wrong sweetheart?" Suzan asked
"Just a cold" I said with a shrug
" Get well, you'll definitely be missed" Katy said giving me the biggest smile I'd seen on her in at least a month
"Get well"
"Feel better!"
"Thank you" I said
I waved going toward the car. Helia followed after me.
"What are you doing?" I asked
"Yeah like I'm gonna go party while my wife is sick in bed, what kind of a husband do you take me for?" He asked
I smiled, putting my hand in his.
Helia drove us home, then started making a pot of chicken noodle soup. I went to the couch, kicking my heels off, then laying back.
"I can't tell you how much I appreciate this" I called
"It's not a hassle, really" he called back
"Next time you're sick I'll do the same for you" I called
"Can't wait" he called back
I laughed, shaking my head
I rested my head on the couch cushion shutting my eyes.
While the soup cooked, Helia came out. He crouched down to match my height.
"How do you feel?" he asked brushing my bangs out of my face
I shrugged
"nauseous" I said
"still?" he asked
I nodded
"when does the nausea start coming usually?" He asked
I sat up, and he sat next to me, wrapping me in his arms
"Randomly throughout the day" I said
"That's weird..." Helia said
There was a long silence while Helia looked deep in thought.
"Flora, don't take this in the wrong way, but are you late?" he asked finally breaking the silence.
My face turned bright red.
"Yeah...how did you know?" I asked
His eyes got wide
"what?" I asked
He tilted my chin up so our eyes locked.
"Flora, you know I love you very much, right?" he said
I nodded
"Of course, but where is this coming from all of a sudden?" I asked with laugh
He took my hands in his, looking at me with gentle eyes.
" Flora,"
He stroked my cheek.
" I think you may be pregnant"

So first, when Helia said "are you late?" he meant her period for anyone that didn't get that. Second, holy freaking docious! So last week I logged on and noticed I haven't updated in almost 2 months! That's outrageous! I'm so pissed at myself! I'm really very sorry for the long wait. I've just been doing a lot. Right now I'm in Puerto Rico with my family because it's mine and my grandma's birthday trip we do every year. ( my birthday is on January 27 and for everyone who remembered and pm'd me thank you SO much!) I don't want you to think that I'm all spoiled going on a trip right after Christmas, it's mostly for my grandma who's turning 74! Good for you grandma! Anywhozles, I have not enjoyed a minute of my vacation because the guilt of not posting has been eating me alive! I'm really so sorry! Its times like these that I got the twitter thing because I could've told you guys in advance and not have you searching. All I can say is thank you for your patients and I give each and every one of you a virtual hug.
Ps: I had to type this whole thing on my iPod because I couldn't bring my computer so please excuse any grammar/spelling mistakes.