Nikki stood with Evelyn, and Sydney and Corinna's families in the lobby of the court house. Eighteen months after the accident they were finally getting a chance to tell their side of the story.
"Mom why isn't Owen here," Nikki asked.
"He's a witness because he helped treat Sydney so are Teddy and Nathan," Evelyn said.
"Can they sit with us," Nikki asked.
"They can't," Evelyn replied, "they can't even sit together or be in the courtroom."
The lawyer ushered the group in, those in the courtroom hushed seeing Sydney in her wheelchair. It was the first time Nikki had seen the driver who had hit them.
They called each of the lawyers up to make opening statements, the one for the three young dancer's families making a statement about how elite performing careers had ended before they even had a chance to start.
They began to call witnesses.
"Dr Hunt," the opposing lawyer began, "how are you involved in this case?"
"I was the trauma surgeon carrying for Sydney and overseeing her recovery as well as being Nicole's older brother," Owen said.
"So you are personally involved as well as professionally," the lawyer said.
"I am," Owen said.
"Dr. Hunt can you tell me which other Doctors are involved in this case that also have a personal stake," the lawyer asked.
"My wife Dr. Theodora Altman Hunt," Owen replied, "she was also working with Sydney."
"Was this a conflict of interest," the lawyer asked.
"No our ethics committee and board have both cleared Teddy and I for continued follow up on Sydney. As a trauma surgeon I don't have time to ask questions before I work in life or death situations. I act now to save my paitent," Owen said.
"What qualifies you as a trauma surgeon," the lawyer asked, "Harvard MD, residency at Northwestern, trauma fellowship at Maryland shock then 6 years of active duty in Iraq with medical command as a trauma surgeon."
"Were you in the army dr Hunt," the lawyer asked.
"Yes. I'm a Major," Owen replied proudly.
"In your professional opinion what condition did miss Peterson arrive at Seattle grace in," the lawyer asked.
"She arrived about 24 hours after the initial accident after previous attempts to stabilize her were unsuccessful she was airlifted to us," Owen said, "at this time she was unresponsive and given less than 10% chance to live. After 6 hours on the table to stabilize her spine and repair her heart, kidneys, bowel, liver, spleen and pancreas we were able to save her. At the time of the surgery it was unclear what function if any she would have."
Owen and the lawyer went back and forth describing the events surrounding Sydney's surgery.
"Dr Hunt," can you tell us anything about the arrival is miss McRae at the hospital," the lawyer asked.
"I received the page to the helicopter pad as the Cheif of trauma surgery for a 17 year old genial involved in and MVC with difficulty breathing and a broken leg," Owen said, "no name was given."
"When did you determine it was your sister," the lawyer asked.
"When they unloaded her from the helicopter," Owen replied, "my wife and I directed the residents who did her care until we had her in a trauma bay where our chief of surgery took over directing Nicole's care."
"What shape was she in when she arrived," the lawyer asked.
"Critical," Owen replied, "she was in surgery with in an hour of arriving at the hospital. Followed by a month in the ICU and 4 months total in the hospital."
Owen continued going back and forth with both lawyers describing what had happened as they made their way through every doctor, therapist and law enforcement official. It was five days of testimony before they called Nikki to the stand.
Sitting in the witness stand she could finally make eye contact with the man who had shattered her dreams. He looked defiant and smug, the man showed no remorse when he had spoken the day before and it had shaken Nikki to her core. Until this was over her and her mom couldn't talk to Owen and Teddy who were witnesses and the night before Nikki had just wanted her mom and siblings to tell her everything would be okay.
"Miss McRae," her lawyer began, "can you tell us what you remember from the night of the accident."
They had rehearsed this.
"We were coming home from a performance in Tacoma and Corinna was driving, Sydney was in the front passenger seat and I was in the back behind Corinna," Nikki statered, "I remember waiting for the light to turn green and then Corrie pulling into the intersection."
"What happened after that," her lawyer asked.
"I remember hearing Owen yell the F word," Nikki said.
"The F word which word is that," her lawyer asked.
"Fuck," Nikki said, "I'd never heard him use it around me before."
"What do you remember next," her lawyer continued.
"I remember someone holding my hand and telling me it was okay that mom was coming, a voice saying I love you squirt there's only one person who calls me squirt," Nikki said.
"Who calls you squirt," her lawyer asked.
"Owen," Nikki replied, "squirt or munchkin he has since I was little."
Nikki went on to describe her months in hospital and the agony of learning to walk again, the heartbreak of being forced to give up the dance career she had trained for from the age of five.
By the end of the second week all of the testimony had been shared and the jury sent to deliberate on the criminal charges against the driver and if a settlement should be awarded.
They waited hours for the jury to come back after days of testimony and being questioned until they couldn't think straight there was a verdict.
"Jury how do you vote on the charges of vehicular manslaughter, attempted murder, driving with out due care and attention and impared driving," the judge asked.
"Guilty of all charges," the Jury spokesman said.
"The settlement for the plaintiffs what did you decide," the judge asked
"Three quarts of a million dollars for each of the three dancers or their families," the spokesman said, "plus medical expenses for Ms. McRae and Ms Peterson. To be paid by Work Lines Trucking and Mr. Alexander."
"I sentence Robert Alexander to life without parole in a federal prison," the judge said, "Work Lines Trucking and Mr. Alexander are to pay the settlement out no later than December 31, 2011."
The judge banged his gavel and dismissed the court.
The assorted family, doctors and friends in the gallery thundered with applause. While the money didn't replace what was taken away it would give the girls a start to pay for college or homes they could be independent, their medical costs were covered and the person responsible was getting life without parole.
The family met back at Evelyn's house.
"It's over," Nikki said, "I can put it behind me."
"We can put it behind us," Teddy agreed, "750,000 thats a lot of money."
"What are you going to do with that," Owen asked.
"It's not for spending on what ever you want Nicole," Evelyn said.
"I hadn't got past paying for school," Nikki replied, "do I have to spend it or can I go to the bank and put it away?"
"I would put it away," Evelyn said, "when you're older that's a house Nikki. Pay your tuition now maybe get some real furniture not the stuff from Julie's parents' basement and put the rest away so you can't touch it for 5 or 10 years."
"I'm getting rid of the twin bed I took from here," Nikki said.
"Of course," Evelyn agreed, "we'll figure it out once you actually get the money but what you don't need for school should go into your savings
"I want it so I can't touch it," Nikki said, "this semester is paid for. Can just celebrate that it's behind us?"
"It is," Teddy said, "we can move forward."
They ordered take out no one wanted to cook.
Evelyn pulled out a bottle of sparkling wine and poured 4 glasses.
"Mom," Nikki asked.
"One glass in a toast when you're not driving is fine," Evelyn said.
"To moving forward," Evelyn toasted.