Chapter Twelve:

Liz sat in the witness stand her hands folded in her lap, her heart beating erratically in her chest as she faced the lawyer pacing in front of her.

"Good morning Liz…you don't mine if I call you Liz…do you?"  She asked walking behind her desk and flipping through a file.  Liz shook her head no.  "I'm sorry you're going to have to voice your approval for the court."

"No…no…I don't mine."

"Okay, Liz.  I just have a few questions that I need to ask you. Okay."

"Okay."

"Before the incident on February 19, have Mr. parker ever struck you."

"No."  She answered glancing at Mike watching her.

"Have he ever done anything physically to your persons before that day?"  She asked staring up at Liz when Liz didn't answer admittedly.

"Ummm…yes, he did."  She glanced at her parents sitting behind the prosecutor.  She watched her mom past a smile to her face fighting back her tears. 

"Exactly when was that?"

Max sitting in the back of the courtroom with Michael turned to stare at the back of Mike's head.  Everything in him wanted to rush Mike and be damn with the consequences, but he held himself back.  'I promised…I promised…' He kept repeating over and over in his head.

"Stay calm."  Michael demanded, his voice low so that only Max could hear him.

"I can't."  Max murmured turning his eyes back to Liz.  'God she should have told me.'  He screamed in his head.  'Why the hell didn't she tell me?' 

"Max!"  Michael muttered grabbing his arm.  "You need to get control, man.  Do you understand me?  Get control or leave."

Pulling his arm away Max gawked at him before turning back to watch Liz.  She looked so scared sitting there all alone.  He could actually see her hands shaking on her lap. 'Calm down sweetheart.' He said in his mind directing the words to her.  'I'm right here.  You don't have to be afraid ever again.'  As if she'd heard the words she suddenly turned and stared straight at him a little smile gracing her lips.

"It happen a few days before."  She said turning back to the lawyer who was still looking inside the file in front of her as if she couldn't find what she was looking for.

"Okay…exactly what do you mean a few days before."

"I abject your honor.  Ms. Johnson as well as the court knows what a few days mean."  The prosecutor stated.

"Do noted Mr. Mitchell.  Why don't we cut to the chase here, Ms. Johnson."  The judge stated.

"What lead up to the first incident with Mr. Parker?"

"I…I don't know what you mean."  Liz cried, tears pooling inside her eyes.  'I will not cry…I will not cry.'  She silently told her self.

Ms. Johnson stared at her for a few seconds.  "I want you to relay the events of that day…what lead up to the moments before the episode with Mr. Parker." 

"Okay…I was locking up the diner alone, playing music and then he was just there.  Standing there watching me.  I tried to walk pass him and he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.  I tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let me go."  She cried staring at her parents as if she was trying to make them understand that it wasn't her felt.

"Okay… you tried to pass him and he restrained you.  What happen next?"  Ms. Johnson asked moving from behind the desk to stand in front of Liz.

"I…I asked him what he was doing."

"Okay…after that what did Mr. Parker say?"  She asked as if she was talking to a two year old.

"He asked me who did I think I was talking to."

"So…Mr. Parker…your uncle asked you Liz…his niece, who are you talking to?"  She paused for a moment her hand under her chin.  "So basically what you're saying is my client reprimanded you?"  Ms. Johnson asked turning away and walking back behind the desk.

"Reprimanded me…"  Liz repeated confused as she turned her eyes to her parents.

"Let's jump to the day of February 19.  Could you explain to the court what lead up to the incident."

"He was mad and he took it out on me."  She said turning to look at Mike, but when she encountered his anger she quickly turned back to Ms. Johnson.

"Come on Liz…do you actually expect this court to believe that your uncle who have never demonstrated any irrational behavior in the past would one day just lose his mind and take out his frustrations on you.?"

"Objection!"  Mr. Mitchell yelled jumping to his feet.

"I…I don't understand."  Liz cried staring from Ms. Johnson to Mr. Mitchell. "I did nothing wrong…I did nothing wrong."  She demanded as she turned to the judge.  "I did nothing wrong."

"Your objection is over ruled, Mr. Mitchell."

"I want to go on the record that Ms. Johnson is badgering the witness."

"Noted."  The judge said sighing.

"Mr. Parker removed his belt from his pants, what was your response to seeing him do that?"

"I…I asked him what he was doing." 

"Actually Liz…what you said was what the hell do you think your doing right."

"I…I don't remember." 

"You don't remember.  How convenient."

"I object your honor."  Mr. Mitchell broke in again staring at the judge.

"Over ruled."

"Liz… what was it that you said just before my client hit you with the belt?"

Liz looked at the parents, her heart braking.  'It wasn't my fault.  It wasn't my fault.'  She kept repeating as she closed her eyes against the dizziness that threaten to over come her. 

"Your honor please direct the witness to answer."

"Ms. Parker your instructed to answer the question."

"What…what was the question?"  She asked opening her eyes and looking around her.

"What did you say just before Mr. Parker hit you with the belt?"  She repeated.

Liz felt her rage ignite inside her so quickly that she couldn't keep the words from spilling out of her.  "I told him that he wasn't my father and that he had no right to touch me."  She yelled staring across at Mike.

"Are you sure, Liz?  Are you sure that is what you said?"  Ms. Johnson asked.  "Or was it more to the affect of I hate you…" Picking up a piece of paper from her desk she read what was on the paper.  "I hate you and you will never be half the man my father is.  Isn't that what you told your uncle?"  She demanded staring at her.

"No…yes…I don't know…"  Liz cried covering her eyes with her hands.

"No more questions your honor." Ms. Johnson said taking her seat.

"I would like to cross examine your honor."  Mr. Mitchell said coming to his feet.

"By all means Mr. Mitchell."

"Liz…I want you to go back to that night when you were closing the diner. After Mr. Parker asked you who the hell you were talking to, what did he say next?"

"He…he told me that I looked like a slut and to go to my room and wipe the make-up I had on off.  He…he…"  Her voice caught in her throat.  "he said to take the sluttish cloths I had on off before he forgot that I wasn't his kid and he removed it himself."  She cried.

"What was you wearing Liz?"  Mr. Mitchell asked gently going to stand in front of her and touching her hand with his.  "What were you wearing?"

"My Crashdown uniform."

"Now the uniform you were wearing is it the one required at the diner your parents own?"

"Yes."

"Let's jump to February 19.  When you told your uncle he will never be half the man your father is.  Can you explain why you said that to him?"

Taking a deep breath she captured her father's eyes with her.  "He kept saying these awful things about my father.  He was standing there degrading my dad and I guess lossed it.  I told him he was standing in my father house and I wouldn't stand there and let him say all those bad things about him.  He pulled his belt and hit me over and over again until I scream that I hated him."

"And what happen next…Liz…what did he do next?"  He asked gently.

"I yelled that he would never been half the man my father is and…and he slapped me.  He slapped me so hard."  She cried her tears running down her face, but she refused to brake eye contact with her father.  And as she watched his tears race down his face she took a deep breath and said.  "I told him I hated him and I do…I hate him."

After Liz's testimony she and the Parker's stayed away from Mike's trial.  The Parker's deciding it was in Liz's best interest to let the law handle things.  But Max and Michael showed up at ever court date. 

It was a joke.  A year of community service for what he did, what he put her through.  As he sat in the courtroom Max felt his anger accelerate to a point that he had to forcefully keep himself back from the man in front of him that was shaking his lawyers hand a smug smile on his face.  Grabbing him Michael physically dragged him from the courtroom.  Stopping on the steps outside the courthouse Michael released him as he took a deep breath.  "When do we do this?"  He demanded, staring in front of him as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Soon."

TBC