"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Jeff, Ashley's brother asked her, as she got
ready for bed.
"Ready as I'll ever be I guess. It's the same thing we've been doing for ten years." Ashley replied.
"But it never gets any easier does it?" HE asked quietly as he sat next to her on her bed.
"No. And I don't think it ever will. Do you think Dad will ever get over it?" Ashley questioned her brother.
"I don't know, he still feels guilty for not believing us, and for being betrayed by Shelley." Jeff answered honestly. Jus then there was a knock on the door as their dad peeked his head in.
"I thought I'd find you two in here." He commented, knowing that Ashley and Jeff always spent time together before the meeting that would take place the next day. He came in and joined his two children on Ashley's bed.
"In answer to your question Ash, I think there are just some things a heart can't recover from. I thought I had found someone I might come to love as much as your mother, and then to discover years later how wrong I was. I know you two are pretty much grown up now, but you're still the most important things in my life. If something were to happen to either of you, I don't know if I could go on." He admitted, as his speech brought Jeff and Ashley to tears and the three clung to each other as they had for the past ten years. After a long hug, Mr. Hammond finally decided, "You two better get come rest. Tomorrow's going to be a tough day for all of us." He kissed the two goodnight and headed down the hall to his room.
Jeff assumed his spot on his sister's floor. He had started sleeping in her room for the past nine years, when he had heard her screaming in the middle of a terrible nightmare, caused by flashbacks that the meeting the next day would conjure up, and tonight was no different.
"No!" Ashley's voice echoed through out the room as she tossed and turned in her bed, getting stuck in her blankets in the process. "Leave us alone!" she cried before her brother climbed onto her bed and gathered his distraught sister in his arms. "Shh, Ash. I'm here. Shelley isn't here anymore. You don't have to be afraid." Jeff's soothing voice helped Ashley calm down.
"I'm sorry Jeff. It's been ten years since she's been gone, you would think I'd be over it by now. I keep dreaming that they are going to let her out of prison." Ashley sniffed as she apologized for waking her brother up, still gathered in his warm and safe embrace.
"That won't happen Ash. They haven't released her before so why start now? Some thing you never get over. I don't think either of us or dad will ever get over it. That's why this meeting is so important; to make sure Shelley never gets out. She'll never hurt us again Ash. I swear it." Jeff promised to his sister with a deathly vengeance. "I might have not been able to stop her ten years ago, but if she ever comes near us, she'll regret it." Finally the two had calmed down and managed to catch a few hours of sleep.
DOVER
The next morning, the Hammonds ate a quick and quiet breakfast before driving two hours to Dover for the parole meeting.
"Alright this meeting to discover whether or not Ms. Shelley Martinson should be allowed out on parole will now commence." The judge stated.
The warden of the psychiatric prison stood to address the Hammond family. "I feel that Shelley has paid her debts to society, she has been in counseling for the past ten years. I'd be willing to release her, but first I would like to hear from the family."
Mr. Hammond stood up in response to Dr. Wakefield's opinion. "While Shelley may have paid her debt to society and be sorry, she will never pay her debt to my family. My children have been scarred from the years of abuse they suffered at the hands of Ms. Martinson, emotionally, physically, and mentally. She robbed them of a rich and wonderful childhood, instead subjecting them to horrors I'm ashamed to say I knew not of until I confronted Shelley when I saw the bruises on Ashley's back. Here are the police and medical reports I have collected through the years, when I realized that Shelley had taken them to numerous clinics in an attempt to hide their injuries. Here is also the death certificate of our daughter Shannon, whom Shelly also abused, which resulted in the death of a precious three-year-old child. Shannon will never be replaced no matter how sorry Shelley may be now. I plead with the committee to continue in the footsteps of those before you and reject her plea for release" Mr. Hammond finished his speech and sat back down next to his children. Ashley was crying earnestly now, and Jeff was barely holding onto his composure.
Dr. Wakefield responded, "Before the committee leaves to confer on a decision, would the children like to add anything?" Jeff looked at his tormented sister and knew he could keep silent no longer.
"Yes, I would like to say something." Ashley looked up at her older brother in shock, giving Jeff the confidence to say what he felt needed to be said.
"Every year for the past ten years my sister has woken up with nightmares right before this meeting. While I know she has gone on to have a rewarding and fun life, I know she will forever be traumatized by the events of her childhood. If I could, I would take away all the painful memories and scars Shelley ahs caused her, myself, my dad, and my little sister Shannon. I can't, but you can. I plead with you on behalf of my family to keep Shelley here. She has hurt us tremendously in the past, and letting her out will allow her to hurt us in the future. Thank You." Jeff sat down, collapsing on the bench as his emotions finally got the best of him. The committee filed out to confer, leaving the Hammond family to huddle together as they had each year of the past ten years, hoping for a verdict that would protect them.
Two hours passed when the committee reentered the courtroom. The judge asked the committee for its verdict. The foreman, a middle aged woman stood up with a piece of paper and read, "It is the opinion of the committee that Shelley Martinson continue to remain in the care of the Orange County Psychiatric prison. While she had made progress in her counseling, it cannot be overlooked that she will never be able to undo the damage and pain she herself inflicted on the Hammond family. It is in the best interest of the victims if she remains in the custody of the state of California."
Relief tore through the Hammond family as once again the verdict proved to be in their favor. Mr. Hammond took his children out to celebrate on their drive back to Angel Grove.
"Ready as I'll ever be I guess. It's the same thing we've been doing for ten years." Ashley replied.
"But it never gets any easier does it?" HE asked quietly as he sat next to her on her bed.
"No. And I don't think it ever will. Do you think Dad will ever get over it?" Ashley questioned her brother.
"I don't know, he still feels guilty for not believing us, and for being betrayed by Shelley." Jeff answered honestly. Jus then there was a knock on the door as their dad peeked his head in.
"I thought I'd find you two in here." He commented, knowing that Ashley and Jeff always spent time together before the meeting that would take place the next day. He came in and joined his two children on Ashley's bed.
"In answer to your question Ash, I think there are just some things a heart can't recover from. I thought I had found someone I might come to love as much as your mother, and then to discover years later how wrong I was. I know you two are pretty much grown up now, but you're still the most important things in my life. If something were to happen to either of you, I don't know if I could go on." He admitted, as his speech brought Jeff and Ashley to tears and the three clung to each other as they had for the past ten years. After a long hug, Mr. Hammond finally decided, "You two better get come rest. Tomorrow's going to be a tough day for all of us." He kissed the two goodnight and headed down the hall to his room.
Jeff assumed his spot on his sister's floor. He had started sleeping in her room for the past nine years, when he had heard her screaming in the middle of a terrible nightmare, caused by flashbacks that the meeting the next day would conjure up, and tonight was no different.
"No!" Ashley's voice echoed through out the room as she tossed and turned in her bed, getting stuck in her blankets in the process. "Leave us alone!" she cried before her brother climbed onto her bed and gathered his distraught sister in his arms. "Shh, Ash. I'm here. Shelley isn't here anymore. You don't have to be afraid." Jeff's soothing voice helped Ashley calm down.
"I'm sorry Jeff. It's been ten years since she's been gone, you would think I'd be over it by now. I keep dreaming that they are going to let her out of prison." Ashley sniffed as she apologized for waking her brother up, still gathered in his warm and safe embrace.
"That won't happen Ash. They haven't released her before so why start now? Some thing you never get over. I don't think either of us or dad will ever get over it. That's why this meeting is so important; to make sure Shelley never gets out. She'll never hurt us again Ash. I swear it." Jeff promised to his sister with a deathly vengeance. "I might have not been able to stop her ten years ago, but if she ever comes near us, she'll regret it." Finally the two had calmed down and managed to catch a few hours of sleep.
DOVER
The next morning, the Hammonds ate a quick and quiet breakfast before driving two hours to Dover for the parole meeting.
"Alright this meeting to discover whether or not Ms. Shelley Martinson should be allowed out on parole will now commence." The judge stated.
The warden of the psychiatric prison stood to address the Hammond family. "I feel that Shelley has paid her debts to society, she has been in counseling for the past ten years. I'd be willing to release her, but first I would like to hear from the family."
Mr. Hammond stood up in response to Dr. Wakefield's opinion. "While Shelley may have paid her debt to society and be sorry, she will never pay her debt to my family. My children have been scarred from the years of abuse they suffered at the hands of Ms. Martinson, emotionally, physically, and mentally. She robbed them of a rich and wonderful childhood, instead subjecting them to horrors I'm ashamed to say I knew not of until I confronted Shelley when I saw the bruises on Ashley's back. Here are the police and medical reports I have collected through the years, when I realized that Shelley had taken them to numerous clinics in an attempt to hide their injuries. Here is also the death certificate of our daughter Shannon, whom Shelly also abused, which resulted in the death of a precious three-year-old child. Shannon will never be replaced no matter how sorry Shelley may be now. I plead with the committee to continue in the footsteps of those before you and reject her plea for release" Mr. Hammond finished his speech and sat back down next to his children. Ashley was crying earnestly now, and Jeff was barely holding onto his composure.
Dr. Wakefield responded, "Before the committee leaves to confer on a decision, would the children like to add anything?" Jeff looked at his tormented sister and knew he could keep silent no longer.
"Yes, I would like to say something." Ashley looked up at her older brother in shock, giving Jeff the confidence to say what he felt needed to be said.
"Every year for the past ten years my sister has woken up with nightmares right before this meeting. While I know she has gone on to have a rewarding and fun life, I know she will forever be traumatized by the events of her childhood. If I could, I would take away all the painful memories and scars Shelley ahs caused her, myself, my dad, and my little sister Shannon. I can't, but you can. I plead with you on behalf of my family to keep Shelley here. She has hurt us tremendously in the past, and letting her out will allow her to hurt us in the future. Thank You." Jeff sat down, collapsing on the bench as his emotions finally got the best of him. The committee filed out to confer, leaving the Hammond family to huddle together as they had each year of the past ten years, hoping for a verdict that would protect them.
Two hours passed when the committee reentered the courtroom. The judge asked the committee for its verdict. The foreman, a middle aged woman stood up with a piece of paper and read, "It is the opinion of the committee that Shelley Martinson continue to remain in the care of the Orange County Psychiatric prison. While she had made progress in her counseling, it cannot be overlooked that she will never be able to undo the damage and pain she herself inflicted on the Hammond family. It is in the best interest of the victims if she remains in the custody of the state of California."
Relief tore through the Hammond family as once again the verdict proved to be in their favor. Mr. Hammond took his children out to celebrate on their drive back to Angel Grove.