Chapter 28
The day for the trial began today. Hailey was so nervous; she had bought herself a jacket and matching skirt from a maternity shop down town and had curled her hair to make herself look more professional. She paced up and down the corridor all morning; she looked at her watch it was about time that she and Mark's lawyer called her. Just then the phone started to ring. "Hello?" She said. "Hello Hailey its Ben." Her lawyer replied. "Oh Hi, so is everything ready for the trial?" She asked. "Yes I'm on my way now so come along now and I'll see you there." He replied and hung up. Hailey called for a taxi to come take her to court.
Hailey arrived at the building, where was Mark she thought? Her lawyer Ben Dawson came over to her. "Hey Hailey how are you feeling?" He said to her. "Nervous." She smiled. "Well you'll be ok; I'll just be asking you a few questions up on the stand." He explained. "I know I'll be alright it's just Mark that I'm worried for." She replied. "Well come this way into the room and you'll be sitting next to me." He explained. Hailey followed him into the court room, she saw her parents sitting down with their lawyer. Her mother looked at her and gulped as she saw how big Hailey had gotten. Hailey took a seat next to Ben and saw Mark walk in. She smiled at him with tears in her eyes. Mark walked over and shook Ben's hand. "Hey." She smiled at him. "Hey beautiful, you don't cry now, you gotta be a big girl for me ok?" Mark said to her. "Ok." She said quietly. They all rose when the judge walked in. "I'm Judge Williamson, please take a seat." He said. Everyone sat back down. Hailey looked over at the jury. She couldn't really tell what type of people they were but they seemed to have friendly faces. "Mr. Jones will you please come to the stand." The judge called out. Kirk got up and walked around and sat at the witness box. Ben got up and walked over to Kirk.
"Mr. Jones were you a wear that Mr. Callaway here was seeing your daughter?" Ben asked him. "No." Kirk said. "What kind of relationship did you think he had with your daughter then?" Ben asked. "I thought that he was just a friend of Hailey's I had a feeling that Hailey may have had a little crush on him, but I never thought that this relationship would turn into a sexual relationship." Kirk explained. "You were the one that pressed charges am I right?" Ben asked. "Yes." Kirk answered. "Please explain your reason to the jury Mr. Jones as to why you want Mr. Callaway here to be found guilty." Ben said. "Well my daughter here is 16 years old, and he is 40 years old. Not to my knowledge has she had a boyfriend before, and when she told me that she was pregnant with his child it made me sick. It made me and my wife sick to think that this man who is 3 years older then myself would put his hands on our daughter that we love and care for so much." Kirk explained glaring at Mark. Mark got angry. "If you loved and cared about Hailey you wouldn't go and kick her out on the streets in nearly winter conditions!" Mark yelled at him. "Mr. Callaway will you please remain quite!" The judge yelled at Mark. Kirk glared at Mark again. "Yeah, you aren't gonna say that aren't ya Kirk!" Mark yelled again. "Mr. Callaway please remain quite or we will charge you without you say on anything!" The judge yelled. Mark leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Mark, hey, come on." Hailey said quietly rubbing her hand up and down his arm. Mark looked down at her and gave a quick smile. Ben turned back to Kirk. "Anything else Mr. Jones?" Ben asked. "No." Kirk said. "Mr. Jones take a seat, Ms. Hailey Jones please come to the stand." The judge ordered. Hailey breathed deeply and came to the stand. Ben smiled at her. "So how are you feeling Hailey?" he asked her. "I'm ok." She said quietly. "How are your feelings towards Mr. Callaway?" Ben asked her. "I love him." Hailey replied. Mark smiled. "Would your feeling be the same for him if he hadn't made you pregnant?" Ben asked. "Yes, and we wouldn't be in this court room right now." Hailey replied. "How long have you known Mark here for?" Ben asked. "About 9 months and a bit." Hailey replied. "Did he per sway you into having intercourse with him?" Ben asked. Hailey turned red. "No." She answered. "So it was your choice?" "Yes, as my father said, I've never been in any other relationships. So I'd want my first to be someone special to me. I love this man, he is the father of my baby, and I'm happy to be carrying his child. I'm still getting an education and I and my baby are both healthy, you can't send him to jail." She replied with tears running down her face. Ben saw she was in the verge of breaking down. "Ok Hailey you can sit back down now." Ben smiled at her. Hailey nodded and walked back over and sat down, Ben joined her. The other lawyer walked over to Mark. "Mr. Callaway will you please come to the stand?" he asked Mark. Mark got up and walked over to the stand. "Mr. Callaway were you a wear that what you did was illegal?" The lawyer asked him. "Yes." Mark answered. "Then why did you do it?" "You should know." Mark said. "Mr. Callaway answer the question." The judge said. Mark sighed. "I had intercourse with her because I love her, I wouldn't take advantage of her, even if she was the same age as me. My feelings for her wouldn't be any different." Mark explained. "Mr. Callaway, not only what you did was illegal; you made this young girl pregnant and broke her parents trust." The lawyer explained. "Well do you see me walking away from her? No. I love her and I love this baby, I'm the one that made her pregnant and I'm not gonna run off and make her raise it herself, as her goddamn parents here went and did." Mark replied. "Mr. Callaway if you are found guilty, you will receive at least 10 years jail." The lawyer explained. "What? And miss my child growing up? My girlfriend I had back in high school had a miscarriage and I'm not gonna lose this one too!" Mark snapped. "We'll I'm not surprised about that. Let's see your review file. Oh professional wrestler of 10 years plus and now fixes bike. What a living." The lawyer smirked. Mark got angry. "Look I don't give a fuck what you or that damn jury thinks of me! And I'll be damned if you or this stupid legal system is gonna lock me away for 10 years without seeing the woman I love and my child!" He yelled. The jury started arguing with each other. "Order, Order!" The judge yelled. "Mr. Callaway please can you take a seat, back over there while the jury decides the verdict." The judge said. Mark sighed and stood up and walked back over to Ben and Hailey. Hailey had tears in her eyes. "Hey baby, it's ok." Mark said cuddling her. Hailey nodded while still having her arms wrapped around him.
After about an hour, the jury came back in the room and took their seats. An older woman stood up and began to read the verdict. "Your honor, we find Mr. Callaway innocent of all charges." The women said. The judge nodded, "Mr. Callaway you are free of all charges, case dismissed." He said and whacked his hammer on the bench. Hailey screamed and Mark pulled her into a hug. "What no! This is horseshit!" Kirk yelled out. "Mr. Jones, the case is closed." The judge explained. "But it's wrong!" Kirk yelled. "Well the jury has made its decision, please be on your way too." The judge said getting up. Kirk ran his hands through his hair. "Damn it, come on Joanne let's get out of here." He said.
