Chapter 12: A Courtroom
When Harley entered the clinic, there was Doc reading a few papers. She quietly came in and tried to pass him without him noticing, but her efforts were futile. The blue car spun around slowly and stopped her.
"Harley," he said, "how was today?" he genuinely asked.
"Um. I-it was fine…" she said and tried to move on, but again Doc stopped her with a question.
"Fine? It was good? You had a good time with your uncle?" he asked and she nodded. "That's good." he said and there was an awkward pause. "Harley… I'm not sure if your uncle told you, but the hearing I told you about last week, it's going to be tomorrow." again Harley nodded.
"Yeah… I know…" A beat. Harley avoided eye contact and Doc looked her over.
"You might get asked a few questions, you might not. But you have to listen carefully the whole time and answer honestly, okay?" Doc gently said.
"Okay…" more silence and Doc sighed.
"Harley…"
"Yeah..?" Doc thought about what to say carefully.
"Harley, I'm sorry things have been… have been a little hectic."
"What's hectic mean?" Doc paused and slightly scoffed under his breath with a faint smile.
"Crazy. It means crazy." Harley nodded in understanding and agreement. "Anyway… I'm sorry for snapping at you. But you have to understand, I didn't mean it. I really do want what's best for you." Harley nodded and continued to look down. "Harley… please forgive me. I can't…" he sighed and looked away from her. "I miss your bright voice… it was so happy before…" he shook his hood and Harley glanced at him. "I…" he shook his hood and turned away. "I'm sorry…"
A beat.
A pause.
Silence.
"Goodnight, Harley… sleep well." The younger car remained there and stared at the blue car, then after another beat, she turned and headed to her room. She didn't bother to turn on the light; the full moon was pouring in light through the window. She headed over to the back of the room where she always slept and parked herself there. She then looked around the room and her eyes landed on the small radio. Her one physical gift she had from Radiator Springs. She could faintly see ghost of memories around the radio and she had the faintest of smiles playing on her lips and in her eyes. Giving a yawn, she took one more look around then her eyelids fell heavy and she drifted to sleep. Suddenly, she was in a corner again; her trunk was up against a wall. A dark red car inched closer.
"How dare you run from me?" he hissed and she trembled.
"I… I… I d-don't kn-know!" she cried and he scoffed harshly.
"Ha! Lier!" he spat and began speeding towards her. She closed her eyes and braced for impact. Then a screech was heard. Brakes were slammed. Harley opened her eyes and looked up and saw the body of a blue car acting as a shield. "Who the hell are you!?" the red car snarled. Harley couldn't see the face of her rescuer due to the angle she saw him at. But she knew exactly who it was regardless. She knew.
Then she was awake. Early morning light poured into the window. The door suddenly opened and it frightened her. She jumped up with a gasp and frantically looked to the door. Once realizing who it was, she relaxed.
"Oh, Harley. You're awake already." Doc said and watched her from the doorway. "You ready to head over to the courthouse?" Harley blinked a few times then nodded.
"Y-yeah…" she quietly said and began to slowly make her way over to him. "Are we, uh, are we gonna eat first?" Doc softly chuckled.
"Yes, of course…" he began to drive off. "And your uncle will be there too." Harley lifted off her wheels a little higher.
"Awesome." she said sleepily. The two made their way to the V8 and we're met by the King.
"Good morning." Strip said as he went up to them.
"Hey, Uncle Strip!" Harley happily greeted him as she tried to shake away the sleep.
"Morning Harley. How'd you sleep?" he asked and she glanced away.
"Uh, I slept f-fine…. What about you?" she asked and looked back at him.
"I slept well, thank you." he said with a small humored smile. "What's for breakfast today?" he asked and she pursed her lips as she thought about it
"I don't know..." she thought for a second more. "Oh! bacon and eggs!" her eyes brightened and the two men chuckled.
"Sounds good, Har." Doc said and waved a tire over at Flo who then slowly made her way over to the group with a yawn.
"Oh, lemme tell ya, Mama wasn't made to wake up this early!" she said and yawned again. "I haven't even heard Sarge and Fillmore gripe at each other yet!" she stretched out an axle and nudged Harley softly. "How's the little one?" she asked with a sweet smile and Harley smiled back up at her.
"I'm good." she said and Flo nodded.
"Good! And what does she want to eat today?" Harley giggled.
"I want bacon and eggs!" she said and Flo nodded again.
"Sounds good to me! And you two want the same?" She asked and seemed to point at the two with a tire.
"That would very fine." Strip said and Doc nodded in agreement.
"Yes, and a quart of oil please. Mr. Weathers, would you like one?" he asked the racer and he nodded.
"Yes, thank you. And you can call me Strip or the King; Mr. Weathers is a title reserved for my father." Doc chuckled,nodded and turned back to Flo.
"Two quarts of oil." Harley sighed at the boring transaction and Flo chuckled.
"Alright, Flo's gonna have that out in a jiffy!" she then went off at a faster pace than when she arrived and disappeared inside the café.
"So, Harley." Strip said and she looked up. "You know how everything going to work out today, right?" Harley sighed again with a touch of annoyance.
"Yeah… Doc already told me." she said and Strip nodded.
"Okay, good. Then you know to be on your best behavior? Which I'm sure you will be." He said with a small half smile.
"Uh-huh. I mean, yes sir." she corrected and the King chuckled making Harley smile a little.
"Good girl." he said and nudged her. "Then maybe afterwards we can go out for another drive before I leave." Harley's smile then sank into a slight frown.
"Leave? You're leaving today?" she asked sadly.
"When the hearing is over -officially over- I'll be headed off to California. It's almost time for me to start training for next year's season." Harley sank onto her tires.
"Oh… okay. That's a good reason, I guess." Strip sadly smiled down at her.
"I'll make sure to visit every once in awhile; don't you worry." he reassured her and it lifted her spirits. Doc smiled warmly at her and Strip noticed it. He then got to thinking and then turned back to Harley. "Hey, kiddo."
"Yeah?" she obliviously asked.
"I want to talk to Doc alone real quick. How's about you wait here for our food, but you go right ahead and eat when it gets here, okay?" Harley shuffled her tired for a second.
"Oh, okay." she finally said and Strip nodded meanwhile Doc looked questionably at the lighter blue car.
"Doc, if I could have a word?" Doc reluctantly followed as Strip began to drive off to the other side of the café.
"What is it, Strip?" he asked his eyelids slightly furrowed.
"I just wanted to asked about Harley and her time here." he said as they slowly drove. Doc came to a stop and the King copied.
"What hat about it?" he asked, his voice hard.
"She stays at the clinic under your care, correct?" Strip asked and Doc nodded slowly. "So you've gotten a chance to know her pretty well?"
"I would say so, yes." Doc asked, his expression not letting up.
"And during this time, you two have developed somewhat of a relationship, right?" Strip asked curiously and Doc reversed slightly away from him.
"Okay, why are you asking me all this?" He asked and shrugged his tired slightly. "I just want to know her time her has been…" he paused and searched for testing correct wording. "ah, has been safe for her wellbeing."
"Hm…" Doc eyed the younger car. "Well, from what I've seen of her, she's liked the town, liked the folks 'round here." he glanced over at the small Cadillac that was shuffling dust under her front tires and then suddenly sneezed. Doc tried to suppress an amused smile. "When she first came, I fixed her up. Regardless of that, she still was reluctant to trust anyone. It took her a while. But she's made herself comfortable here." Doc forgot that he was talking to Strip and simply looked at Harley with kind eyes and a gently smile. Strip carefully examined him and nodded.
"We, I'm glad to hear that." Strip said and it snapped Doc back into reality. "Looks like breakfast is served." Strip stated and drove back over to Harley. Doc shook his hood slightly then quickly followed behind.
They finished eating and in doing so, talked about stories of racing, which Doc was quick to stop by talking about Radiator Springs and it's "rich history." as Doc put it. They saw that Judge Stafford and his entourage of cars were coming down the street and headed to the courthouse. As he paused by, he shot a quick glance at the group.
"I want to start on time. On the dot. Not sooner, no later." He scolded.
"Yes, sir." Doc replied and the group of city cars continued on their way. "I should go get Sheriff." Doc said somewhat to himself when the group was gone. The rest of the town emerged from their homes and all congregated to their normal morning hang out, but they were all uneasy. There were no songs played. No greetings exchanged. "Harley, stay here with your uncle, I'll be back." Doc said and headed down the road to the billboard.
Once he was about halfway there, he saw the silhouette of a black and white car.
"Morning, Doc." Sheriff greeted with a dull voice. "Today's the day." Doc slowed as he met up with him.
"So it is." he reluctantly agreed.
"Just know, Doc, that whatever happens, happens." Sheriff tried to reassure him, but to no avail.
"I know… I just hope the judge makes the right decision." Sheriff eyed Doc.
"The best decision." He corrected and Doc nodded.
"Right… the best decision." The two long time friends made their way into town in almost complete silence. Once there they saw that the rest of the townsfolk folk were tense.
"What's wrong with all of you?" Sheriff asked and they all seemed clueless.
"Whatch you talkin about, man. Nothin's wrong 'round here." Ramone tried to sound convincing, but in truth, they all knew the answer. And they all communicated it by giving a concerned glance at the local doctor. Doc looked over at the our those and saw that other cars that were there for the hearing were already filling the doorway.
"If you want a seat in the hearing, I suggest we all start heading over to the courthouse now." Doc said and drove over to Harley. "Come on. We have to be on time." he said and began driving off. Out of being nervous, Harley drove close behind him. They went into the courthouse and slowly made their way to the courtroom where it would all take place. Doc and Harley went and parked in front of the normal parking spot of everyone else while the King parked towards the front row with other onlookers. Another black car parked on the to the right side of Doc and Harley. She looked stricken and stern. Unafraid, highly confident, and an attorney to be reckoned with.
"All rise! The honorable Jared Stafford is presiding!" Sheriff announced and all the cars lifted themselves higher themselves higher off their wheels. The black Mustang made his entrance elegantly. her slowly drove up to the podium and drove onto the lift. He was then raised and looked around at the other cars.
"You may be lowered." Judge Stafford gruffed and the cars went back down to their own comfortable heights. "Alright, this courtroom has come to order. We are here for the case of Harley Davis Stockrim. She has…." his voice faded out in Harley's ears as her attention fled to the rest of the room. She looked around and saw a crowd of cars behind them then looked over and saw a jury. She then saw the black Lincoln on the other side of the aisle. She looked attentively at Judge Stafford then gave a glance at Harley. It was cold and hard. No emotion. Harley quickly looked away and at the wood floor beneath them. Then she remembered what Doc and her uncle told her. She looked up and started to pay attention to the judge before them.
"Mrs. Foreman, the floor is yours." Harley had missed the entire beginning of the hearing, so she pondered the name. She had never heard it before; who could it belongs to? Then she saw the Lincoln give a nod and drive foward.
