Judge Hudson leaned back in his swivel chair, and nodded towards Karissa's lawyer.
"Why don't you begin, Mr. Marks," he said.
Karissa's lawyer stood up to begin talking, and I wondered if that was something that he had to do, like a rule in front of a judge, or
if it was just something that he wanted to do. He cleared his throat a little, and said, "We're here, Judge, because my client, Mrs. Bonner,
has been steadily building a relationship with her niece in the past few months, though she has had many stumbling blocks and resistance from
the McFadden family. She has been continually met with contentious actions from the entire family."
I thought that opening statement very unfair. Granted, Brian and Adam hadn't ever really accepted Karissa, but they'd agreed to let
her come to the house to visit. They'd had her to meals. And I'd seen firsthand how cordial that Hannah had been to her.
"Mrs. Bonner wishes to have her niece reside with her, in her residence in Nevada," Mr. Marks continued. "She has a vastly successful
real estate business there, and would be able to provide Miss McFadden with a life of privilege and opportunities. The McFaddens have a large
family, and it is my client's belief that the young lady in question has gotten the 'short end of the stick', so to speak. She hasn't been
able to have advantages that she would be able to enjoy were she to reside with Mrs. Bonner. In a family as large as the one she's grown up
in, it's highly unlikely that she's gotten the attention or the opportunities that she deserves. There is also the issue of turmoil and unrest in the
home. It's a chaotic environment."
Since I had to focus, and focus hard, on keeping my mouth quiet, I was listening and turning over the lawyer's words in my
mind as he spoke. One thing he said that was true enough, was the part about our house being somewhat chaotic.
"There are numerous occasions, just in the short time that my client has been in contact with her niece, that Miss McFadden has
been injured while working on her family's ranch," the lawyer went on. "She's given too much responsibility for a young person, and this leads to her
being physically hurt. And, since Miss McFadden has been diagnosed with diabetes in the last year, and Mrs. Bonner also has the
same disease, she would understand and be able to cope with the young lady's illness in a much more efficient manner."
I dug my fingernails into the palm of my other hand, clenching them so tightly, and telling myself not to shout out.
"In closing, we want to reiterate the fact that Mrs. Bonner could, and would, provide Miss McFadden with a life of opportunity that would set her
on the road to success as an adult. Her home environment with Mrs. Bonner would be strife-free, and Miss McFadden could reach her
full potential. And, though the paperwork that Your Honor has there, from the Division of Children's Services of Calavaras County states
that the home environment is functional, it doesn't explain why Miss McFadden felt the need to leave her home a few weeks ago and travel
across the country, alone, from California to Tennessee."
And, with that parting comment, the young lawyer, who'd I'd taken for a dweeb, and no match for John, nodded to the judge,
and said, "Thank you, Judge," and sat back down next to Karissa.
I felt my heart begin to thump so loudly that I was sure everyone in the room would be able to hear it. How had they found out
about my little jaunt to see Daniel? I gave Adam, to my right, a panicked look, and when he showed no surprise, but maintained the
same serious expression that he'd had all along, I turned to my left, to Brian. Brian was showing no surprise, either, though his
expression was harder, looking as if it were set in granite. I felt easy tears well up in my eyes. I'd done it now! Because of my
stupidity, it was going to look as though I wasn't happy at home! That I'd run off, showing no concern or regard for anybody
in my family. That I was an out-of-control teen girl.
"Thank you, Mr. Marks," the judge said, and looked to John. "Mr. Tetwiler, it appears that you're up next."
John stood up, and when I risked a look at his face, it was serious, but he seemed calm enough. I wondered if he'd known about
me taking off to Daniel's. If so, wouldn't he have said something about it to all of us when we were talking before?
"Firstly," John began, "I'll address Mr. Mark's last comment about Harlie's visit to Tennessee a few weeks ago. Harlie went to
visit her brother that resides there. She did do it in a way that wasn't particularly responsible. She understands that and her family
has dealt with the issue."
Then, John began to talk about other things, as though my foray to Nashville hadn't been the biggest mistake of my life.
"Now, on to address the wish of Mrs. Bonner for Harlie to reside with her in Nevada, that's something that's just not
realistic or in Harlie's best interest. My clients have concerns about Mrs. Bonner's drinking, which she deems as social drinking, but
upon hearing more details, it would appear to be much more than that. Harlie has herself expressed a concern for her own safety,
and that of her aunt, when out in a car after Mrs. Bonner has had a few drinks. When approached about whether she would be willing to
undergo some alcohol counseling, Mrs. Bonner flatly refused to even consider it."
"I do not drink to excess," Karissa interrupted. "It's ridiculous that it's even being discussed."
"Mrs. Bonner, your lawyer will address any rebuttals that you have," Judge Hudson instructed, giving Karissa a stern look.
Karissa gave a sort of 'humph' sound, and sat back in her chair.
"As far as the size of the McFadden family, or the chaos in the home environment, I think your Honor will agree that any home
that has successfully raised several boys to manhood should be commended for it, not judged on the number of them that there are. There
has never been a time, since the oldest McFadden brothers were themselves young men, that the Department of Children's Services has
been involved in any way with their family. That is, until Mrs. Bonner filed this suit, and a representative of the department went to
visit with Harlie and her brother, Guthrie. Fifteen plus years, Judge, and no reports of child neglect. The family has met the physical, emotional,
and financial needs of all those youngsters. As you can read from the report that you have there, the Department found no
deficiencies in the care of Harlie and Guthrie, who are the two remaining siblings that are under the age of eighteen. In fact, the report
states that both teenagers expressed their contentment and feelings of security, and their belief in the ability of their older siblings to care for them."
John looked briefly at a paper in his hand, and then laid it down, clearing his throat a little. "Harlie is sixteen, Your Honor. It is her desire to
remain with her family, in the home where she's spent her entire life. At this juncture, she doesn't wish to have even occasional visitation
with Mrs. Bonner, and that stems from concern about the heavy drinking, and feeling unsafe, and also the fact that Mrs. Bonner uses
her time with her niece to belittle Harlie's father, Adam, Sr., or her older brothers. It is my client's wish that Harlie remain with them, where she wants to be,
and that this situation be laid to rest. Thank you, Judge."
And, with that, John sat down.
For a moment, and probably only a moment, there was such silence in the room that you could have 'heard a pin drop', as they say.
There was some hurried whispering between Karissa and her lawyer, and then Mr. Marks stood up again.
"My client regrets that due to obvious pressure from her family, Miss McFadden has felt the need to lie about the overuse of alcohol by Mrs.
Bonner. She feels-" and he began to drone on and on.
I sat up so straight in my chair that it was a wonder that my back didn't snap. I wanted to yell and scream. The words 'bitch' and
'bat shit' came to mind. I pressed my hands down on the arms of my chair so hard that it hurt.
Tears came to my eyes. How dare she! Call me out as a liar when she knew full well that what I'd said was the truth!
There was the lightest of whispering in my left ear, as Adam leaned over to me. "Settle down," he said.
I gave him an incredulous look. Then I looked forward again, though I was still sitting just as straight and stiff. And I was just as
upset. But I did stay quiet.
When the namby-pamby lawyer had sat back down again, John stood up.
"Details can be given, to substantiate Harlie's concerns about her own safety, if necessary, Judge," he said, briefly. "She can share those
with you herself, if you'd like."
Then he sat back down.
The judge gave a short nod.
Then he turned his gaze on me. "Harlie, I'd like to talk with you for a few minutes. Ask you some questions. Would that be
alright?"
I nodded, and then found my voice. "Yes, sir."
"Alright. Why don't you come over here, and sit closer to me?" the judge said, gesturing to a chair next to his desk.
I stood up, my legs feeling a little weak, and went to sit in the chair that he was gesturing to, and that he'd pulled over a bit,
so that it was close to his own.
He gave me a smile then, and I saw that up close, he did have eyes that looked like Doc G's. And there were laugh lines around his
mouth. He looked kind.
I folded my hands together tightly in my lap, and I must have sighed a little, because he said, "No need to be frightened, Harlie. I just
want to help."
I nodded. I'd thought that he would start right out asking me about how and why I'd gone to Tennessee, or question me about Karissa's drinking. So
I was surprised when he suggested, instead, "Why don't you start out by telling me a little about your family."
I hesitated, unsure of just what he wanted. "Like everybody's name? Or what?"
"Everybody's name if you like. Things about each one of them. Activities you do as a family. Anything of that sort that you'd care to
share with me," the judge said.
"Alright," I said, and then I began slowly. "Well, there's Guthrie. He and I are really close in age, less than a year apart. We do a lot of
things together. Fishing, and swimming. And we ride to school together nearly every day. Guthrie's-" I hesitated, "Well, he's
just about my best friend, I guess."
"Ford's finishing his first year of college. He'll be turning twenty soon." I thought for a moment. "He can play eight different
instruments, and he's thinking about becoming a science teacher."
"He sounds like an amazing young man," the judge said, smiling at me.
"He is," I agreed.
"Go on," he said then. "Please. I like hearing about all these brothers."
I returned his smile. "Evan's next. Sometimes he rides the rodeo circuit. He's really gifted with handling horses. He can gentle a
horse that no one else can even get close to. Then there's Daniel." I hesitated, feeling my face warm a little. "He's the one that
lives in Tennessee."
"Is he a musician?" the judge asked.
"Yes, sir. He writes songs, and he can sing, and play the guitar. He's really talented."
When the judge nodded at me, I said, "Crane's pretty amazing. He's really kind, and he's compassionate. He's a good listener.
And, he's probably the smartest person that I know."
I looked towards where Hannah was sitting, and said, "When I was growing up, my brothers did a great job taking care of me. But when Hannah came
around, it did add something to our family that was missing. She brought so much to us, especially to us younger kids. She's really
important to Ford and Guthrie and I."
"She was quite brave taking on such a large group," the judge commented, but he said it kindly.
"She was," I agreed.
"She and Adam had a baby in December," I went on. "His name is Isaac."
"I have a grandson named Isaac," the judge said.
"You do?" I asked, with interest.
"It's a good, solid name, I've always felt," he said.
"Yes," I agreed. "Sometimes we call him Scooter. Guthrie's fixing up our old treehouse, so it'll be ready for him when he gets
old enough."
"That'll be nice for him." He gave me a steady look. "Continue. Please."
"There's Clare," I said. "She married Brian last summer. She's a nurse. She fits in really well with all of us."
I hesitated again, and he said, in a teasing way, "How about these two that are sitting here? What can you tell me about them?"
I bit at my lip for a moment, thinking. I wanted to say something about Adam and Brian that would show the judge what
great guys that they really were, and how well that they'd taken care of me. "Well, I have a special memory about each of them. Would that be alright?"
"That would be fine," he said, leaning back as though he was ready to listen.
"When I was younger, Adam or Brian would braid my hair every morning before school. They were just simple braids, but they always
made sure that I brushed my hair and that they'd braided it before I got on the bus. I was about eight or nine and there was a girl in my
class at school that had her hair done every day in a different hairstyle. Either French braided, or little braids at the side of her head or
something like that. I started wishing that I could have my hair fixed that way. I talked to Daniel about it. He would have been in high
school by then, and he told me that Adam and Brian had enough to do every morning without worrying about fixing my hair some fancy way. But I talked
about it, every chance I got, where they could hear me."
I took a breath, and said, "We were at a basketball game of one of my brothers, and that girl and her mom sat right in front of where
Adam and I were sitting in the bleachers. That night her hair was done really pretty, and I know I just sat there, looking at the back of her
head, instead of watching the game. When it was halftime, she got up to go with her mom, and Adam leaned over and asked me
if that was the girl I was always talking about. So I said yes, and he just nodded, and didn't say anything else."
"The next day after school, and after supper and everything, I remember I was doing my homework with Guthrie in the living room,
and Adam came in and he was carrying this thick book, and he sat down, and started looking thru it. And then, he told me to come over to
where he was sitting on the couch, and when I did, I saw it was a book about how to do different types of braids and things. Sort of one of those
directions by pictures. I asked him what he was doing with it, and he said," I hesitated a little, "that he'd checked it out of the library, and
if I wanted him to, he was going to try to practice until he could do my hair like the girl in my class. He said I could go thru the book and pick
out one or maybe two of the braids that I wanted him to try to learn, but not to go crazy and think he was going to do all of them."
The judge smiled at that, first at me, and then towards Adam. "And how did you do with it, sir?" he asked Adam, looking amused.
"I guess alright," Adam said, from where he sat. "She seemed happy about it."
I looked at him and I could tell he was a little embarrassed by my talking about him that way, but Hannah was smiling at him,
proudly.
"And was he able to fix your hair the way that you wanted?" the judge asked me.
"He did," I nodded. "He got pretty good at it, and when they took the spring pictures that year at school, my hair looked just as
good as Ellie Roger's hair."
7
