Chapter Fifty Four:
Today was the day. Today was the day the trial started. Brooklyn was in the bathroom finishing her make up. She had already cried once this morning and thankfully it was before Jon had woken up so he didn't see or hear her. She just couldn't believe this was happening. She never thought she would take a restraining order out on her uncle but she knew it was needed.
She looked in the mirror as she ran her brush over her face making sure everything was smooth. She heard footsteps and looked at the door to the bathroom as Jon came in.
"Hey, you ready?"
"Yea almost" she said, turning back. Jon looked her up and down. She was wearing black skater dress and black lace up high heels. She kept her long hair straight and did natural make up.
He was ready for today but he knew she wasn't, especially since she cried this morning when she thought he was sleeping. He pushed off the door and walked over to her.
"Where are the twins?"
"Downstairs. Your grandparents and parents are here. You ready for today?" Brooklyn nodded as he settled his hands on her hips.
"Yea. I think I'm doing good with it."
"Then why did you cry this morning?" Brooklyn looked up and met his eyes in the mirror.
"How did you know I did?"
"Because I'm your husband and I know these things. And, your nose was still red when you turned over to me." Brooklyn sighed.
"It was just a little melt down but I'm over it. I know this needs to happen." Jon nodded and kissed her shoulder.
"It'll be okay babe, I promise. We'll go, do what we have to, and hopefully be done." Brooklyn nodded and turned around to face him. She looked him up and down and saw he was wearing a white button up shirt and black dress pants.
"Its a shame we have to waste you dressing up on court." Jon chuckled and wrapped his arms around her.
"Maybe we could sneak in a little date after this." Brooklyn smiled.
"No, I think after today all we're gonna wanna do is drink." Jon laughed and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Yea, probably." Brooklyn smiled and lent up to kiss him softly. Jon pulled her closer and was tracing her lips with his tongue when they heard her father's voice.
"What ever you two are doing stop! We need to get going." The pulled apart and laughed. Brooklyn finished her make up before turning everything off and walking out of the room with Jon, hand in hand.
"Alright grandma, their milk is in the fridge. You just have to open the bags and pour them in the bottles and heat it up. Their diapers are in that basket by the fire place and they have their clothes upstairs. If J.J looks red down there, his cream is upstairs on the changing table and if you put them down for their nap, they have to have their blankets that Colby got them, they don't like any other one." Everyone smiled at Brooklyn. Stephanie and Linda remembered being exactly the same way when they left their kids alone for the first time.
"I got everything B. We'll be fine." Brooklyn nodded and kissed each babies head.
"Bye my babies, be good for Nana." Linda decided she wanted to be called Nana instead of great-grandma.
Brooklyn kissed their heads again before she moved so Jon could.
"Alright everyone, ready" Vince asked. Brooklyn and Jon looked at each other before nodding. They all left and got into Paul's car. Paul and Vince were up front while Brooklyn, Jon, and her mom were in the back. Jon kept a firm squeeze on Brooklyn's hand the entire time, it tightening when they pulled up to the court house.
They all got out and saw Colby, Sarah, Drake, Sami, Joe, and Shawn all standing outside waiting for them.
"Hey guys" Brooklyn greeted, hugging everyone.
"Hey, you ready for today honeybee?" Brooklyn looked at her uncle and nodded.
"Yea, I just want this all over."
"Sarah will get it done Brook, don't worry." Brooklyn nodded and grabbed Jon's hand again.
"Are they here yet" Jon asked Sarah.
"I'm not sure. We just got here a few minutes ago. Are you guys ready to go in?" They all nodded and Sarah led them in with Jon and Brooklyn behind her and everyone else behind them. After going through the metal detector, the court officer met them by the door and led them into the courtroom.
Since they were involved, Brooklyn and Jon got to sit at the plaintiffs table with Sarah while their family sat behind them. Brooklyn felt Jon tense next to her when Scott and Kim arrive, followed by their lawyer. She rubbed soft circles on his hand that she was still holding. Like the judge permitted, security stood in between them to make sure they had no contact with each other.
Jon wasn't the only person that tensed when they walked in. Everyone behind them did too. Paul clenched jaw when he saw his once best friend. If it wasn't illegal to kill, then Scott would be long gone if Paul had his way. Nobody hurts his baby girl and gets away with it.
"I can't believe he is actually sided with her" Stephanie said quietly, disgust evident in her voice.
"It actually doesn't surprise me. He never was good at caring about anyone but himself" Paul replied, getting a nod from Shawn.
Suddenly a door opened and the jury walked in from the room they were being held in in an attempt to prevent any influence in their decision.
Jon watched as they walked and sat down in their stand. He couldn't believe how much this was like tv. They watched as they were sworn in before the officer moved to swear in Scott's lawyer and Sarah.
Brooklyn scanned the room, her nerves rising. This was actually happening. She'd never been to court before, or even in a situation that resembled anything like it. Her eyes happened to catch a glimpse of Scott, the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach growing. She couldn't believe that her uncle would rather defend that woman rather then the family that had been with him through everything when his actual family wasn't.
Hopefully after today, she'd never have to see them again. She knew she would never be able to forgive him for everything that has happened. She turned back to the front as Jon raised her hand to press a kiss against it.
"You okay" he whispered. Brooklyn looked at him, her breathing getting back under control as she started into his eyes. She nodded and he pressed another kiss against her hand before they heard another door open.
"All rise for Judge Sanders." Everyone stood as a middle aged man with glasses entered the courtroom. He wasted no time in heading to his seat, making eye contact with both lawyers.
"You may be seated" he spoke as he sat down. Everyone sat as the officer handed him the case report.
"Case one hundred and sixty, Good vs McCann/Hall." The judge took the files from him.
"Thank you Officer Wayne." Officer Wayne nodded before going back to stand by the witness stand. Judge Sanders looked through the papers before looking up.
"Before we start the actual hearing, I do believe that the defendant's attorney would like to say something. Mr. Holland, you have the floor."
A tall man who was wearing a dark blue suit and over styled blonde hair stood up. He buttoned his jacket and cleared his throat.
"Thank you Judge Sanders. It has been brought to my attention by one of my clients that Mr and Mrs. Good's attorney might not be fair and impartial. Miss Hickenbottom happens to be closely and personally invested in this case as well as the people." He finished his statement with a smug expression that made Shawn want to walk over and kick it right off his face as he continued.
"That calls into her professionalism. How can she present an impartial case when she isn't impartial?"
Judge Sanders looked at the defendants attorney before turning his attention to Sarah.
"Miss Hickenbottom, would you like to reply?" Sarah nodded and stood up, straightening her own suit jacket as well as fixing the glasses she had on.
Once she was to her full height, Sarah looked at Holland before the judge.
"Thank you, your honor. As both you and Mr. Holland are aware in the previous meetings we have had prior to this court date, I did in fact tell both yourself and the defendants representation of my relationship to the people in this case."
Colby watched on as she stood straighter and her voice confident. It kind of turned him on.
"I can assure everyone in this courtroom that despite my relationship with the people in this case I will, like I have always have, remain professional. I will not allow my closeness or personal relationships to my clients to impede my judgment or my ability to present and impartial case."
Judge Sanders nodded slowly as he spoke.
"I agree Miss. Hickenbottom. Mr. Holland, I believe that based on Miss Hickenbottom's past cases that she will not allow any personal relationships to anyone involved in a case to effect her ability to do her job."
Mr. Holland's smirk dropped as Officer Wayne smiled.
"If you and your clients were attempting to present this information in an attempt to have me remove Miss. Hickenbottom from this case, then I will tell you no that it has been denied."
Everyone behind Sarah, Jon, and Brooklyn smiled. Sarah nodded and sat back down next to Brooklyn, letting out a silent breath of relief.
"Now onto the hearing. Miss. Hickenbottom, your client and his wife are here today because you filed a restraining order and no contact order towards Ms. McCann and Mr. Hall. These orders will include protection for Mr. Good, his wife, his children, and any future children he may or may not have."
"Yes your honor" Sarah said. Judge Sanders nodded and looked down at another piece of paper.
"Mr Holland, your client Ms. McCann is counter claiming on the grounds of grand parental legal rights and visitation rights to Mr and Mrs Good's children." Brooklyn and Jon's eyes widened and Jon clenched his jaw. No. No way in hell was he going to allow that even if for some strange reason the judge sided with her. It would be a cold day in hell when he allowed them around his children.
"Mr. Holland, you have the floor."
Mr. Holland stood again and pulled his papers out of bis briefcase before he started to outline his case.
"Thank you judge. Ms. McCann is entitled to her grand parental rights to her sons children. All she wants is to know her family, which is well within her rights as well. Ms. McCann is a woman, who might have had problems in the past, but they remain in the past. She has done everything to turn her life around and now that she has, she would like a relationship with her family. Can anyone deny that?"
Colby, Joe, Sami, Drake, Stephanie, Paul, Vince, and Shawn all looked on with disgust. For this man to paint her as some kind of reformed Mary Poppins made them all sick.
"I should hire him as part of creative because that is the biggest load of shit fiction I have ever heard" Vince whispered harshly. Paul and Shawn both their lips to stop from laughing.
Holland sat back down as Sarah took a deep breath, knowing it was her turn. She had never been this nervous on a case before but because she knew Jon and Brooklyn were depending on her, it made her nervous. She turned her head slightly and saw Colby. He winked at her, and that made a small smile form as she turned back around.
"Miss Hickenbottom, you have the floor." She stood, not even taking the papers she had out. She didn't need them as she started to speak loudly as confidence oozed through her.
"Thank you judge. Mr. Holland does have some truth to his words. No one should deny anyone of their rights, however this is an exception. Mr and Mrs. Good have petitioned for these two orders for a reason. They want to protect not only themselves but their children too. Which is well within their human and parental rights."
Members of the jury nodded in agreement.
"Ms. McCann should not be allowed anywhere near children based solely on the despicable acts that she commited during Mr. Good's own childhood." Brooklyn squeezed Jon's hand.
"This is a woman who failed to provide the basic necessities for a child. She let her own son go without basic things such as food, warmth. Mr. Good had to survive by taking or hoarding food from his few friends at school. As I see it, Mr. Good is trying to protect his children from having to suffer any kind of abuse at the hands of the defendant."
As Sarah finished, their friends and family's eyes softened. To hear just a bit of what Jon had gone through, made theirs hearts ache. No child should have to go through that.
"Thank you Miss Hickenbottom, you may be seated" Judge Saunders said.
Sarah gave a nod as she sat back down facing the front of the court room.
"Both the Plaintiff and Defense representatives make some valid points. I however would like to hear more" Judge Saunders continued as he looked down at the list of character witnesses for the Plaintiff.
"Mr Holland you may call your clients to the stand."
Holland nodded and Scott stood up first. He straightened his tie as he made his way up to the stand. Once there, Officer Wayne presented a Bible. He instructed Scott to place one hand on the book and raise the other.
"Repeat after me, I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me god?" Officer Wayne instructed.
"I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me god" Scott repeated as his eyes landed on Shawn and Paul.
He almost looked sad when they gave him hateful disgusted looks in return. He knew that he hadn't just lost two of his best
Judge Sander looked down at the information in front of him before looking at Scott.
"You are Scott Oliver Hall, born October 20th 1958, currently residing in Duluth, Georgia?"
Scott nodded.
"Yes, your honor."
"What is your relationship to the defendant and plaintiff?"
"I am the defendant's boyfriend and I was a close family friend to Mrs. Good." Scott's voice strained a little when he said he was a close friend. Judge Sanders nodded and looked at Mr. Holland. Since he was Scott's lawyer, he had the opportunity to interview him first.
He spent a half hour questioning Scott and all his answers made them seem innocent which made not only Jon, but Brooklyn and her whole family angry.
"Now Mr. Hall, did you mean to cause Mrs. Good to go to the hospital?" Scott swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at Brooklyn, who just looked at him with no emotion.
"No, I didn't. I was trying to help bring a mother and son back together." Mr. Holland nodded.
"No more further questions your honor." He walked back and sat down as the Judge looked at Sarah.
"Miss. Hickenbottom, you are up." Sarah nodded and stood once again, facing the man she had known almost her entire twenty four years of life. The man that she and Brooklyn once thought of as their uncles. He was family and he turned his back on them.
"Mr. Hall, you and Ms. McCann have been in a relationship for how long" she started.
"We've been dating for almost five months."
"And in that five months, has Ms. McCann ever disclosed to you about her past?"
Scott cleared his throat and nodded.
"Yes, she has." Sarah nodded.
"I want you to think back to November of last year. You went to the UK for the World Wrestling Entertainment's tour. I believe you had agreed to meet Mr. And Mrs. Good for a double date, is that correct?"
"It is."
"I also believe that at the time Mr and Mrs. Good didn't know that you were involved with Ms. McCann, correct."
"Yes, they did not know."
"Yet through contact with Mrs Good at the time you knew that they were having trouble with Ms McCann, which leads to my next question. If you knew about all of Ms McCann's past and you knew about the problems and harassment that she perpetrated against my clients then why would you ask them to go on a double date with you and the defendant?"
Scott started stuttering as he attempted to answer the question.
"That is unless Ms McCann didn't tell you about her being Mr Good's biological mother." Sarah added trying not to smirk.
"So I will ask. Did Ms. McCann tell you that she was Mr. Good's biological mother?"
Scott moved a little and swallowed the lump in his throat.
"She told me that she had a son, but she didn't tell me it was Mr. Good." Judge Sanders wrote it down as Holland practically snarled at Sarah.
"And did she tell you that she saw them when they were in Cincinnati for work? Did she tell you how she saw them at a restaurant, followed them out to their car. Or, that she forcefully grabbed onto my client, Mrs. Good, when she saw her at the WWE's show that night?"
Scott shook his head.
"No, no she didn't" he said, almost defeated. Sarah just looked at him before looking at the judge.
"I have no further questions your honor." She walked over and sat back down as the judge dismissed Scott from the stand. As he walked, his head was bowed in shame.
Over the next hour, the judge called Sami, Drake, Vince, and Shawn up to testify. For Sami and Drake, their main questions were on Jon's childhood and what he had endured. Sarah was feeling much more confident then before as the trial went on and more information came out. For Vince and Shawn, they were asked about the baby shower.
"Now, Mr. McMahon, is it true you threatened my client that you would fire him if he did not leave Mr and Mrs. Good alone?"
"Yes I did. I apologize, seeing my granddaughter in a hospital bed because of that man and that woman made me a little angry" he said flatly, making Paul, Stephanie, Shawn, Joe, Sami, Drake, and Colby all quietly snicker.
Mr. Holland gave a tight smile before telling the judge he had nothing else.
"We will take a fifteen minute recess before we continue." He banged his gavel before getting up and heading to his chambers. Officer Wayne led the jury out as Sarah turned to Brooklyn and Jon.
"So how is this going" Jon asked.
"Good, its going good. They have no shot, especially when you get up there Jon." Jon nodded as Brooklyn squeezed his hand.
"I just want this to end" Jon mumbled. Brooklyn rubbed her arm soothingly. They both just wanted it over. All she wanted to do was to get it over with and go back home to their babies.
"Don't worry about anything Jon. Just tell the judge everything and by the end of today, it'll be over" Sarah reassured her best friend's husband.
In the short amount of time she had known Jon, she considered him a close friend and as his friend, Sarah was going to do everything in her power and the law to make sure that he got justice.
"So what's gonna happen after recess" Brooklyn asked, her grip on Jon's hand never faltering.
"The remaining character witness' will testify, followed by her, you, then Jon."
"And after that" Jon asked, feeling his stomach knot. He hadn't felt this way since he asked Brooklyn to marry him. He was nervous as all hell.
"There will be another recess, this time for the jury to reach a verdict and then Judge Sanders will give the sentencing. After that, Judge Sanders and Officer Wayne will follow both myself and the defendant's attorney to his chambers so we can finalize the paperwork. You guys will get a copy and one will be on record for the state."
Brooklyn and Jon nodded. After the fifteen minutes were up, everyone came back and it was time for Jon's mother to take the stand. She was sworn in and sat down by the judge. She looked at Jon who shot her a look of disgust.
"Mr. Holland, you have the floor." Holland nodded and stood up.
"Thank you judge. Ms. McCann, do you know why you are here today?"
"Yes, I am here because my son and his wife have filed a restraining order against myself and my boyfriend." Holland nodded.
"How would you describe your past with Mr. Good?" Kim cleared her throat.
"I will admit, I was not a good mother. I did things I wasn't proud of but I have worked towards changing those things and I have."
"And how does it effect you that you are not allowed to see your grandchildren?"Brooklyn and Jon's grip tightened on each other.
Kim sniffled and wiped away a stray tear that Jon new was fake. He had seen it before.
"It hurts me. They deserve to know their grandmother and in return, I deserve to know them. If not just because they are my family but because I would like to try and make up for everything I did in the past."
Vince snorted softly.
"And I'm the king of France." Once again, Paul and Shawn had to bite their lips to keep from laughing.
"And is that why you filed the motion for your grand parental rights."
"Yes. I just want us all to be a family again." Jon tightened his grip on Brooklyn's hand.
"Jon, little to tight" she whispered. He looked over at her, loosening his grip, but not by much.
"No further questions" he said, walking back to his table as Sarah stood up.
"Ms. McCann, am I correct in saying that Mr. Good left your custody at the age of fourteen?" Kim tensed as she looked at Holland, neither expecting it to be brought up.
"H-he was a difficult child" she said, lying through her teeth. Jon tensed, a soft growl escaping his lips. Brooklyn placed his hand on his arm and rubbed comforting circles, calming him down.
Since not one was born yesterday and he had been in the courts for a long time, Judge Sanders figured out she was not telling the truth.
"Ms. McCann, answer the question truthfully or I will find you guilty of perjury." Kim sighed.
"Yes, he left my care at the age of fourteen." Sarah nodded as she continued.
"And is it also true that you didn't even notice where he'd gone? Is it true that you didn't even know where he was? You didn't know that he had been taken in and was being cared for by Mr. Johnston's parents?"
Joe, Colby, Vince, Stephanie, Drake, and Paul all looked at Sami as he nodded his head slightly. His family had taken Jon in and they had all wished they had done it sooner.
Kim's gaze dropped to her lap.
"Yes" she replied quietly. Sarah nodded, stopping the smirk she wanted to form on her face. She knew that it would be an open and shut case as soon as Kim hit the stand. They would really seal it when Jon got up there.
"Ms. McCann, it also says here that during the time Mr. Good was living with the Johnston's, you were still receiving living and child assistance, there by committing fraud. Is this true?"
"I did."
Holland looked at his client in a little shock. She had never mentioned that to him.
Sarah couldn't help the small smile of satisfaction that formed on her face. Not only was she going to pay for everything she had done to Jon, but she was looking at serious jail time for fraud.
"How often would you say that you contacted Mr. Good during his adolescence?"
Kim sighed and ran a hand through her hair. This was not how she expected everything to go.
"Once every six month, since 2005."
"And what was the nature of these calls?"
"I wanted to repair our relationship." Sarah nodded sarcastically.
"Well according to numerous sources you've just lied. Again. Those calls to Mr. Good were for the sole purpose of money. Money that I might add, fueled your alcohol addiction. Am I correct?"
Kim shifted uncomfortably as she nodded slowly.
"I also understand that you stalked Mrs. Good through her social media accounts."
"My son refused to talk to me. I wanted to see if he was okay" Kim said, trying to gain sympathy.
"You also proceeded to corner Mrs. Good at a diner in Cincinnati and at a WWE event?" Kim shook her head.
"I did not corner her. When I saw who it was, I was so in shock, I almost passed out."
"And what of the WWE event? Mrs. Good tried to leave when you grabbed onto her, holding her back."
"I was just asking for help to reconnect with my son."
"And when she told you no, you still held her against her will."
Kim's voice took an edge to it when she answered.
"I wanted a chance to reconnect with my son. To meet his wife and my grandchildren." Sarah nodded.
"Ms. McCann, can you tell me what happened in London when you saw Mr and Mrs. Good again?"
"I was invited by my boyfriend. He told me that he'd like me to meet his niece and her fiance and I agreed. It was then that I found out that it was my son and his wife."
"Is it also true that you didn't tell Mr. Hall about your relationship with Mr. Good or the fact that you harassed his niece and was previously warned to stay away from them?"
Kim once again lowered her eyes.
"No I didn't."
"Why not?" Kim looked up at her.
Her silence was the answer everyone needed.
Sarah nodded and looked at the judge.
"No more further questions your honor." She walked back to her seat. She smiled at Brooklyn and Jon, giving a nod if encouragement.
"Ms. McCann, you may step down." Kim wasted no time in getting of the stand and going back to her chair.
"Next to the stand, Brooklyn Good." Brooklyn took a deep breath before standing up. Jon gave her hand a squeeze before they had to let go. She made her way to the stand. After being sworn in, she smoothed her dress out before sitting down.
She looked at her parents, who gave her smiles of encouragement. She took another deep breath.
Now it was really going to get interesting.