It was the day of the trial and Maggie and the Howell's were having breakfast. They all knew the next few days would be hard on everyone. Maggie picked at her food.
"Dear you must eat something!" Lovey exclaimed.
"I'm scared."
"They can't hurt you dear."
"It's going to be hard."
"It will be hard for Mr. Howell and me as well."
"You, too?" Maggie asked.
"Yes, to see those horrid people and to hear their actions being defended!" Lovey shuttered.
"Charlotte and her husband will be there, Lovey. We won't be alone." Thurston reassured.
"I'm so grateful." She replied.
Once at court when Maggie saw Mr. &Mrs. Murphy, she clung to Lovey.
"It's all right, darling. Lovey whispered.
It was a long and emotionally draining trial for everyone. The first day the prosecution testified; the professionals who worked with Maggie, the Howell's and Maggie. It was hard for them all.
Late that night Lovey heard crying and screaming coming from Maggie's bedroom,"I'm a bad girl."
Lovey went quickly to Maggie's room. She gently shook her, "Darling wake up."
"Mrs. Howell I'm scared."
"Yes darling, I know. Were you dreaming about what you talked about in court today?"
Maggie nodded and buried her face in pillow and cried.
"It's all right, dear. I'm here and so is your Teddy Bear. Would you like me to sing you a lullaby?"
Maggie nodded. Lovey began to sing All The Pretty Little Horses.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleep my little baby.
When you wake you shall have
All the pretty little horses.
Black and bays, dapples, grays,
All the pretty little horses.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleep my little baby.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleep my little baby.
When you wake you shall have
All the pretty little horses.
She pulled Maggie into warm embrace, rubbing soothing circles on her back. Maggie soon fell asleep.
"Thank you for comforting her, Mrs. Howell." Betty had just come in the room to check on Maggie.
"Oh tomorrow will be horrid. We'll hear from the defense." Lovey replied.
The next day, when the defense took the stand everyone cried again. Their witnesses were pretty pathetic. Customers of the bar the Murphy's owned said that they saw Maggie getting tips and they didn't know anything about abuse.
After a while of deliberation, the jury reappeared.
"Have you reached a verdict?" Asked the judge.
"We have your honor. We find the defendants guilty of child abuse."
"We'll find you someday Maggie. You'll be punished for what you've done! We'll get you someday!" Mr. Murphy screamed as he was escorted out of court. Maggie cried and clung to Mrs. Howell.
"Please protect me!"
"You're safe my dear girl. I'll never let those scoundrels lay a hand on you ever again! They'll be in jail for thirty years now", explained Thurston.
"There is something Mr. Howell and I would like to ask you. Would you like to adopted by us?", asked Lovey.
"You'd do that for me? Thank you! I didn't want to go to an orphanage!"
"Oh dear I could never do that to you. I care about you very much." Lovey explained.
"That's why you and Mr. Howell are nice to me, because you care about me?"
"Yes, dear!"
"I know Mr. &Mrs. Howell care for you. My daughters and I do too", explained Charlotte.
"Oh, good. Ms. Williams cares about me too."
"Goodness, yes dear! Would you like to be adopted?"
"I'd like to, mother and father. I thought you liked me and would let me stay. I wasn't sure."
"Of course we would Maggie!" Thurston replied.
"Mrs. Howell, I mean Mother. I like calling you Mother."
"And I like hearing it."
"May Madeline and Alexandra come over tomorrow?"
"Yes,dear! I'll have the adoption arranged as soon as possible. Now before we have to see those dreadful reporters, I want to give my daughter a hug and kiss. I love you my dear girl."
"So this is what love feels like?"
"Yes, dear."
Maggie left the courthouse overwhelmed with happiness and felt truly safe for the first time in years.