10

Beth

The eeriness in the air sat inside of me.

"I don't wanna be here." I told Janet as we sat in the silent car.

Janet sighed. "I promise I will take you to your mothers when we're finished, but you can't skip court Beth."

"Why not?" I questioned her. "Why not? My daughter is who knows where with who knows who. Why should I give a damn about a dumb ass murder charge?"

"Because, when we find Nadia she is going to want to spend time with her mother. She doesn't need you on your way to the next prison. Come on Beth, let's go fight this charge."

I got out the car and we began walking into the court house.

"Janet." I called out to her.

She looked at me. "Hm?"

"I'm not happy." I admitted as tears shot to my eyes.

Janet grabbed my hand and pulled me into the restroom. "Hey, I know. I know you aren't happy, so we are going to kill two birds with one stone. We are going to get in there and beat this case. Plus I have a little plan and it's going to work."

I looked into her eyes as I wiped a tear. I nodded. "What's the plan?"

"Philip and I both agreed that we needed a change of venue. Instead of a jury deciding your faith, we are going to let a judge. Basically like a hearing. It's going to be okay, I promise."

As I took a deep breath Janet motioned me to follow her. We walked into the courtroom and sat in the chairs.

"All Rise for the honorable Judge Hill."

Everyone stood up until the Judge told us to be seated.

It was something different because our old Judge's name was not Hill, but with the way I was feeling, I had yet to look up.

"Prosecution, I've read up on this case and caught myself up on the terms of this immensely. So can you please call your witness up to the stand please?"

My eyes found Philips as he glared at us. "Uh your Honor, she did not show up."

The doors to the courtroom opened and everyone looked back and in walked Gil.

He shot a look at Janet and she spoke. "Judge Hill, may I have a moment?"

Judge Hill allowed it. "Make it quick, Jackson."

Janet and Gil talked before he handed her an envelope and went and sat down. Gil caught my eyes and he smiled at me and signaled for me to turn around and watch.

Janet smirked as she turned around. "Sorry about that Judge Hill. The Prosecution was saying?"

"Your Honor, Since our star witness didn't show up, we would like to call Bethany Taylor to the stand." Philip smirked at no one in particular.

I looked at Janet who mumbled. "Whatever you do, do not get pissed off."

As I nodded, I walked around the table and went to the man who held the Bible in his hands.

After I swore in to tell the truth.

I realized I needed to ask for forgiveness real quick. Because I was about to lie my ass off on this stand.

Once I sat, Philip spoke. "Ms.Taylor, did you kill your husband?"

I nodded. "I did, but it was self defense."

"So has your husband hit you before?"

"Yes." I answered him simply.

"Why was this day your breaking point Ms.Taylor? Did he hit you to hard? Or did you just wake up and wanna kill your husband for insurance money?" Philip asked me trying to get me to react.

I chuckled at his tactics. "I had money before Tommy. I didn't want Tommy because of his money. Never did and still don't. I don't care about any insurance money."

Philip paced in front of me. "Ms.Taylor, did you tell the leading detective what you had done and give him your weapons?"

I shook my head remembering what Gil had said on the stand earlier. "No. I told him I needed a lawyer. He told me that he would get me one and that I didn't have to speak to him without one present."

"Really?" Philip asked me. "Because we have video right here of the lobby of the police station that night."

My eyes shot to Janet's in panic, but all she did was keep a straight face. Still her eyes told a whole different story.

He grabbed a CD and put it in the DVD player that was placed on a cart next to me.

When he grabbed the remote and pressed play, I just knew that this was it. I was going to prison.

We all watched as I came into the police station. I had a bag in my hand but right before I dropped it on the floor the video cut.

Instead of the police station footage we saw Gil and Philip.

"Bae are you sure it's recording?" Gil asked Philip.

"Yes baby, I've checked it twice already." Philip began taking off his shirt in the video.

Before he could even get it off the video shut off. The court room went tense and I looked at JJ.

Spectators who were just here to watch began whispering and most stared at Philip.

She had turned and looked at Gil.

After a second she turned back and faced the judge. Gil smirked at me. He had something to do with that.

"Your Honor, I promise that is not what was supposed to be—." Philip tried to excuse the video.

"Counselor, sit down. You've already embarrassed yourself enough." The judge dismissed Philip. "Defense, your witness."

Janet stood up and leaned on the table. "Ms.Taylor, was your husband a nice man."

I tugged my ear at that question. "When he wanted to be, yeah."

"Well, in that case when was he not a good person?" Janet asked me.

My mind flashed to all the times Tommy and I got into physical fights that left me in nothing but pain.

"Whenever I didn't do what he wanted me to do." I answered Janet.

Janet walked closer to me. "And what happened when you didn't abide by his rules? Did he hit you?"

"Objection your Honor! Leading the witness." Philip shouted out.

The judge rolled her eyes. "Counsel, sustained. Matter of fact, get quiet until the day is over."

Janet asked the question again. "What happened when you didn't abide by his rules, Ms. Taylor?"

"He would hit me." I spoke out embarrassed.

Never had I realized how Tommy ruined me, well until now. I looked stupid for staying. Most would ask why didn't I leave, why kill the man?

Especially since I was not bringing my daughter into this situation, I had no true reasoning.

"I would like to bring forth evidence of this abuse your Honor. We have pictures of Ms.Taylors bruises from the last fight her and the victim had." Janet grabbed the envelope Gil had just placed in her hands and gave it to the judge.

As the judge opened the envelope and pulled the pictures out, I did nothing but look down.

"Ms.Taylor, is this why you killed your husband?" Janet pushed me for more.

She knew what this was doing to me but I knew that she needed me to just say yes.

"Yes, he was going to kill me that night. Many people didn't see Tommy how I saw Tommy. In his raw forms, where there was no paintbrush in his hands. I saw him in pure rage, but still I stayed because I knew somewhere the man I loved was in there. That night I just figured out that he wasn't the man I fell in love with. It was either me or him, and I regret everything, but somehow I still stand by my decision. I have a daughter, and she needs her mother. So I don't regret choosing to live." I vented out as I wiped a tear.

When I looked up I saw Janet's face. She didn't expect that from me. She went back behind the table. "No further questions your Honor."

I got up from the stand and went and sat back down at the table.

"Ms.Taylor?" Judge Hill called out.

I looked at her. "Yes?"

"I would like to see you in my headquarters after this." Judge Hill grabbed her gavel. "I've made my decision. In the case Taylor vs. Renfro, Ms.Taylor is innocent in the charges of first degree murder, and manslaughter."

She banged the gavel on the wooden platform and my heart stopped. People behind me began cheering.

I looked at JJ. "Did she just say?"

"Looks like you won't need that orange suit after all Beth." Janet told me as she stood up.

"Bitch you free! Oh my gosh. I'm finna cry." Gil told us as he stood behind us.

I stood and gave Janet a hug. I mumbled in her ear as tears began to fall. "Thank you JJ. Thank you so much."

As we released from the hug Janet smiled at me. "No problem. No problem at all."

"Let's go celebrate!" Gil shouted out. "We drinking tonight."

"Actually, I can't." I declined. "Someone took Nadia last night."

Gil's face scrunched up. "What the hell do you mean someone took Princess Nadia last night?!"

"Calm down Gil." Janet instructed him.

"After we leave here, I have to go by my mothers. Where's the judges headquarters?" I asked remembering that the judge had requested me.

Janet instructed me on how to get there and soon I was outside of the Judges door.

I knocked and a voice answered. "Come in!"

As I pushed the door open, I was met with Judge Hill sitting at her desk. She had taken off the robe and was simply in business attire.

She looked up at me. "Bethany close the door please."

I nodded and shut the door behind me. When I turned around Judge Hill had stood up.

"Am I in trouble or something?" I asked feeling small under her intense glare.

"Bethany Taylor, your mom, did she change your last name?" Judge Hill asked me.

I shook my head. "No ma'am I don't think so."

Judge Hill turned around and grabbed a binder from off one of her counters. She opened the binder and began flipping through it. "What was your childhood like Bethany?"

This woman was being weird as hell and she was freaking me out. "I don't know, I don't remember much of it. Judge Hill what's going on?"

"Call me Judy sweetheart." Judge Hill— well Judy told me as she finally stopped flipping. She turned the binder around and pointed. "Bethany look."

I walked up to her table and looked down. It was a picture of a baby. "Aww she's so cute. What's her name?"

"Bethany Hill." Judy told me softly.

I looked up at her. "Huh?"

Judy came around the table and I backed up almost immediately. "Bethany I gave you up for adoption when you were born. I wasn't ready to be a mother, I was still in law school. My husband— your father wasn't even around enough. Never did I think I would see you again, especially not in this format—."

"No." I shut her down. "I'm not adopted. My name is Bethany Taylor, I'm sorry but you have the wrong person. My mother would have told me."

Judy chuckled but not from humor. "Are you sure about that? You can't even sight your child hood. Have you seen your birth certificate?"

"Judy—."

She cut me off. "Your birthmark is on your left leg. You have a mole on your ear, but what's crazy is that you always had a lot of hair and nothings changed about that. After all these years, I still see me in you."

As I thought about what she said, I realized that I hadn't seen my birth certificate. My mother did everything for me growing up.

She told me that I was growing up to fast and when I got my birth certificate, she was going to be sad that I had grown up.

So I never pushed her for it.

My birth mark was right where she said it was and my mole did grace my left ear.

I studied Judy and realized that a lot of our features matched too damn closely for my likings.

"Look you don't know what you're talking about. You have the wrong person, I'm sorry." I dismissed her. "I have to go."

I quickly turned on my feet and left the room ignoring her calls.

As I was walking, I thought about Nadia. I sighed as I realized where she was. "Shit why didn't I think about that before?"

I didn't stop walking until I was back at the car.

When I got in, JJ saw my face and asked. "What's wrong? Everything alright?"

"Janet..." I trailed off for a few seconds as I turned and faced her. "I think I'm adopted."

Janet's face was priceless as she put on her seatbelt. "Uh please elaborate."

"Judge Hill, shes my mother." I admitted.

In all honestly, I believed the woman as soon as she said it. Still, I needed to hear my 'mother' say it.

She had been keeping secrets from me and this on top of Nadia was a scary experience.

"How in the hell?" Janet put the car in reverse.

I sat back and put my seatbelt on. "My moms been lying to me. Janet, I believe Judy. She knows too much."

"We are going to your mothers I'm assuming." Janet mumbled as she began driving.

I shook my head. "No, actually. We're going to get Nadia. I know exactly where she's at."

Janet side eyed me as she wore a look of surprise. She pulled over the car and put it in park. "Let's switch. I have no idea where you are trying to go. So you can drive."

I nodded as I got out the car and we switched spots.

As I began driving Janet laughed out of nowhere.

"What's funny?" I asked her. "I wanna laugh too."

"That's why you can lie so damn good. Your mothers a fucking judge. The best African American one in this state at that." Janet joked as she began laughing again.

I rolled my eyes playfully as I turned up the radio. "Hush up."

—

Man Happy Easter ! 💞

Don't be rude. Say it back! 😒

Lmao 💀

Guys, if y'all knew what I've been going through lately. I'm surprised I even wrote this. It's just so much going on. 🙃

Alsooooo, guys y'all have to go check out DamitaHeaux book! It's called "Diary Of A Murderer" and if you haven't checked it out, it's a literal must read. 🤞🏾

I just caught up on it and I'm already bracing myself for the next update. I love ittttttt! 😍

She actually pm'ed me about how ours are so similar and guys they really are, so now we have to be friends because we think alike, lol. 😂💙

Yeah while I'm here, it wouldn't be right if I didn't say R3st Easy Demaiya! 😭💔 Schools not going to be the same without your laughter and smiles gracing the halls. 😫