[Spirit]: 726.Judgement Day 2

I awaken in Vanden's arms. I yawn and snuggle closer. At first, I don't see anything out of place. But then, I hear Rachel's sobs and bolt straight up and look around. I look down to make sure that Vanden is still asleep, then I get up and find Rachel huddled in a corner. I go to her and ask her what’s wrong. "Your father called just a few minutes ago, and he said that if you don't back out of court then he's going to kill my family." I was shocked and stunned. I stumble and fall on top of Vanden. I hear him grunt, and I quickly get off of him. "Sorry." "No. It’s ok." He slowly sits up, and wraps his arms around me. "Good morning." He kisses me softly. I return the kiss and clear my throat. "Vanden, we have a problem." He tenses. "What is it my love?" "My father has threatened Rachel and her family. I am going to lose this case." Vanden's arms wrap tighter around me and looks at Rachel. "We can not let her lose this case, but we can not let your family get hurt. So, we have to think of something." While they talked, I already had a plan forming in my mind.

  As I was getting dressed for the day, I let my plan go through my mind over and over. I grab a tape recorder and my sweater and walk out the door. Vanden comes up behind me and grabs my arm. "Hold on. I know where you’re sneaking off to, and I am going with you." I look at him sadly. "No. This is between me and my father." He looks down into my eyes. "I know. But, you’re not alone." "But I have to do this alone." "No you don't. And that’s why I am coming with you. I love you, and I don't want to lose you. And you’re not going to change my mind." He hugs me and grabs my hand. "I don't know what will happen." "Nothing will happen, because as long as I am here, no one will hurt you." I grasp his hand tighter and lead the way to the jail.

  As we walk into the building, my stomach begins to churn. I cling a little tighter to Vanden as we walk into the office. I detach myself from him and look at the secretary. "I have come to talk to my father, Mark Barker." She looks up at me. "You must be his daughter, Janice Rice?" "Yes, that’s me." "May I please see some I.D?" I dig through my wallet and grab my school I.D. I hand it to the secretary and let her look it over. "Very well." She hands it back to me and looks at Vanden. "And who is he?" "He’s a very close friend of mine from New Zealand. His name is Vanden. He came here with me." "Very well. Does he have some I.D?" I look at Vanden and he digs out his wallet and shows her his driver’s license. Then he grabs his passport and shows that to her as well. "Very well. I'll buzz you in. Go down the hall and ask the Officer to see Mr. Barker. He will put you guys in a room, then go get him." "Thank you." I walked out the door with Craig at my side and waited for the buzz.

  When the buzz sounded I grabbed Craig's hand and walked through the door. We walked down the long hallway in silence. I located the guard and told him what the secretary told me to say. He led us into a room that had two chairs, a table, and a mirror. I walk over to the table and sit on it. "Vanden, why don't you sit down. I need to talk to you." Vanden walks over and sits in the chair. "Yes? What is it?" "Well, when my father comes in, I am going to ask you to leave, so that I may speak with him alone." "No. I won't leave you alone in here with that monster." "Vanden, my love. I will be fine. There will be police right behind that mirror." I point to the mirror. "And right outside that door. If he tries anything, they will come right in. I will be perfectly safe." He looks down. "I don't know. I don't want to lose you." "Vanden." I get up and kneel before him. I place my hands over his and look into his eyes. "I will not be hurt, you can trust my judgment. If I feel at all threatened, I'll knock on the door. Ok." He looks deep into my eyes. "Janice I trust you, but not him. But, I will wait outside the door. If I feel the slightest bit of doubt, I'm coming back in and dragging you out." He runs his fingers through my hair. I reach up and wrap my fingers around his hand. "Deal." He brings my head up and brushes his lips across mine. I bring his head the rest of the way down, pressing him into the kiss. He wraps his arms around my waist as I wrap my arms around his neck, just as my father walks in.

  "Get your hands off my daughter!!!" My father shouts at Vanden. We break the kiss and Vanden stands up. He puts himself between me and my father. Fear snakes its way around my entire body as I stand up. I fear for Vanden's life. I step in front of Vanden and look my father directly into his eyes. "This is between you and me, leave Vanden alone." My father glares at me then looks at Vanden. "So you’re the famous Vanden. I expected so much more from the way she talks about you." I gulp and look at Vanden. "Please leave us." Vanden hesitates, then makes his way to the door. "Remember, I'm right outside." Then he walks out. I look at the guards and ask them to leave as well. They look at one another then walk out the door.

  My father takes a seat across from me. I slowly sit down and turn the tape recorder on as he begins to speak. "Why are you here? What do you want?" I clear my throat and look directly into his eyes. "I am here, because Rachel informs me that you called this morning. I want you to leave my friends and their families alone." "So that little bitch told you what I said did she? Well you can forget it, unless you say that you lied about the whole thing." I shuffle my feet. "I will not lie. I am not like you. I may be your daughter, but I am nothing like you. So, I will not lie. And you will leave Rachel and her family alone, or I will tell the courts that you threatened my friend’s family." Anger surges through my fathers face. He stands up and leans over the table. "You will not tell me what to do you little bitch! I am still your fucking father. And you WILL obey me." I look at my father as I continue to stay seated. "You may be my father, but I do not need to listen to you here. And there’s no need for foul language, I'm sure we can talk like civilized adults." My father shouts curses and throws his chair. He runs up to me and gets right into my face. I remain seated and keep a calm expression on my face, even though inside, my body is screaming, run. "You have a lot of nerve telling me what the fuck to do. I will fucking kill you!" I keep my eyes glued to his. Struggling so hard not to look away. "Your temper is rising, and since you don't seem to want to listen, and all you want to do is throw things, I am leaving." I try to get up but he pins me to the chair. Fear surges through me. "You’re not going anywhere." My father grabs my arms just as the door opens. Vanden bolts in along with the two guards. The guards grab my father and drag him away from me. Vanden comes up beside me and asks if I am alright. "Yes. I am fine. We were just talking." Vanden looks at me like I just said something stupid. "What?" "You call that talking??" "Well for him and me, yes." "Your nuts! I am not leaving you alone with that man ever again." I look at my father sadly as I get up. I walk to the door and turn. "You will leave Rachel and her family alone, or else I will tell the courts." My father looks at me and shouts back, "Fuck you!" I shake my head and walk out the door.

  When I am outside, I look for a bench and collapse. Vanden rushes over, "Are you ok?" I look up at him with sadness and pain in my eyes. "Yes. I am just very tired. And I was hoping my father would be in a good mood." I dig out the recorder and press stop. Vanden's eyes widen. "You knew your father wasn't going to let up on what he said to Rachel?" I stare at the tape recorder. "I had an idea, but I was hoping I was wrong." I sigh. "So what are you going to do with that?" I look up at Vanden. "I'm going to present it in court."

  As soon as me and Vanden walk into the door we are bombarded with questions by Jake and Rachel. "Where did you two disappear to?" I clear my throat and hold up my hand. They both go silent. "I went to pay my father a visit." "WHAT!!!!!!" they both say together. I look at Vanden and smile. "Why don't we go up to your room Rachel. We can discuss everything there." "Alright. Let’s go. But, you better be telling us everything.

  As we enter Rachel's room Rachel says, "Well?" "Ok ok let’s sit down." Well all sit on the floor except Vanden he remains standing and leans against the bed. "I was originally going to visit my father alone, but Vanden insisted on coming. Plus he really hadn't given me a choice." I look up at him and scowl. He looks down at me and smiles. "Anyway." I turn and look at Jake and Rachel. "So we went there and visited my father. I tried to talk to him about his threat towards Rachel." Jake scowls. "No one told me about this." he looks at Rachel. "I’m sorry Jake. I didn't want you to worry or end up doing what Vanden and Janice did." "Oh, I wouldn't have talked to the bastard I would have killed him!" I glare at Jake. "Sorry. But it’s true." "Well since you went to "Talk" to him, what did he say?" I pull out the tape recorder sadly, and press play. Jake and Rachel listen intently to the conversation me and my father had had.

  When it was done I pressed stop. Rachel and Jake first look at me, then Vanden. "What do you plan to do with that?" Jake asks me. "Isn't it obvious, she’s going to present it in court tomorrow." "Sadly yes but...." Vanden takes a seat next to me. "But what?" "But, I really don't want to. It will create more trouble. But I know that I have to for Rachel. It’s my responsibility." They look at me. "So what are we going to do?" I look at each of their faces, sigh, and tell them what I think. "I fear that my father will try to deny anything and everything that I say. He will tell the courts that it was all a lie and that I was overreacting. That nothing like that could possibly happen." Vanden says angrily, "But there was evidence! He choked you for god’s sakes! He’s a monster! He needs to be locked away!" I look at him and his anger sizzles out. "I understand love, I really do. But I am only a child, and I don't have a lawyer like he does." "But Janice, you don't need a lawyer. They should be able to see that." "Yes, but they also have to look at if any reasonable doubt." "Reasonable doubt!!! The man choked you! There is no "doubt" about that." I look at him with pain in my eyes. "I'm sorry." He says, "I just. You suffered at his hands for almost three years. Finally, the bastard leaves marks and you still didn't want to do anything. Then when they send you to court for possible freedom, you say something like reasonable doubt. I don't want you living in that home. You’re in danger while you live there. And I don't want to lose you. It'd kill me." I grab his hand and entwine my fingers with his. "I know. But it’s still hard for me. I'm used to it." He hugs me and whispers, "But you shouldn't be. It’s not right and it’s not good for you." "I know. I know." We part and continue to talk about the case until it’s hard for all of us to stay awake.

   Rachel crawls into her bed and Jake crawls onto a blanket that he had laid out on the floor. We stare at him. "Oh no. I'm not sleeping downstairs again." We all laugh. Then me and Vanden crawl into our little bed we made on the floor. We snuggle close. "I love you." He looks at me and kisses me on the forehead. "I love you too."

   I awaken with a start. My fathers’ hearing is today. I look at the clock, it says 6:45 am. I lay my head back on my pillow and look at Vanden. He’s sound asleep. I look at Rachel and Jake. Both still asleep. I get up and quietly leave the room. I get dressed, and head downstairs.

  By 7:15 am I was making breakfast for everyone. Just as I put the last of the scrambled eggs on a plate I hear movement upstairs. I was just starting on my eggs when I hear someone yell. Then I hear all three of them running down the stairs. A few seconds later Vanden, Jake, and Rachel burst into the kitchen. I look at them. "Breakfast anyone?" Relief washes over their faces. "What?" Vanden speaks up, "We thought you had left." I try to look innocent. "Who me? Now why would I do a thing like that?" "Because you would want us to stay behind for fear that something bad would happen to us." "Your right. But I also know that you guys would follow. Since you know where I'd be going. Then you would scold me for leaving you behind. So, breakfast anyone?" They all look at me. "Sure." They say together.

   I finish making my eggs and carry all of the breakfast food into the dining room, while Rachel grabs the plates, Vanden grabs the cups, and Jake grabs the juice and milk. We all sit down and begin discussing the case again.

  "Hurry up!!! I'm going to be late!" I shout as Rachel comes bounding down the stairs. "I'm ready!" She shouts. I look at them all nervously. "As we have discussed, I don't know what will happen. But I do know that Rachel's family will be safe." I pocket the tape recorder. "We are all behind you." I look up at Vanden. "I know. That’s why I'm not as scared as I was the first time. Because I have you guys here to help me." I hug every one of them and head for the door. "Ok. Let’s do this!"



THE TRIAL PART TWO

  I walk into the court room with confidence. But it quickly shatters when I see my father. Instead of anger on his face, he has a look of confidence and amusement. I gulp. I look back at my two closest friends, then at Vanden. "Everything will be ok." He assures me. I give his hand a quick squeeze, then go and take my seat. They all file behind me.

 "Alright. Now that you all are here, I assume we can begin?" The judge looks at me. "Yes, your honor." Then looks at my father. "Yes, we can." "Well then, Mr. Barker, begin.

  As you already know, me and my daughter were arguing. My daughter had said something that had made me angrier than I already was. So I slap her and send her to the floor. I kneel over her and tell her not to say it again. Then I stand up and leave." "I see, Mr. Barker. After you hit your daughter where did you go?" "To my friend Tim's house. I told him what had happened, stayed for a bit, then went home." "I see. What happened after that?" "I get home and ask Nancy where Janice went. She says to Rachel’s. I asked her when and she said pretty much after I had left. Then we get a knock at our door. I go to answer it and an officer is there. He asks me if I am Mark Barker. I say yes, and he takes me into custody." "Do you know why you were taken into custody?" "Well of course. For child abuse." "I see. So, did anything happen yesterday while you were in jail?" "Yes. I tried to call my daughter to apologize, but Rachel answers. So I tell her to tell Janice that I had called. She says ok and hangs up. That same day, Janice comes to visit me, and we talk." "I see. Well is there anything else you would like to say?" "No. I am finished." "I see. Well since you have nothing else to say, we can-" "Your honor." "Yes Janice?" "I uh, have to argue with what my father has said. Not all of what he says is true. And I have proof." "What do you mean?" "Well, my father did call, but he didn't say what he said he had said. Instead he threatened Rachel's family. Told her to tell me that if I didn't lie in court today to get him off the hook, that he would kill her family. When she told me this, I went to visit my father and try to discuss it over with him." "I see. And what did you say?" "Well I-" "Objection your honor. This girl has an overactive imagination. She writes fictitious stories on nonsense. Anything she says can not be taken seriously." "Is this true Janice?" "Yes your honor but-" "Well then how do I know that everything you are telling me is the truth?" "Because, your honor. I have proof." Plus, I had had pictures of my neck, and tons of people who had seen my neck, plus an officer of the law had seen my neck and taken pictures of it." "So, this proof you have, is it of you and your father's conversation?" "Yes your honor. I recorded it." I take out the tape recorder. "You knew that your father would lie?" "Well, I had a feeling that he would." "Why?" "Because, its how my father is. As he says, he cares for no one but himself." My father glares at me, then makes a motion with his fingers going across his neck. I gulp. "Well let’s hear it then. I pick up the tape recorder and press play.

  As I hear me and my father’s conversation again for the third time, I begin to feel calm. I have a feeling that I will win, but yet I feel sad. I don't want my father to go to prison. Josh, my brother, deserves to have both parents. But, I also think about other things I might do if I win. Like probably purchase some tickets to New Zealand and go stay there for awhile.

   As the tape recorder stops, it snaps me out of my thoughts. I press stop and rewind. I look at first my father, whose face was bulging with anger, but also, fear. I wince. Then I look at the judge, who was leaning over. "I would like that tape if you don't mind." "Not at all." I hand the tape recorder to an officer who in turns carries it to the judge. The judge presses play and listens again.

  When the tapes done for a second time, the judge clears his throat and speaks. "Well I'll give the evidence another look through, then let the jury decide. This case is a very puzzling case. The next time we meet your fates will be decided. Case dismissed." The judge pounds his gavel and releases us. I stand to go when I hear my father shout. He runs at me and pushes me to the ground. He begins to choke me but Vanden is quick to react. He wraps his arm around his throat and squeezes. My fathers grip tightens around my neck as officers struggle to get him off. Finally he loosens his grip and I gasp for air. Vanden helps me up and wraps his arms protectively around me. "Are you alright?" I struggle to speak as I continue to gasp for air. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." I snuggle closer to him as he leads me out of the court room. Rachel, Jake, Cory, Nick, and Mandy run after us followed by the judge. I tell them repeatedly that I am ok. Finally the judge pulls me aside. "Your father just did something that could cost him his life. You do understand that, right?" "Yes, but your honor? If you could, would you try not to make it a life sentence." "Why?" "Because, my heart couldn't take it. I may not like my father, or respect him, but there is still apart of me that cares for him. So please, try?" "I will try, but can not guarantee." "Thank you your honor." I go up and hug the judge. Then I turn as he walks away and face my friends. Their mouths are agape and their eyes probing. Rachel turns me towards him, "why? Why do you care for that man after what he’s done to you?" "Because, even though I hate him, don't respect him, and don't really love him, I still care for him a little." He hugs me tight, then lifts my chin, "You have such a big heart. You care for people, even if they hurt you. I don't think I could ever do that. Your heart is big and pure. My god, I love you so much." He lifts my chin higher and kisses me. I kiss him back. "Thank you." I look at my friends, hug them, wrap my arm around Vanden, and walk out into the late evening with my friends and the person I love.