Forever & Always (Forever & Always #1) (boyxboy)

When One Door Closes...

“Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.” 

― Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember

The trial started at nine am. Noah and I had woken up early that morning and I was put into a dark black suit. He wore a matching one with a brown shirt, where mine was a baby blue.

Mom and daddy were downstairs and had breakfast ready when we made an appearance. Mr. Begly, who told me to call him Chris, and Rachel had already arrived and Rachel told me they wanted to keep a united front.

"I am hoping the trial won't last too long. They've had months to prepare for this. I just hope it goes well." Mom was nervous and I was worried that it would go badly. The prosecution had a strong case, but when I had spoken to them they had not been the most forward.

"I'm sure it will go well. With Jesse testifying and they have the video's and medical records I'm sure things will go the right way." Daddy smiled at her and squeezed my shoulder. "Don't worry son, things will be fine. You'll see."

The court case lasted five days in total. With no defense witnesses the prosecution had to cut the numbers they had down. We still had a lot of strong evidence though. From my wheelchair I could see everything unfold.

The surgeon who repaired some of my internal injuries was the first to take the stand. He was an older man in his early sixties. A lean build and glasses that framed his round face. He looked like an ordinary grandfather to be honest.

He spoke very clearly when answering questions from both lawyers. Not even blinking when asked to describe my injuries.

"Long sustained trauma to the abdomen. Damage to the kidneys that could be repaired but had been there for a number of months or years. The boy's spleen had to be removed and we also found evidence of internal bleeding."

The prosecution lawyer asked how one would receive those types of injuries.

"Well, normally one would sustain those types of injuries in a car crash. But with further investigation I would say that he had been abused. Looking at the boy very carefully, I could see ligature marks around his neck and bruises on most of his body. Some of the internal injuries looked like they had been there for a decade or more."

My heart sank when everything clicked into place. It accrued to me then that she had not started when I was three or four. She had started when I was a baby. I even toyed with the fact she might have started the day I was born.

I guess she never really loved me. Not like I wanted her to love me. Not like I thought she loved me at one point.

The first day all of the witnesses were professionals. A few doctors and a psychiatrist as well as a social worker. The social worker pissed mom off. She had to leave half way through the first day.

Things can't get any worse. Mom will lose her loaf if they do.

Noah had the joy of making sure I was okay during the trial. He had to wheel me to the public toilets several times, I had gotten embarrassed several times. It was frustrating to rely on him for so much.