The Legends Daughter

Character Witness

Melanie sat in-between her father and Pat, wringing her hands the whole time.

Though it felt like hours had passed since they had started, the reality was that it had only been about an hour and half. Of which half of the time was squandered on Evelyn and her lawyer's shenanigans, all of which made Melanie's stomach churn as they claimed that Leati was brainwashing Jo, purposely keeping her from seeing Jo, emotionally blackmailing Jo into believing that Evelyn was a bad mother, withholding emotional affection from Joelle if she didn't take his side against her mother and many other disgusting, baseless lies that she put in front of the judge in an attempt to make her case.

Luckily before Evelyn's lawyer began with their lies, Daniel opened by showing the most recent evidence that supported Leati's case, the tape that Nessa took when Melanie had to go and forcefully remove Joelle from Evelyn's care. Followed up with the pictures that Melanie had taken of Joelle's injuries from that night to show what they looked like then and then a second set that she had taken the next day of what they looked like after they had set in and the color had completely come through.

Neither set was Melanie able to look at but she could tell they affected the judge based on the look on his face as he viewed them and the way he snapped at Mr. Andrews when he tried to have them barred from being admitted into evidence.

That was the third time they were called to approach the bench. There would be two more following that the fifth happening right now because Counselor Andrews would attempt to tell an outright lie in defense of his client's reprehensible actions, and Daniel wasn't having it. So this led to the two of them trading verbal barbs back and forth and the judge having to remind them that this is the court of law and they needed to act as such.

In Melanie's opinion the repeated reminder was in vein because as soon as they resumed proceedings, Evelyn's lawyer once again started in with the foolishness.

Taking a deep breath she looked over to Evelyn's side as her lawyer looked down at his glowing phone as it lit up silently in front of him. Taking a brief look at the message he leaned over to Evelyn and whispered something quickly in her ear. She smiled and nodded as he stood to his feet and addressed the judge.

"Excuse me your honor I want to request a brief recess, I have a character witness for my client who just now let me know he was available to testify for her in court, and my client and I need a few minutes to get ready for his testimony as he is appearing via satellite. He would have made the trip in person but his business obligations prevent him from making a physical appearance today."

Evelyn looks over her shoulder and smirks at Melanie as her lawyer makes his request and the hairs on the back of her neck instantly stand on edge.

Turning her head, she watched Leati shrug as Daniel nods his head at the judge, neither of them having a reason to object to this impromptu character witness.

"Alright being as there are no objections we will take a 20 minute recess"

He bangs his gavel and everyone rises to their feet. Once the judge vacated the bench Melanie eases out past her father and heads straight for Leati who instantly wraps his arms around her, while Evelyn's attorney quickly heads to the back of chambers and begins to wheel a television out to be positioned next to the bench on his and Evelyn's side of the courtroom.

"I honestly am wondering what in the world I was ever thinking even dating her" he says as he slowly pulls away, holds Melanie close and looks at his family.

"Like was she always like this?"

They all began to slowly hem and haw.

"Yes and No. She was never a truly good person but she wasn't this bad until a few years ago." Matt says as Pat bobs her head and says