Red Roses

Chapter Seventeen „ My Mom"

Standing in front of the door were Emma, ​​El, Nate and Kayden. Everyone was carrying plastic bags in their hands and breathing deeply. "What are you doing here?" Leon asked and let her come into the apartment. "We (...)" said Nate, completely out of breath. "We just committed a theft," Emma said quietly. It was the second time I saw Emma and El. So far I had seen it once when I was looking at Mile's apartment. Emma had now dyed her blonde hair black and El was no longer blonde but had also dyed her hair brown.
"What do you have?" Daniel asked the group. " Yes, that's right. We just had lunch at Lotta's snack bar. It was really close because the police had already been informed, but we knew that the video surveillance wasn't working," said El. "Yes, well, and what did you let go with you?" Daniel asked. "Not very much. "It happened that Nate and Kayden first waited in front of the shop and then, when the shop owner wasn't looking, they took all the discounted bread off the shelf." Emma said. "Great, and what do we do now if the police show up here?" Leon asked the four. Emma shrugged her shoulder. "Oh, what are they supposed to find out? "You don't even know where we live," El replied. Mike, who had also joined us in the hallway, looked at the clock. "Guys, there are about two to three new perpetrator descriptions," he said and held out his iPhone to us. I looked around the screen and realized that Mike had just been reading a report. "Is this about the thefts?" I asked Mike. He nodded silently. "Yes, it says that we all have to go to court in a week." "How now, but everyone?" asked Emma. "No not all. "Only the ones that are on the letter," said Leon. "Lucky. "I don't feel like it at all," said Daniel. "It's nice that you don't feel like it. I can understand you, but it's mandatory. Think about what would happen if no one caught us. Then we would do it again and again," said Mike. "Yeah, oh no," replied Daniel. "What is supposed to happen? Then we'll do it again. "So what?" he looked around. "We would be criminals then!" "We have been like that the whole time," Leon replied. I didn't know what to say to that. Leon was right. If we continued with these things, we would really be criminals. But there was no other solution.

I said goodbye to everyone and went back home. It was still incomprehensible to me that I would have an appointment at the court in a few days. Should I tell my parents?
When I got home that day the radio was on and I heard the presenter switch to the news. My mother was sitting in the kitchen listening to what the presenter had to say. She didn't really notice that I had come home again. Luckily, I thought. Because then it happened. "Now let's get to this week's news. In the case involving multiple thefts in stores, the police have found the culprits. The court hearing will take place next Monday at 2:00 p.m. in the district court in the Kreuzberg district. If you have any further questions, please contact the local police, as always you can find the number on our website."

I tried to go silently into my room, but the wooden stairs that led to the first floor gave me away. "Are you home yet?" my mother asked from the kitchen. I went down the stairs again and entered the kitchen. "Yes, Leon still had something to do and I couldn't help." "Ah ok. "But Leon and the others have nothing to do with the things that are currently so current?" my mother asked. I thought about what to say. Then I shook my head. "No, they have nothing to do with it, I've already told you that." Even though that was a lie, I tried to stay calm. That was the best. My mother nodded. "All right. You know you can tell me anything and if you have any stress with anyone you can tell me too." I nodded. "Well, it doesn't matter. I was just wondering, maybe I need to talk to the people who do that," she then said. "Why talk?" I asked her "Yes, because as you know I'm on the radio and so far I haven't really said anything about it. It's a good topic, isn't it? So what do you think about it?" "Well, that's a good question. I'm not sure, on the one hand it's a good thing but on the other hand it's a criminal offense." I answered her.
"Yes, that can be true, but I'll talk to my boss," said my mother. "And maybe I'll watch this trial." "You never know, maybe I'll get some inspiration from it too." I paused for a moment. Did I understand correctly that my mother wanted to go there. She knew Leon and would recognize him again. Then it would come out. "Yes, you have to know for yourself," I said to my mother and then disappeared into my room.

Now I was stressed. What if my mother also appeared as a spectator at the trial. She would recognize Leon immediately. That would be hell. Then I wouldn't be able to go with you either. I didn't know what to do anymore. I picked up my cell phone and dialed Leon's number. But he didn't answer. "Shit!" I cursed quietly. Why didn't he answer? It was Friday and he never had anything to do on Fridays. What should I do? The hearing was on Monday and we had to have a solution by then. My problem was that I couldn't tell my mother that I was also involved in the thefts. I should just tell her. Maybe she would understand.
A little later, just before I wanted to go to sleep, my cell phone rang. It was Mr. Shannon: "Good evening Matt. I just spoke to your mother on the phone. She wanted to ask me something about the thefts downtown. "You have to know that she's worried." I paused for a moment. Did he say something? "I know but..." I wanted to say, but he interrupted me. "Everything's fine, I didn't say anything. That would be bad if I had done that," replied Mr. Shannon and laughed. "I hope you didn't hide it from your mother?" he asked me. I paused. "Yes, you can't call it that. I told her that I was a little interested in it. But she really doesn't know anything about me," I answered him. I then heard Mr. Shannon take a quiet breath. "Oh ok, that's not good. I don't know how your mother will react when you say that you are also invited as a witness. "Are you invited as a witness?" asked Mr. Shannon. " Yes that's me. And that's exactly the problem. How am I supposed to tell my mother?" "Just tell her the way you think and she will understand," replied Mr. Shannon. I agreed with him and told him that I was still thinking about it.

On Saturday, two days before the trial, I was already having breakfast with Leon and the others in the morning. My mother had an early shift which meant she wanted to be at work from 6:00 in the morning. She had left me a note and suggested that I should ask Leon if I wanted to eat with him. First thing in the morning at 7:00 a.m., Leon called and asked him. He had time and now I'm sitting at the big wooden table in the kitchen.
Leon and Daniel sit next to me and eat eggs and bread. "Do you have any idea what you can do?" Leon asked me when I told him about my mother. I told him that my mother wanted to be a spectator at the trial. Leon then said that this wasn't a good idea and whether I had a solution to stop her from doing it. But I had no idea. I shook my head. Leon then shook his head and said, "Then you have to tell your mother. You have to tell her you're interested. Is there someone who can explain it to your mother?" Leon asked me. "No, not really," I replied. Then it occurred to me that maybe Mr. Shannon knew about it. I suggested to Leon Mr. Shannon and said that maybe it would be a solution.