Adopted By Janiel {Book 2}

VI

We wait around 2 hours for the court to actual start. All that time Norabella is talking her foot. She has a death grip on Daniel and I's hands.

All she has to do is answer the question, and we wait.

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"Now calling Norabella Marie Preda-Graceffa to the stand."
The lady says loudly.

I hate this.
I don't wanna be here.
I don't wanna see him looking at me.
He's gonna do something bad.

But I have to do this for my mom.

I stand up and swiftly make my way to this box thingy next to the judge.

I avoid my old dads gaze when I sit down.
Okay.
I'm just going to look and Daniel and Joey. Not my dad. Don't look at him.

This lady makes me promise to tell the truth or something. But I can't focus. My dad is staring at me.
I hate him.

"Norabella. How old are you?"
The lady in a suit in front of the stand asks.
I lean forward a bit so I can reach the microphone.

There are like 100 people here. They're all staring at me.

Let's get this over with.

"Uh.. T-ten."
I say into the mic.
I'm stuttering ew.

"Okay and how old were you when your father killed your mother?"
I feel a lump in my throat slowly make its way up.

"I... I was uh- seven."
I say again. This time staring back at my dad.

Face your fears Norabella.
I can do this.

"Okay and can you describe that night?"
Are you kidding me?
I've spent everyday trying to FORGET that night.

But I have to do this for mom.

"I uh. I was in my room, my mom and Jim were in the living room, she went to her room and he came to mine."
I say, I take a deep breath and continue. Now giving him a death stare.

"He started yelling at me. And he had a bottle of vodka in his hand. He sipped a lot of it then threw it at my wall.
He-"
I stop and rub my eyes.

"That's okay. Take your time."
The judge says.

Just get this over with.

"He came in and grabbed my arm and he told me I was undeserving of everything, he left the room again and yelled at my mom.
Then she came in"

She came in and talked to me for the last time. I never saw her again.

"She came in and told me everything was going to be okay.
And she left for the last time.

He screamed at her and threw glass bottles everywhere. Then I think he started hitting her but I heard her fall down.
I...
I I heard a gun shot go off and my mom scream.

After a few minutes of her crying she was silent. He passed out or something. But then I heard someone come in and ask if we were okay, then she screamed and called police.

I heard her talking to my mom before she died.

Then Linda came in and then police officers and then... Then"
I stopped there.
I couldn't continue this anymore.
I hate this. I wanna be at home. I wanna be somewhere else but here. Talking about my mothers death.

As I'm staring at my- Jim, I see a tear rub down his face.

I hate him. He did this.

"Okay thank you."
The woman says.

The police officer that is standing to my left escorts me back down to Daniel and Joey.

But I pause when I'm next to my dad.
This is my chance to tell him something.

Just anything.

I sure as heck won't ever want to see him again.

My last chance...

What do I say?

What would mom want me to say?

I need to make it worth it...

I look my dad straight in the eyes and I step forward so I'm facing towards him.

I open my mouth.
Just say what my mom would want me to.

What I need to do.

"I forgive you."

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Sorry lil squish wasn't in this chapter.
SrryBoutIt