Stolen moments

Chapter 53

The atmosphere was packed and tensed, you can sense the frigidity between the two parties, mild dirty looks and silent glares was thrown around. Everybody waits silently but with low discussions here and there in the courtroom as they wait patiently for the judge.

Leah sits feeling uncomfortably, she sighs for the sixth time. She feels sick and she knows she looks horrible. She as a running nose and a mild headache that she wish would just go away. Her cheeks looks shallow and sunken, due to her not eating well and she was sure she as dark sacks under her eyes, adverse effect of not sleeping well.

Beside her, sat her mother and on the other side sat Mrs McCartney. Her brothers and Rosalia sat silently behind her, no one exchanged a word because they know she won't say anything and all she needs right now is there silent support.

She shifts uncomfortably again as she can feel numerous eyes on her, some filled with pity while others are judging her. The one that got her scared the most was "his", even with the distance and without looking at him, she knows he was staring at her, she could feel his burning stare. What does he want now? She asks herself.

She lets out a sigh of relief as the judge came in starting the session.

****
The court was quiet as Amara McCartney did what she knows best, fighting for rights and justice.

"I put it to you your honour that Mr Banerio was guilty of the battering and sexual assault of Miss Leah Martinez on the 15th of July, and i hope this able court will give the necessary judgment and i will like to call my client to say more on what happened, Thank you"

She passed the necessary documents to the clerk who passed it to the judge, as she walks confidently to her seat in her tailored suit and scarpin shoes. She reassured Leah and her mother everything will be fine as the judge goes through the papers.

"You can proceed by calling up your client" the judge said after going through it.

The clerk called up Leah. She stood up gingerly as she felt a lots of stares on her, she started sweating all of a sudden, even with the fully air conditioned courtroom, she was hyperventilating, she walked as if she was been taken to the slaughter house, she was not ready to do this, but here she was. She got into the witness box not looking at anyone, she was given the bible to swear on nothing but the truth. She kept her eyes to the ground after this as she heard clicks of heels.

"Leah... " she looks up at the gentle voice. Amara gave her a gentle smile as if telling her everything is alright. "How are you?"

"Am okay?" She croaks out, as her voice rang out through the room. She winced inwardly, no! She is not okay, that beast his right there staring at her, she wanted to scream but kept quiet.

"I know this is hard for you but i need you to tell the court what happened on Saturday the 15th of July"

"I was with him" she said monotonously, she refused to voice out his name.

"What happened?" She pressed on.

"We were talking, he said he wants to cook for us, he offered me a drink, i don't know what happened from there... I was in his room, he hit me, he hit me continuously then, then,then he" she paused as if she went into shock, she said everything like she was been controlled. She stares at the wooden floor in front of her.

"It's okay Leah.. No one is going to hurt you here, just relax and tell us what happened, you will be fine"

Leah inhaled deeply as she nods, starting over again, on how she was drugged, physically and sexually assaulted, and on how she escaped from him.
"And that was how i found myself in the hospital" she sniffs as she wipes the tears on her cheeks with the sleeve of her cardigan.