EMBRACE YOU Lone(liness Book Two)(30)
Marcus pulls my shaking body into his arms. He's trembling, himself.
An hour and a half later, I have managed to calm down. I'm sitting in my seat, waiting for the guards to bring Cara in. When they do, I see a sallow, overweight woman with dark bags under her eyes. Her bright-yellow hair has dark roots several inches long. She looks...terrible!
"Miss Wells, notwithstanding your several mental health diagnoses, you decided to carry out an illegal act against three innocent people. One of whom was an infant at that time. When you were questioned during your testimony, you expressed no remorse, no sorrow, for your harmful actions. Instead, you attempted to rationalize away your actions, saying that you wanted only to see Mr. Hadley and try to get closer to him. A mere baby was your means of attempting to do so. With all of these considerations in mind, I am sentencing you to life behind bars, with no option for parole..."
"FUCK YOU! No! You don't understand what I've been through, how I've tried to get close to him...I...I love him. I...GODDAMN YOU, YOU BITCH! When I get out, I'll KILL YOU!!" Cara struggles mightily against the court room guards, who double down on her. It takes several of them to restrain her and put handcuffs on her. As they force her out of the court room, they make a strange and odd dance.
I begin crying after I hear the depths of Cara's insanity.
"Oh, my God, that was..." I say.
"What? What was intense?" Marcus asks me.
"I was just imagining the sentencing hearings. Horrible! They were sentenced to life and they both blew up at me!" I tell Marcus.
"Lord. I hope they'll have guards in there."
Watching Marcus, I see a far-away look on his face.
Johanna and I are at the sentencing hearings for Cara and Melanie. I'm scared for me...but more so for her and my baby girl. They intend harm to Johanna and tried to use my Lizzie to get to me. They are truly...insane. They have no remorse for their actions. I hope they get life.
I pay close attention as the guards bring Melanie Stabb in. Lord, she has gotten skinny! Is she anorexic? The magistrate walks in and sits behind his bench.
"Miss Stabb, please stand. I have looked at all the evidence presented during your trial. I looked at your mental health diagnosis as well. For this reason, I am sentencing you to time served, but you will be required to enter an inpatient mental health facility so you can learn about your condition, how it manifests and how it causes you to mistreat others. I am requiring you to enter inpatient treatment and face-to-face therapy with a mental health professional who specializes in treating borderline personality disorder. When this professional indicates that you are able to control your disorder and that you consistently respect the rights of others, you will be discharged back into society. Next!"
No! She...she'll kill my family!
I'm still swallowing nausea and tears when the guards bring Cara in. How could she have ever thought that I could be attracted to her? I remembered her only after browsing through the school year book. She was that...unmemorable. I shudder as she looks at me and simpers at me.
"Miss Wells, please stand. I have gone over the details of your actions against the Hadley family, including the attempted kidnapping of baby Lizzie Hadley. I have read the transcript of your testimony from the stand. You expressed no remorse. Therefore, I am sentencing you to inpatient treatment in a lockdown psychiatric facility. You will learn about your various mental health conditions and how they manifest themselves. You will learn how these conditions lead you to disregard the rights of others. You will be required to participate in face-to-face therapy and take medication for your schizophrenic disorder. Once you have learned to appreciate the seriousness of your diagnoses and begun treating others with the respect they deserve, you will be sentenced to serve fifteen years behind bars. You will serve the full fifteen years, with no possibility for early release."
"NO! How can you do that to someone for loving someone else? You BITCH! I'm getting out and when I find you, I'm killing you! Marcus is mine...we will be..."
"My God, no!" Marcus shouts.
I look at him - he's ashen-pale and a thin film of sweat covers his face.
"Marcus, what? What is it!"
"Oh, my God, I can't believe it! I was thinking of what could happen next week...the magistrate only required Melanie to spend time in a psychiatric hospital, coming to grips with her disorder. Once she's 'able to respect the rights of others with consistency,' she's scot-free. And Cara! God! She gets the same, plus fifteen years behind bars. She won't get any parole. She threatened you, Johanna! She said that she and I...belong together." As he says the last two words, he shudders violently and almost gags.
"My Lord, Marcus! This could really happen...you know, we need to make preparations to leave if they get off. We'll have to leave England fast. I want to talk to Tim."
"Jo. Jo! Johanna! Hold up! Come here and sit down again," Marcus orders.
I sit down on his lap and wrap my arms around his neck.
"What? We need to get busy," I remind him.
"Yes, we do. But we need to think about where we'd go. Make travel arrangements. Make sure our passports are current. Now! I think, if we have to, we can temporarily relocate to New York. The boys would have to join us, if not at the same time, then immediately after. I'm calling Tim and setting up a meeting for here later on today..."