eighteen

She sat up from the bed they had given her to lie on, she was still in the clothes, she wore before and it was close to a week now, she counted days with the rise of the sun and nights with the setting of the sun and there was a window in the cell. She had been drawing tables on the wall with a stone, it have been a week now, she had not heard from Sophie or from anyone that might be willing to help her, she didn't know how Katie was doing and she didn't even know when the chief would tell her the judge was ready to receive her and on top of that she had been thinking of how her case would be.

'Mrs Jackson?'

She looked up. Nick was standing outside. She hadn't seen him too; one week here seem like years.

'How does it feel for a first timer?'

She looked away she wasn't ready to argue with him.

'You know; they always say; everyone have a first time, looks like your time is now.' He told her with a smile.

'Maybe just maybe you will enjoy prison life, so be sure that I can get you inside here and then you will know how it feels for a first timer.'

Nick laughed. 'I am not easily scared.'

'So, am I.'

He nodded. 'Still got that angry look, it is catching.'

She looked away from him. 'What do you want?'

'You will be going to court by noon tomorrow for the first hearing.'

'How is my daughter, I want to see her.' She walked to him.

'For now you cannot get close not her, you can only see her from afar.'

She sighed.

'You have a call.'

'Who is it?'

Nick shrugged and was about to walk out.

'Nick, I will like to talk to Sophie.' She told him.

'When did you become best friends?' He shrugged and walked out.

The judge was meeting her tomorrow and for the first hearing, she would either plead guilty or not guilty and who would defend her; she had no lawyer yet and she had no idea about law. Richard's parents would be there, the press would be there, but William won't come; she should have told him the truth from the start not lied to him.

She walked out as the cell opened.

She walked to the phone.

'Hello?'

'Mommy!'

'Oh my God! Katie how are you, where are you, did you eat, what are you doing, who are you with, are you safe?' She took a breath as she realised Katie would not remember what she had just said in a rush.

'Mom, I am with dad.'

Dad. She didn't need to ask; who it was.

'And Jacob, dad took us to the places but he says we won't go tomorrow, he says we will come and see you, how are you, mommy?'

She sighed and blew her kisses.

'I will go now; dad says you are busy so I don't want to disturb you.'

Pearl nodded because her eyes were filled with tears and she didn't want Katie to hear her cry. She snuffed.

'Give the phone to William, honey.'

There was a pause.

'William?'

'Hello, Pearl, I thought it would be nice if she heard your voice, she hadn't been happy lately.

She nodded. She is in love with this man. 'William….I am sorry, I know I shouldn't have lied, I was thinking about Katie.'

He didn't say anything.

'I am innocent, I promise, I didn't kill Richard.'

'I can't talk now, when we see we will talk.'

'William…..'

'Just think of what story you will tell the judge that will be convincible.' He said and hanged up.

He didn't believe her; he would never trust her again.

She sighed when the car suddenly in front of the central court, she had changed and have bathed, brushed her teeth but the press were outside waiting for her. Nick opened the door and walked out. The press rushed to her like a hive of bees looking for honey with their microphones and cameras but the police guards tried to hold them back.

'Ma'am, what reason; would you have to have killed the famous artist?' She heard from her left.

'Didn't you love him enough; was everything false between you two?' came from another reporter.

'How long have you been holding this hatred to situate it on him now?'

She couldn't even answer the question, she didn't want to. They were all lies, they were all trying to make her look bad; she didn't kill Richard, if she had gotten the chance, she would never have killed him, what will Katie have thought of her; she murdered her own father?

She had not kill Richard, she didn't poison him, why didn't they believe her?

She watched as the police officer ushered her in with Nick in front of her, why wasn't Sophie here; at least it would have made things less of a torture.

She sat down on a bench with two police guards standing by her left and right; so this was what it really felt like for the actors to face trial but fortunately theirs have never been a real trial only a rehearsed show about to be kicked off for the audience.

It took about 15 minutes for them to wait for the judge to call her in and when he did, the police men cuffed her hands and led her into the large hall. The first thing she saw was flashes of camera lights; the press, she looked round the hall, for her first day, the hall was filled and still with people standing. She was ushered to her seat in front of the audience, she looked round the hall again; Sophie was right behind her chair and that was when she saw Gracie and some people she had worked with Daphne and some others in the hospital, her mom did not come, she was sure grandma had not let her because she had to learn her lesson, just before she sat, the door opened; she saw Katie walk in with Jacob. Her hands went to her mouth; she didn't plan on Katie seeing her like this or Jacob seeing her like this. She waved and Katie waved back with all smiles on her face, then she saw him; he was wearing a shirt and a black jeans and he combed his hair back, he looked incredible handsome only he was mad at her and she hated herself for that.

'Sit Mrs Parker.' The judge; a man of 60s told her.

She took a last look at William and then he saw look at her, so pitiful that she felt she might break down then, she took her seat.

'Mrs Parker, where is your lawyer?'

Before she had the time to help herself, Sophie saved her.

'Your lordship, Mrs Parker's lawyer won't be able to make it today but she promise to be around by the next hearing but the prosecutor can begin, she will answer all she can for now.'

She turned and smiled at her best friend; Sophie nodded.

'Mrs Jackson, will you be able to defend yourself?'

She stood up. 'Yes, your lordship, even if I don't have a lawyer now, I can help myself.'

He nodded and looked towards the seat of the prosecutor; Pearl followed his eyes; Richard's parents were seated looking at her despitefully.

'Mrs Parker to the stand, please.' The judge told her.

She stood up and moved to the stand just by the judge, the prosecutor; a man in his 50s stood up about to interrogate her, the guard by her side brought the bible to her and she placed her right hand on it.

'Do you swear by the bible that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth?'

'I swear.'

She watched as they removed the bible from her side and the man began; she looked around at her friend; who pressed her two palms together hoping, praying the judge will hear her out before he pass his verdict on her, she looked towards Katie, she was looking straight at her; wondering why she was in this place away from her; if she had the chance to go out from this place to hug Katie; she would take it and William?

He just folded his arms and stared at her point blank, she had confused him and she will have to redeem herself now.

'Which would you like me to call you, Mrs Parker or Ms Jackson?'

She looked at the funny looking lawyer with glasses; she remembered those times when Sophie, Sheer and her would see this kind of person; they'd call them plants because plants worked all day; big or small, fat or thin, they always keep growing no rest. He must have read a lot about her and she was dying to know what he knew.

'No, I prefer Ms Jackson.'

'Ms Jackson how long have you been married to Richard parker?'

'Almost seven years now; actually six years and four months to be precise.'

'And have you ever caught him cheating on you; with a friend or anyone?'

She shook her head. 'No but I may ask, if I am allowed to ask, why did ask me that?'

He nodded his head as he trailed towards her.

'About 12 deaths have been reported about women murdering her husbands out of jealousy.'

She shrugged.

'Tell me Ms Jackson, what is you real motive for getting married to Richard Parker, with the reports I get from people, he was popular and rich too.'

Pearl nearly laughed; she held it and looked at the man.

'My motive for getting married to Richard was to make him accept his responsibility as a father and Richard had never been rich, yes he was popular, he had friends in high places but he had never been rich.'

'Define rich, Ms Jackson.'

'You have everything material that makes you rich.'

'You are rich, isn't that right?'

She nodded.

'What were you actually looking for in Richard Parker, that you couldn't find in some other guy, is it popularity?'

She looked at the man. 'Are trying to....anyways I was not looking for anything in Richard, he fathered a baby and I wanted him to take responsibility rather than abort the baby.'

'Are you sure, he was the father of that child.'

She chuckled. 'You must be joking, Sir, I had many friends but none ever dared to come close to me, we made a bet and we became friends, even his parents can bear witnesses, we were close but not close enough to get married, we didn't even think towards that side, we were stupid, went to a party one day, came back completely drunk and washed off and then it happened but I couldn't forget it, I wanted to have a child who had both its mother and father and I told Richard, he didn't say no although we quarrelled about it, I convinced him to accept the baby and be a man.'

'Is that what you do now? Make people take responsibility for their actions, even the rancher you took shelter from, should be responsible for his action; for having you...'

'That is my private business why the digression?' 

William looked at lawyer; what was he trying to prove?

'Alright, tell us, ma'am, Richard worked as an artist while you work as a nurse in All Saints hospital, how do you share the bills at the house?'

'You must have asked the owner of the house, we live in a flat, I work, Richard worked he made one rule that since I am moving into his house, I don't love him we need to divide the rent and other bills at the house.'

'He was your friend you say?'

She nodded.

William shook his head; how could she have been a friend to that guy?

'Did you guys fight as friends?'

'Don't you have friends, friends fight all the time?'

'But you were more than what could be called friends.'

She looked at him.

'Mr Juan your neighbour who lives close to you, says you have lived in that flat for over Seven years now and funny enough; there had been series of times, he would come over and ask what was going on, isn't that right or you don't remember?'

'Mr?' She asked him for his name.

'Mr Douche, is there anything you will like to say?' she asked using his name; knowing he was deliberating bringing out reasons to blame for killing Richard.

He shook her head and turned to the judge. 'Your lordship, I like to request Mr Juan to be brought to the stand, please.'

The judge nodded at his request, Pearl stepped down and walked to her seat.

Mr Juan, the man she only sees at Sundays, walked to the stand.

'Mr Juan, can you tell us how long you have known the accused?'

'I can't really say I know her, but I have seen her couple of times with her daughter, they are beautiful.'

'Have you ever seen her with Richard?'

He shook his head. 'I mean yes, I saw her the day he was helping her park in, she greeted me and I saw her again when she was outside begging him to stay for her little girl's birthday but he always storms off.'

'So you have heard them quarrel a few times?'

'Not a few but many times, twice on the same day and on the other days when she was pleading with him to take care of her little girl before she came back because she had a night shift that day but he never agreed.'

'So, you agreed to say, she was disturbing him, hanging her dirty linen outside for people to see.'

'Actually, the miss was...'

There was murmuring. 'Mr Juan…..' the prosecutor stopped him.

Pearl turned to her left then to Sophie right behind her.

'He didn't let him finish.'

'It doesn't matter.' She said as she patted her shoulders.

Pearl faced them.

Nick looked at Sophie and lean towards her. 'What are you doing?' He whispered.

She looked away from him; she didn't have his time now.

'Have you ever seen Richard Parker bring a lady to his flat?' the prosecutor continued.

He shook his head.

'Alright, tell the court, what you actually saw that day when you heard the breaking of plates from their room.'

Mr Juan sighed and looked straight at pearl before continuing.

'Okay, I was just coming back from a dinner that evening and I was about to open my door when I heard a scream from the little girl shouting Mom, I moved close to the door and tried to open it but it was locked from inside so I pressed my ears to the door and put my eyes in the key hole. The miss was holding her little girl behind her  and I saw the man on the ground and the room shattered with tables, plates and chairs as if the house had been ransacked and then I saw....'

He turned to his leg on his thigh. 'A syringe was plugged into him and he was looking white on the ground. I saw the miss ran upstairs with her daughter and then I tried the door again but it was locked and I walked into my house to get anything useful to open it but by the time I came back…..the miss and her daughter was gone, I was standing in the room with a dead man.'

She turned back to Sophie. 'I didn't kill him, Sophie.' She whispered to her friend in blinking tears.

Sophie pats her back.

'So, she killed him?'

Mr Juan looked towards her; her eyes were filled with tears, he turned to the lawyer.

'Is that a fact or an assumption?'

'Which is it? You saw it yourself, didn't you?' The prosecutor asked him.

He shook his head. 'I didn't see her kill him, I only saw her by the man.'

'How can you defend her, Mr Juan?'

There was noise in the courtroom, everyone confused.

'I am not defending her; you cannot place a curse on someone without knowing if he or she really did it for it to be effective.'

'Mr Juan.' The prosecutor called to mind his words.

The judge hit the gavel.

'Order!!!'

When the courtroom was silent, he continued.

'The progression of the trial will continue after recess.' He hit the gavel.

He stood up and left the room, Pearl from her seat walked to meet Richard's parents.

'I didn't kill him, I couldn't have kill Richard, although I didn't love him but I didn't kill him!'

Before she could hear what Richard's mom was saying the police guard grabbed her out?

Sophie signalled for them to leave her and Nick wondered why, she hugged her friend.

'I didn't do it Sophie; I only wanted to defend myself against him....' She said in tears.

'Against what, he was your husband.'

'Shut up Nick!' The two ladies snapped at him.

She held Sophie's hand; 'Please, I want to see Katie, please Sophie.' She said cleaning her face.

Without looking Nick's way, she took Pearl's hand and walked her to where William was sitting with the children; he hadn't move during the trail and he didn't move when they approached him.

'Mom!' Katie moved pass him and hugged her tight. Pearl swings her round.

'Mom, I miss you so much.'

'I miss you too, darling.' She smiled and kissed her cheek and hugged her tight; she hadn't seen her little girl for a week and she missed her terribly.

They sat down on the pew and Katie sat on her lap. 'Mom, you've lost weight.'

She nodded and cleaned her eyes.

'Why didn't they give you food, mom?'

'I didn't like the food, so I didn't eat, remember good food, good body building.'

She nodded.

'Mommy, will you go back?'

She looked at her daughter first looked at Nick who didn't bother, looked at Sophie and back at her.

'I don't know but I will come and see you and we will be together again, okay?'

'Mommy, are you sure?' she asked her as she cleaned the tear that fell from her mother's eyes.

She nodded and smiled. 'Honey, let's make a deal; when I come back what do you want me to do?'

It took minutes for Katie to answer; Pearl realized her daughter was hurting too.

'Just come back first.'

Pearl hugged her. How she missed her little pumpkin! What can she do now?

'Pearl, I want you to come home too.' She heard Jacob just in front of her.

She hugged him as well. She didn't want her baby seeing her like this or Jacob seeing her like this, when she noticed Katie didn't not want to talk again, she turned to William, Jacob had sat down beside his father, she adjusted Katie on her lap.

'William.....'

'Pearl, we need to go back.' Sophie told her.

She nodded and turned to William and brought Katie down, hugged her and then she gave her to him, William held her, she looked at Williams as he looked at her back.

'I'm sorry.' She said and walked out following Sophie.

He watched her leave; she had really gotten to him.

The judge sited and Pearl back on the stand, the trial had continued.

'Ms Jackson has worked in the hospital for over how many years now?'

'Six years.'

'You have had good reports isn't that so?'

She nodded.

'Tell us, on that day before you headed back home, did you go through the doctor's office.'

'What doctor?'

'Mrs Daphne.'

She nodded. 'Yes, Daphne called me to her office.'

'And I guess she must have sent you on an errand to the inflammary to get a bottle of liquid.'

She nodded. 'Yes.'

He turned back to the audience. 'On that day, Ms Jackson not in her usual mood and she put the wrong liquid sent.'

'You are wrong, that day I was fine, I was cheerful, I talked to Daphne and I brought what she sent me, that was it.'

'Your confession is rather untrue Ms Jackson.'

'You can ask Daphne, ask her my mood, ask her if I was efficient that day.'

'No, you probably must have bribed her in your desperate time.'

There was murmur from the audience.

'What kind of lawyer, are you?' She didn't believe this.

'The one bent on making you tell the truth.'

'No, the one that actually, do not know anything about the principles of law.' She told him.

He gave her a look and turned to the judge. 'My lord, please permit me to call to the stand, Mr Danny Richards.'

This man has been told to do anything to lock her up in jail but she was sure, it wouldn't end this way. She has to find a good lawyer.

The judge gave a nod.

She sat down as the man in question sat down; she had never seen this man before, he took his seat and she listened.

'Mr Danny, tell this honourable court; if you know Miss Jackson.'

'You mean Pearl; we've been friends for over six years since she came to the hospital.'

'What!' Pearl exclaimed from her seat.

'Yes, actually, she invited me for coffee few times when she was down.'

Pearl stood up. 'That is a lie! Are you out of your mind? I have never met you, or even seen your face.' She told the man who didn't even look at her face.

'Ms Jackson, please let the man finish.' The lawyer told her.

She ignored the prosecutor and looked at the judge. 'Your lordship, I have never seen this man before in my entire life, you can asked Daphne, I only spoke to her.'

'Ma'am, please let him finish his testimony and Mrs Daphne have been on her honeymoon over few months now.' He reminded her of what she just remembered Daphne had left that day after she sent her to get the syringe and she couldn't attend her wedding because she had Katie to take care of and Richard to talk to.

Sophie was standing by her now, she was patting her as she took her seat, and the court had quiet down.

'Mr Danny, please tell us, how Ms Jackson mood was on that day.'

'Pearl was mad, she complained to me when we went for coffee; that Richard was getting out of hand that, she couldn't take it anymore, she didn't know what to do. She didn't finish talking before she stormed off and before I left her to go about my duties since I couldn't not pacify her, she walked into somebody instead of saying sorry, she began yelling on her voice that she wished the person should have died why did she walk into her, was she blind and that was when I saw her last.'

Pearl shook her head; it was slander, it was a lie.

'Tell us, Danny, do you think Ms Jackson would have been capable to killing her husband?'

She looked at the man's face.

He nodded his head. 'Yes with that kind of rage, I could imagine anything.'

'Thank you.' Mr Douche told him as he came down from the stand; he looked her way and quickly shook his head and looked away.

What kind of person was this to lie against someone; he had never met before?

'Your lordship, I will like to call Mrs Francesca to the stand, to clarify what Mr Danny has said.'

He nodded and then Mr Douche turned to her.

'I am sure you know her.'

The woman who never spoke to her walked to the stand and swore on the bible to tell the truth and the truth was simple; she never liked her so she should expect nothing but the worse.

'I get the idea that you and Ms Jackson have not been best of friends.'

She nodded. 'We fought on most occasions.'

'I have only one question; what do you think?'

It took minutes of her to answer.

'Pearl has never been happy in her marriage life and there were times when she would bring men to house as friends to Richard due to frustration because he wasn't looking at her and she brought them in order to pay back.'

She looked Pearl's face with no sympathy.

'I witness days where Pearl would come home, leave with Katie and come back late in the night and there was even a time; I saw her and Richard fighting and when one of her 'so called' friends came and she picked him instead of ending the fight, she stormed off with the man.'

Pearl had had it; this woman was.....

'What is your problem? You have never liked me from the start, how can you say that I bring in men....'

'How can you not, you had many so friends.' She told her.

Pearl stood up. 'I had friends so what; you were just jealous of the fact that I tried to make Katie happy because you couldn't make your daughter stay with you.'

'Shut up! It was your fault Debby didn't stay with me…..'

'And in order to pay back, you kill Richard and try to blame it on me.'

The court listened as the two females exchanged words.

'I was not in the house on that day, yes I hated you but what reason would I have had to kill your husband and beside you were the one who had access to a syringe, you could have killed him because you wanted to continue the relationship you have with that ranch guy.' She said as she pointed to William who sat looking at them.

Pearl turned back to the woman. 'What are you saying? I met William in San Francisco.'

'You were running and since you couldn't take it.'

'Mrs Francesca, why are you bothering yourself, your lies don't even have authenticity.'

'Ladies, it is enough!' The judge told them as the judge quieted down.

When it was finally quiet, the judge cleared his throat.

'The case has been adjourned till Tuesday and Ms Jackson, make sure your lawyer is with you by then.'

She nodded without looking away from the woman.

The court dispersed with the judge walking out first and then the prosecutor walked to her.

'Pearl, it is not advisable for you to keep interrupting every witness.'

She looked at him; stupid.

'What do you care; you have been paid to pronounce me guilty, right?'

When he didn't reply, she continued.

'Next time make sure you come with a good evidence to prove that.' She said and walked away as the Police guards cuff her hands as soon as they walked out through door; Katie ran into her arms; she bent down and let Katie hug them both because her hands were cuffed behind her.

'I love you mommy.'

'I love you too.'

Jacob hugged her too.

She walked to William, he looked at her this time and she felt love, she felt like hugging him, but she couldn't, he still didn't believe her.

'I will take care of them, just don't be too brave.' He told her.

She was brave; that was what she registered. She smiled at least that was better than 'I hate you, you didn't deserve my help'

Nick walked her to the car and just before they entered; Nick allowed her to answer only one question from the press.

'Ms Jackson, do you support your action, is it advisable to women who have terrifying husbands?'

She shook her head. 'I won't advise a woman to kill her husband for anything and I didn't kill him.'

Nick put in the car as the guard drove off, this time Sophie was in the car with her thank God. She rested her head on Sophie's shoulder as tears fell from her eyes, Sophie patted her as Nick looked on confused of this suddenly closeness between both of them.