His Lifelong Pleas Got Nothing novel · Chapter 31 of 32

Chapter 31: The Sentence

By the first week of April, I could not see my own shoes.

I sat in the second row of the Providence courtroom with one hand under my belly and Sam's hand over the other.

Margo sat on my left.

Behind us, the benches were packed with the women whose babies had been read cursed at the Huntington table.

There were more than I had thought.

The cousin with the high chair had brought her little boy, and he was eating a cracker.

Odile came in through the side door in a navy suit with her pearls on.

They had let her keep the pearls.

She sat at the defense table with two new lawyers, and she did not look at anyone.

Bancroft sat three seats down, in a plain suit, with his hands on his knees.

The judge was a heavyset woman with gray hair who had read every page.

"Mrs. Huntington," she said. "You have pleaded guilty to all fourteen counts. You asked to be heard before sentencing. You may stand."

Odile stood.

"Your Honor, I would like to say two things."

"Say them."

"First, that I was never cruel. Every decision I made was for the family."

A murmur ran through the benches.

The judge looked at her over her glasses and said nothing.

"Second," Odile said, and she turned slowly, and found me with her pale eyes, "that I did not ask for Mrs. Salisbury to be here for her sake. I asked for it for mine."

I felt Sam's hand tighten.

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