Keep It, We Don't Need It Anymore novel · Chapter 19 of 24
Chapter 19: The Judge Reads
The hearing opened on Wednesday at nine, in a courtroom with a low ceiling and a hard bench for the public.
Marit sat in the second row in her church coat, with her purse on her knees.
Jonas sat three seats behind her, in a suit.
The witnesses had been told to wait in the hall, and he had refused.
Nobody had stopped him. The bailiff had looked at his face and let him through.
Wyatt sat at the other table with his lawyer, in a navy suit and a calm expression.
The judge was a woman in her sixties with reading glasses pushed up into gray hair.
She had a stack of papers in front of her, and I could see the corner of Exhibit A.
"I have read the pleadings," she said. "I have read both sides' motions to strike. I am denying all of them."
Wyatt's lawyer rose. "Your Honor, the video..."
"The video of Saturday morning, filmed by three strangers in a public lobby?" The judge looked over her glasses. "I will take it."
"The clip from the earlier incident, Your Honor, is the issue."
"I will take that too. And I will watch the whole of it, not the short piece you chose."
He sat down slowly.
Our lawyer stood. "Your Honor, the petitioner's own Exhibit A is the heart of this case. I'd ask the court to hear a few of its entries."
"I intend to read some myself," the judge said. "Mr. Haldorsen, your own document. Entry one."
She picked up the first page.
"January ninth, 11:12 p.m. Source, N. Mother reports child coughing, requests I come home from dinner. Score, two. Note, maternal anxiety."
She turned the page.
"Entry fifty-seven. Mother reports child's croup, barking cough, difficulty breathing. Score, three. Note, maternal anxiety."
She turned again.
"Entry one hundred thirty-three. Mother reports chest pain and asks me to return. Score, two. Note, maternal anxiety. Mother is a trained nurse and sounded calm."
Keep reading free with an account. Start Keep It, We Don't Need It Anymore from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 18 · All chapters · Chapter 20 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend