He Sent Every Dollar, So Why Was My Daughter Starving? novel · Chapter 22 of 24
Chapter 22: What Maisy Said
The final hearing began on a Friday, and Lowell Bissell came in wearing orange.
A deputy walked him to the table, and he sat down with his wrists in front of him.
He had no lawyer.
He had shaved, and his hair was combed.
He did not look at me.
The courtroom was packed to the walls.
Tanya sat in the first row, behind a county attorney, with a cardigan buttoned to her chin.
Maisy sat between Kurt and me in her good blue dress, swinging her feet.
She held her rabbit in her lap.
The judge looked at her over her glasses, and her face softened.
"Hello, Maisy."
"Hi," Maisy said.
"You're allowed to say hello to a judge. That's very polite."
"My daddy said."
A ripple of warm laughter ran across the benches, and stopped when Lowell stood.
"Your Honor, may I speak?"
"You waived counsel, Mr. Bissell. You may."
"I'll be brief." He turned to the room, and his voice was soft and sure. "I did terrible things. I won't excuse them. But I'm her father, by blood, and I'd like the court to ask the child one question."
"Which is?"
"Who she'd like to see."
The judge looked at Kurt and me.
Our lawyer rose.
"Your Honor, she's four."
"I've spoken with children younger," the judge said. "I won't ask her to choose between parents. I will ask her how she feels. Mr. Bissell, you may ask one question, through me."
Lowell nodded.
The judge came down from the bench, which I had never seen a judge do, and knelt on the floor in front of the little blue dress.
"Maisy. I'm going to ask you a few things. You can say anything. Nobody is in trouble."
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