Chapter 22: The Decree

The courtroom on Thursday was smaller than I had pictured.

It had a flag, a gold seal on the wall and eight rows of benches, and every bench was full.

I sat at the long table beside my lawyer with my hands folded on my stomach, which had started to curve.

Padraig sat directly behind me in the first row.

Jo sat beside him.

Dorothy sat on the other side of the aisle, alone, in the same coat as the hallway.

She had chosen the side behind Travis's table on purpose.

Travis came in last.

He wore the gray suit, with a bond bracelet under his cuff and a lawyer on each side of him now.

He did not look at me.

"All rise," the bailiff said.

The judge was a heavy woman in her sixties with reading glasses on a chain.

She read a page, then another, with no expression at all.

"We are here on the petition of Althea Reichart Colburn for dissolution on grounds of fraud," she said.

"We are also here on Mr. Colburn's motion for exclusive possession of the marital residence. Counsel?"

Travis's thin lawyer stood.

"Your Honor, we'd like to address the respondent's allegations of forgery."

"By all means."

"We have a sworn statement from Shelby Donaghy. It says the petitioner signed the home equity loan herself and later regretted it."

"Dated?"

"Monday."

"Is Ms. Donaghy present?"

"She is not, Your Honor."

"Then it's hearsay."

"She's prepared to say it in person."

"Is she."

The doors at the back opened.

Shelby walked in, in the navy dress, with a county lawyer at her elbow.

Every head turned.

"I'm here," she said, in a thin voice. "I'm prepared to say it, Your Honor. But it's not true."

The courtroom made a sound.

The judge took off her glasses.

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