The Don's Animal-Talking Little Girl novel · Chapter 17 of 24

Chapter 17: The Hearing

The family court was on the fourth floor of a gray building downtown.

The room had no windows and a flag that needed ironing.

Hearings about children are closed.

So there were only us.

Teo and me and his lawyer at one table.

Gran in her wheelchair at the end of it, in her church cardigan.

Across the aisle, Ignazio, in a navy suit and a black armband for his niece.

His lawyer had a silver tie and a voice.

The judge was a woman about Gran's age with half-glasses and a face that had heard everything twice.

Dilly waited outside with the court's play lady and a box of crayons.

The cat had not been allowed in the building. Neither had the cockatiel.

I'd checked Dilly's coat pockets twice.

Ignazio's lawyer stood up first.

He was very gentle with me.

That was how I knew it was going to be bad.

"Mrs. Speranza. You live and work in a cemetery."

"I work in one. I live in Highland Park now."

"Since your wedding. Which was how long after you met your husband?"

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