Beyond the mountains

Court

I barely remember the ride there, but as we pulled into the parking lot at the court house I could already see my grandparents standing by the entry way into the court house. They had dressed my siblings up in very nice outfits, and they looked so different to me already, standing there, scared and probably wondering what was going on.

I got out and stood there waiting Laura to lock the car doors. Melissa walked over and took my hand as we stated walking toward my grandparents.

I heard someone calling my name as I turned around to Amy Beth running toward us.

Are you guys ready for all this she ask.

I was so tore up, I couldn’t hardly respond to anything.

Travis came running up to me and through his arm around my shoulder as Tyler and Taylor caning running up to me.

Look Bethy, grandma bought us new clothes, they seemed happy with their new out fits. I see that, I said..you two look great, I hope you was good for granny, and grandpa.

Grandpa said, they are great.. we have really had a great couple of days, as he was wrapping his arm around my waist for a quick hug, Granny walked up and gave me a hug and kiss, and told me to stop worrying, that her and Grandpa had hired a good lawyer. That instantly made me feel a little better.

We all started into the court house and I seen Bens truck pulling into the parking lot.

I told everyone to go on in and I’d be right there.

I waited for a moment as he made his way over to where I was standing.

Hey there, he said. How are you holding up? He gave me a little kiss as he took my hand and said, it’ll okay.

I entered the court room first, I felt so nervous, I couldn’t stop breathing hard as I looked around for my family. Mrs. Thompson came walking up to me and said she needed to take us into a room to talk with the lawyer and go over some details.

Ben told me he would be here when I was finished, as Laura and my grandparents and I followed them into a little room off from the hallway outside of the court room.

It was just a quick talk with the adults, I didn’t really understand most of all the legal talk. The lawyer came over to me and told me his name: I’m Samuel Reese, I’ll be the attorney representing you and your family.

Do you understand all that is about to take place Miss Hays?

I told him I did most of it, and he told me not to be so nervous and to answer all the questions honestly and to not look at My dad and Rachel if I felt like they was intimidating me by giving me any dirty looks or anything, he added that I would hear things that might shock me or take me by surprise. If the judge asks you something you don’t understand just say so.

We went back in the court room to wait on the proceeding to start, when I caught a glimpse of my dad sitting there in front of the room, he was dressed in an orange jumpsuit and cuffed, with a cop standing not to far from him..he was leaning over whispering to a dumpy looking, court appointed attorney.

Rachel was sitting on a bench beside of a cop, she also had on an orange jumpsuit that was way to big on her, her red hair clashed with it, she looked tired and her makeup all smeared under her bloodshot eyes.

She was looking over at my father, as if she was waiting for him to jump up and save her or something.

He never even looked over at her, he cared for no one but himself.

I walked up and took a seat beside of Ben as we all just set there in silence, waiting.

I couldn’t help but to look up and glance over at Dad, and Rachel..they didn’t look so scary sitting up there in handcuffs.

My dad turned around and looked toward the doors as they opened and I could see he recognized whoever walked in, as the cop told him to turn around.

I looked back and it was my sister Jenny.

I smiled and gave her a wave as she took a set behind me, my Grandparents turned and reached back for her hands as they were greeting one another, but I couldn’t focus on anything around me. I just sat there starring at my dad and Rachel, as hate for them, started building up in my body...I had made my mind up at that vet second, I was going to take them down for everything they had put us through..I could feel myself getting mad...it all about to spill out on them. I could tell I wasn’t afraid anymore, for all they done, those assholes...I would do everything in me to put them away.

Finally the bailiff came forward and told everyone to rise as the judge came in a took his set...he was an older man, didn’t look very friendly.

I felt my stomach flip as he read the file in front of him and our names slipped out of his lips.

The Lawyer tore straight into all the wrong doings that my Dad and Rachel had done to us, and mostly all the wrong doings that I had to endure throughout the years.

Then my dad’s attorney spoke up and said your honor, my client is being accused of some petty serous accusations here, he’s always provided a home for these children since their mother abandoned him and his children.

I could feel my self getting upset at the very thought of him blaming my sweet mother for this.

This went back and forth for what seemed forever and the judge called for a break.

I watched as they took my dad and Rachel back into a room, while the rest of us was standing up to leave the room.

Before I walked out I noticed my dad looking at me with a hateful, look of disgust, like I had ruined his life or something.

I just squinted my eyes at him to let him know I was pissed at him. I really hope he got my meaning as I stared him down.

We had a couple of hours before we had to return back to court, we all decided to go grab some food, this was the perfect time for everyone to meet Ben...I was going to introduce him as my boyfriend.

We went to a local diner that was close to the courthouse, called the White House Diner, it was a nice clean looking little place that had a nice family environment.

We took out seats at a long table that accommodated our large group.

I was finally able to introduce Ben to my grandparents, my sister, and Amy Beth..and of course the kids.

They all seemed to like him, and my sister seemed surprised that I was dating someone, as she gave me a look of approval with her eyes.

Travis, was making kissy faces at me from across the table. I gave him a little kick to the shine from under the table, the twins love everyone the meet..poor kids just want attention.

We went back to the court room to find out the verdict, I was feeling a little uneasy.. but something had changed in me.

Was it, I finally had support, or maybe Ben gave me courage, or what that dumpy lawyer has said about my mother..maybe a little bit of everything.

The judge called me to the stand to tell everything I had went through.

He ask me if I felt like I was abused by them.

“Yes sir”

He ask me to explain my answer..

As I was telling him some of the things that had happened his attorney spoke up and said Your honor.. as the judge shut him up, and told him to let me speak..I nervously told him about hiding food, and how Rachel had broke Jenny’s arm one time, and how I had been beat for giving them the wrong look if they was hung over from a party night. This went on a few more minutes, and my father stood up and screamed at me to shut my lying mouth.. the judge started banging his gavel on his seat and ask for order to be in his court room.

The twins started crying as whisper started filling to court room.

Rachel wouldn’t take her eyes off of me as if she was wanting to kill me..I wasn’t scared of her anymore.. she was going down to I thought to myself.

After they removed my father, the judge ask for the kids to be removed from the court room...I could only look at Ben, trying to figure out if he was going to stick around, he looked at me and smiled and shook his head letting me know he was there for me.

The judge told the lawyer my grand parents had hired that he was going to talk to the kids in his chambers.

I took my seat back beside of Ben, as we waited for the judge to return.

All rise the bailiff said loudly as my heart was in my throat..

The judge told everyone to be seated as he ask for Laura, my grandparents and myself to come to the front of his desk.

Mrs. Thompson was standing there looking at me with a smile on her face.

The judge said..

This is a difficult case we have here:

Bethy, you are almost 18 years of age and about to graduate high school..

I want you to know, that I feel like you have had a very hard life..you deserve only the best, my advice to you Is to stay here and graduate from the high school you’ve attended all these years and I’m going to place you in Amy Beth Sartin’s care until you graduate and turn 18, as long as you don’t want to live with your grandparents during this time.

I looked back at Amy Beth shocked..I had know idea she was fighting for me.

I’m unsure where to place the other children, I have to take your grandparents age into consideration, and I don’t want to take them from this school and the only family the know here. With your grandparents in agreement with me, I’m going to give full and complete custody to Amy Beth as well, in a years time she can adopt them if she choices to do so.... “oh and”wrangler also he joked, as we all laughed for a moment.. the children would only agree as long as long as their puppy could stay with them.

We all went back to our seats, until the judge sentenced Rachel and my dad.

They got 10 years a piece for the child abuse without any chance of parole and they was ordered after they was released to never step back into this county as long as they live, and if they ever tried to make treats or contact any of us, they go back to prison for 10 more years.

The property that our house was was to be given to my sister and myself to do as we wanted.

The judge said it was restitution for all the abuse we endured during the time we lived there.

We all said our good byes to my grandparents and made plans to see them at my graduation..the kids was so happy, I was happy...but yet there was something still not 100% with me, I felt the need to find out what happened to my mother.

With a new life staring me in the face now, I was free to live in peace and focus on finding out the answers I’ve longed for.

I rode back to Melissa’s house with Ben to gather my things and to go back into that house that was now mine and my sisters to get what little things I had there.

Amy Beth ask if I needed her to meet me there to help and I told her I’d be fine, that I needed to do this alone.

She agreed, and told me to take all the time I needed.

Of course, I was almost embarrassed to take Ben in there, but he insisted on going in with me...I told you Bethy, you’re never going to be alone again as long as you’ll have me. I smiled at him took a deep breathe as we walked in..it seemed cold and small, dirty.

We made our way back to the bedroom to get my stuff, as I was going through drawers and gathering the kids things, he was making small talk with me to keep my mind off from things.

As I was almost finished he stood up and walked over to me and put his hands on my face and leaned in to kiss me.

I felt so attracted to him at that moment and I just jumped and wrapped my legs around his waist, he held me there kissing me so hard and I could tell this was going to lead to something more if I didn’t stop.

I wanted to, I wanted him to take me right there.. I could tell he wanted me also..he threw me down on the bed and removed his shirt as he climbed on top of me kissing every inch of my body, up to my neck, back to my lips as he pressed his self in between my legs, I wanted him so bad, I was taking my legs and pulling him into me more and more.

He stopped and stood up and looked at me breathing so hard.....”No Bethy” not here not in this house that brought you so much misery. I know this sounds crazy he said as he sit down beside me and kissed me so softly.. I love you, I know we just met, but I fell in love with you, call it love at first sight.

I don’t know if you feel the same, but I promise you that if you do one day I’ll make you my wife and give you everything you deserve, but I want us to go to college and, I want you to heal your heart and and mind from all the drama you’ve been through first. I looked at him and before I could even think about it I told him I loved him too, and yes one day, I wanted him to be my husband.

We was walking down the steps to leave, I looked over at that shed in the yard and told Ben I’d be right back...I ran over and opened the door and stepped in it as I stood there remembering all the times we hid out in here, away from all the abuse, trying to just survive another day.

I walked over to that old dirty tote, that I use to hid our food in, as I reached in to pull out the only picture of my mother that I had, as I looked at her smiling face in the photo, I promised her I would find out the truth about her disappearance.

The weeks was passing by, everyday I could see a change in our lives as the twins was happily running around able to be happy children. Travis was getting along very well also.

We were still very close and had long walks and talked about everything.

He ask me what I thought about him calling Amy Beth mom,..the twins already was calling her mommy I expected they would.

I told Travis if he wanted to I was fine with it, she surly loves us like we are hers, and I feel comfortable with her as our mother.

It didn’t mean Travis and I would ever forget our real mother, it was just something that felt right.

My 18th Birthday was wonderful, Ben made special..I woke up to three dozen roses... he took me out to a fancy restaurant for a wonderful dinner, where he gave me a beautiful promise ring.

Amy Beth surprised me with her car, since she was going to be buying something bigger to accommodate the kids.

Laura has kept her promise of helping me get my drivers license.

I felt like my life was getting better by the second. With graduation a week away, I was getting ready to start a new chapter in my life.

Every day that went by I could feel the need growing stronger to find out answers for my mom, I guess it’s all the good things that is happening for us, that I feel like a girl needs her mother...to share the good things with her, to have her with me.

My sister Jenny was going through a divorce from Brian, and she had talked with Travis and I about her fixing up the house and moving into it for a while until she could get her life together.

I told her I thought it was a great idea, I love the thought of having my sister close to me.

We have decided to wait until after graduation to start fixing up the house and moving her in.

Amy Beth said she would help her get settled in, and help her out financially, for a while.

Graduation day was finally here, Grandparents had came in to watch me walk across the stage to receive my diploma.

After, we all went out to dinner with Laura, Melissa and John.

Ben had bought me a diamond necklace for my graduation present, and my Grandpa gave me an envelope,with five hundred dollars in it.

I decided that after summer I was going to go to cosmetology school.

Ben, told me that he was going back to college in the fall, but he’d be in every weekend, and every holiday and that he’d even fly me out there to visit with him...He was studying to became a lawyer...following in his mother, and fathers foot steps.

He was wonderful and I feel like together we can accomplish anything, that’s just they way he makes me feel.

It’s been two weeks since graduation, Jenny was ready to start working on the house. Ben, and John was going to do the repairs. Melissa, her mom, Amy Beth, and myself was going to clean it and paint.

The first thing to do was to just go in and start removing all the furniture, and rip out all the old carpet and stuff.

The only room left to clean out was Dad and Rachel’s old bedroom..I was hardly ever in that room, and it still felt weird being in it.

I told Jenny we need to just get rid of everything in it, I didn’t want anything of theirs left in here.

We all started just grabbing stuff and carrying it out into a pile in the back yard..clothes, beds, dressers..etc.

Once it was cleared out we started tearing the carpet out. Laura said wait! Is that a door built into the floor? We all stood there looking at this door that was made to pull open under the carpet.

John, grabbed it and pulled up on it til it opened. I was almost afraid of what could be in there, it was a little cellar that I never knew existed...we all just stood there in shock, Jenny came over and grabbed my arm and ask if I knew about it...”no” I answered. Ben ran out to grab a flash light..while Melissa took out a lighter and tried to see down in there.

A few moments later Ben returned with two flashlights, he handed John one and the both went down there to check things out.

We was just standing there waiting on them to say something...finally Ben said it was safe to come down, we slowly made our way down into this room.

Boxes and totes, lined these shelves all around the four small walls.

We started going through them.

I came to this tote that had a blanket folded up in it, I recognize it..my mothers favorite blanket that had belonged to her grandmother..I looked at Jenny as she had recognized it also...she grabbed it and pulled it out of that tote and a wooden box fell out of it.

Amy Beth stood there and just looked at this wooden box as if she was in shock.

Laura ask her if she was alright and Amy Beth just hit her knees and stated crying...It’s the box that your mom took out of my safe that night, with all of her papers and our bank book in it....Melissa grabbed my arm and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up..I felt sick, confused...I couldn’t speak.

We took the box and climbed out of there, we set in the floor and opened it up.

All of our birth certificates, our social security cards, divorce papers, and the bank book was inside this box...even letters that her and Amy Beth had wrote to each other when they were kids was in this box.

My mothers life in a small box...

Amy Beth just held it in her arms as she cried.

The guys went back down there and started handing up the other boxes and totes..we went through them and we found money, drugs..even Amy Beth’s pistol that my mother had took with her that night.

We decided to call the law and show them what we had found.

A case was opened back up to investigate my mothers disappearance..finally, we may get some answers.

They days went by and it was mid summer, we finally got Jenny settled in the house, so she could begin her new life.

Melissa has decided what college she wanted to attend in the fall, and I was well on my way of unrolling in cosmetology school.

I was almost dreading fall. My best friend and my Ben was leaving for college.

I had a lot going on to keep me busy though, with school and the investigation still going with moms case.

I went to Amy Beth and told her that I wanted to go visit my dad in prison and ask him straight out what happened to mom.

She was against it at first, but my mind was set, I was going.

She told me the only way I could go is if she went with me.

She made the arrangements for us to be able to go to the prison.

Ben, didn’t want me to go, but I told him it was something I just had to do.

It was the day I was going to the prison to see my father. As we walked through all the gates and guards..we was searched and ask so many questions, it was finally time to come face to face with him.

I told Amy Beth I wanted to go in alone.

I was met by a security guard who I followed down a long cinder block hallway that was all lite up with bright over head lights with bars around them, and as we walked our footsteps echoed through the hall, I could almost hear my heart beating as we was walking up these big double doors with thick glass that had bars on them as well, He pushed at button and spoke into a speaker on the wall as we waited for a loud buzzer that shook me to the core when it went off, I felt my nerves shaking through my whole body at thought of seeing my father once again. The doors opens and I was met by another guard that lead me to a booth that had a thick glass window, a chair, and a speaker you could talk to each other through. The guard told me to set down, I nervously wait for a moment pondering about what I was going to say.

Another guard lead my father in and he was in shackles around his waist and on his feet...he glared at me as he took his seat in front of me..I took the phone in my hand and put it up to my ear, waiting for him to do the same. His first words to me was..What do you want? It was so rude and full of hatred..I almost wanted to leave without saying a word.....”but no” he didn’t have that power over me anymore.

I want to ask you something..you can at least answer me..you’ve never done anything good for me my entire life, you can at least give me one thing.

He chuckled, and squinted his eyes at me, and leaned forward and ask..and what is it you want to know Bethy.

I built up the nerve to just blurt it out of my mouth...what did you do to my mom..I want you to tell me that.

Through clenched teeth he said your slut of a mother ran away.

I started feeling anger building up in side of me and I couldn’t hardly control my breathing...a calm feeling came over me after a second as I looked into his eyes...Rachel is talking, she’s going to take you down, she’s already spilling her guts.

In surprised myself by what a lie I had just told, I was grasping for anything at that moment.

He just looked at me with wide eyes.

I done it...I took him by surprise, I could tell it shocked him.

He said Rachel is a liar..she knows better.

I said,..does she Fred? Does she really know better? She’s a snake, and her venom is going to take you out!

What did you do to my mother?

If you never done a decent thing in your life you can at least tell me the truth.

He hung up the phone and told the guard he was done.

When I got back to where Amy Beth was I couldn’t control the tears about to fall from my eyes any longer.

She wrapped her arms around me and ask if I was alright.

I just want to go I told her.

One our way home she ask if I had gotten any answers.

No I replied...but I won’t stop till I find out what happened to her.