Chapter 16 - UNDER OATH
Dad took the witness stand after lunch.
Lauren's attorney tried to repair the damage.
"Mr. Bennett, when you said 'we covered Tyler,' what did you mean?"
Dad adjusted his tie.
"I meant we protected the family's privacy. There was never proof Lauren hurt that child."
"Did you personally witness her strike Tyler?"
"No."
"Did you witness her strike Emma?"
A pause.
"I saw her touch the child."
The prosecutor stood.
"Touch?"
Dad's lawyer objected from the gallery. The judge reminded everyone he was there only as a witness in this matter.
The prosecutor replayed the slap in slow motion.
Lauren's palm crossed Emma's face.
Emma's head jerked.
Her scream filled the courtroom.
I had to look down.
"Mr. Bennett," the prosecutor said, "is that what you call touching?"
Dad's face turned red.
"It happened quickly."
"And afterward, did you tell your wife to fix the situation?"
"I wanted everyone calm."
"Did you destroy a memory card?"
"It was old."
"Did you photograph it beside a hammer before destroying it?"
Silence.
"Yes."
The prosecutor held up a printed copy of his text to me.
"And then you wrote, 'Now everyone can move on.' Correct?"
Dad looked at Lauren.
For the first time, I saw fear in his face.
Not fear for Emma.
Fear that his own choices were finally visible.
Then Mom took the stand.
She told the truth about Tyler.
About Lily.
About the teenage DUI.
About the threats.
About forty-one years of calling silence peace.
Lauren started crying halfway through.
"Mom," she whispered.
Mom looked at her daughter.
"I love you," she said. "But loving you did not mean protecting you from every consequence. I know that now."
Lauren's face twisted.
"You ruined me."
Mom shook her head.
"No, sweetheart. We helped you ruin yourself."
The courtroom went silent.
May you like
Then Lauren stood up so fast her chair hit the floor.
And she lunged toward my mother.
