Cattie stepped up to the stand and took her seat.

"Do you, Caitlynn Spencer, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? So help you God?"

"I do."

"You may now kiss the bride," Timmy whispered to himself.

"So Caitlynn, where do you live?" asked Richard and Juliet's attorney, Mr. Garbol.

"Where do I currently live, or where do I want to live?"

"Just answer the question."

"Alright, when I'm happy I live right here in Santa Barbara with my Dad. Unfortunately, I haven't been happy in five years."

"Just answer the question."

"Fine, I live in damn South Dakota with an asshole and a bitch, along with seven asshole juniors and my brother. Better?"

"Young lady, please tone down the language."

"I apologize, your honor, as I only intended to display the degree of anger I hold toward the jerks who torture me on a daily basis."

Mr. Garbol then asked, "Are your parents in this courtroom?"

Cattie looked at him as if to ask, 'Are you an idiot?'

"Can you point them out?"

"My Dad is sitting over there by Mr. Hornstock, Chief Lassiter, and my brother."

"And your mother?"

"Technically a mother is simply a female parent, in which case it's the woman sitting over there. However, the dictionary also defines a mother as 'something or someone that gives rise to or exercises protecting care over something else,' in which case that woman is no mother to me."

"Oh, did you memorize that?"

"Not by my own volition. Sometimes instead of a beating, I get to read the dictionary. I find it enthralling, actually. My brother and I have made it a sort of game. Timmy, profligacy."

"Which definition? Shameless dissoluteness, reckless extravagance, or great abundance?"

Mr. Garbol sighed. "No further questions."

Adam Hornstock approached Cattie next.

"Cattie, how often do you see your dad?"

"Maybe five times a year."

"Oh, he doesn't come see you more often?"

"No, I'm just not that good at sneaking out."

"Sneaking out? Now why would that be necessary?"

"Ask the idiot who granted Richard a restraining order because, I quote, 'Shawn Spencer makes children cry.'"

"You don't find that very fair do you?"

"Objection," called out Mr. Garbol, "Leading the witness."

"Sustained. Mr. Hornstock..."

Hornstock nodded. "So Cattie, how do you feel when you're with your mom and step-dad?"

"Scared, unhappy, useless, invisible, unwanted, unintelligent..."

"And with your dad?"

She smiled. "Happy, brilliant, safe, strong, beautiful, special, wanted..."

Hornstock smiled. "Your witness."

Mr. Garbol got up and walked over to Cattie.

"Who brings you to school?"

"Frank Campbell."

Garbol looked slightly surprised. "Frank?"

"The bus driver."

"Who picks you up?"

"Gertie Masterson."

"Another bus driver?"

Cattie nodded.

"Who cares for you when you're sick?"

"Timmy."

"Timmy? Doesn't your mom take care of you?"

"No, she doesn't even notice I'm gone unless she needs something."

"What do you mean?"

"If the family slaves are missing, nobody notices unless they need something."

"We all have chores, but-"

"Change Mel's diaper, get Marty a drink, make dinner, clean the attic, dust the mantle, clean Brad's room, sew Emily's doll's dress, fetch milk from the store, clean Carol's room, find Robert's lost sock, trim the hedges, make lunch, do the laundry, clean Simon's room, wash the toilet, make breakfast. That would be a day's work beginning when I was seven."

Garbol sighed. "Do you have any nicknames?"

"My dad calls me Squirt, Timmy calls me C, Marty calls me Ugly Duckling, and Richard calls me Snot."

"The defense rests."

Hornstock picked something up from the table in front of him. "What's this?"

Cattie cringed. "A heel."

"Why did you cringe? Isn't it just a shoe?"

Cattie shook her head and stood up, then lifted her shirt a few inches. She pointed at a bruise, "Shoe." She turned and pointed at a circular scab on her back, "Heel."

"And when did you get those marks, Cattie?"

"The shoe is from when I dropped a glass of water, and the heel is from when I slipped and dropped Richard's phone in the snow when I had to go get it at 3 AM."

"Is the person who gave you those marks in this courtroom?"

Cattie nodded.

"Please point him out."

Cattie pointed at Richard.

"The prosecution rests."

My turn is over, but now it's Timmy's turn. Wish him luck!

"Timothy Rutger, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? So help you God?"

"I do."

"How old are you, Timothy?"

"11, sir. How old are you?"

"Has your father ever touched you?"

"No, I just floated everywhere as a child."

"Cut the sarcasm."

"Fine, it depends. I think the last time I received a hug was second grade, but I did get smacked with a belt this morning."

"And why is that?"

"I wouldn't tell where Cattie was."

"You were hit with a belt for that?"

"No, smacked. Getting hit with a belt hurts, but getting smacked..." He lifted his shirt to reveal a long red mark across his back. "Leaves that."

"No further questions."

Cattie whispered something to Hornstock while flicking her short brown hair with her pinky.

Hornstock got up. "Timothy, what happened to your left pinky?"

Timmy tucked his long black hair behind his ear, showing the jury the severely bent pinky. "Huh, it was fine earlier."

"Timmy, how did you bend your pinky?"

"I was laying tile and my hand was down on the ground."

"How did it get so bent?"

He pointed at Richard. "He hit me so hard, it got dislocated when it bent on the cement."

"Did you go to the hospital?"

Timmy shook his head. "Nope, and it healed like this."

"Your witness."

Garbol asked. "How well do you know Mr. Spencer?"

"Cattie tells me stories, but I've also met him."

"How?"

"I sneak out with Cattie."

"And how does he treat you?"

"Like his own son. He's always saying how tall I'm getting, and how strong I am. He's awesome."

"And how does he treat Cattie? Does he ever hurt her?"

"When she sees him, her whole face lights up. His face, too, goes from sad to happy. It's easy to see how much he loves her, too. She's his princess, and is treated like one."

"And your mom?"

"Oh, she's not my mom. My mom died when I was four; she's just the bit- jerk who took her place."

"So she treats you like a son?"

"No, but she treats me like scum shaped like a step-son."

"The defense rests."

Hornstock stood. "The prosecution rests."

We're both back, but now Daddy is testifying.

"Mr. Spencer, what is your custody arrangement?"

"Custody arrangement? She kidnapped my daughter and lied to the court, we don't have a custody arrangement."

"Lied to the court? How so?"

"She said I hit them; claimed I was an unfit father. Then Asshole hired doctors to prove the lies."

"Would you ever hurt your ex in any way?"

"I would never physically hurt anyone except in self-defense."

"But in a no-consequence world, would you hit her?"

"Yes."

"Would you hurt Richard?"

"Definitely."

"Would you ever hit your daughter?"

"Never."

"Would you kidnap your daughter?"

"In a heartbeat."

Chief Lassiter is going on the stand as a character witness. I hope it works out!

"How long have you known Mr. Spencer?"

"Since 2006."

"And is he a good man?"

"As far as men go, he's more than a good man."

"And would he ever hit his daughter or his ex?"

"No."

"Would you stake your job on that?"

"Three years ago, he took a bullet for me. I'd be more than happy to stake my life on that."

Uncle Gus and Grandpa already went, and so did a couple friends of my mom's (through a live feed from South Dakota). Now it's Mom's turn.

"Has your husband ever hit you?"

"No."

"Has Mr. Spencer ever hit you? Keep in mind you are under oath."

"No."

"So you lied to the court? You don't seem like a fit mother to me."

"Mr. Hornstock, stick to questions."

"I apologize, your honor. No further questions."

"Why did he ask that?" Cattie asked.

"To establish credibility, or in this case prove her not a credible witness," Shawn replied.

Well, the jury is deliberating. I'm scared, but hopeful. If they can't see the truth, I'm screwed. Me too.

When the jury returned and everyone came back the next day, it was with bated breath.

"Jury, have you reached a verdict?"

"We have, your honor."

"On the charge of child abuse defined as physical abuse, how find you?"

"We find the defendant Richard Rutger guilty."

"On the charge of child abuse defined as negligence, how find you?"

"We find the defendant Juliet Rutger guilty."

"The child will be placed in the father's care for the time being. Be back in 12 days for sentencing. Court is adjourned."

It's been two months and I couldn't be happier. Mom and Richard went to jail. I'm not sure what happened to the rest of the kids, but Timmy's happy. That's the best part; Uncle Carlton is adopting Timmy! Daddy has his sense of humor back, so he threw a Lassie themed party for the two of them. Miss April - she's super nice - helped him plan it. Oh yeah, and she owns the aquarium so we get to go for free!

I don't think my life could get much better than it is right now.