AN: And I'm back… finally. I am really sorry for the long wait. To my reviewers, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You keep reminding me why I started this story.

Disclaimer: Yeah… no. I don't own it.

Chapter 8: Squares in Court

The next morning, Marilyn and Allison got up early. The squares that had been caught at Turkey Point were going to be tried, and the two women had to be there as witnesses. Several of the drapes, Cry-Baby especially, that wanted to be there if only to support Allison, but Marilyn told them that it wasn't a good idea. Judge Walsh, the only judge in the city with no connections to the charm school beyond friendships with the other judges, was a strict man with no love for drapes. He ran the Maryland Training School for Boys and loved to send drapes there to be rehabilitated. Marilyn didn't like that he was the one trying this case, but they needed an impartial judge, and he was the closest they could get in this city. Arriving just behind the women were several parents that had been at the charm school and who had seen Baldwin attack Cry-Baby. They were also there to speak against the other boys. Several of them were even the parents of the boys involved. They knew how their children were, and they were disgusted that their children would sink to such a low level.

Once the case started, it was fairly straightforward. Since most of the parents were in agreement with Marilyn, the judge sentenced many of the boys, most notably Baldwin and the Wiffles, to the MTSB until their eighteenth birthdays, and others were sentenced to community service. This made Marilyn frown heavily… she had read several news articles about drapes being sent there, and all of them had been imprisoned until they turned twenty-one. She didn't like that these teenagers were being treated differently just because they were squares. All in all, fifteen boys were sent to the MTSB: some for as little as a few weeks and others for up to two years. Not all of the boys were found guilty, but Marilyn had a list of all the ones that were involved, and she knew that they would be made to pay for their actions. She had already written letters explaining their expulsion from her school, and those with community service would be serving it under her direction. Mr. Carmichael was also frowning once the verdicts were read, but for different reasons. His wife had been telling him for quite some time that Baldwin was a bit too full of himself and itching to start fights with the drapes, but he had believed that she was overreacting. Now, he had to deal with the fact that his son would be labeled a criminal for the rest of his life… the boy had ruined his life over a girl he didn't even truly care about.

Once everything had been said, Marilyn and Allison led the other parents back to the charm school. Marilyn had things she needed to say to the other parents, and Allison wanted to get back to Turkey Point to tell the drapes how everything went. Cry-Baby was waiting outside the school on his motorcycle for her (it was one of the few vehicles that had not been vandalized the night before). As they drove off, Marilyn asked the other parents to go to the formal dining hall. She had told her staff that lunch was to be provided by the school so that she may speak with the parents of those students she had seen at Turkey Point. As always, her staff did an excellent job at making sure everything was how she needed it to be. Forty seats were prepared, each with a table setting. Forty trays were sitting on a long table at the back of the room, reading to be served to hungry parents. Forty name cards proclaimed where the seventeen couples, five widows/widowers, and Marilyn herself were to sit. And three workers stood-by, ready to take any children to another dining hall for their own lunch followed by free time in one of the smaller classrooms that also house a wide assortment of games. Once the children were removed from the room, lunch was served. Conversation was kept light until everyone was finished eating.

Only then did Marilyn speak, "You all know why I have called you here today. The actions I witnessed last night make me ashamed to call myself a square. I am also ashamed that those boys were my students. For most of them, this is the first time they have acted this way that I know of. Twenty-two boys were caught red-handed at Turkey Point last night. Fifteen of them are now on their way to the state training school, five of them are to report to me tomorrow for the start of their community service, and two were found not guilty. Twenty-two boys have lost any trust I might've had in them. For seven of them, they have the chance to earn that trust back. For the fifteen imprisoned, they may never regain my trust. I realize that this is a difficult situation, but you all know where I stand. Mr. Carmichael, I have spoken to Rebecca seven times about Baldwin's behavior… seven times. Yet, you did nothing to curb his actions. Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Neilson, I have also spoken to your wives about your sons' actions. The three of them have followed Baldwin's lead on many things before yesterday, but I had hoped that they contained some small portion of sense. I see that my hope had been misplaced. These four boys were the leaders behind the actions taken last night. They will all be held for at least one year. Baldwin is the eldest, so he will be released in one year and one month. Mr. Jeffries will be released two months later, followed by Mr. Curtis and Mr. Neilson. They are never welcomed back on these grounds. I have already written letters expelling them. I expect that none of them will cause any more problems in this community. Otherwise, I shall have to take action again. As for the other eleven who remain in custody, they have also been expelled. I know many of them have younger siblings here. Know that their expulsion does not reflect on their siblings or families in any way as far as I am concerned. For the five who have to report to me tomorrow, I expect them here at one o'clock. They will be helping my staff with their Sunday chores. On school days, I expect them here at four o'clock. On Saturday, they are to be here at seven o'clock in the morning. Part of their work for me will be completing their homework for their high school. I will not tolerate laziness. If I see them acting in such a manner, I will take action. They are all placed on probation at this school. If they place one toe out of line, they will be expelled. I have letters for each of you explaining all of this. Mr. Cole and Mrs. Whitmore, just because your sons were found not guilty doesn't mean they really are. They are both on probation with me. I have letters for the two of you explaining just what that means for them and their futures.

"Last, I know many of you do not understand my decision to let my granddaughter go with young Mr. Walker yesterday. So, I will endeavor to explain my actions. When I picked Allison up from school yesterday, she was speaking with the young man. He acted with nothing but respect towards her and towards me when I pulled up. The only time I saw even the slightest hint of a problem was when Baldwin put his hands on my granddaughter. Can you understand how sad it makes me that the drape acted with more dignity than Baldwin and his friends, especially this particular drape? Most of you have heard the story of the elder Mr. and Mrs. Walker. For those that haven't, Mr. Walker's father was the Alphabet Bomber. Both he and his wife were executed several years ago. Mr. Walker and his sister were raised by their maternal grandmother and her husband, Belvedere and Ramona Rickettes, the owners of Turkey Point. Miss Walker has two children already with another on the way. She is unmarried, but her boyfriend has stood by her and is the father of all of her children. The parents of the other three children in Mr. Walker's "gang" are a mix of squares and drapes. From what I have seen of them, they take no responsibility for their children, and I believe that these children are part of this "gang" because of the very real feelings of family that are present. Speaking with Mr. and Mrs. Rickettes last night granted me this perspective. They are very protective of their grandchildren and have all but adopted the other three as their own. If I were to be placed in their situation, I am unsure if I could've taken in three children who were unrelated to me by blood. I want all of you to think on this. For now though, I must be going. I need to pick up my granddaughter and speak with Mr. Walker and his family. Your letters are sitting on the table by the front door. Please gather your children and your letters. I will see several of you in the next few days. Good-bye."