Karen Young - Private Lives

“No, I—”

“No more questions, Your Honor.” Ryan turned on his heel and strode to the table. Dropping into a chair, he didn’t look at Gina again, nor did he glance at his client. Instead, he flipped the folder shut, leaned back with his hand spread flat on the folder as if to guard the contents and gazed moodily out a window. If his goal had been to destroy Gina, Elizabeth thought, studying the set look of his features, he’d succeeded. But he didn’t look like a man who was pleased with his success.

“You may step down, Ms. D’Angelo,” the judge said. And as Gina rose unsteadily, Maude Kennedy stood up.

“I have one more question, if Your Honor would allow it?” She raised pencil-thin eyebrows in question. The judge nodded and motioned Gina back into the chair.

“How much money are you requesting from Austin Leggett, Gina?”

“Two thousand dollars a month,” Gina replied. “And for child support only, nothing more. Jesse will stay in the school where she’s presently enrolled in kindergarten. One thousand will pay her tuition and the other will be placed in trust for her to go to college.”

Maude Kennedy looked at the judge. “That’s all, Your Honor. Thank you.”

“Step down, Ms. D’Angelo,” the judge ordered. As Gina rose and left the witness box, he studied a paper in an open folder in front of him. “You want to call your first character witness, Ms. Kennedy?”

Still standing, Maude said, “There is only one witness, Your Honor. We have a deposition in lieu of testimony from the second witness, Louis Christian. He is presently at Elizabeth Walker’s residence taking care of Jesse. As you’ll see once you’ve read the deposition, Mr. Christian is not a blood relation to Jesse, but he could very well be her grandfather. He sees her daily. They’re very close.”

“Then call the witness who has shown up, counselor,” the judge replied. He removed his glasses and rubbed both eyes with thumb and forefinger as if his patience was at an end. Her face carefully blank, Maude nodded to the bailiff.

“Elizabeth Walker,” the bailiff intoned.

Elizabeth was already on her feet. She approached the gate in the bar separating spectators in the courtroom from the players and slipped through it, made her way past the two lawyers’ tables to the witness box and turned to take an oath to tell the truth. She was nervous. None of her experience in courtrooms had been pleasant, but this wasn’t about her, she told herself, taking her seat gingerly. It was about Jesse. Gina. Their future.

Maude seemed to sense her apprehension and gave her a reassuring smile as she asked her address and occupation. Then, “How long have you known Gina D’Angelo?”

“Since we were both five years old.”

“You’re not related?” Maude asked, knowing the answer.

Elizabeth smiled faintly. “Not by blood, no. But we sometimes feel as if we’re related. Sisters almost.” She took a small breath. “We were both wards of the state when we were orphaned at age five. As luck would have it, we were in the same foster homes off and on during our teenage years.”

“That explains your willingness to share your home with Gina now.”

“In a way, I guess. Actually, we’re no different from biological sisters who see a lot of each other,” Elizabeth said, feeling more at ease. Maybe this would be more positive than she had thought. “We live in the same city, we share holidays, lunch, we shop together, we share gossip and clothes. I was at Gina’s bedside when Jesse was born. In fact, I was her birthing coach. So now that she’s in difficulty, it’s very natural to have her move in with me until she’s on her feet again.”

“Why wasn’t Mr. Leggett Gina’s birthing coach?”

“He said he didn’t have time.”

“Where was he when Jesse was born?”

“In Europe. On one of the many excursions he took without Gina,” she added dryly.

“How would you characterize Gina? In a few words.”

“She’s loving, smart, honest, impulsive, funny. Jesse adores her. She’s everything a sister and best friend should be. My life would not be nearly as rich without Gina.”

“Thank you, Elizabeth.”

The moment she feared was upon her. She tried to blank the apprehension from her mind. And the utterly irrelevant thoughts she’d had about Ryan Paxton as he’d questioned Gina. It was her turn now and Jesse’s life was in the balance.

Ryan was speaking as he got up from his chair. “You’ve been very supportive to Gina for many years, haven’t you, Ms. Walker?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve bailed her out of trouble countless times.”

“She’s never been in serious trouble.”

“Did you co-sign for her to get a credit card when she couldn’t get one on her own?”

“Yes, but that was years ago.”

“Did you pay her tuition when she trained to become a paralegal?”

“Yes.”

“Were you her tutor in high school when she almost didn’t qualify to graduate?”

“She…she had some unpleasant experiences while we were in foster care.”

“Did you have some unpleasant experiences, too?”

“Foster care isn’t an ideal situation for anybody,” Elizabeth answered dryly.

“And yet you didn’t require a tutor?”

“Well…”

“And you weren’t in trouble with school authorities?”

“I—”

“Yes or no, please, Ms. Walker,” Ryan said.

“No.”

“Tell us more about yourself today, Ms. Walker. You’re an author?”

“Yes. I write books for children.”

“And very successfully, too, according to the recent article in the Chronicle.”

“I’ve been lucky.”

“I actually read one of your books last night, the award-winning book. I wouldn’t say it was luck that won you the Newbery, Ms. Walker. That book was very clever, whimsical and fun while delivering a very solid message.”

“A moral message. I try to do that in each of my books.”

“It was about a little girl’s difficulties with her school friends—what was her name?”

“Jasmine.”

“Jasmine. Because her mother had chosen an…ah, alternate lifestyle. The other kids found that odd and weren’t shy about saying so.”

“Children can be hurtful.”

“The main character—Sophia, was it?—befriended Jasmine. Came to her defense at school. Sort of fixed everything for Jasmine, but got in some hot water herself for doing it.”

“I tried to show how courageous behavior can be rewarding, but you may have to pay a price.”

“What price will you have to pay for your courage in defending your friend Gina today?”

“Price?” Elizabeth frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“The article about you in the Chronicle made clear your aversion to publicity, Ms. Walker. You’re almost a recluse. A hearing such as this is bound to stir up more unwelcome interest in you.”

“With all due respect, Mr. Paxton, I don’t think the media can have much interest in me.”

“I did a bit of research into your background after reading that article.”

Elizabeth felt her heart bump into a faster rhythm. Maude rose. “Objection, Your Honor. Ms. Walker isn’t on trial here today. If Mr. Paxton has a question, let him ask it.”

With eyes locked on Elizabeth’s, Ryan said, “No one’s on trial here today, Your Honor. I’m within safe legal grounds to question the credibility of Gina D’Angelo’s character witnesses.”

“Overruled,” the judge said. “But ask a question, counselor.”

“Are you comfortable knowing the media is in the courtroom, Ms. D’Angelo?”

Elizabeth glanced beyond him to the sparse gathering of people seated in the spectator area. Several onlookers met her eyes, three women and half a dozen men were scattered here and there. A group of twentysomethings looked on with interest, possibly law school students. “I have no interest in the media,” Elizabeth said quietly.