When They Cried (Finale)

If I mislead any of you then sorry...=(
This was supposed to be a chapter but it seems more like a finale that turns into a epilogue. And you'll like the epilogue.
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When They Cried

June found it hard to sit on that stand. She wasn't breathing normal and she was upset. The judge reassured her. He was going to give this some thought. He claimed he didn't know the story and was going to listen to both sides. June nodded and decided she could do it.

"How old are you?" Caroline knew exactly how to win this case.

"Seventeen years old."

"How old are you brothers?"

"Nathanial is seven going on eight in December. Lucas is five but he will be six in February. Jeremiah will be four in December." June didn't know how these questions applied to her but she was honest and kind towards them.

"What is Nathanial's favorite sport?" Audrey looked up. She was scared because she now knew why those questions were asked yesterday.

"His favorite sport in basketball. He shoots really well from what I hear and see."

"Does Jeremiah still wet his bed?"

"Yes if he isn't in my bed but no if he is in my bed."

"Why does he sleep in your bed when Audrey and Ryan are right down the hall?"

"I don't know. Ever since he was born, I have been teaching him how to speak properly and how much life is worth. I guess those nightmares came around when he was two. His only choice at that time was me so I guess it became sort of a bad habit. Sometimes he just wants to be near me and sometimes he just wants someone to hold him." June's answer was longer and productive than Audrey's.

"Does Lucas love to sing?"

"The whole family loves to sing. I guess it's something I got from my father and passed it on to my boys."

"June, I have to go a bit further now if you don't mind. Did Ryan ever touch you places that you didn't want to be touch?" Caroline was trying to be supportive but shocked when June didn't seem to tear down or be broken.

"Yes." June said it with such confidence everyone was baffled by her strong power.

"Thanks June for your corporation." Caroline smiled reassuringly as she took her seat.

Mr. Bakers was whispering among his clients and decided what questions he wanted to ask.

"Is it true that you were lustful for Mr. Willows?" Mr. Bakers had startled June.

"Of course not." June twisted her hair behind her back. She wasn't nervous or scared. She was being honest.

"But Mr. Willows claims he didn't touch you. May you have mistaken his touch or behavior for something else?"

"Just because he claims that he didn't touch me means he didn't do it. I couldn't have mistaken it because it was late at night when I was in my bed. Why would he be there late at night touching me?"

"You have a point but could you have mistaken it for a fatherly thing?"

"I have a father and he use to do all his fatherly moments way before two in the morning." June was outraged how blind this man was. What was he trying to prove?

"But you are seventeen now. None of this "abuse" has continued has it?" Mr. Bakers was trying to rule out rape as evidence, June thought to herself.

"It stopped when I was fifteen when he decided leaving and being gone for days was best for him and my mother. Even then we were hungry and unhappy but we managed like we always did. He doesn't know what's best for anyone." June straightened her posture as she spoke the very truth.

"Hmm, nothing more you honor but I would like to call Andrew Chapling to the stand." Mr. Bakers removed his glasses and rubbed his eye.

Andrew took two glances at his son, one glance at June as she past by him and four glances at Ryan who was giving him an aggressive smile. Was it cowardly for a man to say he feared another man's presence? He couldn't lie on that stand. He just couldn't to do that to his son and June.

"Ryan bragged to you that June was a whore and how she forced him to touch her in those places. How did you react at first?"

"I was baffled but I knew he was lying. June was and still is a shy little girl with long golden hair and wore dresses like she was princess. You got to understand she wasn't a whore. To me she is a princess of a very faraway kingdom."

"But he also bragged he touched her and liked how she felt under his touch!" Caroline butted in.

"Yes he did." Andrew answered rubbing his forehead. "He said she was crying because she liked it. But this man was sick! She was crying tears of fear and I was scared too. I thought it didn't make a difference of what I said to him. He would have kept hurting her."

"But she was lusting after him. She confused his mind and lied about it to her own mother and family!" Mr. Bakers barked.

"Order in the court!" Judge Mach hollered. "Ms. Jacobs please take your seat. Mr. Bakers the only barking and yelling in my court will come from and only from me. Your last statement will not be used in my sentencing and I clearly understand that Mr. Chapling said Ryan was molesting June. End of story. Your witness turned against your ruling get over it. Ms. Jacobs do you have any questions for Mr. Chapling?"

"Yes your honor." Caroline smiled a sweet smile as she stood up. "Mr. Chapling, are you willing to give up your custody rights of Nathanial Macashire to June Macashire?"

"I am willing as I ever will be." Andrew nodded.

"Okay let's take an hour break. I need a cup of some cold lemonade." Judge Mach hopped from his place and went to his study. "And I need some signatures from two people."
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It was a sunny day when Caroline drove the Macashire children over to a nice house. Their eyes were blindfolded but when she removed them, they couldn't believe the house that was upon them.

"It's quite empty but I am sure some new clothes, toys, a car and some furniture will brighten the place up more." Caroline opened the front door with the children following behind her.

"This is ours?" Nathanial ran down the hall. He had placed his shoes by the front door.

"When you guys win the case it will be." Caroline twirled little Jeremiah around. "I was hoping June's father would like a room down on the first floor but he didn't want that. He thinks he will stay in the house he is in. And when Tristan is eighteen and ready for Business College, he will only have to drive down Elmer's Road for five minutes till he reaches the university's highway. I think I planned your whole life in that one day."

"Thank you." June hugged Caroline. "This was so nice of you."

"It is. I think you are going to be a great mom. You'll stay home with the kids while Tristan supports you all. I'll support and your father will support you. Ryan will have to pay a custody check to his sons for a year. What I am trying to say is you won't have to be that poor girl with holes in her clothes, the ruined and unruly hair or already worn shoes. You will be something your mother gave up a long time ago."

June nodded and hugged Caroline again as she explored her new home. The boys were sad to see it go but they had to get back to court in time for the verdict.
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Lucas was called to stand and was asked only four questions each. He answered them honestly and sat down without getting antsy. Kenny testified what he knew about Audrey packing and leaving him with their daughter. Ryan was still claiming that June was whore and Audrey was by her man's side the entire time. Hate boiled in her but not at her daughter but at herself.

"I have made my decision." Judge Mach had written it all out on four pages. He stacked them in a neat pile. He cleared his throat. As he was about to speak he was cut off by Nathanial.

"My brothers and I have one thing to say before you make your decision, your honor."

"Sure let's hear it." Judge Mach put his papers down as the three little boys stood in front of him.

"When they cried they walked a lonely road. They saw no one as they cried for her." Jeremiah began.

"When they cried they were together. They were sad and unhappy. They prayed for her." Lucas continued.

"When they cried they prayed. They hoped for better days. They wanted her to be there too." Nathanial continued.

"When they cried they knew when they would stop crying. Things would be better. They wouldn't have to cry anymore." June finished wiping a tear away.

"What a lovely poem." Judge Mach's heart was touched. "Did you guys think of this last minute or-"

"Sometimes when we heard her crying we use to whisper that to her through the walls. And she would always say the last line when he was done. It was like she knew." Nathanial took his seat along with his brothers.

"Well it was nice. Now is there anymore objections before I start tearing up as I read this verdict?" Judge Mach sniffled a bit.

"You can read it!" Jeremiah said cheerfully. He was antsy in his seat.

"Kenny Brooks, you have signed your name and gave June complete permission to live on her own from her mother. Andrew Chapling you have signed your custody rights of your son Nathanial Macashire to June. You no longer have a family bond with him. It is now his choice if he wants to be seen with you. June Macashire, I fully give you custody of your three brothers. You have so much love in you that I wish I had a mother like you." Judge Mach smiled at them as they all cheered and cried. "I am not done yet!"

"There is more!" Jeremiah giggled happily.

"Ryan Willows you have been charge for the rape of June Macashire, Jaclyn Fields, Sally Rules and Jessica Garrison. You thought I didn't know about those rapes? Oh yes I did! Knew about them from the time you walked into my court with your foolish lies. You have to give two custody checks to Jeremiah and Lucas Macashire. You will serve ten years in prison and another five years in a sex predator education program. Another five years in a child welfare program. By that time your sorry behind will be forty-eight. Hopefully they hurt your child predator behind in jail." Judge Mach shuffled to his third paper.

"Oh thank you!" Lucas shouted as he stuck his tongue out at his father. "Good luck with that daddy!"

June laughed. Ryan fought the urge to beat them up which would have added more years to his sentencing.

"Audrey Macashire, I am ashamed of you. You are to spend ten years in a child welfare program and you no longer are allowed to see your boys unless their mother approves of it. You aren't allowed to have children of your own until you see me before a court and I shall see if parenthood suits you by then." Judge Mach confirmed.

"How does this sorry bitch get ten years in a program and I get jail!" Ryan bolted from his seat. "She should go to jail for letting me rape her daughter!" Audrey was outraged at Ryan.

"You jerk! You deserve what hell they give you! I can't believe I believe in your lies! I hope you rot in a jail cell far away from me!" Audrey wasn't to be messed with. Her whole life was being torn apart before her very eyes.

"And at last, I grant June to live her life with her brothers as long she wants. I have no problem with that at all." Judge Mach smiled and dismissed his court.
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"Aren't you happy you won?" Tristan played with June's hair as they sat in the grass while the boys played in the lake.

"Of course I am." June leaned against his bare chest. "I think everyone is."

"Then one day we will be married with little children. We will have a big family with a big house and everything." He traced lips along her body as he kissed down her face, neck and shoulders. He did love her.

"Yeah. I think if it's a girl we should name her Riley." June suggested laughing.

"If it's a boy then we are surely naming him Tyler." Tristan laughed. "Wow, we are only seventeen and we are already talking about baby names and we haven't even got married yet."

"Yeah but one day we will be married." June kissed his lips directly now. "And we will have cute little children."

"Just hope they look as skinny as me." Tristan frowned but then something wet and mushy hit his back. "Hey!"

Nathanial laughed. June whispered something in Tristan's ear. They got up slowly with mud in their hands behind their backs.

"So you think you are funny?" Tristan grinned as he held three mud balls behind his back.

"Yeah!" Lucas called out from behind Nathanial.

"Because we rock like that!" Jeremiah confirmed.

"Get them!" Mud balls were flying from both sides. It was fantastic. They were happy.

When they cried they knew when they would stop crying. Things would be better. They wouldn't have to cry anymore.