Chapter 17
The jury deliberated for thirteen hours.
I spent those hours in a family room with Sophie, Rebecca, Daniel, Aaron, Dr. Patel, and Claire.
Sophie built a tower with blocks.
Daniel helped.
His hands shook, so the tower leaned.
Sophie patted his arm.
“It’s okay. Crooked things can still stand.”
Daniel cried.
Rebecca turned away.
I looked at my daughter and wondered how someone so wounded could still offer gentleness.
Then I remembered Laura.
The verdict came after sunset.
Sophie stayed with Dr. Reed.
I went into the courtroom.
Vanessa stood when the jury entered.
For the first time since I had known her, she looked tired.
Not sorry.
Just tired of losing.
Guilty.
Murder.
Guilty.
Attempted murder.
Guilty.
Child abuse.
Guilty.
Fraud.
Guilty.
Conspiracy.
Guilty.
Evidence tampering.
The words came one after another.
Each one a door locking between Vanessa and my child.
Rebecca sobbed.
Daniel closed his eyes.
I did not cry until the judge ordered Vanessa taken into custody.
Then she turned to me.
“You would have been nothing without grief,” she said.
I looked at her.
“No,” I answered. “You were nothing without ours.”
Her face twisted.
The guards led her away.
At sentencing, she received life with the possibility of parole only after decades.
Marianne Cross went to prison.
Others connected to the custody scheme were charged.
Facilities were investigated.
Families reopened cases.
Daniel’s guardianship was restored to Rebecca.
His son, now older and cautious, came to see him.
Their first meeting was quiet.
Awkward.
Sacred.
Sophie asked if Vanessa could ever come back.
I told her the truth.
“Not while you are a child. And when you are grown, you choose who gets near you.”
She nodded.
“I choose no.”
“That is allowed.”
She leaned against me.
“Did Mommy get justice?”
May you like
I looked at Laura’s photo on the table.
“Yes,” I said. “Finally.”
