Excerpt
He had raped her. It had all been so long ago now, but many times, and especially when Brandy made this long trip down the 101 freeway to the prison, it would all somehow come flooding back into her mind; a sort of race into the painful past, a reemergence of the feelings of worthlessness, the anger, the misplaced guilt, the shame as well as the embarrassment, the vivid and detailed memory, and finally the hoax of a trial and the way that his attorney had so viciously dug into her life and her past, painting a picture to the jury as if she were somehow to blame. Would she ever forget? Could she ever forget? For now she remembered
Attorney for the defense, Mr. Peabody: Miss Jacobs, isnt it true you could have stopped this experience at any time that you had wanted?
Brandy: No, with quiet insistence.
Peabody: Well, did you scream for help?
Brandy: No. Her chin fell to her chest; she looked down at her twiddling fingers. Not at fir
Peabody: Did you fight back?
Brandy: Yes! She stared him straight in the eyes as she spoke the word through clenched teeth.
Peabody: Oh, you did? he asked rhetorically, with a rise of his eyebrows. And did the investigating officers locate any evidence, or take any pictures that support the theory of this supposed struggle?
Brandy: No. She answered in just above a whisper.
Peabody: No! And the fact of the matter is that you never even really tried to fight back, did you, Miss Jacobs? His words dripped with bitter sarcasm. In fact, he rushed on, you enjoyed it, didnt you?
Brandy: No!
Peabody: But this was all your idea, was it not? he demanded.
Brandy: No!
Peabody: Your idea of two men he frowned with distaste, for a fun, wicked and wild time.
Brandy: No! she shouted angrily, rising from her seat in the witness stand.
District Attorney Henderson: Objection, Your Honor! she bellowed with irritated insistence as she rose in Brandys defense. The defense is badgering the witness. For Gods sake shes not the one on trial here!
Peabody: I have no further questions of this witness, Your Honor. He raised his hand and turned on his heels, glancing with a smirk towards the jury while trying to gauge their reaction.
Judge Stern: Objection is sustained, and that last statement will be stricken, she ordered, with a warning to you, Mr. Peabody. She peered at him over the rim of her glasses, eyes piercing a hole through him, as if attempting to try and see the inner workings of the little mans miserable mind. I will not tolerate that in this courtroom.
Peabody: Yes, Your Honor. I understand. My apologies, maam, I guess I just got a bit carried away. He saw no hint of humor on the black judges face and knew that hed better be careful from there on out.
Brandy didnt know which was worse; the abusive and intrusive rape or the relentless, heartless and conniving prodding of the rapists attorney. Each had attacked her in a way to alter and effect her life foreverbut that was then and this was now: The winter of 1996.
Brandy leaned over to cut the car stereo up, allowing the soothing sounds of Anita Baker to wafer through the tiny interior. She relaxed to the tune of caught up in the rapture of love; and was soon singing along to the mellow groove; bouncing in her seat, hips swaying, fingers popping and a lovely smile stretched across her pretty face. She was going to see the man that she loved.
The Toyota Tercell dodged in and out of each of the four lanes as it raced towards its destination; carefree but with a definite and urgent goal. It was very apparent that time was indeed a factor for this car and its pilot. Only wings could have achieved the desired goal any faster! Ah, love was beautiful. And didnt the sun seem much brighter today? The air fresher? The day shorter?
Brandy did find a bit of comfort in her long journeys here. They always gave her plenty of time to think. To be alone and hear her own voice without a lot of the normal day to day interruptions and distractions. It was her time, a time in which she was free to dream of the tomorrows while escaping the present and racing away from the past. This was the road that bridged her to life. A new life, unpredictable and unforeseen, yet somehow right. She felt it. She felt it in the tingles that wound their way through her being. She felt it in the rapid beating of her heart and she felt it in her soul. Yes, this was what true love was all about. And wasnt it a joy to have finally found it, after so much heartache, misery and pain in the short time of her existence here on this earth!
Yes, some not so fond memories would also find time to resurface, here in these moments, but somehow here she felt stronger and was able to hush their nagging voices, finding strength and reassurance in the very moment itself.
She lurched forward, swerving in front of the big semi truck and zoomed ahead.
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