A Mother's Conviction (Secrets Series Book 3)

by Karen Lenfestey

  Beth had no idea how hard that must be for Gola. Beth had been addicted to food, she supposed, but it wasn’t the same really. Food made her fat and people had judged her, but she’d been able to hold down a good job. She’d never hurt anyone because of her own weakness. Gola had killed someone while she was under the influence. What did knowing that do to a person inside?

  “Now that I’m out, I’m still going to meetings. They say the real proof is how you act once you’re released and I’m doing great. I have a friend who has taken me in and is gonna help me get a job. As soon as I have my girls back, my life will be perfect.”

  “Tell the court about the day of the accident.”

  “I wish I could undo what I did that day. I’d just found out that my best friend had died, so I was a mess. I’d been drinking and I didn’t realize how far gone I was. I was driving down the highway and it’s this twisty road and I started thinking about when me and my friend were kids and we’d play hide ‘n seek in the woods. She was so good, I could never find her. Now she was gone forever.” She paused. “I don’t remember anything after that. I woke up in the hospital a few weeks later and they said I’d crossed the line and killed people in another car. It didn’t seem possible, but I was all banged up. And when I asked to see my Skye, they told me Conner had taken her. How could he do that? She was my little helper. I could always count on her to watch her baby sister when I went out. In fact, a mother couldn’t ask for a better child.”

  Beth’s gut twisted. It sounded like Skye was Gola’s favorite. How much trouble could Willow have been when she was what—three or four years old? I mean, all toddlers were a handful, but that’s just how it was.

  Gola pulled on a silver earring dangling from her lobe. “I guess that was my rock bottom. I’d been drinking a lot before that, but I didn’t think I had a problem. The car accident and getting put in jail—that forced me to face my drinking. I know it’s a disease that I inherited from my mom, but now I know that I can control it. All I want is a chance to raise my girls right and try to make up for all the time I’ve missed. Please, your honor, a girl needs her mother.”

  The judge raised his eyebrows and appeared to nod. Beth wondered if the judge would be more likely to place Skye with her father, if she’d been a boy. A boy needs his father and a girl needs her mother. Was that true? It was a shame that Skye and Willow couldn’t have both parents. At least Conner was fighting for Skye. Willow’s father had willingly signed away his parental rights while incarcerated and the child didn’t even know what the man looked like.

  When Beth focused again on the present, Conner’s lawyer had already begun questioning Gola.

  “How many times did you leave Skye home alone to watch after her little sister?”

  “Not that much. Sometimes I had to work.”

  “How many times did you leave Skye home alone so you could go to a bar?” Melodie had a determined look in her eye.

  Gola squirmed. “I don’t know. Not that often.”

  “Once a week?”

  “Yeah, probably.”

  “Twice a week?”

  “Maybe. Sometimes after working hard all day and being a single mother, I needed a break. I wanted to go out and relax.”

  “And drink?”

  “Yes.” Gola looked at her lawyer and seemed to be pleading for help with her eyes. “But I would never leave my girls home alone now. I don’t go to bars anymore and if I needed to go somewhere, I’d take them with me.”

  Melodie marched a path in front of Gola. “How many times did you bring home strange men that you’d met in these bars?”

  Gola shrugged. “I wasn’t thinking straight then because of the alcoholism. I’m a better person now.”

  “Now that you’ve served twenty-eight months in prison, you’re a better person?” Melodie splayed her hands out for emphasis.

  “Yes. Being locked up forced me to get the help I needed. I got my cosmetology license so I can get a good job.” Gola took a breath and looked into the distance. “When you’re in prison, you don’t think about the present. All you have is the past and the future. I spent all of my time regretting my past and planning for the future when I could try to be a better mom.” Her brown eyes misted and she used her palm to wipe them. “Everything I do, I do for my girls.”

  As if in empathy, Beth’s eyes watered a bit, too. She could imagine having all of the time in the world to beat yourself up over your past and hoping desperately that the future would be better. That’s what she’d been doing ever since she gave up Hannah for adoption. She regretted her mistake of getting pregnant before she was ready and she believed with all of her heart that one day, she would be the mother she wanted to be.

  Melodie’s face remained stern. “So, you regularly left two little girls home alone so you could go out and have some fun. You brought home strange men, drunk men, who could’ve abused your children while you were in a stupor. You never had any contact with them while you were in prison, but we’re supposed to believe that you’d provide a safe and loving home?” Opposing counsel objected, but she kept talking. “The only reason you’re sober is because you were incarcerated. Conner Walker, on the other hand, chose to go to AA the moment he realized his daughter needed him. For the past two years, Conner Walker has worked and kept a roof over Skye’s head. He has not gone out drinking and he has not brought home strange women to sleep in his bed. In every way, Conner Walker has proven himself to be the fitter parent.”

  Gola’s attorney rose. “Objection. Is there a question in there?”

  Melodie waved her palm in an apology. “Isn’t it true that you would still be drinking today if you hadn’t been prosecuted for vehicular homicide?”

  Gola twisted her earring. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe? That was your rock bottom you said. Had Child Protective Services ever visited your home?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why did they do that?”

  Gola squinted and looked as if she’d eaten something sour. “Because the mailman noticed that the girls were home alone. He stuck his nose in where it didn’t belong and called the police.”

  “How old was Skye when you left her home alone?”

  “Probably five or six.”

  “How long had you been gone when the postman found her?”

  Gola adjusted herself in her seat. “Um, a day or two.”

  “A day or two. Is it possible it had been longer? Maybe three days?”

  Shrugging, Gola looked at her attorney as if he could help. “I don’t know. A friend of Willow’s father was supposed to be watching them. I know I should’ve checked, but that was when I was drinking. I’m different now.”

  “Yes, yes, we’ve heard your promises, Miss Moon. How much food was there in the house when you abandoned your girls for three or more days?”

  Gola slapped her palm on the witness box. “There was food.”

  “Specifically what were your girls supposed to eat?”

  “I don’t know. There was food in the pantry.”

  “Did you know that Skye had been unable to operate the can opener? They had been eating nothing but crackers and ketchup. Did you know that? Is that what you call being a good mother, Miss Moon?”

  “There was food. I swear. The CPS worker hated me. She had it in for me so she made it sound worse than it was. If I were really that bad, why would they have returned my kids to me?”

  Melodie shook her head. “That’s a good question. You claim to be a changed woman, so let’s see if you’ll answer my last question honestly. Did Conner Walker ever strike you?”

  For a few seconds, Gola didn’t answer. “One of the steps in AA is about making amends. I guess it’s time I start doing that. The truth is I don’t know how I got that bruise on my face. I’d locked Conner out of our apartment and he broke the door down. We were both falling down drunk, but when the cops came and saw my face, they assumed. . . and I didn’t correct them. In my drinking days, I was always waking up to discover a brui
se somewhere that I couldn’t remember getting.”

  Beth fiddled with her watch and wondered if she could trust Gola. The woman seemed to be owning up to her past and saying all of the right things. And most importantly, Willow still loved her. Willow didn’t want to live with her foster mom when she could be with her real mom. If Beth moved to Tennessee, she could ensure that the girl was safe and cared for. Assuming Parker found evidence to back up Gola’s story about her life in Tennessee, Willow deserved a chance to be with her biological mother. If this judge deemed Gola fit for custody, then Beth would honor that. As soon as the words formed in her mind, she felt a heaviness lift.

  As Beth returned to the present, a woman in her seventies made her way to the stand. She had white hair and lines all over her face. “I’ve known Gola for the past two years. I visited her almost every week while she was incarcerated to read her the Bible and to talk about her redemption.”

  Gola’s attorney had replaced Melodie in front of the witness stand. He placed his hand in his pocket and looked relaxed. “Tell the court about Gola’s actions since she’s been released.”

  “She has been going to church with me every Sunday and she has been going to her AA meetings. Right now she lives in my basement, but someone in my congregation just got her into subsidized housing. She will have a two-bedroom apartment within the next week.” Her face glowed. “I plan to help Gola and continue praying for her to stay on the right path.”

  “Would you say the apartment is suitable for a single mother raising an eight-year-old girl?”

  “Oh, my yes. Two blocks away is a playground with swings and monkey bars. Lots of families live in the apartment complex, so Skye would have other kids to play with.”

  Beth squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. Gola now had secured housing, another check on her list. Treatment, housing, job. Willow might be leaving even sooner than Beth had planned.

  The lawyer paced in front of the witness. “If Gola ever needed to work late, would you be willing to babysit Skye?”

  “Definitely. I was a homemaker and I love kids. Mine are all grown, of course, so I have plenty of time to help Gola in any way.”

  “And are you confident that Gola will have a steady job?”

  The old woman nodded. “My niece owns a beauty parlor. She said they don’t call ‘em that anymore. Anyway, I told her about Gola and she plans to offer her a job the next time one of her stylists leaves.”

  Beth scratched her chin. How long would that be? According to Gola, this woman’s niece was more than a little hesitant to hire an ex-con. Perhaps Gola would never fulfill the employment requirement to regain custody. Or was Beth just in denial again?

  A bony hand reached up and gripped the wooden wall in front of the witness stand as the old woman pivoted in her seat. She faced the judge. “Until a stylist position opens up, my niece offered to let Gola sweep up hair and do odd jobs around the salon. What she’ll make doing that, will be enough to cover rent and when she starts cutting hair, she’ll get a raise. And if Gola needs any money to help make ends meet, I’ll be glad to loan it to her. I believe God has brought us together.” She smiled with her false teeth at Gola.

  Beth sighed. The truth was Gola had never had a support system before. She’d been a single mother unable to cope with her own demons. Now that she was sober and had a friend, she had a shot. The lack of a support system and a good job was exactly why Beth had placed Hannah for adoption. Parenting was hard—especially all on your own. She understood that now more than ever.

  The judge knocked his gavel on the desk about ten minutes later. “Any more witnesses?”

  The attorneys answered, “No, your honor,” in unison.

  He stroked his long chin. “Tomorrow I will talk with the minor child and render my decision.”

  Conner rose. “What about Skye? Can’t she sleep in her own bed tonight?”

  Melodie grabbed his wrist. “I’m sorry for my client’s outburst, your honor. He’s just distraught that his daughter has been out of his care for so long.”

  Gola stood and her chair fell backward onto the floor. “What about me? I haven’t seen Skye in over two years!”

  The judge banged his gavel and rose. “The foster family is taking good care of your daughter, I assure you. Probably better than either of you ever did.” Shaking his head, he exited the room.

  Beth rushed to her car so she could get her cell phone, which wasn’t allowed inside the courthouse. She dialed Parker. “Have you spoken to the owner of the hair salon where Gola’s going to work?”

  “Yes.” His voice sounded distant. “She does plan on giving Gola a job.”

  “That’s what I heard. I have the address of where she plans to move with Skye and Willow. Can you check it out for me? Make sure it’s in a good neighborhood?”

  “Of course.” He took down the street name and numbers. “Anything else I can do for you?”

  “Actually, can you do some apartment hunting for me? I’ve decided I’m definitely moving down there.”

  “Really?”

  “If the judge awards Gola custody of Skye, then I’m going to let her take Willow. The two sisters belong together.”

  “But you want to keep an eye on them?”

  “Yes. Maybe I won’t stay there forever, but I have to make sure Gola’s really changed.”

  “Sure. Boy, I’m going to miss you when you leave.”

  She chewed on her lip. Of course she’d miss him, too, but she was trying not to think about that. “Yeah.” She gave him some parameters for the apartment search and then ended the call. Later she’d have to find out if there was any way she could transfer there with her job. If not, she’d have to find a new job. Fortunately, she had savings to support her for a little while.

  Before she left the courthouse parking lot, she set her phone up for hands-free talking and dialed Hannah’s number. “Hey, how are you?”

  Hannah sounded a little stronger than the last time they’d spoken. “I’m all right. I’m back in the school routine, but it feels so meaningless.”

  “I understand.” She’d felt like an empty shell for years after she’d lost her child, and her baby had lived. “Anything new going on? Are you back on the swim team?”

  “No. I’m so out of shape, it would just be embarrassing to swim with them.”

  Beth hated that Hannah seemed to be shunning everything that had once given her joy. Because of the pregnancy, she’d missed out on being offered swimming scholarships to college, too. “I’ve been checking your blog, but you haven’t posted anything.” Since the memorial service.

  “I know. I need to take my camera to the park and snap some pictures. I think I’ll feel better if I get back to my art.”

  “Probably. Is there anything I can do? Or Parker? He’s back in the states, if you’d like him to visit.”

  “No. I don’t want any visitors. I just want to try and be a normal high school senior. Even though I know that’s impossible.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Conner paced around his empty house, worrying about what the judge would do. The old man sounded as if he thought they were both terrible parents. Tomorrow Conner might lose Skye for good. All because he’d been young and stupid once. All because he chose to drink. He banged his fist against the wall, rattling the black-and-white wedding photo of his grandparents.

  He thought about Mrs. Tandy accusing him of never living up to his potential. He thought about Skye crying over leaving Mittens behind. He even thought about that P.I. saying that kids needed consistency.

  Sure, he gave his daughter food, shelter and all the basics. But he knew that wasn’t enough. She deserved so much more and as her father, he had the power to provide it. If only that judge would give him the chance.

  Had they done enough to convince the court? He didn’t know. Grabbing his coat, he headed out the door, not bothering to lock it. Now that Skye was gone, there wasn’t anything of true value in there. Within a few minutes, he’d hiked
across the snow and was pounding on Melodie’s door.

  A moment later, she stood before him. For some reason, seeing her no-nonsense hair and gorgeous face always disarmed him. “Hey, can I come in? My house is too quiet.”

  With a sweep of her hand, she welcomed him inside. “How are you holding up?”

  “As good as can be expected considering a total stranger’s deciding the fate of my family.” He wiped his feet before stepping into her foyer.

  “I’m sure it’s hard.”

  “I’m dying inside. If they take my little girl away. . . .” He desperately needed a hug and reached for her.

  She moved back and put up her palm. “Conner, I’m your attorney. Let’s keep things professional, okay?”

  Ouch! Embarrassed, he shoved his hands in his jean pockets. “Yeah, right. I’m going crazy worrying. I don’t know where Skye is, if she’s all right, if she’s happy. I mean, I know she’s not happy. It’s my job as her father to make sure she’s safe and happy. And now some stranger’s pulling the strings.”

  She gestured for him to take a seat on the beige couch. “You’ve done everything you can.”

  “Have I? Gola’s attorney made me sound like a self-centered jerk. I feel bad that I never paid child support. That made me look bad, didn’t it?”

  She nodded. “But Gola almost killed her kids driving drunk. She’s an ex-con. There’s hope for us.”

  “Too bad I’m a former drunk, too. So much came out in court that I’m not proud of. You must think I’m scum.”

  Her face remained neutral. “If everyone had to defend their past in court, we’d all look like terrible people. Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter what I think anyway.”

  “It does matter what you think. It matters to me a lot.”

  Her face turned pink. “I’m your attorney. I’m on your side.”