One For The Books

“I plead guilty your honor”……..

No sooner had the words passed Cynthia McFadden’s trembling lips, the courtroom erupted like nothing the veteran judge had seen in thirty years. Sandy thought her gavel would break like the line of reporters peeling off the courtroom walls, ready to speed dial their respective newspapers and television stations.

“If I don’t have quiet right now in my courtroom, I’ll throw you all in jail“ the weary judge said with feigned conviction.

Surprisingly her words silenced what was becoming circus like. Cynthia McFadden had just decided her future before a jury would get that chance. The unlikely murderer slowly sat down, knowing her words would lock her up a long time. Paul Matthews, her lawyer and long time friend, threw up his hands and started to walk away, beyond shock at her admission of guilt she kept from him and the court until only moments ago.

“Paul“ Cynthia begged “ try to understand why I had to do this”.

“Throw away your life after all we’ve been through and mean to one another? For a man who deserved everything he got?!” grimacing as cuffs locked around her wrists.

Before Cynthia could answer, there was more commotion when a handsome boy sitting behind her stood up and started to speak.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her whole body shaking.

Randy stood unmoving, staring at his mother then turned to the judge
.
“Your honor, my mother didn‘t do anything wrong!” overriding her.

The judge had the gavel poised to strike, but against normal proticall, permitted the young man to have his say.

“Go ahead” ” Sandy urged, as if addressing a small child.

“I’ve seen my mother take the blame for a lot of things not her fault, but this is not going to be one of them“ taking over as her lawyer though barely eighteen.

“Randy, this is none of your business” his mom pleaded

“I’m your son, you better believe its my business, but why not ask the guilty scum“ Randy answered, already walking towards a man standing among the reporters, who made a bee line for the door but quickly apprehended by two guards.

“Get your hands off me“ the man snarled, trying to wrench free

Cynthia fell into Paul’s arms, her legs giving out, recognizing the voice hiding behind a clever disguise.

“Judge, Randy said choking back phlem, "this man who I am ashamed to call my father, the animal who my mom thinks I might have killed but in reality staged his own death wanting one of us to take the rap”

Sandy’s gavel pounded only once, speechless for more than a few minutes at these turn of events, even more for the mother now held close by both her lawyers.

A by the book judge, nevertheless she of all people understood why the perjuring mother did what she did, thinking of her own grown sons.

She turned to Paul, Cynthia and Randy and said with all the authority and pleasure she felt,

“Case dismissed, and guards take that, that animal Richard McFadden and have him booked!”

Sandy stepped down from her high bench, and before approaching the freed prisoner, made a mental note to pick up milk and bread at Dairy Barn, drop off her robes to the cleaners and above all, add this one to the books!