Babs’ New Year’s Resolution 72 © Beverly Taff.

List of Characters.

Lola Smith Bab’s adopted trans daughter.
Callista Denton (Callie). Transgendered Duchess of Denton.
Margaret Denton (Maggie). Callie’s wife.
Molly Denton Callie’s grandmother
Ellie Denton Callie’s mother.
Bab’s Barbara Smith. Lola’s adoptive ‘Nana’
Olivia Smith Bab’s adopted daughter. (Excellent Artist.)
Angela Smith Bab’s newly adopted daughter
Erica Bab’s foster daughter.
Sergeant Bridie Davies Lady Police detective protecting the girls.
Sergeant Brian Davies. Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation.
Gareth Jenkins, Police office trained in firearms and protection.
Belinda Harrington Lola’s university girlfriend.
Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to –
Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.
Mickey Talbot Aaron and Shirley’s oldest son.
Jessica Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s middle daughter.
Bianca Talbot Aaron & Shirley’s youngest daughter.
Henry Denton Callie’s only son.
Charlotte Denton Callie’s only daughter.
Beverly Callie’s maternal great aunt (Ellie’s paternal aunt)
Wendy Smith Beverly’s Operations Manager for Hull
Louisa Wendy’s Daughter
Griselda & Mia Wendy’s younger twin daughters.
Susan Harvey Prosecution counsel advocating for Erica in court.
Han’s The German policeman’s son whom Erica really fancies .

Chapter 72.

At the restaurant Babs’ and the three girls spent the first hour speculating about Erica’s visit to Hans’s family until Babs’ called a halt.

“It’s no use wondering girls; we’ll find out when she gets back and I’ve no idea when that will be.”

“She could at least phone,” Olivia lamented. “We need to know.”

“I doubt if she’ll find a quiet moment with enough privacy to talk. Plus it would appear a bit rude to be caught talking about the family while in their company.”

“If things are going badly, she’ll phone,” Lola offered hopefully, “and if things are going well she’ll be too involved to find time.”

“Amen to that,” Babs replied. “Now can we talk about something else?”

“Like tomorrow and the defence trial.” Angie suggested. “Do you think they’ll go easy on her Nana?”

Babs’ paused thoughtfully before replying pessimistically.

“Knowing what we know so far, I very much doubt it. We’re going to have to give Erica all the support we can.”

The three girls all nodded silently as the waitress arrived with the dessert menu. She sensed the sombre mood and asked if everything was satisfactory. Babs’ reassured her as the girls made it plain they were keen to taste the puddings. The remainder of the meal was eaten amidst a lively debate about possible angles of attack the defence counsels might take to debunk Erica’s evidence. Babs’ was pleased to see that the discussion was up-beat because the video evidence clearly had most of the offenders ‘bang to rights’!

After the meal, they chose not to take a taxi back to the hotel, but instead, walked through the town and along the river. Eventually it was Babs’ who ordered a taxi. Her octogenarian feet were beginning to hurt and she wanted to be back in the hotel to receive Erica in case things had gone badly. They were sharing coffee in the foyer when Erica eventually returned with Hans and his sister.

Babs’ was relieved to see them smiling.

ooo000ooo

Hans and his younger sister ‘delivered’ Erica to Babs’s hotel door and briefly chatted as courtesy demanded. After they had made their farewells Babs’ immediately pumped Erica for all the news.

“Well? How did it go?”

Erica grinned as she revealed all.

“For the second time in my life Nana, things have gone right. They’re nice people.”

“Go on girl, don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Can the girls come in. I’d like them to hear this.”

“Oh dammit! Sorry darling, go and get them.”

Erica returned with the three and they settled on the bed in an expectant bundle.

“Well; firstly, they seemed a bit formal but I suppose that’s their way. The whole family were there, grandparents, uncles, aunts. At first I thought it was going to be like the Inquisition but they soon scotched that worry.”

“So what did they want to know about?”

“All the stuff I told Hans and his parents yesterday. The grandparents were worried but one of the aunts is a doctor and she reassured them that with care, things should work out. Naturally, they were concerned about any babies and they want to meet you all but particularly Nana. Proper family and all that I suppose.”

“Did you tell them everything?” Babs’ asked.

“Yes Nana. No secrets, that’s what my life is all about now. I’m resolved to fight my corner without an Achilles heel. No secrets, no chinks in my armour.”

“What about us, our secrets?” Lola demanded.

“Everything. Sorry if you think I was wrong but if I hadn’t been open and honest I was afraid they might think I had something to hide. They’re actually looking forward to meeting all of you.”

“Or just curious.” Olivia observed.

“Or just nosey.” Angie added.

“That’s enough you two, “ Babs’ intervened,” if they’re prepared to accept Erica with all her baggage then let’s give them the benefit of the doubt when we meet.”

“Yeah. Give them a break!” Erica scolded them mildly.

“So when do they want to meet us?” Lola asked Erica.

“After the hearings. Hans’s dad is too busy with the prosecution side. Until then.”
“So that could be two weeks, starting tomorrow.” Babs’ reckoned.

“His parents are prepared to meet you sooner with just Hans and his siblings. A sort of family get-together next weekend.” Erica revealed.

“Are you sure you’re not rushing headlong into this darling?” Babs’ pressed nervously. “It all seems so rushed.”

“No Nana, I’ve made it plain to them that I need time, lots of time. You understand why.”

“Of course darling; and you’ll get it. Canal cottage will always be there for you.”

Erica glanced around and was relieved to see the girls nodding agreement.

After a couple of hours chatting about many things surrounding Erica’s future, the girls made their excuses and left Babs’ to crawl into her bed. She was not surprised to find Erica slipping in beside her later.

The Monday morning arrived wet and windy but their mutual determination brought them to the courtroom full of resolve and Erica’s counsel Susan was relieved to find her client more than ready for the fight. She mentioned this to Babs.

“I expected to find Erica a nervous wreck. What did you do to her?”

“Oh she’s nervous but she’s up for a fight. If she can sit with me and her adoptive sisters while the other witnesses give evidence, she’ll withstand the defence’s attacks.”

“I’m sure the judges will allow that. She’s still in full view to all the court.”

“Well she’s not up until Tuesday afternoon so that will give a chance to see what sort of aggression she’ll be facing. Ah, we’re going in, come on.”

ooo000ooo

After a full week in the court, Erica was by now inured to the oppressive atmosphere and she took her agreed place beside Babs while her adoptive sisters sat behind her. On entry, the chief lady judge glanced at the arrangement and motioned to Susan. After a brief discussion Susan smiled at Erica to confirm her permission to sit with Babs. Technically, like many of the witnesses, Erica was still a legally child and many of those were escorted by carers.

Next, Erica scanned the public galleries and noticed Hans’s mother discreetly seated inconspicuously in a dark suite.

‘So! There were obviously going to be NO secrets and no holds barred.’ Erica told herself through gritted teeth.

As she clenched her jaw she squeezed Babs’s hand and whispered .

“There’s Hans’s mother, so no secrets. Glad I told them everything.”

“Truth is your weapon Darling, as you will see.”

With those words to comfort her, Erica settled back and watched as the first victim/witness was put up in the witness box. It was an Estonian girl she recognised from Amsterdam. Under fifteen and referred to as ‘Miss X’. The defence council wasted no time on niceties and plunged straight in with both barrels.

“So Miss X. Can you explain how you ended up in Amsterdam?”

“I was offered a job.”

“Oh! You were offered a job. You are fourteen and you were offered a job.”

“Yes.”

“Did your prospective employer know for certain that you were fourteen?”

“No.”

“In fact he must have presumed you were sixteen or over.”

“Yes.”

“What led him to believe that?”

“I told him.”

“You are saying you told him you were over sixteen.”

“Yes.”

“So you lied.”

Miss X fell silent so the counsel, sensing her fear, pressed the accusation.

“You must have lied or how else must he have thought you were over sixteen.”
She nodded reluctantly and even from her seat; Erica could see the girl’s first tear glisten as the counsel dived in.

“So you admit you are a liar.”

“It wasn’t like that!” The girl tried to protest. “He tricked me into thinking it was a clerical job.”

“No matter what the job, you would still have to be sixteen or over. That’s Estonian law is it not.”

“Yes.”

“Yes indeed, so you knew you were breaking the law. - - - Did your parents know you were trying to get a job in Amsterdam.?”

“No.” She croaked almost inaudibly.

“So you decided to leave your country and travel across four different countries to Holland to start a job that you knew nothing about.”

“Yes,” she was forced to admit.

“Without a passport?”

“He got a passport for me.”

“But not a legal one. The Estonian authorities have no record of ever issuing you a passport.”

“He said it was legal, I trusted him.”

“Do you seriously expect the court to believe that you thought your passport was legal? What about your birth certificate and letters confirming your identity plus all the other procedures required to acquire a passport?”

“He said he could fast-track the process.”

“Really! And you believed him. I put it to you that you knew the passport was fake but you thought you could use it quickly. Was that to deceive your parents?”

“I just needed to get away - - - from them, - - - my parents that is.”

“By lying?”

“No. My life was shit, I just wanted out.”

ooo000ooo

Very quickly, the counsel made mincemeat of the girl’s case by seemingly demonstrating that the girl was a totally dishonest, wayward renegade with a string of minor offences against her name in her home town of Tartu, not thirty miles from the Russian border. It was demonstrated that her father was a smuggler of just about any tradable commodity including girls, drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Miss X’s testimony was not completely de-bunked but her evidence tested credibility.

She left the witness stand a crushed, tearful wreck and Erica had to bite her lip as she watched the girl being almost carried from the courtroom.

‘Just you wait you bastards!’ she muttered under her breath just loud enough for Susan and Babs’ to hear.

“Patience girl!” Susan warned her as the chief justice gave them all a sharp look.

ooo000ooo