Finding My Baby Daddy (Pandora and Benjamin) novel Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Benjamin and Pandora arrived st as the court was starting up. First up was Derrik, who sat there for almost three hours, trying to paint himself as the victim. It was hard sitting there listening to him spew out how Pandora was trying hard to ruin him, and she did all that herself to set him up.

Miriam was the next to take the stand and she just glared at Pandora as she was sworn in.

“I would first like to ask you about your son, who is he?” Derrik’s lawyer asked.

“Oh, my sweet Derrik is such a good boy. He was a star football player, but she…” Miriam hissed with a nod in Pandora’s direction, “made him give up his dream. She was always bossing him around, telling him what to do, and what to wear. He wasn’t allowed friends, and she even tried to stop him from talking to me. But I wouldn’t allow that to happen. I would walk through hell for my

son.”

“So, Mrs. Preston, you are saying that Mrs. Parks was controlling your son?”

“Oh yes, he wasn’t allowed to work because she was afraid that another woman more worthy would steal him away. When he couldn’t work, she barely allowed him new clothing or enough food, so his father and I gave him money so that he could eat and get new clothes.

“How sad. Was there any violence in the relationship?” he asked.

“I believe she hit him regularly, she even raped him.”

Pandora’s mouth dropped open, and it was not what she was saying that made her feel so shocked, it was the fact she believed what she was saying to be true.

“Then there were the mind games she played with him. She was always playing with his mind and telling him that no one would want him, that he was ugly, fat, and good for nothing. She destroyed him by telling him the babies were his just to bring him to court knowing full well they weren’t. How could you be so cruel to my boy?” She looked at Pandora as she cried out the last part.

“Objection,” the District Attorney stood and said.

Pandora snapped her mouth shut as she looked at Miriam. She clearly needed an Academy Award.

“Sustained, the jury will ignore Mrs. Preston’s last comment,” the judge sighed and turned to look at Miriam again. “You need to refrain from making such comments, Mrs. Preston.”

“I’m sorry, Your Honor, it’s just he’s my boy. He’s so scared and he needs his momma. He needs to come home so I can took after him.”

Pandora’s eyes moved to Benjamin, who showed no emotion on his face, but she knew he felt worried by the way Miriam was carrying on.

When Derrik’s lawyer sat down, the District Attorney took over. His questions were hard but Miriam excused everything that Derrik had done. She claimed it had not been his fault, even the video of him slashing Milton’s tires. She merely said that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind.

She even claimed Pandora was going with Milton to abort the babies and he was trying to save them. Court was again adjourned for the day and they were asked to come back tomorrow for closing arguments before the jury was sent to deliberate.

They headed home and started the process of their normal daily, evening routine. They ended up going to bed shortly after the boys did- both stressed from their day at the courthouse.

“Do you think the jury will believe that I’m the monster Derrik and Miriam have painted me to be?” she asked as they lay in bed.

1/2

“God no, sweetheart, they could hear and see that she’s just a mother who sees no wrong in her son. No one will believe he is so innocent that he is always the person catching the blame for everyone else. I’m sure they did see through his act.”

“But she almost had me thinking I was the person she was describing me to be. I mean, what has he told her to lead her to believe I was that person?”

Benjamin sighed and pulled her into his arms. “I know who you are and you’re one of the kindest, sweetest, women I’ve ever met, and I love you. So who cares what he told her because none of it’s true. You’re my wife and I love you so much.”

Pandora smiled. “I love you, too,” she said before kissing him.

Again Benjamin and Pandora arrived just as the court was starting. They sat silently as the closing arguments were presented to the jury. Her eyes flashed to Derrik, who was wiggling in his seat and looked as if he was in a bit of pain.

“Sweetheart,” Benjamin whispered and she slowly turned to him. “The jury has been sent to deliberate- come on, let’s go.”

She chuckled but her eyes flashed to Derrik who was walking away slowly. “What’s with him?” she asked, pointing.

“He’s trying to claim the beating Benjamin gave him left him with problems,” Keira chuckled.

“He should have gone into acting because that even fooled me.”

Keira hummed before chuckling. “But you are easily fooled, Pandora. Remember when you were ten and Jimmy from our class made you think his dad was a vampire?”