What a father should be, chapter 2
Billie Joe walked into court with his lawyer. A lot of people gawked at him, and Billie tried not to look at them. He kept his head down. Billie and his lawyer, a fat balding man called Ray, sat down at a table. Ray took a sip of water and looked over documents. Billie looked up at the empty judge's chair and hoped the person that filled it would be easy on him. Would understand. A lot of the people he could feel were tutting at him. It annoyed him. He didn't see them helping Zach out, yet they were happy to shake their heads at Billie Joe, despite not having a clue what happened.
"Keep your mouth shut until I say. Listen to me and you just might win." Ray whispered to Billie, who nodded. He sunk lower in his chair, trying to touch the ground with his feet. He began to feel really small, knowing everyone behind him had low expectations of him.
Billie blushed as he heard one woman muttering:
"I heard he's only doing it for publicity, I heard he needs to get his image together to be respected by all those record companies he trashed. He's probably using the kid." Billie swallowed. Great lot of support. He looked at his hands, and noticed they were shaking. He put them in his pockets and looked at the file in front of him.
"Parental Comments- Armstrong, Billie Joe: N/A"
So they obviously couldn't contact his mum... or Brad. He was glad. The last thing he needed was for Brad to be up on the stands, sobered up and ready to trash Billie's reputation completely.
"All rise! For the Honorable Judge Wallace." the court officer stated. Everyone stood up and bowed their heads. Billie was quick to stand and bow, immediately feeling out of place. The judge sat down and shuffled his papers. Billie peered across to the other table. A social worker sat there, eying Billie Joe. Billie's eyes darted away, and onto the judge. The judge looked at Billie Joe and Billie smiled nervously. The judge smiled back.
"You may sit now Mr. Armstrong." he said, and Billie looked behind him. Everyone else had sat down, and had looks of amusement on their faces. The media were up the back, and a camera flash went off in Billie Joe's face. He sighed and sat down. He was alone. He wished Zach was here. Then they'll all see.
"No flash photography. All media please wait outside until recess." the judge remarked. Billie watched as the media groaned and left. Billie looked carefully at the judge and thought he saw a look of approval. Billie began to feel a little more confident.
"Prosecution please call the first witness." the judge asked, as the social worker stood up.
"Prosecution calls in Mr. Derek Stevens, father of child Zachary Stevens." Billie looked up, hoping he had heard wrong. He hadn't. There came the bastard through the door. Derek had handcuffs around his hands yet they were undone as he climbed into the witness box. He sat, rubbing his hands and looking angry. Billie looked furiously at him from the corner of the room, wanting to hurt him in any way possible. Derek looked around, and laid eyes on Billie Joe. Billie felt hatred, even more so when he looked Derek in the eyes. He was gutless. Just like Brad.
"Mr. Stevens is currently in custody for being found guilty of sexually and physically abusing Zachary heavily for an extensive period of time. He has pleaded guilty however his sentence is not yet determined. Tell me, Mr. Stevens, did Zachary ever mention anything of Billie Joe?" the social worker's lawyer asked, pacing around the court.
"No. He never mentioned the mother fucker. What he was doing with Zach every afternoon is unknown to me, but whatever it was he'd never opened his bullshit crammed mouth to me about it and neither had Zach. And how the little bitch knew where we lived is a fucking mystery. Came around to fiddle with Zach while I wasn't there probably." Derek glared at Billie, who stood up in a rage.
"I WAS PROTECTING HIM FROM YOU! HE NEVER TALKS TO YOU BECAUSE HE'S TOO SCARED TO OPEN HIS MOUTH OR HE KNOWS YOU'LL BEAT WHATEVER HE HAS TO SAY OUT OF HIM!" yelled Billie, flushing a hot red. The judge smashed his hammer onto the bench.
"SIT DOWN MR. ARMSTRONG!" he bellowed, as Ray pulled Billie down into his chair.
"Don't ever yell like that you idiot! Do you want to lose?" hissed Ray, digging his fingers into Billie. Billie sat silently, fuming with frustration.
Derek sniggered at him from his chair. Billie looked up at the judge again, who looked back at him with a disappointed expression. Billie was quiet, biting his thumb hard.
Derek smiled at Billie from his chair. Billie glared back to him and felt as helpless as he did when he was under Brad's reign all those years ago. He couldn't get up, he couldn't confront him, give his opinion. No, there were too many judgmental people here. Who he knew would not listen to him at all.
"Keep your mouth shut until I say. Listen to me and you just might win." Ray whispered to Billie, who nodded. He sunk lower in his chair, trying to touch the ground with his feet. He began to feel really small, knowing everyone behind him had low expectations of him.
Billie blushed as he heard one woman muttering:
"I heard he's only doing it for publicity, I heard he needs to get his image together to be respected by all those record companies he trashed. He's probably using the kid." Billie swallowed. Great lot of support. He looked at his hands, and noticed they were shaking. He put them in his pockets and looked at the file in front of him.
"Parental Comments- Armstrong, Billie Joe: N/A"
So they obviously couldn't contact his mum... or Brad. He was glad. The last thing he needed was for Brad to be up on the stands, sobered up and ready to trash Billie's reputation completely.
"All rise! For the Honorable Judge Wallace." the court officer stated. Everyone stood up and bowed their heads. Billie was quick to stand and bow, immediately feeling out of place. The judge sat down and shuffled his papers. Billie peered across to the other table. A social worker sat there, eying Billie Joe. Billie's eyes darted away, and onto the judge. The judge looked at Billie Joe and Billie smiled nervously. The judge smiled back.
"You may sit now Mr. Armstrong." he said, and Billie looked behind him. Everyone else had sat down, and had looks of amusement on their faces. The media were up the back, and a camera flash went off in Billie Joe's face. He sighed and sat down. He was alone. He wished Zach was here. Then they'll all see.
"No flash photography. All media please wait outside until recess." the judge remarked. Billie watched as the media groaned and left. Billie looked carefully at the judge and thought he saw a look of approval. Billie began to feel a little more confident.
"Prosecution please call the first witness." the judge asked, as the social worker stood up.
"Prosecution calls in Mr. Derek Stevens, father of child Zachary Stevens." Billie looked up, hoping he had heard wrong. He hadn't. There came the bastard through the door. Derek had handcuffs around his hands yet they were undone as he climbed into the witness box. He sat, rubbing his hands and looking angry. Billie looked furiously at him from the corner of the room, wanting to hurt him in any way possible. Derek looked around, and laid eyes on Billie Joe. Billie felt hatred, even more so when he looked Derek in the eyes. He was gutless. Just like Brad.
"Mr. Stevens is currently in custody for being found guilty of sexually and physically abusing Zachary heavily for an extensive period of time. He has pleaded guilty however his sentence is not yet determined. Tell me, Mr. Stevens, did Zachary ever mention anything of Billie Joe?" the social worker's lawyer asked, pacing around the court.
"No. He never mentioned the mother fucker. What he was doing with Zach every afternoon is unknown to me, but whatever it was he'd never opened his bullshit crammed mouth to me about it and neither had Zach. And how the little bitch knew where we lived is a fucking mystery. Came around to fiddle with Zach while I wasn't there probably." Derek glared at Billie, who stood up in a rage.
"I WAS PROTECTING HIM FROM YOU! HE NEVER TALKS TO YOU BECAUSE HE'S TOO SCARED TO OPEN HIS MOUTH OR HE KNOWS YOU'LL BEAT WHATEVER HE HAS TO SAY OUT OF HIM!" yelled Billie, flushing a hot red. The judge smashed his hammer onto the bench.
"SIT DOWN MR. ARMSTRONG!" he bellowed, as Ray pulled Billie down into his chair.
"Don't ever yell like that you idiot! Do you want to lose?" hissed Ray, digging his fingers into Billie. Billie sat silently, fuming with frustration.
Derek sniggered at him from his chair. Billie looked up at the judge again, who looked back at him with a disappointed expression. Billie was quiet, biting his thumb hard.
Derek smiled at Billie from his chair. Billie glared back to him and felt as helpless as he did when he was under Brad's reign all those years ago. He couldn't get up, he couldn't confront him, give his opinion. No, there were too many judgmental people here. Who he knew would not listen to him at all.
