Chapter 22 - LAUREN’S TESTIMONY
Lauren wore navy.
No dramatic maternity clothes.
Her postpartum body had changed.
Sophie was six months old by trial.
Healthy.
Small.
Catching up.
Brent’s attorney began gently.
“You loved my client.”
“Yes.”
“You chose to marry him.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted a family.”
“Yes.”
“You argued.”
“Yes.”
“You sometimes yelled.”
“Yes.”
“You pushed past him physically.”
“Yes.”
“You scratched him once.”
“Yes.”
“Could your marriage fairly be described as volatile?”
Lauren thought.
“Sometimes.”
The attorney looked satisfied.
Then:
“Was every bruise caused by Brent?”
“No.”
Good.
Truth.
“Did you ever exaggerate symptoms when afraid?”
“Yes.”
“Did you exaggerate Wednesday night?”
“No.”
“How can you be certain?”
“Because I was afraid enough to contact my doctor while knowing it could expose my marriage.”
Silence.
Then the portal records.
The lawyer suggested she had asked Brent to send the retraction.
Lauren answered:
“If I wanted to retract it, why did he take my phone first?”
No perfect victim.
May you like
No perfect memory.
Just sequence.
