Chapter 19 - MARINA TESTIFIES AGAINST HELENA
The preliminary criminal hearing put Marina in the witness chair.
Helena would not look at her.
Marina looked at the judge.
Good.
“Did your mother tell you Celeste had agreed to the placement?”
“Yes.”
“Did Celeste ever tell you that?”
“No.”
“Did you sign as a witness?”
“Yes.”
“Did you witness Celeste sign the custody document?”
“No.”
“Why did you sign?”
“Because my mother told me it was already done.”
“Did you know that was improper?”
“Yes.”
There.
Then:
“Did you know the signature was forged?”
“No.”
“Did you know Helena had obtained a fresh signature from Celeste?”
“I knew Celeste signed another page.”
“What did Helena tell you?”
“That the first signature was messy.”
Then the plan.
Marina admitted she knew:
Baby would discharge to her townhouse if Damian accepted.
Celeste might stay elsewhere temporarily.
A postpartum nurse was booked.
Pediatric appointment scheduled.
She believed the arrangement would last at least several weeks.
Then:
“What if Celeste said no?”
Marina’s voice broke.
“She had already said no.”
Silence.
The prosecutor waited.
Then:
“And you continued?”
“Yes.”
That was the truth.
She did not need knowledge of forgery to betray Celeste.
She had already decided a no could be outlasted.
Defense attacked Marina’s credibility.
“You are testifying to save yourself.”
“Yes.”
Marina’s lawyer nearly fell out of her chair.
The prosecutor looked surprised.
Marina continued:
“I am also testifying because I was wrong.”
Defense:
“You want the court to believe you are innocent?”
“No.”
That answer helped.
“I want the court to believe I did not forge her signature. I did other things.”
There.
No purity.
More credibility.
Helena finally looked at her daughter.
The expression was worse than anger.
Abandonment.
Marina saw it.
May you like
Kept speaking.
That was the first time I believed my sister might actually change.
