Post by CarolinaCutie on Oct 26, 2003 23:37:11 GMT -4
[glow=red,2,300]“So many times I've been let down/Till the point where love made no sound/Then you came and love moved back in/Now it's my turn to give back again”
—Andrea Martin: Let Me Return the Favor[/glow]
—Andrea Martin: Let Me Return the Favor[/glow]
Conclusion…
The courtroom where Bernard’s trial was being held was almost empty except for Stacie and her family including Nita and Neicy. A few family members of Bernard’s were also in the court room.
“You’re gonna be alright.”, Nita reassured Stacie as she placed her arm around her shoulder. Nita noticed how more nervous Stacie seemed to grow when it was near her turn to get on the witness stand to testify against Bernard. Her father who was sitting on the other side of her held her hand the entire time.
“Stacie Hodges, please take the stand.”, the bailiff announced when her turn finally came. She took a deep breath before standing up along with her mother, father, and sister who gave her reassuring hugs before she slowly walked up to the front. When she passed by the table where Bernard was sitting with his lawyer, she made it a point not to look in his direction.
After being sworn in, she was asked to recount the event of what had happened to her almost 16 years beforehand. In the middle of her testimony, she broke down and began to weep and had to apologize to the judge. However, he told her to take her time while the bailiff gave her a few Kleenex. When she looked out at her father, she saw tears falling from his eyes while his normal cream-colored skin tone changed to a dark red shade. A few minutes later after regaining her composure, Stacie was also asked about Gayle and some of things that she had went through according to what Gayle had told her a few years later after leaving her mother’s home.
During the cross examination, Bernard’s lawyer had no sensitivity as he threw things back at Stacie while trying to throw her off course. At one point, Percy became angry and jumped up to come to Stacie’s defense while shouting obscenities. The judge immediately began to beat his gavel on the desk and ordered Percy to be removed from the courtroom until he calmed down.
In any case, Stacie held her own as she answered the heartless lawyer’s questions one right behind the other. She was proud of herself for standing her ground and was even more proud when she was no longer afraid to look in Bernard’s direction while talking about the things he had done.
When her testimony was over, the judge announced a 15-minute recess. Stacie proceeded to step down from the witness stand and ran into her mother’s open arms before they, as well as everyone else, joined her father who was outside in the hall. He was unable to come back inside due to being so upset and angry.
“C’mon, daddy…let’s take a walk.”, Stacie whispered as she took his hand and led him outside in the morning sun.
“I’m sorry, Creep!”, he sobbed as he held his head downward while continuing to cry.
“For what? You haven’t done anything.”, she replied as she grabbed the both of his hands. They both proceeded to sit on the edge of one of the many fountains in the courtyard.
“If I hadn’t been so busy drinkin’ my troubles away and causin’ your mother stress, maybe we would’ve known what you were goin’ through.”, he cried as he laid his head on Stacie’s shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him.
“The only one at fault is him.”, Stacie quietly stated in regard to Bernard. She was still unable to say his name after having to relive her ordeal on the witness stand.
“But no one was there to help you and Gayle. I loved my sister dearly, but if there was one thing I used to get on her about all the time was havin’ a big, trustin’ heart! And to think she was gonna marry that bastard in there!”, he shouted as anger took over him again. He quickly stood up. “I’m goin’ back in there to finish his @$$ off!”
“No, daddy! He’s not worth it!”, Stacie pleaded as she jumped up and grabbed his hand. “He’s gonna get what’s comin’ to him. Okay?” She then reached up and hugged her father’s neck.
“Okay.”, he whispered as he hugged her back.
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Later that evening, Sisqo dropped by Stacie’s place to see how she was doing since he knew she had to testify earlier in the day. However, she was on her way out the door to head down to the studio so she and Latrell could work on some new material with Lamont as well as Nita and Cookie who decided to provide their background vocals. Stacie was also going to work on a surprise for Sisqo as her way of saying thank you for his being there for her during the past few months of their blossoming relationship. In the meantime, Javon was staying with his paternal grandmother in Delaware for his summer vacation before returning home to start kindergarten in a few weeks.
“Hey! Did I catch you at a bad time?”, Sisqo asked when he saw her coming down the steps of her porch.
“Not really. I was on my way down to the studio to work on some stuff with the girls, Latrell, and Lamont. Wanna come?”, she smiled.
“Yeah…I’ll drive ya.”, he grinned as he took her hand and led her over to his ride.
“W’sup!”, Latrell and Lamont both grinned when Stacie and Sisqo arrived several minutes later after Cookie and Nita. They all gave each other pounds.
“Hey, yall!”, Stacie smiled as Sisqo joined the girls on the couch. Stacie sat at the mixing board with Latrell and Lamont.
For about the next hour or so, she and Latrell thought up some rap lyrics for her to include in her cover of Janet Jackson’s “Together Again” which was her dedication to Gayle. It was just one of five songs she was going to include on her latest demo that she was going to shop around to several labels.
“Aight, yall ready?”, Stacie grinned as she stood up to head to the recording booth with the girls in tow.
“Fo’ sho’!”, Cookie grinned as she and Nita took their places at the mic behind the mic that Stacie was using. In close to four hours, all of the songs that she would be using were finished. That’s when Stacie told Sisqo she had a surprise just for him.
“A surprise?”, Lamont whispered to Latrell. They both gave each other a puzzling look.
However, Sisqo sat back in his chair with a big grin plastered on his face. “Spring it on me, ma!”
“Oh no doubt!”, she grinned before clearing her throat. She then nodded her head for Lamont to start the next track. Within a few seconds some music began to play and she proceeded to sing the following lyrics:
“We were never ‘sposed to go this far for real/Now I see it all so clear/I’m holdin’ back from you/Just makin’ me want’chu with me/And now/Now we’re gettin’ oh so close/And wantin’ everyday a little more of each other’s touch/Yeah/What we waitin’ for/See whenever I lie down to sleep/Thoughts are swimmin’ constantly/And I can’t deny the love for you I feel/And whenever I tell you I gotta go/My heart starts to feel the pain/Wonderin’ when will I see you again/I can’t pretend/I’m feelin’ like/Feelin’ like lettin’ you love me/Feelin’ like givin’ you my heart/Show me all the love that you’re feelin’/I’ll show you all the love that I’m feelin’…”
All three guys sat in shock as they listened to Stacie performing an emotional rendition of Amerie’s “Show Me”.
“D
n! I ain't know my cuz had skills like THAT.”, Latrell chuckled as he looked from Lamont to Sisqo who nodded his head in agreement without taking his eyes off of her. In return, Stacie never took her eyes off of him while continuing to sing. As far as she was concerned, they were the only two in the room. In addition to her singing, the girls’ background vocals made the song that much better.Near the end of the song, a steady flow of tears began to roll down Stacie’s cheeks, but she never missed a note. And by the time she was finished, she was standing before Sisqo who had stood up from his chair. Without either of them saying a word, he pulled her into his arms and whispered that he loved her too.
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I'm over here crying. And that bastard Bernard got exactly what he deserves. I can't believe some people could actually do that to a child.
