Chapter 10 - The Verdict and The Breath
It took the jury less than two hours to reach a verdict.
We stood in the courtroom as the foreman read the decision.
"On the charge of felony child endangerment, we find the defendant... guilty. On the charge of reckless endangerment, we find the defendant... guilty."
Margaret collapsed into her chair, sobbing hysterically. Her sister, Carol, covered her face in the gallery.
The judge didn't show an ounce of pity. He sentenced Margaret to five years in a state penitentiary, citing her lack of remorse and the extreme danger she posed to a vulnerable child.
As the bailiffs placed her in handcuffs and led her out of the courtroom, she didn't look at us. She was finally, permanently, removed from our lives.
We walked out of the courthouse into the bright afternoon sun. The air in Ohio was crisp and cool.
David wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my neck. "It's over," he whispered, a profound sense of relief washing over him. "We actually did it."
"We did," I smiled, tears of joy stinging my eyes.
When we got home, Leo was in the backyard, running through the grass with our golden retriever. He was laughing loudly, his chest rising and falling effortlessly.
May you like
David and I stood on the back porch, watching our son. We had faced the darkest parts of David's past and completely eradicated them. The cycle of abuse was broken forever.
Leo ran up to the porch, out of breath but smiling from ear to ear. He took a deep, clear breath of the fresh air, completely safe, and completely free.
