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OS: Day Twenty-Eight < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Thirty
The kids got up and got ready for school silently, trying not to wake Marnie. They made sure the Twins had breakfast, then filed out the door with worried faces. Jaz honestly considered staying home with the twins since Marnie still hadn’t come out of the bedroom, but in the end- decided that she needed to go to school. Marnie would wake up soon, right?
The twins, however, ended up keeping each other company for the most part, and they were desperately hungry by the time the other kids got home from school.
Walking to the front door from school, Phoenix muttered something that made Jaz turn around angrily. “It’s NOT my fault!” they gritted out. “I didn’t make Dad leave. Take that back.”
“Is TOO your fault. You and your stupid non-binary stuff is what started this whole thing in the first place!” Phoenix replied.
Furious, Jaz just turned around and went inside.
Dishes and dirty laundry were everywhere, and dust was starting to accumulate.
It was very clear that Marnie had never gotten out of bed for the day.
With a worried sigh, Jaz went to get some food for the twins, and spend some time playing with each of them. If this continued, there was no way Jaz felt they could leave the twins home “alone” the next day. School was just going to have to suffer. Myles and Phoenix didn’t seem to think it was a problem, but Jaz just couldn’t leave them alone again.
At the Social Services counter in the Municipal Center, Gemma waited her turn to talk to a teller.
When she was finally called, she wasted no time, and introduced herself so she could get right to the heart of the matter. “I’m very worried about a young client of mine who hasn’t been to therapy for two weeks. Their family life has gone from just chaotic to bad, and I am honestly worried about them and their brothers. I tried to contact them and the family, but I’ve been getting no response. Their phones appear to be out.”
“Family name?” asked the teller, pleasantly, typing on the computer absently.
“Malone.” Gemma replied, hoping she was doing the right thing.
The teller gasped and threw her hands up. “That’s the second time in two days I’ve heard that name. They’re on my list to investigate. You just have to be patient.”
“I don’t think patient is going to work in this case, … Kayla.” Gemma replied, looking at the woman’s name tag.
Startled, Kayla Bliss looked over the counter at Gemma, and wondered what she could possibly tell her. “Have the police been contacted?”
“Actually, yes, they have. I reported in to them last week about my concerns, and they said I need to talk to you folks here at Social Services.” Gemma replied, reminiscing about her trip to the police department. “I think this is now on your shoulders, Kayla. If you need me to, I’ll come with you, but I think a visit to their house is absolutely necessary.”
Previously, at the police department:
Back at the Malone’s house…
Jaz was trying to clean up and take care of the twins at the same time – doing two jobs that they should never have had put on their shoulders. By the end of the evening, the power was once again – out, and Jaz had to use a flashlight to get the twins to bed.
Consequently, the anti-monster lights weren’t working. Jaz hadn’t slept long when horrible sounds came from under their bed. Terrified, they crawled out of the bed and panicked, wondering who – if anyone – could help them.
Finally, taking a deep breath, Jaz decided to do some art. Maybe the monster would go away on it’s own.
When that didn’t work, Jaz decided reading under the covers was a good option. Maybe if the monster couldn’t see them..?
Finally, with a deep sigh to gather all the bravery they could summon, Jaz sat down next to the tentacles, and prepared to tell it exactly why this wasn’t a good household to haunt.
After several arguments, Jaz stood up, energized and victorious. Wondering how long they had until it was time to go to school, they crawled back into bed to get a little nap in.
OS: Day Twenty-Eight < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Thirty
OS: Day Twenty-Seven < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Nine
The morning started like any other. Hungry kids that needed to get ready for school, and a couple of toddlers complaining about breakfast. The only thing was – Marnie knew there was barely anything to eat, and expected complaints. The kids had never been fed yogurt and granola before, why now? … Marnie wryly thought of the depleted bank account, and reluctantly crawled out of bed.
After forcing the kids to eat stuff they weren’t really interested in, Marnie grabbed a bowl of granola for herself, choked it down, and went to pull the unpayable bills out of the mailbox. Miserably, she hid them in her closet – ironically, right next to the emergency medicine stash – and then, hopelessly, crawled back in bed and pulled the covers over her head.
In Newcrest, Colin was at the Mental Health Center, at his weekly therapy appointment with Mindy Altman. She had started the session normally, asking about his week, and Colin had studiously tried to describe his week like he usually did.
Towards the end of the session, however, Mindy was clearly onto him. “Ok, Colin, I have to ask. How are you REALLY. Because something is definitely on your mind.”
Looking down, Colin tried to figure out whether this was a secret he could tell. He trusted Mindy, of course, but he really wasn’t sure whether Jaz would be upset with him for telling or not. The harder he thought, the more confused he got. Then, it occurred to him that Jaz really hadn’t said NOT to tell. And she.. uh.. they.. hadn’t said it was a secret at all. So.. maybe Jaz wouldn’t be mad? Then again, Colin thought, maybe the question wasn’t whether Jaz would be mad.. maybe the real question was whether Jaz was in real danger.
…”Colin?” Mindy asked again, suddenly realizing that this wasn’t any normal problem. Colin had never had trouble talking to her about even the most private of thoughts. His pause and reluctance to tell was mute proof that this was something serious.
Sighing, Colin finally, reluctantly, answered, “I think my best friend Jaz is in trouble. Their dad disappeared, and I don’t think their mom has enough money to pay bills. Last week, they got rid of the TV and the Radio and other things just to get the power back on.. and this past weekend, the fridge was basically empty. Jaz complained about only having water and cereal to eat…. I’m really worried about them.”
Mindy gasped before she could stop herself. This WAS serious. Colin was a smart kid, and if he was honestly worried enough to “tattle” on his friend’s family, then something was seriously wrong. “Thank you for telling me, Colin. Can you tell me Jaz’s last name, please?” She finally asked, as gently as possible.
Colin looked stricken. “Do I have to tell you? What if they get mad at me for telling you? I’m afraid I’ll lose my friend….”
“I promise, I won’t tell anyone who doesn’t need to know. You are right to be concerned for your friend.” Mindy said.
Colin’s face clouded over and he raised his voice a little as he accused, “You SAID you wouldn’t tell anything I told you in these sessions!”
“Unfortunately, in this situation, I am required by law to report a child that is in real, physical, danger. And what you described counts as that, in my opinion. If you don’t want to tell me their last name, I can understand, but it would be best for your friend if you did. This is not a safe situation for them to be in, and you’re smart enough to realize that. You did the right thing by telling me your friend’s secret.” Mindy said, hoping to appeal to Colin’s logical side.
Colin sat there silently, thinking, for several minutes. Finally, being that the session was way over the time it was supposed to end, Mindy reluctantly wiped her hands on her skirt and said, “Well, think about it, Colin. It really is important. She stood up, and the two of them walked into the hallway. She watched Colin walking away towards the stairs, then, turn and run back.
He leaned in and gestured for Mindy to lean down. “Her.. THEIR .. name is Jazmyn Malone. They live in Oasis Springs. It’s not just them, either. They have brothers there, too. Please, help them if you can!” Then, before Mindy could even reply, he turned and ran to catch up to his mother.
Sighing, Mindy made a mental note, and tried to clear her worried thoughts before her next client.
After her last client, Mindy packed up and got in her car. She had an important errand to run before she could go home and relax. Pulling into the parking lot at the Municipal Center, she took a deep, nervous breath, and went to get in line.
Once her name was finally called, she approached the desk, and sat on the stool provided for her. The teller greeted her, and asked how she could help her.. and Mindy took a deep breath. This wasn’t something she had needed to do before, and telling a client’s secrets – even when there was a need to tell situation – really felt wrong.
So, to stall for time, she introduced herself, and avoided saying why she was there. The teller stopped typing, and smiling, and looked at her with some annoyance. “Can I HELP you?” she asked again.
“Okay. I’m sorry. .. Really. I’ve only been a therapist for a little more than a year, and I haven’t had to do this before.” Mindy took a deep breath, and leaned forward so other people wouldn’t over-hear, “I have a client who reported a minor in imminent danger. The father has gone missing, the mother appears to not be able to pay bills, or keep food in the house for the children.”
Gasping, the teller’s entire demeanor changed. She immediately turned, and grabbed a form out of a nearby file cabinet. Writing furiously, she looked up and asked, “Do you happen to know the child or family’s name?”
“I do. The Malones, in Oasis Springs. From what I’ve been told, there are more than one child that could potentially be in danger.” Mindy replied, seriously.
The woman wrote down the information, pulled out an empty file folder, and placed the form inside. “Okay. I can’t do anything tonight, but I assure you, I will investigate this personally. I should have some time later this week.”
“You can’t do anything now? Or.. earlier than that?” Mindy asked, confused by the wait.
“I do have other priority cases.” The woman said, calmly. “I assure you, I’m taking this report with the seriousness it deserves.”
“Thanks.” Mindy said, and picked up her purse to leave, wondering if there was someone else she could contact that would do something sooner. Colin wasn’t a whistle-blower, if he was concerned, this was dire. Feeling sick to her stomach, she walked away, and drove miserably home.
OS: Day Twenty-Seven < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Nine
OS: Day Twenty-Six < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Eight
Marnie woke up, and struggled to get out of bed. Day after day everything that had been happening was wearing her down more and more.
And now.. it was Sunday, and she knew bills were coming tomorrow. There was no money for them. So, she knew to expect the power to go out by Tuesday, and no water by Wednesday. So, unless money falls from the sky.. Marnie had no idea what was going to happen.
Cleaning out the fridge reminded her of another crisis. They were out of food. There was enough money in the account to do one more grocery run. However, she knew the fridge wasn’t going to be working in the next week. Power and all that. So she was struggling to come up with a different option.
Finally, inspiration hit. After a quick grocery trip, she came back with a cooler. She’d gotten some more cereal, some yogurt, lots of granola (that stuff was supposed to be good for you.. right?).. and plenty of ice to fill the cooler. She was counting on money coming from child support to save her and the kids. Because, to be honest, there was nothing else she could hope for.
Outside, a lone figure trudged down the street. By the time he got close to the house, however, he was no longer alone.
Jaz ran out to meet Colin as he turned towards the front door. That was when they knew he was actually coming to visit Jaz, and not just trudging down their street randomly.
“Colin! It’s so good to see you! Are you okay?” Jaz started, happy, but hesitant. Their last meeting had gone so completely wrong, after all.
“No.” Colin replied flatly. “I’m not okay. I tried to ditch my only real friend. I’m so sorry, Jaz.”
“Colin – it’s ok. I know how it feels. After Bennie exposed my “secret” to everyone, I felt so vulnerable and hurt. I can imagine how it would feel to doubt one of the only people who actually knew the secret… because it’s what I felt about Bennie.” Jaz replied, but Colin interrupted.
“That doesn’t make it right, Jaz. I …. I shouldn’t have doubted you. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that you would never betray me like that. Especially after Bennie did that to you.” Colin’s expression was breaking Jaz’s heart.
“Colin! Stop. Sorry is all you need to say. You panicked. It happens. Cheer up. Just know I’m always here for you, and I will NEVER betray you or tell your secret. It’s your choice. One I SHOULD have had, but didn’t. It turned out mostly okay, but – still – I lost some friends I regret losing. Like my brother. I can’t stand to be in the same room with him anymore.” Jaz confessed, then, realizing how close they were to the house, they looked around in terror, hoping nobody had heard the conversation.
“Okay, then. Sorry. I’ll say it again. Then I’m done. Can we be friends again?” Colin asked sheepishly.
“You bet! Although, I have to say, I never stopped being your friend, despite what you said. I hoped you would come back around. Want to go play in the back yard?” Jaz grabbed Colin up in a big hug, then smiled widely, and pointed around the side of the house.
The two of them played on the swingset for a while..
.. thrilled to have their best friend back. Then, unfortunately, Phoenix and Myles came outside, and the moment was over. Jaz’s face fell, and Colin motioned to the front of the house. They walked just far enough away so they wouldn’t be heard.
“Are you SURE you’re okay, Jaz? How have you been, really? I heard about Benji, but the rumors are also flying that your Dad is gone, too? How did that happen?” Colin asked, curiously.
So this was how Jaz came to tell Colin everything. Everything that had happened in the past week or so…
… up to and including today. Jaz mentioned the cooler that had appeared earlier, and how the power had been out. “I’m scared, Colin. I don’t know what’s going to happen. How are we going to survive without Dad?” Jaz whispered.
Then, from the house, Marnie called Jaz inside. Shrugging, Jaz said goodbye sadly and turned to follow their mother’s call.
Colin watched them go, thinking about the things he hadn’t gotten to say. How his Dad, too, had left. Only – he had not completely disappeared. He had gotten remarried, however. Colin swallowed, feeling jealous all over again at his Dad feeling the need to start a new family. And now.. Jaz was in serious trouble, it sounded like. Could he actually trust Marnie to take care of his friend, or… ?? He was honestly afraid Jaz was going to go hungry.. and without power or water in the next week. Colin chewed at his lower lip, wondering what, if anything, that he could do. Then, slowly, he turned and walked away, heading back to the bus. Someone, he knew.. needed to do SOMETHING. But who could he trust to actually do the right thing??
Inside, Phoenix and Myles chatted after Myles’ scout meeting. There really wasn’t much else to do in the house other than chat.. and everyone was afraid to include Marnie in their conversations. It was like walking on eggshells.
Jaz paused before the front door, noticing Phoenix on the couch. They made a face, and then tensely walked inside. Maybe he wouldn’t say anything to them. Maybe Jaz could sneak downstairs before Phoenix noticed them….
OS: Day Twenty-Six < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Eight
OS: Day Twenty-Five < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Seven
Today, it was the Dryer causing issues. Marnie cursed quietly to herself while fixing it.
In the other room was testimony that today was going to be yet another horrible day for her.
Stalling, Marnie went to the mailbox. Only to have her worst fears realized. Divorce papers. Trying to keep herself together, Marnie ran to her room and locked the door.
After a good cry under the covers, Marnie went to the bathroom and washed her face. Then, dismally, she went to take care of the rest of the house. She would deal with the papers later.
Then, not twenty minutes later, the anger hit, and Marnie decided to call the lawyers listed on the papers. Where was Bennie? Apparently, legally, they couldn’t tell. Well, legally, Marnie argued, she was due some money. The kids needed food, bills were coming due, and there was nothing left. The lawyers made a bunch of excuses, then said they’d check with their client.
Furious, Marnie signed the papers and sent them back, then called the only lawyer she knew – the one that had bungled her son’s case. What could she do? Shouldn’t she be able to sue for child support? Delossantos, also, made some excuses, but at least he promised to check to see what could be done.
Across town, at the park….
The club meeting had started, and Jaz looked around sadly. There was no sign of Colin. They had really hoped to be able to talk some sense into Colin today.. but it didn’t seem like that was going to happen. Spying Elsa on the swings, Jaz headed that way, wondering if she knew anything.
“So.. Elsa..” Jaz started, hesitantly. “I think Colin and I had a small misunderstanding. Do you know if he’s coming today?”
“No, I have no idea, Jaz.” Elsa replied cheerily, “Why, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
Jaz sighed, and looked away for a moment, trying to hide their distress. “I guess so. I just don’t understand why Colin is so mad at me. I can’t say why, but .. yeah. I have a bad feeling he won’t be coming to club meetings anymore. And I think it’s my fault. When I didn’t do anything.”
Suddenly very concerned for her usually cheerful friend, Elsa moved in closer, and pointed out a quiet area of the park, and said, very seriously, “I know you can’t say why, and I won’t ask, but if you need to talk, I’m here…”
Jaz nodded, miserably, and they walked over to the side of the playground. For a while, they chatted about Jaz’s horrible week, and Elsa tried to give Jaz some hope… but hope wasn’t high on Jaz’s list at the moment. Finally, out of things they could actually talk about, Elsa and Jaz watched the clouds for a while. Then, Jaz excused themselves to the bathrooms. Elsa watched Jaz go with some concern, but had no idea what they could do for them. Sighing, Elsa went back to playing, unable to hide her mood swing, and even more unable to explain to her other friends why it had happened.
Elsewhere in the park, the new club members were happily making friends, unaware of the storm cloud hanging over poor Jaz’s head.
Coming back from the bathrooms, Jaz looked again for Colin. Then, miserably, Jaz turned and made their escape early, heading home.
Turning onto their home street, Jaz picked up their phone, and tried to dial Gemma’s number. Sure, it was a weekend, but surely when Gemma said anytime, that included weekends?
…..
But nothing happened. Checking the phone’s power indicator, Jaz couldn’t understand what was going on. Running inside to Marnie, Jaz complained that their phone wasn’t working.
“I’m sorry, Jaz. I couldn’t pay the phone bills.” Marnie said with a dismissive shrug. “We’ll just have to do without for a while, ok?”
Confused, Jaz watched Marnie walk away.
Fine. They’d just get some dinner, then.
….
But the only thing in the fridge was empty plates. Searching the cupboards, Jaz found some stale cereal, and made do. They were in no mood to track Marnie down again.
Miserable, and still hungry, Jaz headed downstairs and crawled into bed.
OS: Day Twenty-Five < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Seven
OS: Day Twenty-Four < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Six
Friday, after school, Jaz went outside to play on the playground. Looking around, they noticed that they were alone and pulled out their phone. After all that had happened in the past week, and having to skip therapy, Jaz really felt the need to call Gemma. Hoping to catch her in between clients, Jaz listened to the phone ring on the other end.
Thankfully, Gemma answered almost right away, and seemed thrilled to hear from Jaz. “Hey, sweetie! I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you this week, is everything okay?”
“I guess it’s okay.” Jaz started, then paused. “Marnie wouldn’t tell me why we couldn’t come on Tuesday, but I wonder if it had something to do with my Dad being gone. He disappeared on his birthday, and things have gotten really weird around here since then.”
“Weird? What do you mean?” Gemma asked, sounding very concerned.
Looking around to make sure they were still alone, Jaz confessed, “Well, Bennie got on TV, and performed a routine about me trying to come out. He’s promised not to perform it, but he did. And he did it on TV.”
Gemma gasped, but let Jaz continue… “Then he and Mom got into a huge fight about Mom being pregnant again. I only heard some of it – but it seems it wasn’t really an accident. In fact, I guess none of us were, and Mom has been lying to Dad all along? I’m not really sure, but that’s what it sounded like. Bennie said some really awful things, slept on the couch, and was gone the next morning.” Jaz sighed, and paused.
“Things have only gotten worse since then. Tuesday the power was out, and Marnie wouldn’t say anything about why. It was out all day, and some the next morning, too. When I got home from school on Wednesday, the TV, stereo, and a lot of other things were gone, but at least the power was back on.”
Gemma didn’t respond right away, unsure of what to say that could possibly make any of what Jaz had just confessed okay. “Oh, sweetie. I’m so sorry. Bennie doing that must have hurt terribly, and in no way was it okay. You glossed over it a bit, are you doing okay after being outed like that??”
Jaz smiled, and replied, “Actually, it worked out okay. I had friends who aren’t friends anymore, but I made some new friends, too. And the ones I lost .. well, I guess they didn’t matter. Phoenix was one of them, though. He sided with Max, and both decided they’d rather be friends with Billie.” Just then, the sliding door opened, and the brother in question walked outside. “Oh, no, I have to go. Sorry, Gemma. I’ll call again later.”
Jaz quickly hung up and hid the phone, then went back to playing, hoping Phoenix hadn’t noticed.
Back inside the house, Marnie’s next chore was waiting right around the corner.
While trying to do laundry, the washer ended up spewing sudsy, dirty water all over the floor.
The above-mentioned missing TV and other furniture made the whole house seem very empty, but at least vacuuming was easier.
Back outside, Jaz’s phone rang, and, curiously, Jaz answered it. “Hello?”
“Hi! Um, Jaz? It’s Colin. Would today be a good day for me to come over?”
Jaz’s face broke into a huge smile. “Of course, Colin! I’ll wait out front for you!”
Running around the house to the front yard, Jaz occupied themselves with their soccer ball, and before long, Colin came running from the bus stop around the corner. Jaz put the ball down and ran to greet her best friend.
Jaz presented Colin with a wild daisy they’d found in the backyard. “Happy Love Day, Colin! I’m so glad to see you!”
Surprised, Colin accepted the flower with a smile, smelled it, and put it away. Then, his face fell.
“Jaz… I have to talk to you.” Colin started, “And it’s not good.”
Jaz looked at their friend, suddenly concerned. “What’s wrong, Colin?”
Colin took a deep breath, then broke into tears. Jaz watched, him for a moment, more and more concerned. “What’s going on, Colin??”
“I’m afraid I can’t be friends with you anymore.” Colin said, and Jaz reacted like one would expect.. disbelief.
“What?!”
Beside himself, Colin tried again. “I can’t be friends. With all the rumors flying about you, I simply can’t risk it.”
“Risk what? I don’t understand, Colin!?” Jaz replied.
“I can’t be outed. Not right now. I’m not ready. I just can’t be associated with you. I’m afraid it might come out that I’m Trans.” Colin confessed.
“I would NEVER tell your secret, Colin! I haven’t even told my therapist, and she’s not allowed to say anything I tell her. You secret is safe with me! How could you even think I would do that?” Jaz said, incensed.
“Sorry, Jaz. I just can’t do it.” Colin said, his hands in fists. Then, without another word, Colin turned and walked away, leaving Jaz near tears.
The one friend they had truly counted on was no longer their friend. How could this happen?!
Across town, after yet another court trial, Shaylee was being released from custody.
She walked out in jailhouse clothes, being that her other clothes didn’t fit anymore, and was immediately met by Cade Yeagar.
Overjoyed to see a friendly face, Shaylee gave him a proper welcome.
Then, to the surprise of everyone – Cade dropped to a knee right in the middle of the Police Station.
The answer was immediately clear, and the two left together leaving rumors flying behind them.
Back at the Malone’s house, Marnie’s phone rang.
Caught in the middle of cleaning house (again.. or still?), Marnie answered, and, with no surprise at all listened to her son’s lawyer telling about the sentencing hearing earlier in the day. Apparently, Benji wasn’t going to be leaving the jail anytime soon. The judge had “made an example” of him, and he found himself locked up for the next six years. Miserably, Marnie rang off, forgetting completely that she had mean to mention her husband’s continued disappearance.
Clearly, the strain was showing. Her misery and exhaustion were a daily thing, and she had no idea what might come next. One thing she was sure of, though, was that things were not getting better for the Malones anytime soon.
OS: Day Twenty-Four < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Six
OS: Day Twenty-Three < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Five
The kids were out of school for the day, the house was still a mess, but Marnie had no time to clean it right now. Her eldest son had his courtroom trial today, and she desperately wanted to be there to support him. Since there was no way to pay for babysitting, all the kids were getting drug along, and Marnie just PRAYED that they would behave.
Benji sat nervously next to his lawyer, who seemed to be almost as nervous as he was. Certainly this wasn’t his first courtroom trial… or was it?? The slick prosecutor sat at the table across from them, grinning from ear to ear, obviously at home in the courtroom, and ready for what came next.
The Malones sat behind Benji’s side of the courtroom, and Marnie threatened each and every one of them that if they misbehaved, they would most certainly pay for it later. (Behind them is Cade Yeagar, Shaylee’s old boyfriend.)
In his chambers, Judge Max Melvin took a deep breath and readied himself for the trial.
Out in the courtroom, the selected jurors sat in their seats: (from closest to farthest, randomly picked townies) Farhan Balderas (yes, Colin’s Dad), Akira Kibo, Jade Rosa, and a very pregnant Siobhan Fyres.
And on the other side of the courtroom: Mariah Andrews, Eric Lewis, Marisol Gerard, and Theodore Lemus.
Back in their holding cell, sat the Kleptos (without Benji), sitting in silence watched by a stony-faced cop. Also outside the courtroom was Scott Barrier, ready to testify.
Finally, things started to get underway. “ALL RISE!” And the judge walked in regally.
Benji, his lawyer (Nikolai Deolssantos) and the prosecutor, Michael Roman, all stood and listened to the judge quietly.
After opening arguments, the first witness called for the prosecution was Scott Barrier, the Chief of Police, the one who’d done most of the investigating in this case. He made his way to the witness box, sat down, and was sworn in.
The prosecutor started in on questioning him, and going through all the details of the case.
Benji tried to pay attention, but so much of the terms just went way over his head.
The Chief of Police seemed right at home in a courtroom, and the case against the Kleptos – Benji in particular – seemed rock-solid.
Michael Roman had not come cheap, either, because he was animated, knowledgeable, and even entertaining. He made the details of the case fall into place seemingly without effort.
After setting down the case details, Benji’s lawyer moved up to cross-examine. His inexperience was obvious. He asked a few questions, but didn’t seem to be able to put any doubt in anyone’s mind.
The trial crept along at a snail’s pace for Benji, with people from the alarm company being prominent witnesses, as well as Londyn Burt, who, after all, was the Kleptos’ connection to the alarm codes. Somehow, she seemed to have switched sides. Benji wondered what they’d said to her to get her to switch.
Finally, it was the defense’s turn. The first witness called was Shaylee. Benji cringed obviously with how very pregnant she was. How could he have missed this?
Upon being sworn in, Shaylee sat uncomfortably, and smiled towards Benji. Wait, no.. she was looking behind him? Benji twisted around and – for the first time, noticed his nemesis in the audience. Gritting his teeth, he tried to pay attention.
The court reporter typed away while Shaylee was introduced, and Nikolai started in on his questioning.
The more the questioning went on, the more nervous Benji got. Every answer seemed to tighten the noose around his neck further.
Shaylee seemed unconcerned, and – to Benji’s knowledge, she hadn’t even looked his way once. Shaylee related the details of the night, emphasizing that Benji had planned everything, and everyone else was just along for the ride. How was this “helping” the case, Benji wondered blackly.
By the time Nikolai returned to the table, Benji noticed even his lawyer was sweating this. The other Kleptos all testified “for” Benji, and the only real information that was shared was that Benji was at fault.
Even Rita, who had been the one to physically take the violin, seemed perfectly willing to point the finger at Benji.
The jury was dismissed to the deliberation room, and the only thing left for everyone else was to wait.
Inside the room, it was clear. Benji was the guilty party, everyone else was just “along for the ride”. Deliberations lasted only a half hour before they had a unanimous decision.
They filed back into the courtroom, all heading for their seats quietly.
The jury foreman – none other than Colin’s estranged Dad – stood up to read the verdict.
Guilty. Of Felony Larceny. Grand Theft. Whatever you call it, it sounded terrible. They had tried to argue that there was no intention of taking more than a few things, the violin wasn’t a target until Rita had taken it on the spur of the moment.. but their entire defense crumbled.
The first thing Benji did was throw his hands in the air.
Nikolai cringed, feeling horribly at fault. It had, indeed, been his first trial, one that the rest of the public defender’s office hadn’t wanted to touch with a ten foot pole.
Benji turned and yelled at his lawyer, swearing that he never wanted to see him again.
Sentencing was scheduled for the next day, and Marnie did not have a good feeling about it. In fact, she didn’t even plan to attend. It was clear her oldest was going to jail for quite a while. So much for hoping he could help her situation.
Bonus shots:
An overhead, out of character shot of what the screen looked like while working on these shots…
I’m sure some of you are going to ask how in the world I managed to get this trial in pictures. I assure you, it was a LOT of work. almost 40 sims all under my control, and I built the courtroom. (It’s on my gallery in the Generic Municipal Center lot). I had MANY more pictures, but only chose the best ones. And I went for a general description, simply because I know very little about courtroom procedure, and what I do know – let’s just say it’s from the internet… so please, give me some latitude here. This is fiction, after all. I’m hoping these shots will also explain why this post took me two days to write!
OS: Day Twenty-Three < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Five
OS: Day Twenty-Two < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Four
Wednesday. Marnie woke up in a poor mood – and in the dark. Getting the kids off to school was a struggle when the only thing you could make was Fruit Salad. Still, she managed to get it done. Then we get this notice.
Poor Marnie. At least she had finally figured out what to do about it. There was a guy who was coming over to buy anything that Marnie had deemed “unnecessary” – the TV and game console, the stereo, Bennie’s microphone, the old Murphy bed and bookcases… and, unfortunately.. also Marnie’s precious hidden computer. With the twins playing in the growing layer of dust in the dark basement, Marnie haggled with the guy for a half an hour before she managed to talk him into just barely enough to pay the overdue bills. With what was leftover, she restocked the groceries.
Before next week, she was going to have to contact the police again, or maybe Social Services, .. or.. a lawyer? Anyone who might be able to help her get child support payments. Or something. Because there was nothing left to sell for next week’s bills. Marnie took an extra moment in the bathroom, trying to cheer up, but she was pretty sure her eyes were still bloodshot and puffy from crying herself to sleep last night.
Clearly last night’s sleep hadn’t done much for Marnie, either.. because her energy was incredibly low. And there was so much to clean. Waking up on the filthy floor spurred her into action, however, and she took a Sleep Replacer potion and dug in.
… At least, until the vacuum broke. Grumbling loudly, she fixed it.. and got back to work, glaring at Jaz who was heading for a lovely nap. If only Marnie had time for one of those, she mused.. and put on yet another pot of coffee.
OS: Day Twenty-Two < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Four
OS: Day Twenty-One < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Three
Today was not going to be a good day. Shortly after the kids all got off to school, the power went out. Marnie gritted her teeth, put the now useless vacuum away, and tried to make the best of things. The twins still needed care, and food.. and the kids would be coming home from school later in the day.
Marnie dreaded the next day, and started really wondering what to do. There was no way she was going to be able to care for all these kids in the situation she found herself in now. At this point, she would even take Bennie coming back. Him riding in like a white knight would definitely improve the situation.. but she was pretty sure it wasn’t going to happen.
At the Willow Creek Municipal Center jail, Benji was escorted from his cell to an interrogation room to meet his new lawyer…
Hello, Benjamin! I am Nikolai Delossantos, I have been assigned to your case.” the man said, and Benji cringed internally.
“Benji. Please.”
“Oh. Yes. Um… Benji. I’ve looked over the case file, and I’m afraid you don’t have much of a case. Since you pretty much already confessed… it’s going to be tough to even get a judge to reduce the sentence.” said Nikolai, shaking his head sadly.
“But Shaylee will be able to go free, right?” Benji tried to confirm., looking worried.
“Shaylee? Oh, right. The girlfriend. Yes, as far as I can see, she’s not in danger of more jail time than she’ll already have served by the time the trial happens. She was only along “for the ride”, after all.” The lawyer replied after a moment of confusion.
“I thought she was in trouble for taking the violin?” Benji asked, also confused.
The lawyer (Benji had already forgotten his name) shuffled through his notes, looking confused. “No, I have it right here, it’s .. uh.. Rita? that actually took the violin. And the police have already recovered it, luckily. So that’s in your favor.”
Benji cursed and threw his hands in the air. “WHY did I confess to save Shaylee, then? The cop said.. well, he said Shaylee was in big trouble, almost as much as me.”
“I’m sorry, Benji, but I can’t tell you why the man said that. Clearly it was a tactic that worked, unfortunately. Shaylee will also be getting a reduced sentence – because of the baby, of course.” the man replied.
Benji just sat and looked at him for a moment. ” …. Baby?”
“Oh. Yes. She’s pregnant. I figured you knew that, since she was so far along.” the lawyer replied.
“Oh. Um… no. How far along did you say she is?” Benji asked, reeling.
“Second trimester. So she probably has known for quite a while. She didn’t tell you?” the lawyer asked, again just shaking his head.
“No. No, she didn’t.” Benji replied, putting his head in his hands for a moment. Then he sat up, trying to do the math. that would mean.. she’d been pregnant the entire time she’d been dating him. And had never told him a thing. She hadn’t even tried to pass off the baby as his.
Angry, Benji stood up from the table and walked to the door where the guard waited. “Let me out. I’m done.” he demanded.
Standing up behind him, the lawyer sputtered, “But.. Benji, we have more to discuss….!”
“Figure it out yourself.” Benji growled as the door was unlocked, then stomped through it, not needing any directions to get back to his cell.
Just before bedtime, at the Malone’s…
“So.. why couldn’t we go to therapy today?” Jaz asked, confused.
“Because I had too many things to do, Jaz. I already told you this.” Marnie replied, frustration showing in her voice.
“Oh. Is it because Dad is gone?” Jaz asked, looking down sadly.
“Umm.. yeah. Sure, because Dad is gone.” Marnie replied, then tucked Jaz into bed. She had other kids to tuck in. Hopefully ones without so many questions.
OS: Day Twenty-One < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Three
OS: Day Twenty < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Two
Bennie’s cake was stinky, mute evidence that he never did come home, Drunk or sober. And his work apparently hadn’t seen him, either, because Marnie had gotten a call from them, looking for him. She was starting to get pretty worried.
The twins, however, were definitely having a good time. They seemed mostly immune from the melancholy that was sweeping the Malone household. A sadness that was only going to get worse…
Because, shortly after Marnie went to pay the weekly bills, she got a call from the bank. There had been a major withdrawal the night Bennie disappeared, and there was only about 200 Simoleans in the bank. His bonus from the TV show was gone. Marnie took a deep breath, and put on a brave face for the kids.
She may not be able to pay the bills, but at least they still had groceries… for now. So she made some Franks N Beans for breakfast, and called the kids in to eat.
It was clear to Jaz that something was wrong. I mean, other than the fact that Bennie seemed to be missing. Jaz didn’t quite know what to do about it, though. They were a bit afraid to try to call Gemma with Marnie watching everyone’s moves closely, though, so Jaz simply looked forward to Tuesday’s appointment.
In Willow Creek, at the police station…
Chief of Police Scott Barrier was prepared for a long day. He’d already interviewed Benji’s associates, and knew most of the story.. so getting a confession would just be icing on the cake. But there was one major piece missing, and he meant to get it out of the youngster in front of him.
“So.. Benji, huh? How’d you get saddled with a dog’s name?” Scott asked, sitting down across from Benji.
“It’s not a dog’s name.” Benji growled. “It’s just short for Ben Jr.”
“You mean you’ve never seen the movie Benji??” Scott joked.
“There’s a movie?” Benji asked, clueless as to why the man was talking about movies and dogs.
“Yeah, it’s about a stray dog that.. oh, who am I kidding, it’s a sad movie anyway. You didn’t miss much.” Scott smiled, and pulled out some file folders.
“Let’s go over what we know. We know you robbed several retail stores in the area. Most petty crimes, just a few bucks worth of stuff here and there. We also know you and your girlfriend, Shaylee, robbed the Landgraabs the night before Winterfest. You spent most of that on a party for your family.. which was nice and noble.. but still.. misguided. So your gang got greedy. You went for the Goths and made out like true bandits.” Scott began, flipping through the file in front of him while watching Benji’s face flash briefly with pride about the Winterfest party and the Goth robbery.
“And?.. What do you need me for, if you already know everything?” Benji said, full of bluster.
“We’re missing one important detail. None of these robberies triggered an alarm. They were still caught on surveillance.. so don’t try to say it wasn’t you doing the deed.. but the videos were all closed circuit at the victim’s residence, so the alarm company was completely in the dark. Literally. How’d you get past the alarms? Master Codes? Inside knowledge?”
“I am not telling you anything.” Benji spat out, knowing it was best that he kept quiet. Even if it was about a detail that should have been obvious.
“Really? That’s how you’re playing this?” Scott asked, drily.
Benji just sat there and looked at him. Sighing, Scott just watched him for a moment, but apparently Benji was used to staring matches having grown up in so large a family.
“Fine. I have something else to show you.” He reached down beside him and pulled out another file folder.
“These are the surveillance shots. The big-ticket item was Ms. Goth’s prize violin. Now, that’s the piece that takes this crime from petty larceny to grand larceny, simply by value alone. We know your girlfriend, Shaylee, is the one who actually took it.”
Scott slid the still images from the video across the table at Benji. Benji looked at the pictures with a smug smile, then looked back at Scott, still silently.
“At this point, we know you’re the ringleader. Most of your friends will be free to go. But Shaylee, now, she’s in for the long haul, just like you. Because she took that violin. If you cooperate with us, and explain the alarm thing, help us find the missing violin, and tell me that Shaylee only took it because you told her to…. I can maybe see that Shaylee gets less time.” Scott picked up the images and slid them back into the folder.
“Now, I can understand that you want to keep yourself out of trouble, but making Shaylee pay for something that wasn’t her idea seems pretty mean. Especially as she knows that whether she does hard time or not is riding completely on you. I don’t think she’s likely to be very happy with you if you keep holding out on us.” Scott said slyly, watching a sort of panic cross Benji’s face.
But after that brief moment, Benji stayed quiet.
“Fine. Think about it. I’ll talk to you more tomorrow.” Scott started to stand up, and gather his file folders.
“So, if I talk, Shaylee gets what? A shorter sentence? Or can she go free? I need to know what the deal actually is.”
Scott smiled to himself. Jackpot. “I can see to it that she gets only time already served after the trial. She’ll go free.”
“And Shay will know it was ME who got her out of hard time, right?” Benji said, still stalling.
“Of course.” Scott said, taking out a pen and a paper.
With a big sigh, Benji rubbed his hands together. “Okay. The violin is at a storage locker. We haven’t been able to find a buyer for it yet, unfortunately. I can tell you where it is. As for the alarm, you must not be very perceptive. Londyn has an inside man at the alarm company. They’ve been dating for months. She can get any alarm code to any house for miles around. We just had to cherry-pick which houses we wanted to hit. And none of this was Shaylee’s fault. She was only along for the ride. Her idea of stealing things is candy bars from the shops.” Benji snickered, then sighed and continued, “What else do you need to know? Is that enough to let Shay go free?”
“Not bad, son. Not bad. There are a few other details you could clear up, though. There used to be a suit of armor in front of your Dad’s store. We’ve heard tell a remarkably similar one has come up for sale at an auction not too long ago. Your Dad, however, knew nothing about it when we talked to him. In fact, he had no idea it was worth anything. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about it, would you?” Scott asked.
Looking down guiltily… Benji said, “If I tell you that, can you get me another phone call?”
Scott looked at him quizzically. “Of course.”
“Alright, Yeah. That’s where I got the money to get out of that rat’s nest of a house with Shay.”
“Ahhh. Okay. Now that’s better. All you need to do is write a statement about what you just told me. I assume you actually know how to write, despite your high school grades?” Scott slid some paper and a pen towards the young man, as he watched anger rise into Benji’s face.
Benji snatched the pen. “Of course I can write, you fool….” and looked down, immediately starting to write.
Scott Barrier stood up, adjusted his hat, and smiled to himself. Easy as taking candy from a baby. Not that he would do that sort of thing, mind you.
Much later, he handed the young man a phone, and watched him with a bemused look, wondering who he was going to call.
Marnie’s phone rang later that afternoon, and she answered it nearly right away, only to find out it was from the Willow Creek Police Department. Thinking it might be Bennie, stuck in the drunk tank or something, she okayed the charges (glad that the phone hadn’t been cut off for non payment… yet…) .. and waited to hear Bennie’s apology. (She had answered the phone so fast, she hadn’t bothered to check caller ID..)
“Hey, … Mom?” Benji started, hesitantly.
“Benji!! What on earth are you doing at the police department?” Marnie asked, taken aback.
“I’m in jail. I thought Dad would have told you.” Benji replied.
“Um… no. Actually, Benji, your father is missing. I haven’t seen him in a couple of days. .. but.. wait.. why are you in jail?” Marnie was confused, and the news that her eldest son was in jail felt like a blow to her chest.
“He’s .. what?” Benji asked, stunned.
“We.. uh .. we had a big fight. About me being pregnant again. We both said some things we shouldn’t have. He slept on the couch that night. When I woke up, he was gone. Nobody has seen him since.” Marnie kept the bit about the missing paycheck money and the unpaid bills to herself. “Did he say anything to you about where he might have gone?”
“No, Mom, I have no idea. I was just calling to see if you could call to get a good lawyer for me and Shay. I don’t care about the rest of the gang, but me ‘n Shay definitely need some help, here.” Benji said, trying not to sound desperate.
“Benji, hon, I can’t afford a good lawyer.” Marnie finally confessed with a sigh, “I can’t even pay the bills. Your father took all the money that was in the bank with him.”
“Oh.” Benji said, trying to process the news that his Dad was probably gone for good from the sounds of it. Running off with the cash was taking a page out of Benji’s book, but it definitely sounded permanent. “Um… Yeah. I have no idea where he could have gone. Maybe you should go to the cops. I mean – about him being missing. Maybe something happened?”
Marnie thought for a moment, then answered, “I should probably do that. I’m sure the kids can keep the twins busy for a couple hours. Since I can’t afford a sitter….” her voice trailed off.
“30 seconds! Wrap it up, son!” the officer barked, startling Benji.
“Oh, uhhh.. Mom? I gotta go.”
The last thing he heard from Marnie was a faint “Okay” and a click as she hung up. Looking at the phone for a moment, still reeling from the news of Bennie’s disappearance, Benji looked a bit like a deer in headlights.
The officer took the phone back, and escorted Benji back to his cell.
Benji, for once glad he had a cell to himself, laid back on the bed morosely, trying to process all that had happened that day.
… Elsewhere in the jail, his cohorts all had things on their minds, too. But getting Benji a good lawyer wasn’t one of the things they were concerned about.
Also in a cell by herself, Shaylee was curled up in a ball on her bed. She’d been feeling sick to her stomach for several weeks now, and she was afraid she knew what the cause might be. She had never said anything to Benji, however…. because, based on the timing of the sickness, it wasn’t Benji’s baby. She didn’t think he was going to be all that happy about who’s baby it was, either. Maybe she could just not tell him. What he never knew wasn’t going to hurt him, right? …
(Message gotten on Marnie’s phone after talking to Benji…)
Later, also at the police station:
“Ma’am? Can I help you?” an officer asked from behind the desk.
“Yeah. I .. uh.. need to report my husband missing.” Marnie said, standing up and walking over to the man.
“Oh? How long has he been gone? We can’t put in a missing persons report for at least two days, you know..”
“Oh, it’s been more than that. His cake spoiled.” Marnie paused, swallowed, and apologized, “Sorry, It was his birthday that he went missing on. He also drained the bank account.”
“Oh? Well, then that’s different. What’s his name?” the officer asked, sitting beside her.
“Bennie.. I mean Benjamin Malone. Senior.” Marnie replied, hoping against hope that the man would recognize the name and be able to tell her something. Hopefully good news.
Scott Barrier gasped. The coincidence was uncanny. “Bennie, huh? I would assume he’s Ben Jr’s Father? Has he a history of disappearing?”
“No, of course not.” Marnie said sharply. “What can we do about the missing money, by the way…. And how do I fill out a missing persons report?”
“Here, Ma’am, just come to my office. I can help you with that. We can put in a report about both. But I will tell you.. You’re not likely to see a penny of that money every again if he did take it when he left.”
Marnie hid her face in her hands for a moment. Then, she managed to get herself together. “Well, then. Let’s get this report done. I need to get back home to my kids.”
OS: Day Twenty < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Two
OS: Day Nineteen < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-One
Marnie woke up at dawn – alone, just as she’d been when she went to sleep, and for a moment, she tried fuzzily to remember why. Then it all came back to her. She’d been found out. The moment she’d had nightmares about for her entire adult life. Thinking back, the first time she’d lied to Bennie had been out of desperation. She’d been afraid she was losing him to another girl. So she’d lied. It had worked. He’d ridden to her rescue like the white knight she’d imagined him to be.. but everything after that wasn’t exactly what she’d dreamed it would be. She’d been young when she first saw him, performing at an open mic night at a local bar. She’d immediately fallen for him, and refused to listen to his arguments that she was too young for him. What a mess that had turned her life into.
Her stomach feeling queasy, Marnie sat up, and felt. Still no bump – but then, it was still early for that. It’s not like she didn’t know what to expect. Why hadn’t she checked the bottle of pain medicine in the cabinet like she usually did, so Bennie wouldn’t have gone searching…. and for goodness’ sake, why hadn’t she just disposed of the birth control medicine!
It was just an unfortunate coincidence that the day after Bennie had gotten himself drunk on the way home from work was the morning she’d decided to go grocery shopping. Feeling even sicker, Marnie walked to the bathroom to wash off her face and calm herself. Surely Bennie hadn’t meant what he said. He had a temper, sure, but he was always sorry the next day. And Marnie wasn’t above apologizing to try to keep her family together. Steeling herself for Bennie’s likely reaction, Marnie walked out to the living room to wake him up.
…. and ended up standing there, staring at an empty couch .. and driveway. Bennie’s yellow truck was gone, too. Bewildered, she looked around, and the only things she could tell were missing was his keys, wallet, and what he’d been wearing. So clearly he meant to come back. Breathing a sigh of relief, she woke up the kids and got started on breakfast.
Jaz was the first to ask where Bennie was – nobody else seemed concerned… and Marnie had to tell her daughter that she didn’t know where he’d gone. She emphasized that he’d be back, though.
By the time breakfast was cooked, Marnie’s stomach had finally settled, and she made quick work of the fruit salad she’d made.
“Are we still having Dad’s party, Mom?” asked Phoenix – reminding Marnie that she still needed to bake the cake and get the party supplies from the basement.
“Of course we are. Did you still need wrapping paper for the present you made him?” Marnie asked in reply.
“Nope! I found it in the box downstairs like you said!” Phoenix replied.
“You should remind your brother and sister to get their gifts out, too.” Marnie said, patting Phoenix on the shoulder. She ignored Phoenix’s snicker at Marnie calling Jaz his “sister”, and headed back to the kitchen to bake Bennie’s cake. It wasn’t every day that a man reached his elder years, after all. She meant to make the day special.
Jaz was downstairs, taking care of the twins, who were curious about all the preparations for the party, and kept trying to open the gifts themselves. Scolding Braydon with a chuckle, Jaz rescued the gifts and hid them in the closet away from little fingers.
Phoenix helped set the table, while Myles and Marnie set up the balloons and the streamers. It didn’t look half bad by the time they were done, either.
Checking her watch, it was about time for Bennie’s shift to be over at the comedy club, so Marnie got the cake ready and everyone piled up the home-made gifts for their Dad. Then, she called everyone to dinner. Jaz had taken to sitting by the front window, watching for Bennie, but Marnie didn’t want the kids to wait too long for dinner on a school night, and she insisted Jaz get up and come to the table.
Jaz took one more worried glance at the empty driveway and obeyed Marnie. There was an empty feeling in the pit of their stomach, and they were pretty sure it wasn’t because they were hungry.
Everyone ate their sandwiches, and talked together softly, avoiding looking at Marnie, who kept getting up to check out the window herself. With the sun going down, and school the next day – Marnie finally told everyone to go get ready for bed, promising to wake them when Dad got home (if it wasn’t too late .. and Marnie thought to herself.. and providing Bennie wasn’t too drunk. She had nothing to go off of other than the fact that he’d been late – and drunk – the other night.. so maybe he was picking up a new habit?)
Picking up the twins one by one and getting them to bed was accomplished by rote, but even the twins were subdued tonight. Everyone seemed to be a bit worried. It really wasn’t like Bennie to not be home – especially if it involved cake and presents.
Finally.. leaving the party set up.. you know, just in case.. Marnie headed to bed. Surely he’d be back in the morning….
OS: Day Nineteen < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-One
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!
Chapter One – Starting Anew
November 2025 Dev DiarySuperSweetBot Commands for Mods & BroadcastersOctober 2025 Dev DiaryProgress Report!Hacking Situation ResolvedHey all…
Welcome to my new webhost!!
Progress Report on Not So Berry & TimelineExtended Not So Berry 2.0 is coming!!
OMG A Thrall Post?? What?Not So Berry Updating
Jaynie’s Gems: By-The-NumberToday
