Page 55 of After Everything
I checked my phone. 9:47 AM. The hearing was scheduled for ten.
I'd worn my most professional outfit. Navy slacks, a cream blouse, my white coat over it with my credentials clearly visible. Hair pulled back and minimal jewelry. Thegoal was to look competent, trustworthy, unshakeable. A medical professional whose testimony couldn't be questioned.
My phone buzzed with a text from Jess.
You've got this. Go save that woman and her kids.
I smiled and texted back: Thanks. Talk later.
Another buzz. Connor this time.
Good luck today. Dinner tonight to celebrate?
I hesitated, then replied: Sounds good. I'll text you when I'm done.
I put my phone away and looked around the hallway. Other people waiting for their hearings—lawyers in suits, families clustered together, a woman crying quietly while her attorney spoke to her in low tones.
Then I saw them.
David and Maria, sitting on a bench near the courtroom door. David was leaning forward, explaining something, his hands moving as he talked. Maria was nodding, but I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands gripped her purse.
David noticed me first. He said something to Maria, then stood up.
I walked over, focusing on Maria, not him.
"Hi, Maria. How are you feeling?"
Maria looked up at me, and her eyes filled with tears. "Nervous. Very nervous."
"That's completely normal." I sat down next to her, deliberately putting space between myself and David, who remained standing. "But we've got this. You've done everything right. The evidence is solid. And I'm going to tell the judge exactly what I found during your exam. Okay?"
She nodded, wiping her eyes. "Thank you for coming. For helping."
"Of course."
David cleared his throat. "Ms. Peterson, can I go over the testimony sequence with you? Just so we're all on the same page?"
I looked up at him. Professional… this was professional. "Sure."
He sat down; not next to me, but on Maria's other side, maintaining appropriate distance. "I'll present opening arguments first, then introduce the policereports and hospital records. Then I'll call you to the stand. The judge will want to hear about the medical examination, your findings, and your professional assessment."
"I've reviewed my notes," I said. "I'm prepared."
"I know you are." He paused. "The opposing counsel might try to suggest that the injuries could have been accidental, or that Maria could have fabricated the timeline. Just stick to the medical facts. What you observed, what you documented, what the evidence shows."
"I know how to testify, Mr. Harrison." My voice came out sharper than I intended.
David nodded once. "Of course. I just…" He stopped himself. "You're right. I'm sorry."
An awkward silence settled between us. Maria looked between us, clearly picking up on the tension.
The courtroom door opened. A bailiff stuck his head out. "Rodriguez versus Rodriguez? We're ready for you."
Maria's hand found mine and squeezed. Hard.
"You've got this," I told her. "Just tell the truth. That's all you have to do."
She nodded and stood on shaking legs. David offered her his arm, and she took it, leaning on him as they walked toward the courtroom.
