Morning of day 3
“How you holding up Dianne?” asked her lawyer. He knew this was all taking a toll on her. She had lost a lot of weight since the start of the trial and was looking very fragile
“I feel like shit, my daughter will be here today just when Darien is testifying. I just want it all done with.”
“hang in there.”
There was a knock and someone entered
Both Jaime and Dianne were surprised. Dianne got up immediately and moved to the furthest part of the office.
“You can’t be near me Darien, there is a restraint.” She almost cried in frustration
“I just need to speak to you, to both of you.”
“It’s ok Dianne” said Jaime “while I’m present it doesn’t hold.” Jaime eyes off Darien “so what do you want”
Darien looked at Dianne, seeing how ill she looked. Not the confident woman she used to be, but Darien’s feelings had not change.
“Dianne… you don’t have to worry” reassured Darien
Dianne turned away not wanting to hear her
“Darien…. If you have something to say, talk to me directly not my client” said Jaime
“I’m sorry…. I didn’t know this was all going to happen, I never said anything to anyone.”
“Darien” warns Dianne with back still to Darien
“LOOK AT ME” yelled Darien and broke down.“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please believe me I never meant for this, I can’t stand that you hate me”
Dianne faced the distraught young woman and sighed “I don’t hate you Darien” in hoarse like tone
“Please…... I’m not going to admit to anything.”
“Why?” said Jamie
Dianne’s eyes widen
“Because” Darien wanted to shout to Dianne that she loved her but the looked stopped that impulse “because nothing happened. It’s like you said, I made it up and that is what I’m going to tell the court.”
Dianne groaned
“So are you going to testify that this diary was some…?”
“Yes it was a fantasy of mine and nothing more. Look Dianne it’s going to be alright” trying to reassure the woman
Dianne wanted to speak then stopped “can I talk to Darien alone”
“I’m sorry but you can’t, anything you say here is confidential and I’m bound by it.”
She wasn’t convinced
“Plus I’ve head a lot worse than affairs of the heart Dianne”
Dianne walks over to the young girl. Darien’s face was soaked with tears “I won’t let you down I promise”
Dianne finally hugged the girl “Darien…. You’ve done nothing wrong and I don’t want you to sit up on the stand and.”
She paused and looked at her lawyer “and lie…..”
“I will lie…. I will do what it takes to get you off, I don’t care.”
“I do Darien…”
“ummm Dianne please be careful of what you are saying to Darien”
“Dianne I will prove to you that I love you….. I don’t care what people think of me.”
“You could be prosecuted for perjury, go to gaol… you would ruin your chances at taking that basketball scholarship Darien.” She stroked her face “ I don’t want you to risk that.”
“I love you….. I would risk anything and everything. I want to be with you again, and there is nothing the police, my parents anyone can do to change that.”
Darien leaves
“Well that will definitely sink the prosecutor now.” Said Jaime happily
“yeah and at what cost, her reputation, her future….how am I going to break this obsession she has with me?.”
“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, and once you are free then we will discuss on getting a restraining order against her.”
“It won’t matter, the damage will be done and her life will be ruined. I’m the only one that can’t prevent that.”
“ok… take a little water Dianne, you are not thinking straight.”
Day 3 afternoon
Dianne hugged her daughter before she sat down next to her lawyer
“Remember what I said Dianne focus on here and now, let’s get through this next part and we’re home free”
She nodded but her stomach felt like it was twisting on itself.
Then she heard it
“Prosecutor calls Darien McLeod”
The court room hushed and as Darien starts to walk towards the witness box, Dianne felt light headed as she had her breath held and slowly got to her feet
“Your honour I’d like to change my plea to guilty.” Said Dianne with all the voice she could muster.
The court room roared into life, Dianne could hear her daughter calling t her to stop it. Her own lawyer was in her ear telling her to sit down. Then above all she could hear Darien yelling “no….. don’t listen to her”
The judge bought everyone to silence then focused on Dianne
Mrs Marshall you want to change your plea from not guilty to guilty?”
“Yes your honour”
“That is for all counts?”
Dianne looked down then back up “Yes that is correct” she said confidently
The court room erupted again and eventually silenced
On the charges of sexual intercourse with a minor and statutory rape I hereby accept your plea of guilty. I herby sentence you to 10 years gaol.” He pauses to hush the crowd again “as you have pleaded guilty of your own accord I recommend your term be no less than 5 years before you can be paroled. You will attend regular counselling, you will also be recorded as a sex offender and upon success of parole will not be permitted to locate residence within 1km of any schools. Do you accept this ruling Mrs Marshall?”
“I do your honour”
Judge calls the court to adjourn and for court sheriff to take away Dianne for immediate incarceration.
Dianne had Jo in a hug as they sobbed “I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry. I love you Josphine, please….. forgive me.”
As they parted Dianne looked up to see Darien being restrained by her father but she pushes him free and runs towards Dianne but before she could reach two court sheriffs now had her restrained and forced to the ground, she was screaming hysterically that it was a lie, that she made it up…don’t lock her up.”
Dianne lies on her bunk in a single cell. Her tears had dried up thinking how much she had let her daughter down and now hoped that once 5 years has been served Darien will finally be over her obsession and they can both move on and heal.
The end…