Page 31 of Courtroom Drama
He’s about to say more, but the door opens and a bailiff ushers us into the courtroom.
Once seated, I’m dumbfounded at how much Damon has distracted me from the case. It’s only day four of testimonies and my mind, once consumed by Margot and this trial, has quickly made too much room for Damon. I still can’t reconcile which Damon it is I am finding myself drawn to—this new, hardened one or the best friend I used to wish would see me as more.
It takes a full few minutes to move my attention to Margot and the courtroom.
Today, Margot has donned a fitted pantsuit the color of an acorn, pant legs flaring slightly at the ankle, ending just before her subdued black heels. I take her in, surprised to find she seems almost upbeat. Though she doesn’t smile, she’s noticeably less tense than yesterday. I wonder if she’s intent on staying positive. A fake-it-till-you-make-it approach to the day.
I’m getting to know the faces in the room a bit, too. Most of the gallery comprises the same people in the same seats each day. There’s the woman with the bright blond locks who appears to be perpetually dressed in the same black suit. Next to her, the gangly man who constantly shifts his position on the bench, causing it to creak every few minutes. And on the other side of him, the older woman who, when not scrawling copious notes on her legal pad, swipes at her nose at regular intervals with the ever-present tissue in her hand.
There’s no time to think about the repercussions of last night’s revelations. The prosecution callsAMOMcast member Meredith Dixon as their next witness, and I shift my attention to the court proceedings. I expect to be excited about another one of the Moms in this room, butinstead I’m anxious. I really hope we’re not about to find out that Joe was sleeping withMeredith, too.
The double doors at the back of the courtroom open, and Meredith approaches the stand. She is raven-haired and in her late forties. Her hair is pulled back in a low, tight bun at the base of her neck, accentuating her long, thin face.
Meredith is widely considered the most “normal” of all the cast members. She wears stylish outfits, though they’re far more subdued than the others’. She is rarely the instigator of arguments and often plays peacemaker between the women. The most controversial things about her are that she puts her twin toddlers on leashes at Disneyland and constantly says “irregardless.” As a result, she is regularly called boring by the fan base. Her tagline is “You may judge me for being the voice of reason, but having class isneverout of season.”
I watch Margot evaluate her, eyes raking over Meredith, and her face twists in dissatisfaction. Any positivity Margot held is wiped completely from her face and overall demeanor, her efforts short-lived.
As Meredith is sworn in, Damon scrawls on his notepad. When finished, he passes the pad from his left leg to his right and angles it toward me. He’s written in all caps but small print, his handwriting bold and slightly intimidating, like him.
YOU OK?
?
?
YES
NO
