Tried With Fire - (Ruth Harris Series)

Chapter 33

'...But your partner does have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, correct?'
'She is on long term antipsychotic medication that has basically put all her symptoms in remission, and she sees a therapist once a week -'
'Mr Harris! Would you please, just, answer the question.'

I lifted my head and found myself in a brown room, dressed in a smart black dress which had little pink cherry blossoms sporadically embroidered on it. I remembered Mama wearing it, a few months ago. I had no idea how it had gotten from her wardrobe to mine. It was pretty though. The material was soft.
               When I looked to my right I saw Hunter in a fancy suit - fancier than usual, and my world shattered around me all over again. We were here. Back here. Back in that bloody court room, fighting for our daughter about as victoriously as King Harold fought in The Battle of Hastings. Hunter, my beautiful Hunter, was staring at my brother - his best friend - in the witness box and trying to telepathically send him consolation. But Andy wasn't looking back at him. He was glaring at Mr Tyler and Hunter's parents on the other side of the room with utterly savage eyes. I remembered him wearing that face a month ago, seconds before Alastair's nose got broken. That face meant war, but I was losing hope we would win this one. We'd know by the end of today. Today was 'verdict day', as Hunter and I had been calling it. Today was the day which ultimately would tell me if society was moving forwards as I hoped it was, or if society still condemns struggling people to a life of solitary misery.
               Hunter sensed my unease and looked over at me. He smiled faintly, squeezing my hand. I closed my eyes.

'Alright,' my brother replied to the judge, disrespectfully, 'I'll answer the stupid question. Yes, my girlfriend has schizophrenia. And be very careful what point you try to make next, Mr Tyler, because I won't stand here while you try to make a big deal out of a twenty year old diagnosis! Susie is healthy, and well, and sane, and don't try to make out otherwise.'
'Mr Harris!' the judge said angrily. His patience was running thin. Even Andy looked slightly worried, not to mention poor Susie, who was fiddling with her jacket zip behind us like Olivia trying to quickly grab a cookie from the jar without getting caught.
               The judge continued, 'Do not threaten Mr Tyler, Mr Harris, and do not show such impertinence in my courtroom or I will hold you in contempt of court. Do you understand me?'
'...Yeah, I understand.' Andy said. He looked ready to say something else, but managed to stop himself for once. I let out my breath. After Hunter's arrest the last time we were here, we certainly didn't need Andy being led away in handcuffs too.
               'Right. Now that we have that straightened out, Mr Tyler, please continue.'
'Thank you, sir.' Mr Tyler chirped sweetly. I was ready to punch him as he cleared his throat and asked the next smug question. I may have only become emotionally present recently, but something about Hunter's tired eyes, bouncing knee and tensed fingers made me feel as though we had been in that courtroom forever already.
               'Mr Harris, how would you describe Miss Susan McLeod's character?' the opposing solicitor asked. Andy straightened up.
'I would describe her as loving, kind, and fun, friendly and outgoing. She has suffered in the past, and just like Ruth, she has come out of her struggles a stronger woman. She doesn't deserve to be doubted for one second.'
'Who said she is in doubt?' Mr Tyler asked curiously. Andy furrowed his brows.
'You! You implied that she was lesser than the rest of us for having schizophrenia.'
'I apologise if I did!' Mr Tyler chuckled. 'I simply wanted to know what you thought of her. You made the first mention of her being 'doubted'.'
               Andy opened his mouth, but was quickly hushed by the judge. Probably for the best.
               'Now, Mr Harris,' Mr Tyler continued, 'why would you assume that others might 'doubt' your partner's competency?'
'I, I, I, you're twisting my words!' Andy argued. Hunter looked at me as if to say 'at least Tyler doesn't just play these games with us.' I sent a look back which said, 'I wish this would all just end already', and Hunter sighed a 'me too.' Ten years. Ten years I had been in love with that man. Ten years, and I could have entire conversations with him without ever uttering a word.
'Please, God, don't let all that go to waste. Hunter is the only person who understands me. If we lose Olivia, we won't survive.'
               I was awoken from my thoughts by Mr Tyler's self-satisfied voice:
'I am not twisting anything, Mr Harris. I simply want to know what your honest opinion is of Miss McLeod.'
'I love her, that's my opinion!' Andy burst, glancing at Susie. 'Yes she's got schizophrenia, and so what!? She used to be an addict as well you know, and she had anxiety and anorexia - the self harm was the real cherry on the top! I know that stuff is just ammo on paper for you, Mr Tyler, but it's her life story to me. It's part of who she is today. I don't judge you for your past, but I judge who you are now. You should do the same for Susie. And right now, she is a far better, saner person than you.'
'I'm sure.' Mr Tyler muttered sarcastically. I couldn't hear Susie's erratic breaths from over my shoulder anymore, so I glanced behind me and saw that she was frozen, staring at Andy as if he was an angel. A smile twitched at her lips.
               'Mr Harris, how long have you and Miss McLeod been partners?'
'Er, we started dating in the September...so, seven years. We've been together for seven years, living together for five.' Andy said proudly. His girlfriend behind me seemed even more impressed by his memory. Andy was not one for sentiment: although evidently Susie had helped him discover that side of himself.
'And if you don't mind my asking, Mr Harris, why have the two of you never married?'
               Susie snorted, Andy raised his eyebrows, and Hunter and I both glanced at each other, wondering where Mr Tyler would take this.
'Mr Tyler,' Andy said, 'we're in court today because those psychopaths right there want to steal Olivia from my sister and my best friend, and you're asking me why I'm not married?' Andy shook his head in disbelief. 'Is this a court hearing or dinner at my mama's house?'
'I must agree.' Jeong rose and said. 'This line of questioning is unnecessary.'
'It is perfectly valid.' Mr Tyler argued sternly, his pride hurt. 'I would like to know why Mr Harris does not want to bind himself to a woman with mental health issues.'
'What!?' Andy cried, all trace of flippancy gone. 'Judge, is he allowed to say dumb crap like that in a courtroom?'
'Enough.' the judge finally intervened, rising in his chair slightly and gesturing for silence. 'Mr Harris, check your attitude. I will not remind you again. Mr Jeong, be seated. Mr Tyler's question may be a waste of time, or it may not. I shall allow him to ask it.'
               Mr Tyler sent a haughty look to the fellow suited men, which vanished when the judge scolded him too. 'And Mr Tyler,' he said, 'do not make leading remarks. Ask your questions unbiasedly. Proceed.'
               'Mr Harris,' the serious solicitor cleared his throat, 'why have you and Miss McLeod never married?'
'Because!' Andy shrugged defiantly. 'Not many people do these days. I love Susie, but I wouldn't love spending all our money on a big party only to prove what she already knows.'
'Which is?'
'That I will never leave her, or stop loving her.'
               My head snapped up at the sincerity of Andy's statement. Susie sniffed, but didn't cry. Susie never cries.
               'Mr Harris,' Tyler continued, unimpressed by the romance, 'to your knowledge, has Miss McLeod ever done anything hazardous when caring for Miss Olivia Brookes? Such as have a panic attack, or a psychotic episode?'
'First, let me make it perfectly clear that having a panic attack or episode does not make you 'hazardous'.' Andy swallowed his fury and answered. The judge seemed to appreciate it. 'And second, no. She has never had any sort of episode around Olivia.'
'But Miss McLeod still does have psychotic episodes and/or panic attacks?' Tyler pushed.
'Rarely.'
'How often do these 'rare' episodes take place, Mr Harris?'
'I don't know, maybe once or twice a year? If that.'
'So Miss McLeod is doing well?' Mr Tyler asked saccharinely. Andy nodded. 'But when Miss McLeod does have her episodes, what happens?'
               Andy narrowed his eyes again and thought carefully. Mr Tyler was laying traps in two inch intervals along the tightrope my poor brother was walking.
'Susie copes with her condition perfectly, on the rare occasion that she has to.' he said. I smiled at his circumspection, and could feel that Susie and Hunter were too. What a group of recalcitrant adults we were!
'I have heard you say so a few times now, Mr Harris.' Mr Tyler grumbled. 'But I want you to tell the judge what Miss McLeod endures during a psychotic episode, if you please.'
'Well sheesh, the last one was so long ago I can barely remember -'
'Stop being glib and answer the question, Mr Harris.' the judge ordered gruffly. Andy sighed.
'Fine. If and when Susie has a panic attack, she might, er, she might struggle to breathe, shake, maybe throw up, and if it's a psychotic episode she might try to hurt herself, but that hasn't happened for ages. Happy?'
'Almost.' Mr Tyler smirked. 'Mr Harris, an ambulance was called to your house on the twenty first of January, last year. Can you tell the court about what happened that night?'
'I,' Andy paused, clearly still troubled by the memory but masking it well, 'I got home from work, Susie had cut her wrist a few times but not too deep. I was worried anyway so I called an ambulance, just to be safe. But that was over a year ago now -'
'Thank you.' Mr Tyler interrupted. 'Mr Harris, has Miss McLeod ever used violence or shown aggression towards you?'
'No!'
'What about other people? Has Miss McLeod treated anyone else with hostility that you know of?'
'No. Susie wouldn't hurt a fly!'
'And yet,' Mr Tyler said, 'on the twenty first of January last year she made three incisions on her wrist using a steak knife. Mr Harris, why should I or the judge or anyone else believe that Miss McLeod is incapable of using violence on others, when she has used it on herself?'
               As the lawyer spoke, I looked down at the scars on my left forearm. I had to release Hunter's hand to pull my dress sleeve back and view the ancient slashes.
'Do you fink this guy's right? You can't be a safe parent if youse gots scars? Cuz I gots self 'arm scars too, but I could be a ma someday. That don't seem fair, what he said.'
'Of course he's wrong, Hailey.' Julie said. 'But you don't have to worry about that: even if you're lucky enough to attract a man for a night, you'd still have your kid taken away for being a crappy parent!'
'Julie! Has this whole situation with Ruth taught you nothing about compassion?'
'I agree with Charity! Anyone can be a parent, and a brilliant one! It takes work, but if the work has been put in then everyone else should butt out.'
               Mr Tyler's cruel question may have sparked a communal conversation in my mind, but it only triggered Andy's anger even more. I knew, because this was his answer:
'Excuse me? Hang on hang on, I thought the law condemns people who have committed crimes, not people with diagnoses!? Susie has never wronged another human being in her life, so to stand there and slander her just because your brain is stuck in the 19th Century and you can't see past your dumb prejudices -'
'Mr Ha-'
'- is unfair and unlawful! Susie has about as much chance of committing an act of violence as anyone else in this room, but I only see you doubting her and Ruth because they have mental disorders! Why don't you question me about myself, and my own actions and shortcomings and flaws? Why do you only want to discredit Ruth and Susie? Are they easy targets for you, bigot?'
'MR HARRIS!' the judge finally exploded, after being ignored a dozen times. I was watching the whole scene with wide eyes, as were Katherine and even unfeeling Phil.
               The room fell deadly silent. At least when Hunter went 'wild' last time, the rest of the room had risen from their chairs with him and rushed to restrain his fists from beating Bertie's smug face. Now, however, nobody dared breathe for fear of the judge's wrath.
                However, Andy is an incredibly arrogant, fiercely loyal and impulsive man, so he did not pause for long.
'I hate to think what would happen to people like Ruth and Susie if they didn't have people like me and Hunter to vouch for them, who smarmy, stuck up people like you deem 'credible'. My Susie is not dangerous, and neither is my sister, and they could tell you themselves if you cared enough to listen.'
'Mr Harris, get out of my courtroom.' the judge ordered furiously. He wasn't listening anymore. Andy kept trying anyway, knowing that this was our last chance: he was the last witness before a verdict was called.
'If you take Olivia away from her home, you'll be telling her that feeling emotions is wrong, a-and enduring pain is pointless, and trying to better yourself isn't worth it. Then she'll bottle up her feelings until she explodes like Ruth did, and then you'll label as her as a castaway and take her children away from her too! Can't you see the cycle society is stuck in!?'
'GET. OUT.'