Finding Rayna

Chapter 33

Martha stood in the parking lot waiting for us as we pulled up to the courthouse. When we climbed out of the car, she smiled at me. "Rayna, how are you doing this morning? Do you need to ask me anything about the hearing?"

"No, I think I am fine. I am ready to testify against my so-called parents and get this all over. Then I can move forward with the rest of my life."

"Let's get in the courtroom so that you can find your seats," Martha says.

We follow her into the courtroom and find seats right up front. A few minutes later, Cain and Joan came in, flanked by an officer on each side. They look over at me with William in my arms, "Well, if it isn't the slut with her bastard son," Joan says, glaring at me.

"Oh, look, William, my disgrace of a mother and father, is there. If it weren't for them, I would have never found your Grandma Sarah and Grandpa Ryan," I say, smiling down at my son. "Mom and Dad, will you please hold William so that I can talk to Conner real quick?" I say, looking at Sarah and Ryan.

"Those people are not your parents and that is my grandson, not theirs," Cain yells.

"You lost the right to call my child and me anything. If I were your kid, you would have treated me better, Cain."

Once the judge entered the courtroom, I kept my eyes off the couple sitting in front, with their lawyers and focused on the judge.

"Mr. and Mrs. Beckerman, you have both pleaded guilty to the charges of murder for hire. Also, Mr. Beckerman wants to plead guilty to child molestation and child abuse. Is this true?" asked the judge.

"Yes, it is, sir. We are hoping for some grace when it comes to our time in jail," Joan says.

"Why would I do such a thing? What you have done to your children is beyond anything I have ever heard. First, Cain, you sexually abused your child. Then you beat her regularly. You denied her food. Your daughter lost a child because of her being malnourished. That should have landed you both in prison for life. You, Joan, should have done everything to protect your child. You are just as bad as he is. I have decided that Joan will be spending the next ten years in state prison. Cain, you will spend the next twenty-five years in a prison in New York. You are to have no contact with each other. Miss Rayna Beckerman, is there anything you would like to say to your parents?"

I stand up, walk to the witness stand, and look from my son to Joan and Cain.

"As a child, I never understood what I did that was so wrong that my mommy and daddy couldn't love me. I remembered nothing that happened to me before the age of eight until a few months ago. Now that I remember everything, I don't know why my mother decided that I was worthless and didn't deserve protection from the monster that was my father. I know that my life has been better than it ever was with the two of you over the last eighteen months. You both are dead to me. While you are rotting in a cell, I will live my best life, never once thinking about the two of you. I hate you both and never want to see you again. I stand by my statement that you are not my mom and dad. My parents are the people who took a broken girl in and cared for her like their own child. They have helped me learn that I am worth being loved and cherished. That is why I signed the papers for them to adopt me. They are my legal parents now," I say.

On the way back to my seat, Cain grabbed my wrist. The officers got him off me, but Cain grabbed one of their guns and pointed it at me. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the bullet coming at me. I heard a gunshot, but the pain never came. Instead, I felt arms wrap around me. I open my eyes and look into the eyes of my fiancé, "You are safe, baby doll, I am here," he says.

"Who was shot? Who did Cain shoot? Where is William? Please tell me he didn't hurt my baby."

"Kitten, William is fine; an officer shot Cain before he could pull the trigger. Cain is dead, baby."