B&C III - 26

Brian and Christine
Book Three
Saint Jane's
Part 26

Mother Magda pushed Christy into a chair behind the table on the right then sat next to her. The other girls filed into the second row, with the other nun sitting next to the aisle.

Christy sat staring straight ahead of her.

Wendy leaned over and whispered to Brian “That uniform is not hers. It’s too big for her.”

A clerk of the court entered followed by three police officers. Two of them stationed themselves at the door; the third took a chair to the side of the room. They looked very bored.

The clerk went to the judge’s bench and put some papers down on it, then took a seat on the side, next to the police officer.

After several minutes the door at the front of the room opened and through it came a woman in her 40s, with shoulder length brown hair and a pleasant smiling face. She was wearing a judge s robe.

The clerk stood up and said “All rise.” Everyone stood. “In the matter of the adoption of Christine Flynn, Her Honor judge Agnes Weinstein presiding.”

Judge Weinstein took her place and said “Be seated, please.”

Everyone sat. But as they did Christy slid down under the table in front of her, crawled under it and ran over to the judge. She cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered something to her.

Mother Magda stood up and shouted “Christine, come back here and stop bothering the judge.” She struggled to get around the side of the table. When Christy saw her coming, she ran around to the other side of the judge stepped up and whispered right into her ear. The judge stood, took Christy by the arm and ushered her down to the side of the room. The clerk and policeman also stood, but judge Weinstein motion for them to back off.

By this time Mother Magda was free of the table and approaching Christy and the judge. The judge was speaking very quietly to Christy and holding her finger up in Christy’s face. But Christy kept whispering to her.

Mother Magda held out her hand with her fingers down and the thumb on top as if she was holding something, then she said “Christine. I’m warning you.”

Brian could see Christy’s face looking up at the judge, with tears on her cheeks. He could see her mouth say “Please!”

Judge Weinstein opened the door next to her and ushered Christy through it. Then she turned and said “This hearing will take an indefinite recess. Officers, please see to it that no one leaves the court room.” She then said to the officer on the side “No one is permitted through this door without my permission.” Then to Mother Magda “Madam, please take your seat.”

Judge Weinstein went into the other room with Christy and shut the door.


(To be continued.)