Outliers 13B Tiffany
The Elder filed into the gym on Saturday morning. The “Chambers” had been set up as before with the exception of another card table and chair. This one was for the procedural clerk.
Alan was first to his chair. He did not wait for the other. Once they were all seated the doors were opened and a crowd of about seven people came in. It was early on a saturday. Most workers were attending their own gardens or homes. Security guards were either on patrol or just getting breakfast after finishing a late night.
Next came the prosecutor, then the defendant and her advocate.
Once the preceding was called to order the Defendant asked, “If it pleases the court, my client wants to make a statement.”
Alan looked to his right to see if there were any objections. Both Kan and Walk had no objection. “You may let your client speak.”
Brian turned to Tiffany then sat down.
Slowly Tiffany rose, tears began to run down her cheeks. “I’m… sorry.” She didn’t look up. “I don’t know what to do here.” She looked to the walls. “I’m…scared.” She looked at Kan, “I know I don’t fit in. I’m used to a different life…and. This is so hard.”
The elders just listen. So far they’ve heard an excuse but not an admission of guilt or what she planned to do to fix the situation.
“I… need more time to figure some of this out.” She looked at Alan, “I need to figure this out for my daughter.” as wiped at her tears. “And I need help.” She looked at Brian, then back to the elders, “I need…someone to mentor me.”
Kan spoke first, “Why should we?”
Tiffany stopped, more tears ran down her cheeks as she didn’t know what to say.
Alan spoke smoothly. “What Kan is asking, is what will the colony get if we give you another chance.”
“I don’t know yet.” Tiffany admitted.
“That’s not good enough.” Walk stated.
“What do you want from me?” Tiffany said exasperated.
“An honest assessment of what you have to offer.” Alan said.
Tiffany looked around then anger filled her face. “You want my body?” She ripped at her shirt.
Brian stood quickly to stop her.
The crowd was shocked
“Stop!” yelled Alan.
Allison Stood and walked over to Tiffany
There was a long moment of silence. Alan turned to Kan, “This is not all bad, misguided, but not bad. Please disregard the outburst, but understand she thinks she has nothing to offer us. We need to give her alternatives and help her see that.”
Kan and Walk took the statement in and sat back. This whole thing was going badly again.
Then Alan turned to Brian, “Your client will refrain from any outburst like that again.”
Brian agreed.
Allison helped Tiffany with her shirt. The girl was an emotional spunge. She needed help. “How did you make it this far child.” she said softly.
“Kent.” Tiffany said sobbing then a rain of tears fell again.
“I’m sorry child.” Allison said as she knew that Kent had lost his life just three months earlier. She turned to Alan, “Stop this.”
Alan heard her, but the question needed to be answered. Everyone, abled-body, has to pull this load. No expectation. Alan looked to the prosecutor, Laurence hated this scene, “We will accept a rehabilitation plan.”
Brian stood, “We agree.”
Alan looked at Kan and Walk. There were no objections. Any day you don’t have to go on record as a murderer is a good one. And expulsion for Tiffany was as good as a death sentence. Alan looked at Brian, “Why didn’t you ask for this in the first place.”
Brian turned to the Elders, “She wouldn’t let me. She wanted to fight.”
“What Changed?” Asked Kan.
“Her daughter told her that she didn’t want to go home with her” indicated Tiffany. “That she liked where she was at.”
“I see.” Alan said.
Laurence Stood, “I can take them in.”
Allison looked at him. She was skeptical that the old prosecutor had ability to tend to Tiffany’s needs.
Laurance looked at the Elders, “I’ve raised four daughters and one son. I’m no stranger to this.” He looked at Allison, “All of my kids are here working with me, and this community. And they will help.”
Allison turned to the Elders, “I will provide some counseling as well.”
Alan looked at his wife. The look on his face prompted her to say, “I’ll find the time.”
Alan conceded without saying a word. He then looked at Kan and Walk, “Six months?”
They both said yes.
“Okay, We need our stenographer to write this up and give it to both prosecutor and plaintiff. And so much for procedures.” He threw his hands up and looked at the clerk. There was no procedures for what just happened.
Everyone started packing up their belongings
Alan approached Laurence, “What are you doing?”
Laurence said, “Hopefully saving two lives.”
“She’s spoiled, self absorbed and thinks we owe her.” Alan stated.
“All teenagers think that.” Laurence said.
“She’s 28.”
“Physically.” Laurence put his backpack on, “Besides, I’m too old to do much more than be an elder, work on my garden and provide legal counsel to those that need it. If I can turn her around,” he indicated Tiffany, “Then I’ve helped by giving this colony two more able-bodied citizens.”
“Despite what everyone says about you sir, you’re a good man.” Alan clapped him on the shoulder.
“I don’t think she’s going to see it that way at first.” Laurence said.
Alan gave him a look,
“Wax on…” was all Laurence said and used a circular motion with his hands. One turning right and the other left. It was an old movie reference.
Allison then joined Alan. “I’m going to go with Laurence and help Tiffany settle in. I need her to talk about Kent. Her past and her parents.”
“I’ll have dinner waiting.” Alan knew that this would be an all day affair. Then he saw Brian. “Brian!”
Brian came over.
“We are going to need a plan. So give Allison some time and then work with Laurence and bring a plan to use at the next elders council.” Alan said.
“I’m on it.” Brain said.
Then Alan said, “Congratulations on your first win.”
“Oh, yeah. Guess that was a win.” Brian admitted.
“Better yet, I think justice was served.” Alan bowed his head then said, “I really don’t think this should have gotten this far.”
“She’s stubborn.” Brian admitted.
“I think it’s more than that.” Alan said.
“Entitled?” Brian asked.
“No, more. Ignorant of the circumstances. I think Kent kept a lot of this from her. Maybe he didn’t think she could handle it. I guess we'll never know. Either way, we don’t live in the old world any longer and we can’t do things like we did. We just don’t have the luxury. Everyone has to pull their own weight somehow.” Alan was talking to himself as much as Brian.
“Even the elderly?” Brian asked.
“Well thanks to our lack of medical facilities and drugs, that won’t be as much of an issue as it was in the past.” Alan looked at Brain. “I don’t expect many of them to make it into their 80s.” He looked up, “I always said I was going to be a centennial, but maybe not.”
“You know she blames you and Mike for Kent’s death.” Brian said.
“How so?” Alan asked.
“You.. Well Mike. Gave him the gun and told him that he was going to have to train with it.” Brian said.
“Yes, we all do.” Alan responded. “But he was trained how to handle, clean and fire it.”
“Apparently he had never even picked one up before.” Brian said.
“But you know Mike, he wouldn’t have left it with him if he thought it would result in Kent’s death.” Alan said.
“I know.” Brian wanted to choose his words wisely, “I also know that they ruled it an accident.”
“What are you not saying?”
“I think…Well.” Brian was reluctant to say his next statement.
“You think he killed himself.” Alan finished the thought.
“Yeah.”
“I can’t say I disagree.” Alan said.
Brian was surprised., “But.”
“This is a small community. Things like this don’t go over well. She told us that he was cleaning the weapon and so, we took her at her word. But it’s quite unusual for the weapon to have only one bullet in the magazine. If he were cleaning it, the magazine is the first thing you drop. The mistake people make is thinking that there’s nothing in the barrel. But that wasn’t the case with Kent’s gun. The magazine was in.
“So she’s really lying to herself about this whole thing.” Brian was catching on.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told my own kids, it’s the lies we tell ourselves that are the most dangerous.” Alan's thoughts were of his youngest boy and all the troubles he seemed to find.
“Good morning sir.” Brian said and walked away.
Alan had the presence of mind to say, “This stays between us!”
Brian indicated that he heard but kept walking. It was quite a ways to his house and the heat of the sun was coming.
Alan turned to home as well. He wondered if this was truly a win or if there were more rough waters ahead for Tiffany. She would need a trade and her daughter would learn one as well. He doubted if the woman had the ingenuity to start a business. He then thought about the kitchen. A lot of laborers start out there and work into other things. He would bring that up with Laurence, but then the rest was on him. Alan shook his head. The man was a champion for human rights and liberties, now he was going to be a father again. Not to a young child, but a spoiled one. That takes a special kind of patients.
If you want to read more about the Remnant Series see the links below.
Bood 5: Chaos coming soon to Amazon.com
Book 6: Obsidian Arrows
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R. A. Legg
R. A. Legg
R.A. Legg © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
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