Luther and Betty entered the courtroom that afternoon dressed for the formal proceedings. Betty wore a brown dress and new sheer hose, and she had rouged her cheeks to cover the scratches. Her hair was freshly washed and brushed, held back on the sides by a pair of Joy Rae’s plastic barrettes. She looked peculiarly childlike. Luther wore his blue slacks and a plaid shirt with a red tie wound under the collar that was not drawn tight under his chin since the collar could not be buttoned. The tie reached only to the middle of his stomach. They entered and sat down behind the table on the right.
Their attorney came in and sat in the bench behind them, across the aisle from the guardian ad litem. After a while Rose came in with the sheriff’s deputy. He sat next to the G.A.L. and Rose slid in beside Betty and Luther, and she leaned over and took their hands and said they must speak the truth and do the best they could.
Rose, what’s going to happen? Betty said.
We’ll have to see what the judge decides.
I don’t want to lose my kids, Rose. I couldn’t bear that.
Yes. I know, dear.
Rose stood and moved to the other side of the aisle and sat at the table with the county attorney who’d entered the courtroom while she had talked to Luther and Betty. Everyone sat and waited. Outside the courthouse the wind was blowing, they could hear it in the trees. Somebody went by in the hallway, the footsteps echoing. Still, they waited. Finally the judge came in from a side door and the clerk said: All rise, and they rose. Be seated, the clerk said, and they sat down again.
There was just the one civil case this Wednesday. The courtroom was largely empty, and it was hot and stale, smelling of dust and old furniture polish.
The judge called the case from the file before him. Then the county attorney stood and spoke briefly. The judge had already seen the Petition of Dependency and Neglect and the county attorney began to review it for the record. The Petition explained why the children had been taken into emergency custody, described what had been done to them by their mother’s uncle, and stated what both the county attorney’s office and Social Services recommended. The Petition stipulated that the children be kept in foster care until such time as the uncle was apprehended and brought to trial. Until then the children should not be allowed to return to the home, since their parents had not shown that they were capable of protecting them from their uncle thus far. The parents should be granted regular visitations with the children under the supervision of Social Services, and the case should be reviewed at some future time and date.
Then the Wallaces’ lawyer rose and said what he could in their defense, telling the court that Luther and Betty Wallace had been good parents, under the circumstances, and had done the best they could.
Are the parents in the room? the judge said.
Yes, Your Honor. They’re here.
The lawyer motioned to Betty and Luther. They came forward and stood beside him at the table.
You’re aware of what injury was done to your children, aren’t you? the judge said.
Yes sir, Luther said. Your Honor.
Did you make any effort to prevent the injury to your children?
He wouldn’t let us.
Your wife’s uncle. You’re referring to him.
Pardon?
You’re talking about Hoyt Raines. You’re referring to Mr. Raines.
Yes. That’s him.
Did you witness what Mr. Raines was doing to your children?
My husband did, Betty said. I never seen it. Afterward I just seen what he done.
What did you do yourself?
You mean me?
Yes.
I told him he couldn’t do it. When he first come in our house I says, You can’t come in here.
Mr. Wallace. What did you do?
I went on in there, Luther said. I seen him using his belt and I says, You can’t do that. You got to stop that.
Did you physically try to stop him?
Well, like I says, I was in there. Then he come and hit me cross the neck. It’s still stinging me. Luther rubbed at his neck beneath the shirt collar.
What did you do after he whipped you with his belt?
I went back to take care of my wife.
What was she doing?
She was laid out bawling about all what was going on.
So in fact you didn’t do anything.
Luther looked at the judge, then he glanced at Betty, then he faced forward again. I went in there to stop him. But he whipped me cross my neck. With that belt of his.