"Babe can you help me with my tie?" I called from the bathroom. Mary walked in and giggled. "You look like you're going to choke yourself. Here." she said fixing it.

"I dont like wearing these damn things anyway. They make me look like a shumuck." I said tugging at it again and again.

"Well I think you look kick-ass ready." she said smiling, putting on more blush. "Slap some of that on your man. Right here." I said pointing to my cheek. She put some on and I looked more radiant. "Now maybe after the trial you'll give me a little justice lap?" I said smacking her butt.

"Keep talking nasty and you might get a good luck quickie." she said walking away all cute. I smiled and followed her. "Do we have everything?" I asked her. "I believe so. I got the files together last night while you were asleep."

"Thank you babydoll. You didnt have to do that." I said kissing her cheek

"Its my pleasure Mr.Jackson." she said winking. We both laughed and headed downstairs. "We're ready George."

"Great. Let's go." he said, letting us go out the door. We were in the car and George was running down a few more court room tips.

"Now dont act like a fool. Only act like a fool when I think the judge is in her favor. Keep your cool and do not...I repeat DO NOT interact with the mother. She can use some sort of verbal abuse against you in court."

"Do I have any rules?" Mary asked

"Yes. Try to present your answers straight-forward and dont act nonchalant on the stand. Make sure that you address all that Michael has done and be sure and sincere about your answer."

"Got it." she nodded. We pulled up to the court house and I saw Mr.Flowers walking in. "Thats the man that took her from me."

"Dont say anything to him either. Social workers always look for the wrong and try to put the child where best fitted. He's sneaky." George warned. We got out the car and walked in to see where the hearing would be held. The secretary pointed to a room way down the hall and my stomach went up in knots.

"Let's go, and dont look nervous." he suggested. I took a deep breath and Mary kissed me. "Ill be right by your side."

We approched the door and walked in. There were a bunch of people there waitng to hear the trial placed upon Michael Jackson. We were on our way to our seat when I saw a woman who was about my age, very fit yet pale, and had long blonde hair.

"That must be the mother" George whispered to me. She didnt look in any condition to take care of a child. She looked like she just left the club and didnt get any sleep.

"All rise." the bailiff said. We rised and the judge walked in. He was mean and scary looking, uptight and looked like he hadnt been laid in years.

"You may sit." he said, plopping down in the chair. They stated the case and we got right to it. The mother took the stand first.

"Can you explain to me why you left your child in an alley?" the prosecuter asked

"I didnt leave her. She ran away."

"So after she ran away, you didnt bother looking for her?"

"OBJECTION! INTERROGATION!"

"Overuled...continue Mrs.Barkley." the judge said. She nodded and asked her to finish the question.

"No I didnt. I was high." she said

"You were high....so how long would you say that your child was gone?"

"I cant say....maybe for days."

"How were you tending to her while you were at home?"

"I would feed her, wash her, and make sure she went to school."

"Annie said that she rarely eats, and she was not attending school. Can you agree with this statement Mrs.Harley?"

"That child fabricates all the time. She was just joking."

"And I guess she was joking when she ran awa because you did not show any parental care towards her am I right?!"

"I love Annie with all my heart and I will not let another person take her away from me!"

"No more questions for Jackie Harley." Jackie sat down and gave me an angry look. I looked away and it was Mary's turn to go up.

"Mary Lanouw, how are you related to Michael Jackson?"

"Michael is my boyfriend. I work for him."

"So what are your duties?"

"I help around the house, home assistant."

"So, you currently work at Neverland, where Mr.Jackson is residing?"

"Yes."

"How did you react when Mr.Jackson brought Annie to the house?"

"I was in shock and anger because I didnt understand how someone could leave their child in the middle of nowhere alone."

"What state was Annie in that day?"

"Her clothes were dirty and practically torn apart. Her shoes were losing its soles, and she looked like she hadnt had a bath in days. She was hungry so much that she ate everything I made in one bite."

"So you can say that Mr.Jackson was her guardian and took great care of her?"

"Yes.  He buys her clothes, toys, makes sure she has plenty of food, a home school teacher, and he is home before she goes to bed."

"Was Annie happy when in the care of Mr.Jackson?"

"Yes she was. He treats her like his own and Annie adores him."

"Thank you, no more questions." Mary stepped down and I smiled because she did a great job defending our case. Mr.Flowers went up and basically couldnt pick a side, because he was favoring me and Jackie, which didnt help at all.

"I have decided, through all of this back and forth, I want to hear from the child." the judge said. My eyes widened when the judge was going to bring Annie out. I missed her so much. The door opened and I saw that beautiful face, her eyes so pleading for love. She was wearing a dress I bought, her favorite one.

Her eyes caught mine and shot up, a smile beaming across her face. "Daddy." she whispered, I could see her mouth moving. My heart melted and I waved at her. She knew I was coming to get her. She was placed on the stand.

"Tell the judge you want to be with mommy!" Jackie yelled at her.

"Mrs.Barkley sit down or you will be removed from the court room!" the judge yelled.

"Annie honey, do you know who that man is over there?" the prosecuter asked

"Yes. That's my daddy." she answered sweetly

"Your daddy? When did you first see him?"

"He found me in an alley. I was with my bear Jessie."

"Ok. So after he found you, what did he do?"

"He took me to his house and said I could stay. He also said Jessie could stay too."

"How was he treating you at his house?"

"He bought me clothes and toys and even decorated my whole room pink! We painted it together just like he promised."

"And who is that woman over there?" he said pointing to Mary

"Thats Mary. She helps around the house and she makes the best chocolate chip pancakes. She plays with me while daddy goes to work."

"What is your daddy's job?"

"He sings and dances. He's really famous. He said that he was going to teach me how to dance like him until....."

"Until what?"

"Until that Flower man came to take me away. Daddy said that he was going to come get me."

"How is it at your mother's house?"

"My mommy....she has to take medicine a lot."

"Medicine?"

"Yes. She puts the medicine in her arm. Then Roy comes over."

"Who is Roy Annie?"

"Roy is her boyfriend. He likes to lay with me at night and I dont like it."

"What would Roy do to you Annie?"

"He would tell me to close my eyes, and then we would be in Candyland. He likes to play that game with me and I dont like it."

My face shot up with anger. This man was molesting this beautiful poor child and she let him. Tears shot down my face and Mary tried to comfort me.

"What else  would he do?"

"He would take my clothes off and rub on me. Then he would stick something down there."

"SHE'S LYING! SHE LIES ALL THE TIME! THATS WHY I CAN NEVER PUT UP WITH HER!" Jackie yelled crying. I jumped up.

"SHUT UP! YOU LET THAT BITCH RAPE HER AND YOU NEVER EVEN TRIED TO STOP IT! YOU'RE SICK!" I yelled back at her.

"HE SAID IF I DIDNT LET HIM HAVE HER I WOULDNT...."

"WOULDNT WHAT? GET HIGH? YOU SACRIFICED YOUR OWN CHILD TO FUCKIN GET HIGH? SHE'S AN INNOCENT LITTLE GIRL AND YOU LET THAT HAPPEN TO HER? SHE'S GONNA BE SCARRED FOR LIFE! YOU'RE A JUNKIE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE ANNIE!"

"Settle down or you will both be removed from the court room!" the judge said. We sat down and Annie was crying.

"Annie sweetheart. Who do you think that will take good care of you? Your mother....or Michael?" the judge asked

"His name isnt Michael. His name is daddy. I love him very much and he always takes care of me. He's a real parent to me than mommy." she said rubbing those huge promising eyes. By then Mary and I were crying our eyes out not knowing what was going to happen.

What if the judge deamed her to her mother?

~TO BE CONTINUED~