Authors: Felicia Donovan
The French Girl (21 page)
The four women sat around the fireplace as Susan Weatherby scribbled notes on a pad of paper.
“Do either of you have any criminal convictions in your past?”
“No,” Jean said.
“What do you mean by criminal convictions?” Giselle asked.
“Were you ever in court about a crime? Ever arrested?”
“There were some unpaid parking tickets when I was living in Boston,” Giselle said.
“How bad?”
“About four hundred dollars in fines.”
“Four hundred dollars?” Jean asked cocking her head.
“Did you pay them?” Susan Weatherby asked.
“No, they took the car. It was a junker, so I let them.”
Turning to Jean, Susan said, “Find out what court it was and get them paid immediately just in case. And pray they didn’t issue a warrant.”
“A warrant?” Jean said turning towards Giselle, but Giselle quickly turned away.
“Anything else?” Susan asked.
“No.”
“What about ex-lovers? Anyone with a violent past? Drinking problems? Gambling? Promiscuity?”
“Why is everyone looking at me?” Giselle asked. “No” on everything.”
Turning to Eppy, Susan said, “I’ll need you to document the kind of shape she was in when you first saw her and what kind of shape she is in now. Also, the fact that you saw her very soon after she arrived. That’s important. We’ll need you to testify to their character.”
“Of course,” Eppy said patting Giselle on the leg.
“Same thing with the schools. We’ll need her school records to show you enrolled her right away. It shows you took initiative.”
Susan stopped and paced up and down the living room. “As long as there are no other nearby living relatives…”
“But there are,” Giselle said. “She has a sister. An older sister.”
“How old?”
“Seventeen.”
“Not old enough. It would be highly unusual for the court to give her any rights given her age. Where’s the sister?”
Giselle glanced at Jean for a moment before clearing her throat and saying, “She is back in Cote Nouveau.”
Susan saw the hesitation and pounced. “Giselle, this is not the time to hold back.”
“The sister is pregnant. She is due very soon with her baby. She was with the Sisters of Mercy but was expelled for a prank gone bad, thank God.”
“Good, that will work to our advantage. We can show the courts what could have become of Etoile if you hadn’t taken her in. We’ll use the sister as an example.”
“She was raped, for God’s sakes,” Giselle said sharply. The word hung in the air for the longest time. “She does not need to be a victim anymore than she already has been and she will not be anyone’s example. Leave her out of it.”
Susan gave a heavy sigh. “Fine. We’ll leave the sister out of it. But I have to warn you that the law is not in your favor, nor are the previous courts’ rulings.”
Giselle shook her head.
“Jean, I need you to get any letters of reference from your colleagues testifying to your character, that you’re a responsible person, a wonderful teacher, caring, etc. And if you possibly can, get as many from men as you can.”
“Why men?” Jean asked.
“Because we’re going to have to break the court’s perception that we’re the lesbian militia. I would even go so far as to say the day of the hearing, you’re going to wear a skirt.”
“A skirt?” Jean asked scrunching up her face. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’m not. How the court perceives you is very important. The more feminine you look, the better.”
Eppy laughed. “Now that will be a first.”
“Is that really necessary?” Jean asked wiping her hands on her pants.
“Yes. And lipstick.”
Eppy clapped her hands as Jean scowled. “This I’d pay admission to see.”
“But aren’t we creating false impressions?” Jean asked.
“Damn right we are,” Susan replied. “We’re going to show two very feminine, nurturing women who will raise a child with a woman’s gentle, soft touch. Hopefully it will gain us some points.”
Giselle patted Jean’s leg. “I can loan you one of my skirts.”
Jean shook her head slowly back and forth.
Susan Weatherby leaned against the fireplace mantle. “There’s only one other thing that could make or break this…”
“What is that?” Giselle asked.
“Etoile’s testimony.”
“Oh no, she will not…”
“She’ll have to, Giselle. It’s the only way. If she does a good job, it could gain us a lot of ground…”
“I will not make Etoile testify. Her stomach gets upset easily and I do not want to…”
“The trick will be to rehearse but not make it sound rehearsed. They’ll ask her anyway, did anyone tell you what to say, so we must rehearse only in generalizations.”
“I will not have her go through that,” Giselle said. “It is not fair to her to…”
“I will do it,” I said as I crept down the stairs.
“Etoile!” Giselle said standing up and turning to me. “You were supposed to be in bed. Have you been listening all this time?”
“Yes. I am sorry, Giselle, but I could not help but listen. I will speak to this judge. I do not mind doing it if it means I can stay here with you and Jean.”
Giselle came to the stairs and hugged me. “We will talk about that in the morning. Now you must really go to bed this time and I am coming up to check on you in five minutes.
Vitement
!” she said swatting at my fanny.
“Giselle?” I said as I paused at the top of the stairs.
“What?”
“Will Jean really have to wear a skirt?”
***
Later on that night, I could hear Giselle and Jean talking in their room. I snuck down the hallway and listened outside their door.
“We will need to talk to her and make sure she understands what this means. Susan says there could be a lot of reporters there. I do not want her traumatized by having someone shove a camera in her face.”
“Yes, that’s a good idea.”
“Jean?”
“What?”
“Do you think we have a chance?”
After a long time, Jean said, “Honestly, I don’t know, Giselle.”
“I could not live without her.”
“Giselle, we will always have each other. No matter what.”
“I know, but we always talked about having a family and then she came along and we were a family. What kind of God would bring such a blessing into our lives and then take it away?”
“It’s the law, Giselle. I’m not sure it has anything to do with God.”
“It has everything to do with God, Jean…”
“What are you doing?”
“Praying for a miracle. It might not hurt if you tried too.”
***
“So you see,” Giselle said the next day as we walked between the paths of the garden, “there are many people who do not think two women should be raising a child. Some think only a man and wife are capable of that.”
“But Jean is like a man,” I said and Giselle shook her head.
“If you mean someone who is strong of character with deep convictions and great integrity, then yes,” she said, but I think she knew that wasn’t what I meant at all. “There will be some who will be very upset about this, angry in fact. Some may even get angry at you for no reason at all. But you must promise me you will be strong, Etoile. Do you think you can do that?”
“Yes.”
Giselle looked over towards the small stream that supplied the water for the gardens. “Do you remember the day you fell off your bike and scraped up your knee?”
“Yes.”
“That was pain that you could feel because it reached beneath the surface of your skin.” She touched my arm and rubbed it. “Some of the things you may hear may be mean, but they cannot hurt you. You must remember that. They are only words.”
But her voice was carried off by a sudden wind that blew out of nowhere bringing dark clouds that gathered one on top of the other like a collision in the sky. Giselle did not seem to be aware of what was happening as she sat on the bench, gazing towards nothing. Or maybe she knew what she was looking at, I did not know, but I watched anxiously as one thunder clap rolled into the next one. In the distance, I could see lightning strikes forming brightly against the dark canopy of black clouds. It was not until a gust of wind slapped Giselle’s hair against her face that she seemed to realize we were very close to a storm.
She stood up quickly. “Come, quickly,
Cherie
,” she said as we ran hand-in-hand back down through the garden paths to the safety of Stone Cottage.
“
Oh, mon Dieu
,” Giselle said as Jean pulled up in front of the courthouse. Crowds of people with signs lined both sides of the street. Reporters with microphones and cameras interviewed several people in the crowds on both sides.
“That’s them!” someone said pointing towards Jean’s car.
Giselle glanced anxiously at Jean who said very matter-of-factly, “We were warned.”
A group on one side, led by Mrs. Batchelder in her silver bow tie blouse and gray skirt, chanted, “Save Our Children, Save Our Children.” She held a large sign that read, “Stop the Sinning.” Dale stood beside her with a sign that read, “God’s Math = One Man + One Woman.”
On the other side, a crowd of men and women, some of whom I recognized from Jean and Giselle’s parties including Star Mathers, held signs that read: “Human Rights = Parental Rights” and “Good Parents Come in All Shapes and Sizes,” “We WILL Save Our Children,” and “They’re Our Children, Too.”
Jean pulled over and tugged nervously at the long green and blue pleated plaid skirt she had on. Jean had insisted on going out on her own to buy what Giselle referred to as “the Kilt.” Jean admitted it had a kilt-like appearance, particularly since she wore it with cordovan loafers with a tassel on them. Giselle told her if she tried to wear knee-high socks with it, she would refuse to walk with her. Jean succumbed and bought a pair of nylons. At the last minute, with Giselle reminding her of what was at stake, Jean agreed to a touch of lip gloss and blush, but then began to carry on about “making a mockery of who she was.”
Immediately, a crowd of reporters surrounded the car shoving microphones and cameras at us. Giselle opened the door against them and wrapped her arm tightly around me.
“Dr. Becker,” one of them yelled, “how do you respond to the charges made by your opponents that a child needs to be raised by a mother and a father?”
Jean was about to answer when Susan Weatherby, wearing a lavender skirt and matching jacket, pushed through the crowd of reporters and grabbed the microphone.
“A child’s future is decided by the amount of love and care they receive growing up, not by whether they are raised by a man and a woman. Millions of children are raised by single parents, so why not let them be raised by two very loving parents?”
Susan was wearing lipstick, mascara and silver loop earrings. She still wasn’t pretty, but her appearance was softened.
Giselle, who was carrying a large knitted shawl, draped it over my head and pushed me through the crowds, guiding me by the shoulders. She glared at Mrs. Batchelder as we passed by.
We climbed the tall steps lined with long white pillars and entered the courthouse. I had never been in such a fancy building before. There were state and U.S. flags and heavy wooden tables that looked very old. Susan Weatherby led us to one of the tables facing the big bench and explained where the judge would sit and reminded me to stand up as soon as the bailiff said, “All rise.” We began to sit down, Jean and Giselle next to each other when Susan said, “Put Etoile between you.” I sat between them.
“That’s opposing council,” she said tilting her head towards a man in a dark gray suit with thinning white hair slicked over to one side and black-rimmed glasses who was busy organizing papers at the desk across from us. “His name is Eldon Tripp. He’s been state’s council for years. He’s ancient, but he’s good. He’ll give us a run for our money.”
I saw Eppy and Carol come in and sit down on the wooden benches behind us. I felt suddenly like I was in Church. Eppy smiled and waved to me. Another woman, with straight black hair, sat down behind them and took out a pad of paper.
“I thought this was a closed session,” Jean said spotting her.
“It is because it involves juveniles. They are checking IDs on the way in. She might be with DCYF.”
The county woman, Christine Donaldson, came in and took a seat behind the dark-haired woman. I was shocked to see the doors open again and Mrs. Spenser came in.
“Giselle!” I whispered. “It is Mrs. Spenser!”
“I know,” she said, then turned back.
“Did you know she would be here, Giselle?”
“Yes.”
Jean leaned across me towards Giselle. “How are you doing?” she asked quietly, but Giselle just shook her head and stared straight ahead. I had never seen Giselle look so nervous before. She reached over and took my hand and held it very tightly.
Giselle had deliberately not given me much to eat that morning and I was glad. My stomach was knotted enough as it was.
A door opened from behind the judge’s bench and a large woman came in and sat down in front of a very small typewriter and began typing on it, her hands bouncing up and down like a dance. I thought she would be very good at Miss Mary Mack. The bailiff came through the same door and announced, “All rise!” We stood up immediately as Jean tugged her skirt.
“The Honorable Theodore A. Chester presiding.”
The judge, who was dressed in a long black robe, sat down. He had a kind face and had I met him on the street, would have thought he was a doctor, not a judge. He reviewed some papers, nodded towards us and said, “You may proceed.”
Susan Weatherby rose. “Your Honor,” she began, “the plaintiffs in this case, Ms. Giselle Simone and Dr. Jean Becker, have been in a committed relationship for over ten years. They own a house together. Dr. Becker is a fully-tenured professor of Women’s Studies at Eastern University. They are both law-abiding citizens, have little debt other than their mortgage, and are contributing members of society. Most importantly, they are loving, caring people. The subject at hand is Etoile Toussaint, who is Ms. Simone’s second cousin by blood. They have been caring for Etoile for several months now and under their care, she has blossomed and flourished. We will have witness testimony to that effect, your Honor.”
Eppy was the first one called to the stand.
“Dr. Epstein,” Susan Weatherby began, “can you please tell the court when you first met Etoile?”
“Yes, in May, just after she arrived. Ms. Simone brought her in the very next day, in fact.”
“Why so soon?”
“Because Ms. Simone wanted to make sure she was healthy and up-to-date on all of her immunizations so she could enroll her in school.”
“And was she healthy?”
“In general, yes. My only concern was her weight.”
“Your concern being?”
“That she was underweight compared to her height.”
“And how is her health now?”
“I saw her in my office just the other day and she’s where she should be percentile-wise. She’s very healthy.”
“Your witness,” Susan said as she turned to Attorney Tripp.
“Dr. Epstein, how long have you know Ms. Simone?”
“I’ve known her for five years.”
“And how did you meet?”
“We met through Dr. Becker. We were friends and then Giselle and I became friends as well.”
“So is it fair to say you would do whatever you could to help your friends out?”
“Objection!” Susan Weatherby said rising from her chair. “Your Honor, Dr. Epstein is a well-respected physician, a graduate of Harvard Medical School and a member of Physicians with Ethics. To insinuate that she would use her position to…”
“Sustained,” the judge said. “Attorney Tripp, please keep your questions appropriate to the facts of the case.”
“I thought I was,” Attorney Tripp said as he stepped closer to Eppy. “Very well, then, Dr. Epstein, let’s go back to your testimony about the child’s weight. Would it be your expert opinion that Etoile was malnourished when you first examined her?”
“No.”
“What other reason could there be that her weight was low?”
“A child has many fluctuations in their weight as they go through different developmental stages.”
“So in other words, Etoile might not necessarily have been underweight because of being malnourished or underfed?”
“Yes, but…”
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
***
Mrs. Spenser was next.
“Mrs. Spenser,” Susan Weatherby began. “Could you please give the court a synopsis of how Etoile is doing academically?”
“She’s doing very well. She’s in the top tenth percentile of the class.”
“Was she always in the top tenth percentile?”
“No. When Ms. Simone first brought her, she tested, in fact, in the lower quadrille in math.”
“And how do you explain her academic gains?”
“Etoile is a very bright young student, but I know for a fact that Dr. Becker, in particular, has been helping her almost every night on her math homework. We have conversed several times about Etoile’s progress and Dr. Becker has actually solicited additional workbooks for her.”
“And do you have any concerns about Etoile from your perspective as her teacher?”
“Concerns?” Mrs. Spenser said as she turned and looked at me. “Heavens no, she’s a delight to have in class.”
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
“No questions on our side either, Your Honor,” Attorney Tripp said.
***
Giselle stood up next.
“Ms. Simone,” Susan began, “could you explain to the Court how you heard about Etoile’s situation?”
Giselle’s face looked very strained and I could tell that she had not slept well the night before.
“I received a phone call from someone I once knew in Cote Nouveau, a shop owner by the name of Madame Duvais. She is the only person in Cote Nouveau I ever stayed in contact with, though we don’t talk often.”
“And what did this Mrs. Duvais tell you?”
“She told me that Etoile’s mother had died. My grandmother and her grandmother were sisters. Madame Duvais said that there was no one left to care for Etoile and she felt very badly that she could not do it herself but she is very busy with her shop and had already raised her own children.”
“And why did she think of you?”
“I do not know.”
“Did Mrs. Duvais know that you were in a relationship with Dr. Becker?”
“We never discussed it.”
“Did the State caseworker know when you contacted them?”
“The Massachusetts woman did. She asked if anyone else was living in the household and I told her about Jean.”
“And she knew Jean was a woman?”
“Yes.”
“But the State of New Hampshire caseworker did not know?”
“I do not know. I put Jean’s name down on the form when I filled it out.”
“Ms. Simone, can you please explain to the courts why you wanted to take care of your cousin, Etoile?”
“Objection!” Attorney Tripp said rising. “Your Honor, Ms. Simone is not a direct first cousin of Etoile. They are distantly related at best.”
“Point noted, Attorney Tripp,” the judge said, “but we have already established their familial relationship.”
“Thank you, Your Honor,” Susan Weatherby continued. “Ms. Simone, you were explaining why you wanted to take care of your cousin, Etoile.”
Giselle shifted in her seat and looked out at me.
“Jean and I had always wanted a family. We were looking into our options when I got the call about Etoile. My heart went out to her when I heard about the circumstances. She is my family,” Giselle said looking at Attorney Tripp, “whether it is direct or not. She is my family and I wanted to help her out because of all she had been through.”
Turning to the judge she said, “What I did not plan on was how much she would fill our lives, how much I would love tucking her into bed every night, watching her read her books so intently, just like Jean; worrying for her every time she got on her bike or walked down to the bus.” Giselle wiped at her eye. “I had no idea how much we would love her, but we do love her. Please,” she said placing her hand on the big wooden desk. “Please I beg you. Please understand how much we love her.” The judge nodded.
“Your witness,” Susan Weatherby said as she handed Giselle a tissue.
“Ms. Simone,” Attorney Tripp said approaching, “when you say that you put Dr. Becker’s name on the forms you filled out with the case worker, did you at all indicate that Dr. Jean Becker was a woman?”
“No.”
“Wouldn’t you agree that it would be easy for someone to make the assumption that Dr. Jean Becker was a man?”
“Yes.”
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
***
Giselle came off the stand, sat down next to me and put her arm around my shoulder and drew me close. I laid my head against her shoulder and she shut her eyes.
Jean was next. She smoothed her skirt several times as she sat down in the witness stand.
“Dr. Becker, how long have you been at the University?”
“Eleven years. I stayed on to do my graduate work and then was offered an assistant professorship which then led to a full professorship.”