The Freak - S01 E29

Story 2 months ago

The Freak - S01 E29

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 29

Wickers is a pretty good principal most of the time, but he's also a real asshole sometimes and this is one of those times. Mr. Silverman saw the superintendent last week and he passed the word down to Wickers. His reaction is exactly what I thought it would be." I leaned down for a quick kiss that, fortunately, was unobserved and walked Barbara down the hall to see Mrs. Costello, the guidance counselor.

Unlike Mr. Wickers she was warm and welcoming. She spent a few minutes asking Barbara what she was studying at St. Claudia's. Then she created a schedule for Barbara. She would be in my homeroom and my English and history classes, but while was taking calculus she was taking advanced algebra and she was also taking chemistry instead of physics. Spanish 3 and physical education rounded out her schedule.

We were walking to the lockers when she asked me, "What is physical education?"

"It's a chance to get good and sweaty in the gym. I'll have to ask Mom where to get a gym suit for you. Maybe Angela has one that will fit you. Let's find your locker. I think it'll be right across the hall from mine." It was, and it took me a minute or two to show her how it worked. In that time several of my classmates came over to say hello and welcome Barbara to the school. We were only a minute late to homeroom and we were all amused when Mrs. Snyder asked Barbara if she was related to me.

"We're not blood relatives, Ma'arn. We have the same name because we're married." Mrs. Snyder was shocked and everyone chuckled, remembering that all-out laughing wasn't appropriate in school.

I made a brief explanation, telling her that all would become clear within the next month or so then Barbara took a seat near the rear of the room where there was an empty seat. This was a big room- big enough to hold every senior in the school. That came in handy when we had to make announcements to the class or discuss some class activity.

I was headed to physics first period while Barbara had Spanish. Marlene offered to help her find the classroom. We parted with a quick hug and the next time I saw her was fourth period in English with Mrs. Wohl. By then she knew all about Barbara's presence. She added Barbara to her roll book and told her to take a seat wherever she could find one. Marlene was sitting next to me and got up to allow Barbara to sit there while she found another seat a

few rows back.

You'd be disappointed if you thought there would be any shenanigans between us. We had plenty of that at home and our situation with Mrs. Mazzone was better than we had anticipated. "I know you were married only two weeks ago and, believe it or not, I was young once too so don't worry about making a bit of noise at night. I'm sure you get my meaning." We did and we still made love every night and many mornings, too. In return we always received a beaming smile from our landlady.

We actually attended one class Wednesday morning before leaving school for our drive to the Yonkers P.D. LL. Flanagan was waiting for us and whisked us into his sedan only a minute later. He was all business as he described what would happen. "I'll have to testify first. Basically, the district attorney handling the case will ask a simple question and it will be our responsibility to flesh out the answer. Don't embellish and be honest in what you say and all will go well. Relax and don't be nervous. There is no cross examination at the grand jury. Did I explain that to you?"

"Yes," said with a little chuckle. "I think you're even more nervous than we are."

"If I am it's for Barbara. I'm sure she doesn't like reliving that horrible experience."

"You're right, Lieutenant, but if it will help stop those atrocities I'l tell the story a thousand times."

"You're a brave young woman, Barbara. I'll try to get Jack to testify first so he can be with you while you testify."

I hadn't realized that we had to go all the way to White Plains, the county seat, so it was almost 10:00 by the time we had arrived. Lt. Flanagan led us inside until we were stopped by several court officers who wanted to see our ID. Flanagan flashed his badge and ID card and Barbara and I pulled our wallets to show our driver's licenses. Only after emptying our pockets and Barbara's purse were we allowed to pass. I was somewhat concerned until Lt. Flanagan assured us that it was to insure privacy and confidentiality of the grand jury's proceedings.

We were about halfway down the hall when a door opened and we saw a woman I guessed was in her mid-thirties approach us. She greeted Lt. Flanagan who introduced her as ADA Linda Koslowsky. We shook hands and she reviewed what would happen even though Lt. Flanagan had just done that in the car. She agreed to the order he had suggested, telling us not to become anxious due to the delay. "The grand jury is always deliberate," she said with a

chuckle. "By deliberate I really mean slow. Not only do I ask chuckle. "By deliberate I really mean slow. Not only do I ask questions, but they sometimes do, too and their questions can really go far afield of the issues. But this is the process we use and it's been in existence for hundreds of years so it must work." With that she led Lt. Flanagan away.

Barbara and I sat in the uncomfortable seats for more than an hour until she reappeared to bring me into the room. I kissed Barbara and walked in, showing my surprise when the door locked behind me. There were a lot of people seated in rows that rose in four tiers. I thought that there were at least forty, but that was just a guess. A clerk approached and I was sworn in. That was when I first noticed the judge off to the left of the jury. Once seated, the ADA asked for my name, address, age, and a few facts about my high school experiences.

I described both my academic and athletic achievements; I was a bit taken aback when one of the jurors asked if was the one who had made All-American. "Yes, sir, that was me. I was named All- American the past two seasons." Then Mrs. Kozlowski questioned me about my involvement in the case at hand. I explained how and why had proposed to Barbara and described the ring in detail- size and color of the stone, its quality, and the type of setting and band. Lt. Flanagan had already produced the receipt and stated clearly that it was the one had received from Harry Winston in Manhattan. I couldn't testify about what had occurred in the school. Barbara had to do that, but I did tell about volunteering to go to the school office wearing the wire that could record the conversation.

We listened to the tape in the school office and I swore that it was an honest and complete record of what had transpired. I answered several questions from the ADA and several more from some Jurors. Then I repeated with the same set of questions about my visit to Monsignor Moran. I was about to step down when one elderly woman asked why I had married Barbara. "First of all, I love her very much and have almost from the moment we met. She's an incredible person. Secondly, I felt that had to protect her. Her foster parents are very caring people, but they are blind to any wrongs that may be committed by the leaders of their church. They still have difficulty believing that Barbara was whipped by this nun even after viewing the photographs you have seen this morning They would have forced her to return to that school where she might have been further tortured. Would you have allowed someone you loved to endure that kind of treatment? I knew that I wouldn't and couldn't." I was excused from the stand, but was not required to leave the room. Instead, I stood just inside the door where I hugged Barbara as soon as she stepped in. I could see that she was frightened and that nothing I could do could see that she was frightened and that nothing I could do would calm her.

She had just taken the oath when the jury forewoman spoke. "I can see that you're nervous. You have nothing to fear, my dear. We are here to help you, not hurt you. Just tell us what happened to you. Tell us everything. Will you, please?" Barbara seemed more relaxed when she sat and I reached out to take her hand. Barbara responded now to the questions from Mrs. Kozlowski, slowly rebuilding the events of that fateful Monday. She seemed to gather herself as she spoke. I could feel her strength in her hand grow as she progressed from the theft of her ring to the horrendous beating she had received at the hands of the nun who should have been her caring teacher. She told how she drove frantically to my parents' house, how my mother had phoned the school and how I had responded immediately. She described her experience in the emergency room and how had cared for her afterwards.

Barbara was excused after she had testified for an hour. ADA Kozlowski thanked us for our time and testimony. "I have no doubt that there will be indictments against all three of these monsters. I know these people. Half of them are Catholic and they hate the thought that their priests and nuns would behave in such a despicable and unchristian way. I'll be in touch with you by Friday, Lieutenant. I think you can plan to act within the next week." She thanked us again and Lt. Flanagan led us back to his car.

"I'll take you out to lunch then I think you should go home and rest. You've been through a meat grinder, Barbara. You're a very brave young woman." gave him our new phone number, the one we'd had installed in Mrs. Mazzone's home even though she had tried to convince us to use hers as our own. I drove Barbara back to what was for now our home and put her to bed, lying with her until she was asleep then I rose and went downstairs to speak with Mrs. Mazzone.

It must have been very difficult for her."

"It was. She's much braver than I could ever be. To relive those horrible moments over and over; I think she can feel the lashes of that whip even worse than she did that infamous day. I can't wait for this horrible episode to be behind us. That's one of the reasons why I want us to move to Massachusetts. She needs to be busy, studying as well as building our life together. She needs more work than high school can provide."

"She needs time more than anything else. I thought would die when my dear Louis passed away. Now, almost three years later | know that I still love him, but we were not meant to grow old together. I still miss him, especially at night when I am alone, but it gets easier every day. The same will happen with Barbara. Just be sure to be there always for her."

"You need never worry about that."