Page 211 of True Blue

And now I see her, and realize she’s not scary.

She’s nothing.

I watch as Officer Dash cuffs my mother and begins leading her down the hallway. Hospital workers pause to stare. Some peek out of offices. Others slow their steps as they pass, drawn in by the racket.

Dawn Williams spent her entire life caring about getting attention.

Well, she has it now.

That, in itself, feels like justice.

Lorraine walks back down the hallway with Phoebe at her side. Both women look between Dawn, the officers, the board members, Dunk, Indie, and me.

Phoebe raises a brow. “What’d we miss?”

Dr. Halloran just shakes her head, exasperated. Dr. Minkus looks positively horrified. Dr. Vale blinks once, then gathers herself together in a flash.

“Mr. Williams,” Dr. Vale says. “If you’re prepared, we’re ready for your statement.”

When I glance down at Indie, her eyes are a little wet, and her smile shakes, but it’s there. My brave Indie. Her hand tightens in mine and I press a kiss to her cheek.

Then I stand tall and smile at the doctors.

“I’m ready.”

41

TEDDY

MARCH

“You understand that this committee will take your personal relationship with Dr. Miller into consideration when weighing your statement.”

“Yes,” I answer Dr. Vale.

“And you acknowledge you are quite biased in her favor,” Dr. Minkus says, his tone smug. “Since you are… entangled.”

My eyes meet his, and I straighten to my full height in this chair. Dr. Minkus, who is even shorter than Indie and seems deeply bothered by that fact, tries to compensate by raising his nose in the air, his mouth twisted like he smells something nasty.

He looks ridiculous.

That’s why I give him a smile.

“Yes, I am biased. I love her,” I shrug, glancing toward the note taker at the corner, taking down every word I say. Good. I want this on the record forever. “I love Dr. Indie Miller more than anything in this world. I want her protected. I want her cleared. I want her to be able to continue doing what she loves. What she was made for.”

My eyes move back to Dr. Minkus.

“Loving her doesn’t make me a liar.”

Dr. Vale watches me for a moment before nodding.

“What were your grandmother’s feelings toward Dr. Miller when she was under her care?”

“My grandmother raved about her before I had even met her,” I say. “She talked constantly about Dr. Miller. About how she listened to her. How she didn’t treat her like she was weak, or inconvenient, or already gone because she was elderly and sick.”

My eyes move across each doctor at the table, and I watch as they shift in their seats uncomfortably.

A hit dog will holler, Teddy.