Chapter 8: The Subpoena
Six months after the incident, a thick, formal envelope arrived in the mail. It was a subpoena. The trial was starting, and Sarah had to testify. The man who had shattered their peace was pleading not guilty, trying to spin a web of lies about a misunderstanding. Panic threatened to drown Sarah, but she looked at her children. She looked at the life they were fighting so hard to build. If she backed down now, the fear would win. She sat Lily down and explained, in age-appropriate terms, what was happening. "I have to go tell the truth to the judge," Sarah said, holding Lily's hands. "To make sure he can never scare anyone else again." Lily squeezed her mother’s hands tight. "Will you be safe?" she asked. "Yes," Sarah replied, her voice filled with a fierce, absolute conviction. "I am strong now. We both are."
