The Girl In The Rain |Park Sunghoon|

40

"We will call Charlotte Hill to the stand." Mrs. Suh said as she tapped her pen against the podium confidently.

April felt relieved as Yeonjun was now allowed to sit at the stands as his testimony had been written and saved.

She felt less alone having someone she knows in the room with her.

April's mother sat down on the stand as she sighed softly.

She was thankfully sober and she was thinking straight as far as April knew.

"Please state your full name."

"Charlotte Anne Hill."

"What is your relationship to Ms. April?"

"I am her mother." She smiled softly as she looked over at April who gave her a small awkward smile.

"How was April during her childhood years Ms.Hill?"

"She was always very happy. She was sweet."

"Was she ever disobedient?"

"Sometimes, but what child isn't?" She chuckled softly.

"What about during her teens?"

Charlotte hesitated a little as she looked down for a second.

"She was still very sweet. But I didn't see her as much. The times I did see her, she was sweet."

Mrs. Suh smiled apologetically as she looked down at her questions again.

"Do you know Mr. Higgins?"

"Of course."

"When did you meet him?"

"Embarrassingly, I met him once while I was drunk, and he helped my daughter bring me home." She chuckled sheepishly as April looked down at the table.

"Have you ever witnessed Ms. April and Mr. Higgins interact with each other?"

"Many times."

"Can you describe what these interactions were like?"

Charlotte shook her head in slight disappointment as she held her hands together.

"He was usually very.... I don't know how to say this... bitter? He wasn't very active or lively. And with her he was even worse. He would be very strict."

"Strict in what sense?"

"He would sometimes demand for her to leave my home, but in a passive aggressive way, you know? He would tell her to do things for him, like getting him water or packing his clothes for him whenever they would stay over."

"While they stayed at your house, besides him being strict, did you ever witness Mr. Higgins act aggressively or strike Ms.April-"

"Objection, leading." Sam's lawyer said making everyone look at him.

"I'll overrule the objection; you may speak Ms. Hill."

Charlotte nervously looked back at Mrs. Suh who encouraged her with a smile.

"He would pull her harshly, a lot. I guess he thought I was drunk, or that I wasn't sober at the time, but I was." Charlotte sighed as she glared at Sam for a quick second.

"How many times would you say that would happen?"

"A specific number? Maybe three or four times a day."

"No further questions, your honor." Mrs. Suh smiled as she walked back to her seat.

Sam's attorney knew it was time for cross exam and stood up from his chair.