Bodies

quarante

"Thank you. Your honor, I call Milan Cozart to the stand."

Nicoletta's voice makes the hair on the back of Milan's neck stand up.

"Will the witness please stand to be sworn in by the bailiff." Judge Cortez chimes in again.

Milan stands up from her seat, her hands were sweating so bad she glues them to her side.

Then, Officer Worth steps forward from his place by the wall.

"Please raise your right hand," He asks of her and Milan obeys. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

Milan feels seconds away from swooning. The words being spoken to her reverberating in her head loudly, but not loud enough to drown out the sound of her own blood wooshing in her ears.

Her heart felt like it was thundering in her ribcage.

"I do." Milan found the strength to respond amongst all the noise going on inside of her.

Nicoletta motions for her to approach the witness stand. Milan steps out from the seat row she was in and steps into the aisle. She feels as if every satellite in space is now pointed at her as she walks. Her heels against the waxed hardwood floors of the court room the only sound being made.

When she reaches the witness stand, she opens the short dutch door and seats herself inside the boxed-in chair. Once she's done so, she realizes just how many people were in the room.

There were the 12 jurors in the back in their own closed off section. The jury was mostly white women, there were at least 4 of them, two white men, two black women, one black man, and three other men Milan couldn't quite place in a box.

Then there was Valerie and Yvonne, sitting close to the back on the other side. Milan could tell they were trying their best to look comforting and unworried, but Yvonne's eyes looked like they could burst into tears at any second and Valerie's smile looked more apologetic than happy.

A scattering of uniformed police officers sat in front of them and then finally on the first bench, was the prosecution. William, the sharp suit, looked like he wanted to see through her more than look at her. His gaze was steely and cold. His co-council was not as intent on setting her on fire, he looked at her with expectancy.

Panning her eyes over to where she was just sitting, that's when she finally could see Ramses's face. Looking at the back of his head for the last thirty minutes was nerve wracking. Meeting his eyes made the whole room empty. Like they were the only two people left on Earth.

His eyes were warm.

However, as she looked to Nicki. Milan knew she would be able to see wether she was condemning him to life or setting him free all by if that warmth in his eyes that made choirs sing in her heart... stayed there.

"Please state your name for the court." Nicoletta asks her next.

Milan gives a slight nod and swallows before speaking, "My name is Milan Cozart."

It seems every word that comes from Milan's mouth causes a reaction by someone somewhere. A face twitch or an eyebrow raise. A whisper from somewhere in the audience.

"Welcome to the stand, Miss Cozart," Nicoletta smiles at Milan in a way that makes it easy to smile back. It was a welcome show compared to how the others she was facing were looking at her.

"Can you please tell us your relation to Mr.Young? How did you all meet and how has that impacted your life?" Nicoletta finishes what she was saying. It was a simple ask, but sitting in front of more than 20 people made it feel as if she was in a sold out stadium.