Hi, and welcome to the third story featuring Rob Johnson. This is developing into a series, which wasn't my original idea. Definitely Going To Hell was originally going to be individual stories featuring Rob Johnson as he goes through life. I am enjoying writing about Rob so much that I've just carried on.
You will need to read the first two parts before this one, or you won't understand the relationships.
I have run this one past an editor, so a big thank you to Ian for his work and quick turnaround.
Once again, I will ask you to score, and if you would like to comment, then please do. All comments, ideas, or just a thank you are always appreciated.
Please enjoy..................
******
It's Monday, June the 15th, 1987. We are standing outside Ashford Crown Court. With me are Jenny and her boyfriend Nathaniel. Nathaniel wouldn't let his girlfriend travel to Ashford with me alone for some strange reason even though she insisted on supporting me and came down with me on my way home from Edinburgh University after the end of my first year. I didn't get home until ten Sunday night, so I'm not feeling my sharpest this morning after such a long drive.
It's a beautiful sunny day, and we are enjoying the sun while it is out.
"Oh, shit," I say.
"What's up?" Jenny asks
"It's Charlie," I answer, looking away, trying not to get caught gawking.
"Who's she with?"
"Not sure it must be her boyfriend. I think they're holding hands."
She sees me and walks over. "Hello, Rob; how have you been?"
"Hello, Charlie. Surviving," I say.
"This is my boyfriend Wayne," She says.
I go to speak, but there's a bit of a disturbance. People are moving to get a better look, and I hear a few wolf whistles. Then I see what they are all looking at, and a smile spreads across my face.
"What's happening, Rob," Jenny asks.
"Cib so iirh," I say to her in our code. (Bec is here.)
"Todn'd wnuk ihs sew gumonc," she replied. (I didn't know she was coming.)
The crowd outside the court seems to part like the Red Sea. A beaming Bec in high heels, a little black dress, and sunglasses walks towards me. "Hello baby, surprise," she says.
"Ouch," Wayne says, holding his arm.
"Hello, Bec, this is an incredible surprise." I open my arms, and she almost runs into them, kissing me on the lips.
"I couldn't stay in the US through this, Rob," she whispers.
"Thanks for coming. It means so much." We smile at each other, and then Jenny coughs behind me. "Sorry, Bec, this is my friend Jenny and her boyfriend, Nathaniel." Then I turn, "This is Charlie and her boyfriend, Wayne. Everyone, this is my.."
"Girlfriend Rebecca, but most people call me Bec." She says, interrupting me. She turns to me. "I'm not late for anything, am I?"
"No, couldn't have timed it better."
"So this is Jenny and Charlie? Wow, awkward." Bec says in my ear.
Then I spot my Mother. "Hello Robert, are you okay?"
"Yes, Mum, I'm fine."
"Charlie," she says after spotting my ex behind me.
"Mrs. Johnson," Charlie replies.
"Mum, this is Bec, and do you remember Jenny?" My Mum smiles a recognition at Jenny and then looks at Bec.
Her eyes then scan her from head to toe. Her eyes finally stop on Bec's hand that is holding tightly onto mine. She offers her hand, "Pleasure to meet you, Bec. Is that short for Rebecca?"
"Yes, Mrs. Johnson."
"A beautiful name Rebecca. Do you mind if I call you that?"
"Feel free; my mother does the same." My Mother gives a pleased with herself smile.
"Robert Johnson, is Mr. Robert Johnson here?" A man calls from a previously locked door.
I walk over, "I'm Robert Johnson."
"Ah, would you mind coming with me for a minute?" I follow the man who locks the door back up behind me.
I'm led down a corridor. At the end, I see Mr. and Mrs. Kean. We stop outside a door halfway down. The man knocks and waits for a response.
"Come in." A lady's voice shouts. We enter, and inside are two solicitors dressed in their courtroom attire. "Ah, Mr. Johnson," she says. "Please take a seat." I sit on the nearest chair and wait for someone to explain what's happening. "Right, I am the solicitor for the Crown, "Alice Carrington, and this gentleman here is the solicitor for the defense, Mr. Adam O'Neil." I nod at both but stay quiet. "Now, because you were in Edinburgh for all the preliminary parts, we thought it wise to let you know what is happening and why."
"My mother kept me up to speed on what was happening, so I've not been totally in the dark."
"Well, that's good. I will quickly go through the main reason we are going through this process. The two gentlemen that caused your severest injuries have already pleaded guilty. They will be sentenced at the end of this trial. Now Mr. Kean has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder but guilty to a lesser charge of ABH. The crown has decided that the minimum we will accept is GBH, and the defense in their wisdom would not accept that, so here we are."
"So what is Mr. Kean being prosecuted for."
"Because of Mr. Kean's not guilty plea, we are going for both the GBH and Attempted Murder and will leave it up to the jury to decide." She takes a breath. "Now, the one other concern is how fit you are after the incident and are you okay to sit through the trial?"
"Oh right, I can't say I'm one hundred percent, but I am more physically fit than I have ever been."
"Well, that's good. Will it be okay for you to appear on the stand? It will be to go through what you remember, and then Mr. O'Neil here will ask some questions. I will warn you that the defense's main argument is what happened between you and Mrs. Kean."
"No, that's fine, but my memory of the incident only goes up to where I lose consciousness."
"Does that differ from your Police statement?"
"I never made a Police statement. When the police interviewed me, I couldn't tell you what day it was, let alone what happened."
"Then you won't be contradicting yourself." She says, looking at the guy taking notes. "Can we find out why Robert here wasn't interviewed properly?"
"That would be my fault," I say. "When I initially came out of the hospital, I went through a real depression and locked myself away. I had lost the love of my life and didn't want to speak to anyone."
"Is this all documented?"
"With my doctor, yes." She smiles and looks at the guy taking notes again, and he nods.
"Right Robert, you will be first up, so you will still be able to listen to the start of the trial. All the other witnesses will have to wait their turn."
"So, is that it?"
"Yes, the clerk will show you where the courtroom is."
I get into the courtroom and see Jenny and Bec in deep conversation. "What are you two so engrossed in?"
"Hey Rob, where did you get to?" Jenny asked.
"They needed to talk to me to let me know what has happened seems I missed so much preliminary stuff."
"Well," Bec says as I sit next to her. She then puts her arm around me and whispers. "Jenny and I discussed what makes you so good in bed."
"And?"
"We have concluded that men often get one or two of the five turn-ons right. You, my friend, do all five."
"And what do these five things consist of?" I can't believe I'm having this conversation in court.
"First is kissing, followed by touch, the all-important timing, then the oral part, and finally what you can do with that cock of yours. I wish you would tell me who your first was. I want to thank her."
I bury my head in my hands, and I really just don't know. "And this was what you two were discussing?"
"Yep," Bec says, proud of herself.
I look around Bec at Jenny and shake my head. "What?" Jenny says. Bec leans towards her, and then Jenny leans forward. "Us girls need to know these things."
I'm saved by my Mother coming to sit next to me. "I hope you've invited Rebecca here to dinner before she goes back to America."
"I will if I get a chance to have a full conversation with her."
"And that goes for you too, Jenny."
"We will nag him until he arranges something."
"Oh god," is all I can say.
"Please stand," the court official says as the Judge enters the courtroom.
The morning is spent with both sides laying out what they will prove, and how, to the Jury. As they finish, the Judge adjourns for lunch.
The prosecution lawyer comes up to me. "Robert, you will be second-up after lunch. We have a medical expert up first." I nod as we all shuffle out.
"Right, let's go to Raffles, my treat," my Mother says to all of us. So we follow her to a pub that's just down the street.
We have our lunch and return to the court just before quarter to two.
First, a doctor who treated me from the local hospital gave graphic details of my injuries, and made it crystal clear that I was close to death, when brought in.
Then it's my turn. "Calling Robert Johnson to the stand." I get up and make my way to the stand. I'm sworn in, and Mrs. Carrington stands. "Mr. Johnson, can you please go through what happened on the night in question."
I go through what happened and what I heard; my story ends when I blackout after Mr. Kean punches me on the side of the head as the other two guys are holding me.
Then it's time for the defense to cross-examine me. He starts off quite friendly and thanks me for my version of events. Then states, "but we are not denying you were assaulted or even that you ended up with your horrific injuries. What we are saying is that it was provoked." This man is playing the Jury. "What we are saying is that Mr. Kean here was provoked by your actions the week before."
"That would depend," I said.
This catches him a little off guard, "depend on what?" He says as a reflex question and instantly regrets it.
"That would depend if what he was told was true. One version makes him a person defending his wife's honor. The other makes him a vigilante that attacked an innocent man."
"So you deny making a pass at his wife."
"Of course I deny making a pass at his wife. Why would I make a pass at a woman who is my girlfriend's Mother when I am trying to win my girlfriend back after a stupid argument?"
"So what did happen?"
"She made a pass at me after hearing her daughter talking on the phone about our sex life to her best friend. As soon as she came near me, I stood, explained I was in love with her daughter, and left. Standing, I knocked Mrs. Kean onto the bed, opening her dressing gown. When I opened the door, Ruth was there and saw her Mother on the bed."