The juvenile court was quiet as the judge walked in. Jemaima and Joan sat on the fourth pew staring at him. He wasn't the man they had expected for he was quite old. A young barrister was closing up some files in front of him. He was a man in his late thirties.
Jemaima assumed that he must be their dad. His skin was tanned, he wore eye glasses. The others beside him were older than and Jemaima thought within her that he must be the barrister James.
Steve walked in in handcuffs, he wore a shaded brown uniform and was placed in a box-like-cage before the rest of his gang were brought out too and placed into their own boxes.
As the court progressed, Jemaima felt numb. She didn't understand what was happening. All she knew was that she only and Steve were alone in the room.
Steve was rather thin and tall, he staggered as he walked in like a frail one. Was he not given enough food? She wished she could pull him out and give him enough food.
"Jemaima?" Joan called.
"Hmm?"
"I've been calling you. Were did you place your mind? I think I've seen mum." Joan craned her neck.
"Mom?" Jemaima looked surprised. "Where?" She asked.
Joan pointed at a woman who sat at the front seat who was wearing a black gown and a white shawl draped around her neck. Jemaima couldn't see her face because her back was to them.
"I don't think it's mum." Jemaima shook her head.
"I know mum. I have a feeling that it's her." Joan told her.
Jemaima looked back at Steve, ignoring her sister.
******
Jemaima refused to leave the spot where the vehicle which conveyed the criminals had left. It had taken Steve to a reformatory school, he was the youngest of the gang, he was given the opportunity to change unlike his other so-called brothers.
"Jemaima, we have to go." Joan said rather impatiently.
Joan was thankful that Steve was out of their way yet she didn't understand why the judge didn't sentence Steve to a life imprisonment. The woman in a black gown was standing outside, waiting. Who was she waiting for?
Joan started to walk towards her but stopped mid way when the barrister who had been Steve's lawyer was talking to the woman.
The woman was her mother, there was no false about that. The exact resemblance, the hair, the face, her poise, her laugh.....she was happy, Joan concluded.
She was holding the barrister's hand and was laughing delightedly about something he said to her. Joan hated her in that instant.
"It's her." Jemaima said beside Joan as they both watched.
Joan said nothing. How come she was so happy with their new father? She did not seem affected by the loss of her children.
How come she never found them and acted nonchalant about them? How come there were no posters of them on every corner of the city?
How come?
"What is it, Joan?" Jemaima watched her sister's face.
"She is happy." Joan said sadly.
Jemaima said nothing but stared ahead at their so-called mother.
"She didn't even notice us. She is happy with our new dad." Joan said with such sarcasm.
Barrister James was leading her away then she suddenly stopped, swirled round and looked at the twins in shock.
"What is it, love?" The barrister was asking the woman.
"Hold on," she said to him and walked directly and slowly to the twins.
"The bitch, she recognizes us." Joan said with such hatred then turned away abruptly.
"Joan! Joan!!!" The woman yelled.
Mr James was shocked, at first he didn't know how to react to that. He was utterly speechless. Joan ran away, she didn't want to see her mother's face.
The woman was holding, embracing Jemaima too tightly and was looking over her shoulder at Joan's disappearing back.
"Oh Jemaima, how are you?" The woman touched Jemaima's face delicately.
Jemaima stood rigid as her mother showered her with kisses and hugs. Her mother went low on her knees, her face had taken a change.
"Why did she run away?" Mr James asked when he came over to them.
"Oh, my love, my star." The woman continued.
Joan is the one missing all this, she is the one who want this the most, Jemaima said within her.
"Oh mother, I've missed you." Jemaima finally had to say. She did missed her mother. Her hands slowly went round her mother's back. Memories of the past struck her and tears began to fall.
"Oh my poor baby. I never really....oh my poor baby." tears ran down the woman's cheeks.
Jemaima clammed her eyes shut, she knew she missed her mother too. And she was sure Joan too, missed their mother.