'Mr Pomroy?' she said.
'I think he's turning this trial into a snake-oil show.'
'I caution you, sir,' she said.
'Mr Holland says he means no harm. Neither does a skunk wandering into a church house,' Marvin said.
'Your objection is noted and overruled. Mr Holland, I'm giving you some unusual latitude here, but don't abuse it. Step back.'
'Your honor—' Marvin said.
'Take a seat, Mr Pomroy, and stay in it for a while, please,' she said.
I walked to the right of the witness stand, so the jury would look into Lucas's face when he spoke.
'Let's forget that stuff about condoms, Lucas. What would you have done if Roseanne had been carrying your child?' I said.
'I wouldn't have done nothing.'
'Would you have asked her to get an abortion?'
'No, sir.'
'Why not?'
'Cause it would have been our baby.'
'A baby with no father? You'd just let her rear it on her own?'
'That's not what I meant.'
'What did you mean?'
'I figured we'd get married,' he said.
'You have a flop in the hay, then suddenly you want to be a father and a married man? Who you kidding, Lucas?'
'I told you the truth,' Lucas said.
'I don't believe you.'
'I wouldn't let no kid of mine grow up without a last name. I don't care what you believe.'
'Why all this moral righteousness about fatherhood? It's a little hard for me to swallow.'
'Your honor—' Marvin said.
But the judge made a placating gesture with her hand and didn't take her eyes off my face.
'Cause I know what it's like,' Lucas said.
'To be like what? You're not making sense.'
'Not to have a father.' His breath was coming hard in his throat now, his cheeks blooming with color.
'Vernon Smothers is not your father?'
Lucas's shoulders were bent, his head tilted sideways, his eyes pink with broken veins, glimmering with water, riveted on mine.