At the juvenile court hearing, the defense attorney asked, “Did Benjamin ever deny damaging the phone?”
“No,” I replied.
“Did he tell you why?”
“No.”
Tyler’s parents sat across the aisle, his mother holding photographs of the broken phone. I noticed she kept them facing outward.
Ben’s mother, Clara, sat with her handbag on her knees. I had often seen Ben carry it up the school steps for her.
He was always carrying something for someone.
I wondered what he had carried that Wednesday.
The judge turned toward him.
“Benjamin, do you acknowledge kicking and damaging Tyler’s phone?”
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