Local Lit http://www.takoma.com/lit/ en Copyright 2008 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:18:38 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 54. Moving Day (Epilogue) Rita Jane took a last look around her former home. Amanda was returning from India next week and Rita Jane wanted the place to look perfect for her homecoming. Rita Jane hadn’t really lived in her rented home for months. Even before Danny’s birth, she had spent most of her time at Claudia’s place and that had only increased after the birth. Still, it had been nice to know that she had her own place to retreat to when life seemed too hectic. She would miss it, but at least she still had her studio.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/54_moving_day_epilogue.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/54_moving_day_epilogue.html Epilogue Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:18:38 -0500 53. The Baby Rita Jane felt something tug on her arm, waking her from where she had fallen asleep on a chair next to Claudia’s bed.

“I think my water broke,” Claudia announced calmly.

Rita Jane ran to the nurse’s station yelling, “Help, help,” as though there was a true emergency, and not just another pregnant woman going into labor.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/53_the_baby.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/53_the_baby.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:29:12 -0500 52. The Press Conference Anticipating a large number of visitors in Claudia’s room to watch the press conference, Audrey had emptied the wastebaskets, scrubbed the toilet, wiped down the bathroom sink, and picked all the dead and drying flowers from the various bouquets that covered every surface of the room.

“There are people who are paid to do that momma,” she said, laughing at her mother.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/52_the_press_conference.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/52_the_press_conference.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:15:55 -0500 51. A Visit from Weymouth The day after the shooting, Weymouth arrived in Claudia’s room bearing a large bouquet of flowers. As always, he was impeccably dressed and clean-shaven, but his skin was ashen, and his eyes swollen. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

Claudia introduced him to Audrey who took the flowers and went to look for a vase. Weymouth sat down in the chair next to Claudia’s bed and grabbed her hand, “I feel so terrible,” he said. He looked on the verge of tears, his broad shoulders shaking. “I didn’t want him to testify,” he sobbed. “I should have refused to call him as a witness.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/51_a_visit_from_weymouth.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/03/51_a_visit_from_weymouth.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:52:19 -0500 50. The Waiting is the Hardest Part “Well, he’s still alive,” the surgeon told the assembled group of Dan’s family and friends who were waiting anxiously for any news. “He has survived the surgery. We’ve repaired the damage from the bullet, but he is still in critical condition. We’ve induced a coma. The next 48 hours are crucial. He’s young. He’s healthy. He’s got a good chance of surviving,” the doctor finished on an optimistic note before rushing off to his next task.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/50_the_waiting_is_the_hardest.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/50_the_waiting_is_the_hardest.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:09:34 -0500 49. The News From her bed at Georgetown Hospital, Claudia watched Dan testify and cursed the television set. At one point she yelled so loudly a nurse came in and asked if she was okay.

Outraged by Blake’s accusation that Dan had gotten her pregnant and then abandoned her, she wanted to insist that Weymouth call her again as a witness so that she could tell the truth: That if it hadn’t been for Dan and Rita Jane, she would have had an abortion. Feeling guilty, she put her hands on her belly and apologized to “The Child” reassuring him/her that she was glad that she hadn’t made that decision.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/49_the_news.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/49_the_news.html Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:17:24 -0500 48. Dan Testifies Catching a cab from the hospital, Dan and Rita Jane held on for dear life as the cabbie expertly maneuvered through Georgetown traffic.

“Watch out,” Rita Jane screamed as the driver ran a red light, narrowly missing a crossing pedestrian.

“It’s better if you don’t watch,” Dan said. “I usually close my eyes and pretend I’m somewhere else.”

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/48_dan_testifies.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/48_dan_testifies.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:12:09 -0500 47. Claudia Testifies On the third day of the hearing, Chairman Weymouth finally summoned her to testify. Dan had been attending every minute of the hearings, but after the first morning Claudia had been waiting by the phone. Weymouth had promised to give her at least two hours notice before she had to be at Rayburn. So she had watched the hearings from the television at her office, getting very little work done.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/47_claudia_testifies.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/47_claudia_testifies.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:38:25 -0500 46. The Hearing Begins It was standing room only at 120 Rayburn House Office Building, the chamber of the House Judiciary Committee. Every major network and newspaper had sent a reporter leaving few seats for the public. Fortunately, Weymouth had reserved the front row for witnesses, including Claudia and Dan, and had said they could each bring a guest to sit with them.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/46_the_hearing_begins.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/02/46_the_hearing_begins.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:00:36 -0500 45. Rita Jane Gets Discovered Rita Jane was finishing up her lunch shift, looking forward to an afternoon of painting in her studio, when Paul stopped her.

“Rita Jane, I’d like you to meet my friend, Peter LaRochelle. He’s in the corner booth.”

She hadn’t had a chance to paint seriously for months and had been trying hard to get back into a regular routine. She didn’t want to be distracted and end up in a long conversation with someone she didn’t even know.

“I’m really in a hurry to get home,” Rita Jane said. “Can it wait?”

“No,” Paul said.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/45_rita_jane_gets_discovered.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/45_rita_jane_gets_discovered.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:20:37 -0500 44. Happy Hour “I think we should pick an androgynous name like Chris or Andy so it won’t matter if it’s a girl or a boy.” Rita Jane said to her neighbors assembled on the piazza for the regular Friday afternoon happy hour.

“How boring,” Aimee said. “My parents picked a boring name, too, but at least they had the good sense to spell it differently. Kids want to be special. They don’t want to have the same name as everyone else.”

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/43_meeting_with_emad_1.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/43_meeting_with_emad_1.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:20:03 -0500 43. Meeting with Emad Claudia woke from a nightmare, cold sweat covering her legs and arms making her chilled and clammy. In her dream, she had been on trial and the jury was coming into the courtroom to deliver its verdict when she woke, a scream stuck in her throat. She wrote the details of the dream in the journal she kept by her bedside, trying to decipher their meaning.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/43_meeting_with_emad.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/43_meeting_with_emad.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:45:53 -0500 42. Another Offer Paul kissed Claudia on the cheek. “How are you?” he asked looking at her with a worried expression on his face.

“I feel like I’m in prison. I never leave the house except to go to work or doctor’s appointments. Otherwise, I stay home and watch television, knit and sleep.”

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/42_another_offer.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2008/01/42_another_offer.html TOD: Part III – Claudia and Rita Jane – Summer 2003 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:43:24 -0500 41. Meeting with Weymouth, Again Dan’s heart beat rapidly as he, Paul and Claudia waited for the Rayburn elevator. Too hot to talk, the three waited silently, each lost in private thoughts. By 9 o’clock the day promised to be a scorcher. The heat, humidity and anxiety had already created large sweat stains under his arms. He made a mental note to keep his jacket on during the meeting. He ran through his argument mentally for what must have been the millionth time. To prepare for the meeting, he had spent all day Sunday reading the entire files from Emad and Claudia’s cases.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2007/12/41_meeting_with_weymouth_again.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2007/12/41_meeting_with_weymouth_again.html TOD: Part II – Dan and Rita Jane – Winter and Spring 2002-2003 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:19:47 -0500 40. The Memorial Day Parade “Are you almost ready to go?” Rita Jane called to Claudia, who at seven months pregnant rarely moved quickly anymore, and rarely dressed in anything besides sweat pants and Rita Jane’s oversized T-shirts.
Claudia walked down the stairs wearing a navy blue maternity dress that Audrey had brought from Texas. Rita Jane looked up from reading the latest editorial about Claudia’s case and had to stifle a giggle.

]]> http://www.takoma.com/lit/2007/12/40_the_memorial_day_parade.html http://www.takoma.com/lit/2007/12/40_the_memorial_day_parade.html TOD: Part II – Dan and Rita Jane – Winter and Spring 2002-2003 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:10:50 -0500