She took it with a professional nod, and I walked back to my seat, my heart pounding so hard I thought everyone could hear it. Judge Henderson opened the envelope and pulled out the documents inside.
There were several pages, and I watched as her eyes moved across them, reading. At first, her expression was neutral, professional. Then something changed.
Her eyebrows went up. She flipped to the next page, and her eyes widened slightly. She looked up at Brandon, then back down at the papers.
She read more, and suddenly, her lips pressed together like she was trying not to smile. She flipped to the last page, read it completely, and then something amazing happened. Judge Henderson started laughing.
Not a polite chuckle, not a quiet giggle. She actually laughed out loud, a real genuine laugh that echoed through the silent courtroom. She put her hand over her mouth, trying to control herself, but her shoulders were shaking.
She looked at Brandon again, and that made her laugh even harder. I had never seen anything like it. Neither had anyone else, apparently.