The Cambridge Way

Chapter 7

"I don't know what you want from me Sahara," David spoke sullenly, looking into his wife's sad eyes. It crushed him to see the pain he brought her. "I've given you all I could under the circumstances. You have to trust that."

Sahara frowned up. "Trust? You have some fucking nerve! I have lost everything behind you David, and all you have for me is some bullshit excuse."

David sighed in frustration. His wife had no idea who he was really tied to, and for her sake, he planned to keep it that way.

"I own my mistakes. It was never my intention to get you tied up in my mess. Had I known-"

Sahara angrily cut him off, "You were the goddamn mayor and I was going up for district attorney! You damn well knew that you lying in shit would attract flies! The least you could do is tell me what I'm up against, allow me to help you. Who are you protecting?"

"Sahara, you are safe, my children are safe, that's all you need to concern yourself with. I love you, and I apologize for the turmoil this has caused you," David looked up and motioned for the guard. "But don't come here again. I made my bed and I'm prepared to lie in it. I won't force you all to lie with me."

"David no!" Sahara yelled out as the guard came to escort David back to his cell. He was still her husband and she loved him. If there was a slight chance of helping him out of this situation, Sahara was bound to find out.

"Let it go Sahara!" David called out without turning around.

"Goddamn it!" Sahara yelled out, slapping her briefcase from the table. She did not expect her attorney, client visit to go this way.

Taking a second to pull herself together, Sahara gathered her things and made her way out of the prison.

Sienna was waiting in the car working from her iPad and wasted no time blurting, "How did it go?"

Sahara simply nodded while tossing her things in the backseat. Her thoughts were running rampant and she was repeatedly hitting brick walls. Sahara wanted to release the loudest scream, but she couldn't do that. She had to hold it together for her children. They had no idea what this was doing to her mental.

"I am... at my wits end," Sahara broke as she fastened her seatbelt. A river of tears flowed down her cheeks as she released what felt like ten tons of pressure. For the first time in her life, Sahara was hopeless. She hated this feeling.

"Mama," Sienna leaned over to hug Sahara while fighting back her own tears. She hated to see her mother cry. "It's going to be okay. This is just another bump in the road, we'll get over it."

Sahara nodded in understanding while cleaning her face with some tissues from her purse. "I'm okay," She sighed lightly. It sounded more like a question rather than a statement. "I got this. We got this."

"That's right." Sienna smiled small. She was so used to her mother being her anchor that it felt strange, but good, to be the same for her. "And it's also okay to not be okay. No one's expecting you to keep it together mama. You have more than earned the right to fall apart a little."

Sahara chuckled lightly while squeezing her baby girl's hand. "You're right baby, thank you. Cause right now mommy is not okay, but I'm going to get there. This thing will not defeat me. This is not the end of my story."

"That's right. And you're not alone. We are fighting this thing with you." Sienna reached over and squeezed Sahara's hand assuringly. She had no idea how much her mother needed to hear that.

The ride back to the Cambridge's family home was quiet. Both ladies plagued by their own thoughts.

"Are you hungry?" Sahara broke the deafening silence. Sienna tucked away her iPad and nodded. "What do you have a taste for?"