BACK TO LOVE.

50

Ayanda was surprised to find her husband seated alone in his dark office. He had his head on the table and she thought he was asleep till he lifted his head at the sound of her six inch heels clicking.

' Why are you in here alone?'

' Just needed a quiet place to think.'

' About?'

' Amanda's upcoming birthday.'

' Did you want to do something special to commemorate her? I was thinking we should go visit her grave, clean it and place new flowers.'

' I went to her grave today and it's clean besides the flowers you had left the last time. I put new one's though and it's not about that. The lawyer called me today. '

She looked at him, hoping he had good news for her. That although they had not set a date or gone to trial, her daughters murder was found guilty and would be serving life in prison. It was far fetched but she did not want to go through it and they had waited long enough just to go to court.

' They've set a date.'

' Finally something is happening. I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get justice for our baby. Why do you seem unhappy about it?'

' It's a week away, on Amanda's birthday.'

Feeling lightheaded she sat down on the couch in her husband's office. Axel got up from his chair and sat down next to her. He wanted to hold and comfort her but he did not have the energy and emotional strength to do that. He too had conflicted feelings about this.

' So soon. I know we've waited for a long time but I don't think I can sit in the same room with that man as they relive everything he did to our girl and the pain he put her through on her birthday.'

' I don't know how to feel. One part of me thinks this might be good for us and the other part wants to make the day about all the good times we had with her and then we've waited long enough for this day.'

Axel laid back on the couch and sighed, he wanted this over and done with too but not on his daughters birthday. He had no plans for that day but he just felt like he could not handle having to deal with a court case and all the emotions that he has about losing his child. Last year on her birthday he was dealing with not knowing where she was and this year he had to deal with seeing the man who tore apart their lives.

' I think we can have lunch after court with just Amber and the boys.'

' When is Summer leaving?'

He changed the subject because he did not want to celebrate his daughters birthday without her.

' I am not sure.'

' I want her gone by tomorrow.'

' Babe she's my cousin. I cannot chase a family mem-'

' I'm not asking you. I am telling you. Your cousin doesn't have your best interests at heart. I want her gone as in yesterday.'

' K.'