The Sanctuary✔️

37

A day later along with many hours, the trial had continued; after a day of questioning Ashley and then after Gina had questioned Danny as well. This was becoming a lot larger than the judge had originally thought.

With the death threats and abuse to Ashley and an upcoming of other people, it had become a problem of how problematic John's mind was. Gina was currently questioning John, looking at him as she asks questions that he barely answers.

"Mr. McAllen, when did you start your drinking habits?" John stared at the table he was at as Gina spoke. "Mr. McAllen, please, can you answer my question."

"I don't know."

"What was that-"

"I don't know! I don't remember when I started to drink! It's been years."

Gina looked at John with suspicion, her face frowning at the man as she questioned him."Do you remember what you had done with Ms. Nicholus when those moments of drinking happened?"

"No."

"Do you have a relocation of hurting Ms. Nicholus?"

"Yes." Everyone stopped breathing for a moment as John spoke. He looked down

"Yes?"

"Yes. Those moments are very clear in my head every day that I have been sitting in a jail sober."

"Mr. McAllen, please calm down. What do you remember doing?" John looked to his lawyer, who sighed and shook his head.

There was no getting out of this now. "I just remember her being hurt when I would wake up and she would tantrum about everything."

"Tantrums?"

"Complaints. Whining. Every little thing set her into a crying fit of annoyance. That pisses me off and she knows that. I drink when she pisses me off and I guess I end up hurting her."

"Mr. McAllen, do you remember the last time you had harmed Ms. Nichols physically?"

"The night I choked her out. That is the last memory I have of her." Everyone stopped breathing again, John was shaking in his seat as he stared at the wood in front of him. Ashley stopped blinking and breathing, waiting for more.

"Mr. McAllen, is this you pleading guilty to the charges against you?" The judge looked over to John and asked him the question. There was a long wait as Gina stood in front of John. As everyone was at the edge of their seats all of a sudden. As Ashley's chest stopped moving, watching her ex-lover as he nodded

"Yes."

Everything happened so fast, John was charged with everything Gina had against him; suddenly he was standing up and being taken away, suddenly Ashley was being hugged and people were leaving the room. Ashley saw John look at her with sad eyes and that's all she could see.

She wanted to hold him, to hug him and let him know they'll both be fine. She wanted him for one more moment. John had gotten forty years in low-security federal prison along with the months he had to serve already in the county prisons.

Ashley wanted to tell him he'd be fine, but instead was met with her friends hugging her and talking to her. Pulling her mentally away from John and to them instead. She couldn't hear them speak, she couldn't hear people leaving and the hustle around her. Suddenly the world was numb.

It was a good feeling.

It was a great feeling.

She was happy, she truly was just in a shocked state that held her captive. Her eyes glanced over everyone around, she could see them but couldn't truly look at them. She could barely hear as she trained her eyes back to her ex-lover who was being taken away.