Turning A New Leaf

Thirty-Four

The judge had agreed to defer Brad's sentence as hoped. The conditions were no drugs or alcohol, no contact with the victim, Brooke Alexis Samson, a drug and mental health evaluation followed by drug treatment and anger management classes, and absolutely no new charges over the course of eighteen months.

In addition to that, he would be required to check in weekly with a probation officer, be subjected to drug screening, and be responsible for close to a thousand dollars in court fees/monitoring costs.

So long as he abided by the conditions, at the end of the eighteen months, the charges would be wiped from his record.

Brad wasn't thrilled about all of the obligations, but he was eager to get the hell out of jail and eventually back on his career track.

He'd called his mom after court to let her know he would be released sometime that day, or into the later part of the evening and asked if she and Bill would be willing to pick his car and belongings up from his house as he had nothing. Not to mention, he wasn't allowed over there to get them himself.

He could hear it in his mother's voice that she was less than thrilled but agreed to pick his things up.

"What's the first thing you're gonna do when you get out?" Jonathan asked as they played a game of cards.

"Take a shower and pass the hell out," Brad laughed, "I'm most likely going to sleep until the weekend. Been on a long run."

Jonathan nodded, "I feel that. I'm gonna go re-up after I check in tomorrow."

"I might have to hit you up later," Brad told him. He knew he wasn't supposed to be messing around, but at the same time, he knew he could at least dabble 1-2 days a week and piss clean at his check-ins.

"I don't stay too far from your mom's anyway. You gonna go hit up Lainey?"

Brad shrugged, reaching for a card, "Probably. I'm trying to see Madison without her, though."

Jonathan laughed, "Just don't wind up in a relationship with either of those crazy broads."

****

Linda felt tremendous guilt, calling Brooke to ask if she and Bill could come by to pick up Brad's belongings as he would be released from jail that night.

Brooke had told her that his belongings were already in the car and that she'd leave it unlocked with the keys in the glovebox so they could just pull up and grab it.

Linda stressed to her daughter-in-law that of she needed anything at all, she should not to hesitate to ask, and regardless of her marital status with Brad, she was still family.

"Linda, I think Krist has a point about Brad staying with us," Bill told her as they were on the way to get the car.

Linda's grip tightened on the steering wheel, "Where is he supposed to go?"

"How about rehab?" Bill asked rather bitterly.

"I think that's a terrific idea, but do you know how hard it is to find an open bed? Especially one that is going to take him immediately?"

"I understand that, Linda, but I think he needs to get into a facility and get some help. I don't even mind footing the bill for it. After dealing with Krist and...everything that came along with that whole mess, I'm done. I can't do that again. If he doesn't want to go, then he can find somewhere else to live, just like we told Krist."

Linda was silent. She understood where her husband was coming from and felt the same, but as a mother, it was hard to feel like she was giving up on her child, even if he was an adult.

"I also agree with Krist about Rocco being around if Brad is...using."

Linda nodded, still silent. Nothing Bill, Krist, or anyone else could say wasn't something that hadn't already crossed her mind in that ugly situation.

****

Atira was lying on the couch, wearing one of Krist's white t-shirts and a pair of his sweats, a rag on her forehead, the lights off.

"Hey, bro, go play quietly in your room until dinner. Atira doesn't feel good," he whispered to Rocco as he locked the front door.

"Ok, Dad," Rocco told him, scooping Jacques the cat up off the floor and scurrying to his bedroom.

Atira sat up, removing the rag from her forehead, "How was your day?" She asked quietly.

Krist began putting away the groceries he'd gotten on his way home from his mom's and groaned. "It's been something," he told her, "Got you your little peanut butter pretzels at Costco."

She rolled off the sofa, "I knew I loved you for a reason," she teased lightly and hugged him from behind.

"How you feeling, baby?" Krist asked, opening the tub of peanut butter-filled pretzels.

Atira swiped a handful, "Like shit," she admitted, "I felt fine this morning and then started to get nauseous again when I got home."

"That medicine ain't helping you none?"

She shrugged, "A little. It takes the edge off it, but the morning sickness is still hanging around."

Krist gave her a sympathetic hug and kissed the top of her head, "I'm sorry, baby."

She rested her face against his chest, "It's fine. It's going to be worth it in the long run."

"For sure, baby," he murmured, changing the subject, "I got you some of the good chicken noodle soup they got in the deli area. You know the one that they make there?"

"Aw, you're the best," She smiled.

"We can just do that and some breadsticks for dinner," Krist told her.

"Sounds good," She replied, "So, what happened at your mom's?"

Krist let out a long sigh, "She's letting Brad fucking stay there when he gets out. I told her that's fucking stupid and not to expect Rocco or me over there if she's letting cluck ass Brad live there."

Atira poured a glass of water for herself, "Yikes, what did she say?"

"Basically that she doesn't give a fuck what I say and how she has to let him stay because she let me stay. Some dumb shit like that. I don't even want to talk to her right now."

"I'm sorry, Krist, but where else is he going to go?"

Krist clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth, "The dumpster where he belongs? The curb? I don't know, fuck Brad. He's got a car, he can stay in that. All I know is I'm stomping his ass out next time I see him, fuck that dude."

Atira sipped her water quietly, unsure of how to respond as she'd never seen him so angry. She gave him a soft kiss, offering to heat up dinner so he could go get some air.

"I don't mind," she insisted, "I don't feel too bad. Go take a breather."

Krist followed her instructions and went to the balcony for a smoke. He'd had half a pre-roll left from the night prior and sparked it up, taking a long inhale, gazing out at the horizon as the sun began to set over the Columbia.

"What's up with Brad's court?" He texted Kali as he'd left his mom's before he'd heard anything.

"He gets out tonight. Judge gave him deferred sentence. You should apologize to mom btw. You made her cry." Kali replied.

Krist felt slightly guilty, "Bro I wasn't even tryna be mean to her but like wtf."

"Idk you were being kind of a dick (no offense) and it would be unfair if she told him no but let you stay all those times."

Krist rolled his eyes and took another hit of the j, "Still don't want Roc around no fucking fiends n that doesn't change whether it's Brad or anyone else."

"Understandable, still doesn't change the fact you were mean to Mom."

Krist tucked his phone in his pocket and finished the joint, wishing he'd had another. He wasn't going to bother to respond to Kali. Of course, he'd acted like a dick to his mom and felt bad about it but still...