The Friend Zone

Chapter Thirty-Six: Be Okay

 "Ms. Walters, did you hear what I said?" the lawyer my dad hired asked two days later as we met between my classes.

"Yeah," I replied quietly.

"I highly doubt they'll even consider ruling in his favor Ms. Walters, there shouldn't be a doubt in anyone's mind that you did it to save yourself and that you didn't mean to kill her," he remarked. His name was Jim, or maybe it was John, I couldn't remember because I was too busy worrying about the upcoming trial that was starting on Monday.

"I hope you're right," I said.

"You'll be fine," he said, "Don't sweat it."

"Thank you for your help," I said, "I need to get to lunch now before my afternoon classes."

"Give me a call if you have any questions before Monday," he said, handing me his card.

"Thanks," I said, slipping it in my pocket before walking out to Taylor's car that I was borrowing.

###

"How'd it go?" Whit asked as we ate a late lunch.

"I zoned out for most of it," I replied, moving my food around with my fork, "He said there's barely a chance they'll even consider ruling in her lawyer's favor."

"Well, that's good then," she said, "It starts Monday right?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"Do you know why they're trying to sue?" she asked.

"I don't know," I sighed, "This lawyer of hers is from Buffalo, he represented her when she got in trouble the first time and she got off without jail time. He represented her again when she finally got arrested and sent to prison a year later. It's sketchy, he's not some young guy who was working it pro-bono for experience, he came out of nowhere and offered to represent her after she got arrested."

"That just screams sketchy," she replied.

"Everything about my mother was sketchy," I sighed.

"I'm sorry I couldn't go back with you," she said, "I wanted to be there for you, but I couldn't miss my exam on Tuesday afternoon." 

"It's fine Whit, seriously, I didn't even want to be there for anything more than closure," I replied, "Besides, the fewer people that were there the better, she didn't deserve a funeral."

"Believe me, I know," she said, "What time do you have to be there?" she asked.

"Ten," I sighed.

"I'll go with you," she said, "If you want me to and Taylor will give me a ride." 

"I'll make sure he does," I replied.

"You'll be okay Tess, Taylor and I will be there for you no matter what, okay?" she said.

"Okay," I said.

###

I spent most of the weekend feeling anxious, I didn't want to step foot in that courtroom on Monday, I wanted it all to go away. I thought that being in Buffalo for the funeral would make me feel better and that I could put everything behind me after she was finally buried six feet deep in the ground and far away from ever being able to hurt me again.

The weekend flew by and before I knew it, I was sitting on the stand in one of four courtrooms in the county courthouse downtown Aladine. 

"Ms. Walters you may take the stand," the judge remarked on Monday as I nervously awaited my turn to speak.

"Ms. Walters, what is your relationship with the deceased?" my lawyer asked, walking toward the stand.

"She was my mother," I replied, my nervous hands folded at my lap.