Finding Me

Chapter 32

I scream as my father grabs me with his insanely strong grip. I don't know how he managed to get all the way back to me without getting stopped, but he did. Now, I have to deal with it as he slaps me across the face and throws me down on the ground with a majority of his strength.

Luckily, he doesn't lay another hand on me because a guy pushes him away from me, and the police in the courtroom are finally present and able to pull him back to his lawyer's counsel table. I touch my warming cheek that received the blow as I look to where Uncle Sam is standing and see him glance at me worriedly and then glare darkly at my father.

I see the hand of the guy who stopped my father reach out to me, and I take it to stand. When I look into his face to thank him for helping me, I freeze and almost faint. I can recognize those deep blue eyes anywhere.

When I compose myself, I barely squeak out, "Nick?"

He gives me his familiar warming smile, but he doesn't have time to say anything because the judge bangs his gavel, calling for order, and he begins to rattle off a fine for my father. Emma pulls me back to a seat, and she leaves the seat to my right empty. She motions for Nick to sit down, but he just shakes his head and leaves. I sink in my chair as I know that nothing has changed with him, and I don't think it ever will.

"I don't think this is necessary, but members of the jury, what is your decision?" the judge asks the shocked jury spokesman.

It takes the jury spokesman a few seconds to gather himself to say, "We have found the defendant guilty."

The judge bangs his gavel. "I sentence Mr. Tyler Walker to prison on all accusations brought against him. Court adjourned."

Once my father's sentence is declared, the judge stands, and we all stand. We stay standing until he leaves. After the judge is gone, I collapse in my chair as I know that I'm free from my father forever. When I look up to take a last look at him, I see a look of anger and defeat on his face. It's then when I know that his threat of hurting those close to me was an empty one.

The guards begin to lead him out, and he looks behind him, but he isn't looking at me. He's looking beyond me as he suddenly barks loudly enough for everyone to hear, "I never thought I would see you again."

The guards push him forward behind a door. With that, my father is gone. But, his words confuse me, so I turn around and see Emma standing directly behind my chair. Confused, I stand up and turn around to talk to her. Her face has a little more color in it, but she's still very pale.

"Was he talking to you?" I ask her.

She opens her mouth to speak, but my uncle's voice comes up behind me, questioning in a stern tone, "Now that this whole ordeal is over, do you mind telling me what you were thinking in coming?"

I turn around and look him in the eye as I quietly but forcefully say, "I'm eighteen. I'm not the thirteen year old girl you took in. I've grown up, and I'm making some of my own choices. This was my choice to come because I wanted to do my mother justice. I wasn't going to allow her murderer get away with it. I had hard evidence against him, and I needed to show that to the judge and the jury."

My uncle's stern expression falls as he pulls me into a warm hug. "I just didn't want you to get hurt."

I pull back and tell him with a smile, "Well, I didn't. I'm free from him, and I can go on with my life with more security."

He smiles, and I give him one more hug. Then, I turn back around and place my focus on Emma who is looking at us with a loving expression. The minute I make eye contact with her, she shifts uncomfortably and looks away.