"I didn't mean it," said Julie, sitting in Bree's living room for another brunch.
"I'm sure he knows that," John responded.
"No, he doesn't," she insisted. "You guys should've seen the look on his face when he told me to leave. He hated me. For lying about the marriage license, for being confused about this whole situation."
"Julie, he's not seeing things from the outside like we are," Marley said. "He's not bombarded with all of this negativity towards him, which is good for him but... He has no clue how we all see it."
"That's bullshit," Bree jumped in. Everyone turned to her. "Sorry, but it is," she continued. "Julie, how could you have any doubts about this? He's your husband."
"Technically not," Kitty interjected.
"Maybe not legally," said Bree, rolling her eyes, "but still. He'd never do something like this. He adores you, Julie. And he's never cheated on anyone in his whole life. He sure as hell wouldn't blackmail or murder or hire an assassin for crying out loud."
She glanced around the table. John, Julie, Jake, Marley, Ryder and Stefan were all quiet. Even Kitty didn't have much else to add.
"It makes me sick to even think about it," Bree continued. "Not the possibility that he did it because he didn't. But the fact that any of you would even for a second doubt him. Especially you, Julie. Wake up. You showed him doubt and he's hurt. No matter how hard it is for the rest of us out here to stay positive, I assure you that it's a hundred, no, a thousand times worse for him. Stuck in there."
***
"Wednesday," said Eugene, sitting in front of Alex at the prison. "Probably. Unless any new evidence comes in after. Lab reports will get in on Tuesday or Wednesday morning. With those, we'll probably be able to prove you didn't have probable cause and charges will be dropped. You'll be exonerated. Or maybe they'll go through with the court date and still let the jury decide. Deliberation could be just a few hours, a day, two days... But by Friday they'll make their decision."
Alex nodded. "How are my odds looking right now?"
"Well, that's actually why I'm here," said Eugene. "We're not sure what else the prosecutors have. They could file new evidence by Wednesday besides the DNA results. They could have nothing new to contribute. We don't know until they show us."
