VIVAN’S POV
I sat in the passenger seat of Mitch’s truck wringing my hands together. I looked out the window at the courthouse and dreaded going inside. This would be the first time in two months that I would lay eyes on the man who once held my heart. The man that made me fall in love with him under false pretenses. I couldn’t believe the sick things that had been going on his mind… The thought made me…
I feel hands on mine and I look down to see my hands balled in fists. Mitch’s hands encase mine and he rubs my skin gently.
“Hey, everything is going to be okay.” he whispers to me.
I stare into his handsome face and can’t help but smile as his assuredness of the situation. I unclench my fingers and interlace them with his. I am not shocked when he moves closer to me and places a soft kiss on my lips.
The first time he kissed me, I felt guilty because I knew how much Amber cared about Emery. But she was seventeen! She really didn’t know what love is. I was extremely attracted to Mitch and the feeling was mutual so why not give it a try?
He pulled away from our embrace first and then moved his hands to my face, cupping my chin between his thumb and forefingers.
“When are we going to tell Amber and Emery?” he asks me the same question he asked me last night as we lay in each other’s arms after an intense love making session.
I was surprised Amber didn’t hear us.
“The news would crush her. She loves your nephew.” I tell him.
He sighs. “Yes I know but they’re kids. They’ll get over one another. I love you.”
I smile at his words but then I remember the reason we were sitting in his car outside the courthouse. I gently remove Mitch’s hands from my face but I clutch at his fingers.
“Let’s talk about this later. The hearing starts in five minutes.”
He nods and I release his hands. We get out of his truck and he takes my hand in his as we walk inside the courthouse. We enter the room for the hearing and I see Axel sitting at the defense table with his slime ball of a lawyer.
As I sat down I notice Axel glance over his shoulder at me. He throws me a disgusting sly smile. It fades as he sees Mitch, who sits next to me and turns my attention to him. He places a kiss on my lips and whispers to me that everything would work out for the best.
The prosecuting lawyers sit at their table and a bailiff orders for everyone to stand before introducing the presiding judge. The judge enters and takes their seat. After telling everyone to be seated he begins the hearing.
The hearing lasts three hours with the prosecution presenting their case. Axel’s defense has the audacity to state since there is no evidence (i.e. Amber wasn’t raped) that there was no case against him.
The judge tells everyone to recess for an hour to have lunch and when we returned he would make a ruling as to whether the case should go to trial. I blow out a breath as Mitch stands and takes my hand in his, pulling me up from my seat.
“Where do you want to go for lunch?” Mitch asks me as we leave the building.
My stomach begins to growl. “Anywhere, I’m starving.”
We get into his truck and head to a nearby Steak ‘n Shake. I order one of their Frisco melts while Mitch has one of their steakburgers. Mitch decides to bring up our relationship while we wait for our food.
“Baby, I know that Emery and Amber are high school sweethearts but remember, they’re in high school. Emery will be going off to college in a few months and do you really think they’ll still be together then?” he states.
“I’ve said the same thing to Amber but she believes they’ll be together forever.” I scoff.
Mitch chuckles lightly. “I thought the same thing about the girl I dated in high school.”
I all of sudden feel another pang of guilt. Amber’s father was my high school sweetheart and if he were still alive today, we would be together. I remember I told myself when he died that I could not see myself with another man but yet here I was again entering a relationship with someone. But aside from Axel, Mitch felt right to me.
“How about I have Amber invite Emery over tonight for dinner and we’ll tell them then, together.”
He smiles at that and gives me a long, sweet kiss. He doesn’t pull away until our waitress arrives with our food and clears her throat so loud the other patrons stop and stare. Both Mitch and I blush as we accept our food and eat quickly as not to be late for the judge’s ruling.
Back at the courthouse the judge sits in his seat and clears his throat before stating that this is a case of ‘he said-she said’ and since no damning evidence has been presented, he drops the charges against Axel. I am flabbergasted at the result! The judge does tell the prosecution that if any evidence does present itself new charges can be filed.
Axel stands and shakes the hand of his slime ball lawyers and then throws another sly smirk in my direction. I immediately tell Mitch to take me home.
We leave the courthouse and Mitch takes me home as I cry softly in the passenger seat. I hope to God that Axel does not decide to try and come around me or my daughter because that would be the last thing he does!
“I think you should move.” Mitch states as he parks on the curb in front of my house.
I shake my head no. “I have lived in that house for fifteen years and I’ll be damned if I let that piece of shit run me out of it!”
Mitch massages my shoulders. “Babe just think about it. With that scum being free now, we can’t have you or Amber being alone.”
I sigh. “I’ll think about it.”
He smiles. “Good, now let’s go inside. We’ve got a few hours to kill before Amber gets home from school.”
I smile at the thoughts running through his head. “I asked her to go to her friend’s house after school, remember?”
“Oh yeah. That sounds even better.”
I laugh as he hurriedly unbuckles his seat belt and exits the truck. He rushes around to my side and opens my door. He all but rips off my seat belt and picks me up out of my seat. I can’t contain my laughter as he carries me to the front door, allows me to unlock it and then carries me inside, closing the door with his foot.
EMERY’S POV
I was bummed the entire day about the news I had gotten earlier. Both the colleges that wanted me were in New York and a five hour drive to Amber’s school of choice. Maybe I could apply to Georgetown and forfeit the soccer scholarship; it’s not like my parents couldn’t afford to pay my tuition and to be honest I wasn’t planning on pursuing soccer as my career after college anyway.
I was so deep in my thoughts that I barely heard the last bell of the day. I felt a hand on my shoulder and was snapped out of my pondering. I looked up to see Toby hovering over me.
“Come on. Let’s head to practice.” he tells me.
I looked around and saw the classroom empty. “How long have I been sitting here?”
Toby chuckles. “Just a few minutes. Come on.”
I nod and get up from my seat. I follow Toby out of the room and we head to the locker rooms.
“What schools wanted you?” he asks me as we change into our practice uniforms.
“Syracuse and Cornell.” I tell him.
“New York huh? You’ll have a blast there! I’d choose Syracuse if I were you. Who knows, maybe we’ll be playing opposite each other this time next year.”
Toby throws me a smirk and pats me on my back after tying up the strings on his cleats. I stand to my feet after my cleats are laced and Toby and I head to the soccer field. Before we join our teammates Coach calls me over. I walk over to him and he asks me if I made a decision on the school I wanted to attend yet.
“It’s only been a few hours coach. I have to discuss the info with my parents and my girl…”
“Well don’t be too quick just yet.” he interrupts me. “I’ve got one more school interested in you and they’re coming to the game Saturday.”
Another school? It didn’t matter because I was actually going to forfeit the soccer scholarship and just apply to Georgetown and pay for my tuition.
I thank coach for the info and head onto the field. Toby gathers everyone around and gives a pep talk before practice begins. For the next two hours the only thing on my mind is the future.
AMBER’S POV
After school I ask Shannon if I can ride to her house with her and Garrett. She wondered why I wasn’t waiting for Emery to get out of practice. I spend a few minutes telling her about the Axel situation.
“Damn! That is crazy. Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
I shrugged. “I was embarrassed…”
“About what?” she interrupted. “This wasn’t your fault! He’s a pervert and I hope he gets what he deserves.”
She then wraps her arms around me and we leave the school together. We walk to Garrett’s car and see him chatting with one of his friends. He sees us and ends the conversation. He approaches us and gives Shannon a kiss. She tells him I am going home with them.
Garrett looks to me. “You’re not waiting for Emery?”
I shake my head no. “I’ll see him later tonight.”
“Okay.” he simply states and opens the door for Shannon and I.
We get inside and Garrett gets behind the wheel. Shannon spins in her seat to look at me while Garrett drives to her house.
“We’ll have a girls’ day when we get to my house.” she tells me with a smile.
Garrett clears his throat and Shannon looks to him. “Babe, I thought we were going to spending some time alone today since your parents are working late today.”
She smacks her lips at him. “That can wait for another day.”
He groans. “Fine but you so owe me.”
Shannon chuckles and moves closer to him. She plants a kiss on his cheek and whispers the next time they’re alone she will make him beg for her to show him mercy. I heard that but I wish I hadn’t. Garrett chuckles when I tell Shannon so.
She spins back to look at me. “Don’t act like you don’t have a hunky boyfriend that you would do the same to.”
I chuckle as she sticks her tongue out at me. Garrett drops us off at her house and Shannon kisses him good-bye before exiting the car. The two of us walk inside and head straight for the kitchen.
She opens the freezer and pulls out a box of butter pecan ice cream. She pulls two spoons from the drawer and hands one to me.
We dig into the ice cream and I stare at the clock on the microwave: 4:29. Less than an hour and a half before Emery gets out of practice.
My cell phone rings as we eat our treat. I pull my phone from my purse and see that my mom is calling. I immediately wonder how the hearing went and if I would have to face Axel in the near future.
I answer the call and place my phone at my ear. “Hey mom.”
“Hey baby. How was school?” she asks in a soft voice.
“Fine. How was the hearing?”
“Well, good and bad news. Good news is you won’t have to testify…”
I blow out a relieved breath. Did Axel admit what he did was wrong and plead guilty.
“Bad news…” my mom continues. “Axel’s lawyer was able to convince the judge that there was no evidence to go to trial so he’s free.”
WHAT?! How could that happen? This was not fair!
“But I am going to make sure that we get a restraining order and if he comes near me or you he will go to jail okay.”
“Okay.” I sigh. “Can I spend the night with Shannon?”
I hear her giggle and then shush somebody. Great, Emery’s uncle was with her. I hope this thing between them wasn’t getting serious.
“Actually honey, I need for you to come home for dinner. Oh, I would like Emery to join us too so I will see you around seven tonight okay.”
Why did I sense something else was going on?
“Okay fine. I’ll see you later tonight. Love you.”
“I love you too sweetheart.” she says before we disconnect.