Tavi
“Mom, she won’t stop moving” I complained as I tried to take a nap.
The first time I felt her move it wasn’t that often and it was every once in a while. Now that I’m six months she moves nonstop and it’s always when I’m trying to get some sleep.
My mom came downstairs into the living room to check up on me while I layed on the couch.
“Who was at the door?” She asked.
“It was Shayne...” I sighed.
I honestly wasn’t mad at Shayne for showing up the way he did, because I would feel some type of way too if the mother of my child was going to appointments with another nigga.
But at the same time he never calls and checks up on me to make sure that I’m okay and he never seems interested in appointments anyways.
“Really? What did he want?” She asked sitting on the smaller couch.
“He wants to come to the next Doctors appointment” I replied. “So I told him when it’s gonna be”
She nodded her head. “Well that’s good, that he—“
She was interrupted by the knocking at the front door.
She got up to get it and then she walked into the living room with the lead detectives on my case.
I haven’t heard or seen them since they came to my hospital room a few times back in September so it was surprising to see them now.
I sat up straight as they stood in the living room.
“We came here today to tell you both that two of our police officers just arrested the man that shot you” The male detective started.
My mom and I both looked at each other shocked.
We didn’t even know that they had someone in mind.
“Who was it?” My mom asked the same question that I was thinking.
“It was a twenty-three year old man, by the name of Shayne Livingston” The female detective answered. “We haven’t spoken to him yet, but we’re on our way to the station now”
“How do y-you know t-this for sure?” I stuttered.
The male detective pulled out an iPad and handed it to me. “What you’re looking at is surveillance of the night before you got shot when you were out having dinner. The car is Shayne’s and as you watch you can see a gun point out the window when you guys come out the restaurant.”
I watched the screen and saw everything that he said happen.
I watched as I came out of the restaurant with my mom and dad and I watched as the gun pointed out of the window of the car.
“He didn’t shoot that night because of course you all got into the car before he could get a good shot, so when you pulled away so did he” The female detective finished.
I watched as the screen went blank indicating that the footage was over.
My breathing increased and I had to put my hand over my chest to slow it down.
“Why would he do this?” My mom asked placing her hand over her mouth.
“We don’t know yet, that’s why we’re about to go to the station.” The male answered.
I shook my head at everything they were saying, it all seemed unreal.
I couldn’t believe what I just watched and I couldn’t believe what they were telling me.
My mom sighed. “How long will he go to jail for?”
“Well right now he’s looking at two counts of attempted murder which is fifteen years, but if Micheal dies he’s looking at one count of attempted murder and one count of homicide which is twenty-five years to life.”
I felt the tears coming as the imformation was being said.
I stood up ready to walk away because I couldn’t take hearing it anymore.
“Tavi…” The female detective stopped me. “I promise that we won’t let him hurt you again”
I looked into her eyes. “Good!”
I ran up the steps and into my room pasting back and forth.
I grabbed my phone from off the charger and dialed Rasia’s number.
My hands started to tremble as I waited for her to pick up.
“Tavi!” Rasia yelled through the phone. “Shayne got arrested”
I nodded. “I know!”
“Well do you know why? None of us know?” She asked.
I’m guessing she’s with Chris and Jr. Bird like always.
“He tried to kill me!” I cried. “Rasia this man almost killed me, and here I am carrying his child”
The other end of the phone was silent for a second before she started to speak again.
“Tavi are you sure?” She cried. “Are you sure that’s why he was arrested?”
“What happened” I heard someone in the background say.
“Yes the detectives on my case are downstairs right now… I can’t believe this”
“Well how do they know this for sure?” She questioned.
“They have him on surveillance”
I couldn’t help to think of how they knew he shot me when they only had surveillance cameras from the day before.
The knock at my door caused me to jump because of how paranoid I was.
“Rasia I gotta go” I hung up on her.
I went to go open my bedroom door and my mom came in.
I automatically latched on to her and cried into her chest. “What did I get myself into?”
“Tavi it’s not your fault” She rubbed her hands up and down my back comforting me.
“I don’t ever want to see him again!” I cried. “I never want my child around him”
“She never will be, but Tavi you have to testify at trial” She informed me.
I removed myself from her. “W-what?”
There was no way I was going to be able to sit in a court room with the same person that almost took my life.
I just know I can’t do it.
“If he doesn’t confess, there will be a trial and you’ll have to testify… You have to do it in order to send him away”
I walked over and sat down on my bed. “Mom I don’t know if I can do that”
I didn’t know how to feel on sending away my child’s father for a long time.
But in the same token he tried to kill the both of us. I just don’t have it in me to basically take someones life away.
“You can, and you will!” She walked over to me. “You have to be strong for your little girl” She grabbed my chin to make me look up at her. “Okay?”
I nodded my head. “Okay”
<>
Shayne
I sat in the cold interrogation room waiting for someone to come and talk to me.
My hands were cuffed behind my back in an uncomfortable position.
I sighed thinking about everything that just happened.
Not only have I just been arrested but I’m being arrested for something I didn’t do.
And I already know it’s going to be hard trying to prove that I’m innocent, but all I need is to get my dad on the phone so that he can get me a lawyer to straighten this all out.
I layed my head on the cold medal table and closed my eyes thinking of how I was gonna get out of this shit.
Who the fuck set me up? I thought to myself.
The only person that comes to mind is Benzino but word on the street is that he’s got medical problems at home in Italy.
“Wake up Mr. Livingston!” I heard a female voice.
I picked my head up and saw a white woman and a white guy walk into the interrogation room.
“Cold in here isn’t it?” The man asked. “It’s used as a tactic to get a guilty person to confess”
“So Shayne…” The female detective spoke. “Tell us why you wanted Tavi dead. Was it because you had a little crush on her and she wouldn’t give you any play” She laughed.
I started laughing with her. “If only you knew” I licked my lips.
She gasped. “Oh is that right?”
I nodded.
“Well why don’t you tell me, I’d really like to know” She leaned back in her chair waiting for me to tell her everything.
I leaned back in my chair as well as we had a stare off.
She’s dumb as fuck if she thinks I’ll talk to her without a lawyer.
“Listen Shayne, even if you don’t confess we still have you on these gun charges… We ran sacked your very expensive condo and we found a lot of illegal firearms and we sent them to forensics and when it comes back that the same shell casings that were found at the crime scene are the same from one of your guns you will go down” The male detective said getting tired of my silent treatment. “It’s up to you—“
“Talking to my client without his lawyer present? Wow what a nice job” A tall brunette white lady said walking in. “Shayne don’t say a word”
“Your client is being booked” The female spoke.
“On what charges?” My lawyer spoke. “Your case is built off of suspicion not evidence, so if you think a judge will buy it you’re wrong”
I looked over at my lawyer and smiled.
Damn she’s good. I thought.
I just hope she’s good enough to get me out of this shit.
“Gun charges.” The male detective spoke. “He had at least ten illegal firearms in his condo, the others were legal and he’s lucky he has a gun permit.”
My lawyer sighed. “Give me some time alone with my client please”
The two detectives nodded and walked out of the room.
“Who are you?” I asked as soon as the doors closed.
I’ve never seen this girl in my life, but she was good as hell at her job.
“Your dad hired me; did you give them permission to search your place?” She asked.
I shook my head. “They just showed up at my boys crib and arrested me”
“Let’s go” She got up and grabbed her purse from off the table.
I looked at her a little confused.
“We leaving right now?” I asked trying to make sure I heard her correctly.
“Yes, c’mon, let’s go” She strutted towards the door.
“What about these hand cuffs?” I asked standing up. “Is Benson and Stabler gonna come un cuff me?” I joked.
She laughed and opened the door but was stopped when the detectives stood in front of her.
“I’m taking my client home” She smiled.
The male detective shook his head. “No you’re not”
“You searched his place without his permission or a search warrant” She replied.
“Maybe you should check your facts because we did have a warrant, and the forensic files came back” He said holding up a manila folder in his hands. “The shell casings from the crime scene match the 9mm gun we found at his place”
“So with that being said” The female detective said. “Shayne you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Tavi Torres and Micheal Smith you have the right…”
“Shayne I will get you out by tomorrow” My lawyer said before walking out of the interrogation room.
<>
Tavi
I stood at my cash register smiling at each customer like everything was normal… but lord knows that I just wanna break down and cry.
I really had to let everything that happened digest and simmer in.
Even though I was still a bit confused I know that I’ll have to testify against Shayne in order to keep him away.
And I know that this trial will give me all the answers to my questions including; why?
Why did Shayne do this?
But the trial won’t be until awhile so I had time to mentally and emotionally prepare myself for it.
I looked down at my gold Rolex checking the time to see that my shift was over.
I closed my register, grabbed my belongings from the back and exited the McDonalds without saying a word to anyone.
Everyone has watched the news so they knew what I was going through and knew that I needed my space.
But I’ve been ignoring the people that are close to me too.
I haven’t talked to Rasia since yesterday when I told her everything and I’ve been avoiding my mom around the house.
I honestly just needed some time to myself.
I got in my car and placed my head on the steering wheel not wanting to drive.
It’s like this news that I got sucked the life out of me, and now I don’t wanna do anything.
I can barely eat because I feel sick to my stomach and if I didn’t have this baby in me I probably wouldn’t.
I blame myself for everything that’s going on because if it wasn’t for me fucking with Shayne I probably wouldn’t be in this predicament.
But this situation has changed me a lot for the better.
So I think…
<>
I stood in front of my mirror with a sports bra and spandex shorts on rubbing my stomach.
I sighed at the scar that was on my left hip. I made a mental note to get tattoos covering up my scars after I had the baby.
I grabbed the cocoa butter and rubbed it into my stomach humming to myself. I stopped when I heard my phone vibrating in my purse. I pulled it out and saw that it was an unknown number.
I clicked answer and an automated voice spoke.
“You have a collect call from…Shayne”
I sighed.
“An Inmate in the FultonCountyJail”
I waited for Shayne’s voice.
“Tavi…” I heard his deep voice say through the phone.
“Are you there?” He asked after I didn’t say anything back.
I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t know what he was about to say, so I stayed quiet.
“I know you’re listening Tavi… I just wanted to let you know that whatever you heard isn’t true! I’d never do anything to harm you or my baby.”
“I saw you” I choked up. “I saw you on a surveillance camera”
“When? Where? How?” He kept asking.
“The night I was at the restaurant, you were there pointing a gun at me” I cried. “Why did you do it?”
I wasn’t really expecting him to call me out of all people, so I was a little surprised to even be talking to him.
“That was a mistake Tavi, you have to believe me. I—“
“Why didn’t you call Mariah? … Why waste your time calling me?” I asked.
“Because I’m gonna do whatever it takes to get you to believe me… When I’m found not guilty I don’t want you to still think of me as that type of person and keep my daughter away from me, because right now she’s the only person that matters” He said.
“Why are you so sure that you’re gonna be found not guilty?” I asked.
How did he know for sure?
They have a strong case built against him and I’m pretty sure it’s all because he really did it.
“Give me one reason why I would do this? Give me one reason and I’ll leave you alone” Shayne asked.
Tears fell as I tried to think of why he would want to harm me or my child.
And as I stood there I realized that there was no reason.
“Exactly” He said after I didn’t answer. “I’m not that type of person”
I started crying into the phone.
Everything was blurry, everything the detectives told me, everything my mom told me, and everything Shayne is telling me now.
I feel like this situation is a puzzle with the wrong pieces.
“Tavi… Ma’ don’t cry” Shayne stressed. “I just need you to believe me”
“Thirty seconds remaining” The automated voice said.
“Tavi please talk to me” Shayne begged.
I sighed wiping away my tears. “But what if you’re found guilty?”
If Shayne didn’t do this and a judge says he’s guilty this will make everything one hundred times worse then what it is now.
I’d feel guilty for not believing him, and I’d feel terrible that his whole life will be taken away from him and he’s innocent.
“I don’t care about that as long as you believe me”
Then I heard the dial tone.
<>
Shayne
“How does the defendant plead?” The judge asked me.
“Not guilty” I replied.
The court room was busy and loud because of all the cases that were going on today.
My lawyer stood next to me and the District Attorney stood beside her.
“Bond?” The judge asked looking annoyed.
“We would like to hold Mr. Livingston without bond” The DA said.
My lawyer glanced at her. “My client isn’t a flight risk”
The DA laughed. “Not a flight risk?” She asked her sarcastically. “Your client took a trip to Brazil two months ago, if you ask me he’s a big flight risk”
“Is this true Mr. Livingston?” The judged looked at me.
I nodded my head. “Yes”
He sighed. “The defendant is held without bond until trial” He said. “Next case!”
I looked at my lawyer and she sighed. “I’m sorry, but you have to wait until trial”
“And when will that be?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“December 11th” She grabbed her brief case. “So you have four weeks to prepare yourself”
She walked away and a court officer grabbed on to me to take me back into custody where I’ll have to wait for four weeks.
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