I shut the door behind me, my hair cascading over my shoulders, having escaped from its tight bun, the manual work having been twice as hard the last couple of days.
Apparently, as it was my husband who was involved in Kayla's infidelity, Germain decided to instruct Mrs Engleberry that I have to pick up her work as well as my own.
"Hey!" Claudia calls, her head appearing from the doorway to the kitchen. "I made us some pasta!"
"Thanks," I say softly, forcing a smile onto my face. I follow her, my gaze falling on Jordan as soon as I enter the kitchen, him munching his way through the dish in front of him. "Is it nice?" I ask.
"My Claudia can cook." He grins as she shakes her head, reaching over and whacking him around the head with a cloth.
"Here." She hands me a bowl and I slouch down opposite Jordan, digging a fork into the tomato sauce.
"Work okay?" Jordan asks and I shrug.
What can I say? That it's shit? These two haven't left my side since Zac was arrested, not once leaving me alone in the house. They've been incredible, making sure I'm okay every step of the way and I'm not about to make them doubt my wellbeing now. "Fine." I nod.
"I don't believe you." Claudia snorts, shaking her head.
"Any news on Zac?" I ask and Jordan shakes his head.
"Sam said he'll head down to the courthouse tomorrow morning to ask again."
"Okay," I mutter, biting my lip before pushing the pasta around my plate.
"Oh, hell no!" Claudia exclaims. "Not again! You will eat this pasta, girl," she orders, pointing at my bowl.
"I will."
"You're damn right you will," she says. "I'm not getting in shit when Zac gets out because suddenly his wife has dropped ten unnecessary pounds."
I can't help but smile slightly at her words, the idea that Zac would worry about me causing a flurry of warmth to flood through me.
Who am I kidding though? Zac and I weren't even anything before this happened, we've had one morning of fun, a no strings attached arrangement, and yet I'm sitting here mourning him as though we are so much more.
I need to sort myself out, I need to focus on the big picture, which is simply getting Zac and Kayla out of the Cell because they don't deserve to be there.
"How was your work?" I change the subject as I look over at Jordan, curious over the weapons factory on the opposite side of the city. He grimaces, shaking his head.
"It's got very busy all of a sudden. Almost like they are preparing for something." He shoots a knowing looking at Claudia.
"Preparing? Like a war?" I ask.
"Absolutely not." Claudia immediately shakes her head.
"Then why would they be mass producing weapons?" I retort.
Claudia bites on her lip, clearly unsure of how to respond to me. "I don't know. Maybe they just want to be on the safe side," she says with a shrug.
"I shouldn't have said anything," Jordan mutters. "It's nothing to worry about, Emilia."
"Of course I'm worried." I scoff. "The State doesn't need more ammunition to use against us."
"That's true," Claudia agrees, sinking down in the seat beside me. "Eat up!" she orders, pointing down at my plate, a stern look on her face.
I reluctantly dig in, forcing the food down my throat as they begin chatting about the weather, a clear attempt to change the subject away from the dark realities of Jordan's work.
I've never understood why the State need a weapon factory anyway, the war is long gone. The only logical reason to explain why, is that they intend to use them against us. There's something coming.
And I'm pretty damn sure that Claudia and Jordan know more than they're letting on.
*~*~*
Heidi jumps up from beside me, staring over at Sam in the doorway, his sudden announcement having rendered me speechless. "The trial is today?" Heidi repeats his words and he nods.
"When?" Claudia asks, swiping her hand over her mouth.
"This afternoon," Sam replies, his eyes flicking over to me.
"This afternoon?" Jordan repeats. "Fuck!"
"It was a last minute decision-"
"Why?" I cut Sam off. "Why are they going through the pretence of a trial? They've already decided that they are both guilty."
"Fucking bastards!" Jordan snaps, whirling around and punching his fist into the door frame, barely even flinching from the pain. "As if Zac or Kayla have a chance!"
"Jordan!" Claudia exclaims, reaching out and pulling him to her, stopping him from lashing out once more.
"It's not fair," he says hoarsely as she nods.
"I guess I'll go get dressed then," I mutter, standing up from the couch.
"What?"
"Why?"
"To go to the trial," I reply, confused by their questions. "Surely they're letting the public watch?"
"Well, yes," Sam admits and I nod.
"That's settled then."
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Heidi asks, reaching for my hands and giving them a squeeze.
"Honestly?" I reply softly. "No. But I can't let them sit there thinking that we aren't here for them."
"She's right." Jordan nods, his eyes fixed on me. "We have to go."
"Thank you," I reply, making my way to the stairs and slowly walking up them. I feel numb, the full meaning of Sam's words not yet hitting me.
I can't quite comprehend the fact that Germain is throwing a fake trial, an effort to make them look like decent people? Who the fuck are they going to fool? Certainly not me.
Grabbing onto a plain black dress I pull it on before turning and messily shoving a hair grip in to hold back some of my hair. If this was a real trial, one where my husband and Kayla may have a chance, I'd probably make more effort. It's obvious what's going to happen today.
All I want to know is how much Zac and Kayla will be punished and when I can see them again. They've spent nearly a week locked up, and I am dreading seeing the state of them, how beaten and bruised they are from the Enforcers.
Closing my eyes, I try to stop any tears from falling and I shake my head, mentally lecturing myself. I have to pull it together. Zac and Kayla need to see a united front, even if we can't do anything to help.
Gritting my teeth, I walk back downstairs, nodding at Claudia and Jordan before making my way to the front door, praying that this will be over as soon as possible, and hopefully with a better outcome than what I'm picturing in my head.
"Heidi and Sam went to tell Jace what's happening with Kayla," Claudia advises, her hand reaching out and grabbing mine as we begin down the street, an angry looking Jordan behind us.
"Mils!" Rayden suddenly jogs up, his eyes wide. "I'm coming with you guys."
"Thanks, Ray." I manage a small smile before we continue, all of us in a deathly silence. Heidi, Sam and Jace soon join, Kayla's husband pulling me in for a swift hug.
He and Kayla may not be soul mates but he's in the same position as me, they're friends who have had sex and as such, there's a connection there, however small it may be.
In fact, Zac probably still doesn't even like me, the memory of our first few encounters still fresh in my mind, walking in on him fucking another girl only setting the precedent for what kind of man I'd been married too.
Yet I still feel betrayed by whoever reported them, I still have sleepless nights imagining what the State could be doing to him. When I finally manage to get to sleep I wake up screaming as I imagine them sliding a knife into his ribs, Claudia or Jordan always rushing in to assure me it's just a dream.
But... is it though?
*~*~*
It takes us half an hour to get to the old county courthouse, members of the Enforcers letting us in as soon as Jace and I tell them that it's our spouses in there.
We file into the old room, Claudia and Heidi grabbing onto my hands as we sit in the pews, Enforcers stationed around the perimeter, the room filled with a sense of dread. My heart is hammering against my ribcage, sweat pouring out of me as ten people walk in and take their seats; the jurors.
My eyes immediately find Mrs Engleberry, smirking as she chats with the man beside her. I don't recognise anyone else, but I can tell just from the fact Engleberry is here that we were right to assume this trial is rigged.
Mrs Germain suddenly enters, her brown hair piled up on top of her head, her figure donning a long black dress. She looks like she's going to a fucking funeral. Oh, hell. I watch as she takes a seat where the Judges used to, Heidi's mouth dropping open at the sight.
"She's playing Judge?" she hisses.
"It would appear so." Claudia snaps back, her teeth gritted.
"I wouldn't expect any different." Sam scoffs.
I keep my eyes on the front, scared that if I even move slightly I'll break down in hysterics, the uncertainty eating away at me.
"Please bring the defendants in," Germain suddenly announces and I suck in a breath, my grip on Heidi and Claudia's hands tightening. The door at the far end of the room is opened, my eyes wide as the Enforcers make a move to drag the people behind it out.
Please, please be okay!
"It's time," the Enforcer says gruffly, him and another reaching down, hooking their hands under my arms, yanking me up from the hard wooden seat, my body aching with pain. Kayla cries out from behind me as she too is forced to her feet.
I want nothing more than to collapse, my legs weak from numerous beatings, the Enforcers the only ones controlling my movements.
The door in front of me is hauled open and I grit my teeth, ready to endure this shit show of a fucking trial, already knowing I won't be getting out of it without a severe punishment. After all, it's hardly like I've been staying in a five star hotel this last week.
I can only hope that Emilia is okay without me, that her friends have rallied around to help retaliate against anything the State is throwing at her. If she's got any sense she will have kept her head down and continued with her life, without making a fuss about me being arrested.
As the Enforcers drag me into the room I hear a collection of gasps, my gaze snapping to the other side of the room, immediately fixating on the shocked face of a tired looking Emilia, our friends gathered around her. Since when did she talk to Claudia and Jordan?
They shove me down into a seat and I look away, down at the ground as I curse them for being here. Surely they know that no good can come from today? What did they think being here would achieve?
"Zachary Hastings?" The elusive Elissa Germain questions and I nod, the Enforcer instantly shoving his baton into my side.
"Yes." I hiss out against the pain.
"Kayla Thomson?"
"Yes," she replies meekly.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury, this is a criminal case against the two defendants after they committed infidelity against their partners," Germain announces. "Given the fragile nature of our society, this crime is deemed far more serious than many others." She turns her attention to us. "Do you two deny these accusations, despite numerous eye witnesses being present?"
"I don't see any witnesses here!" Claudia suddenly yells out, standing up from her seat as she glares across the room.
"Sit down unless you wish to be escorted out!" the Judge yells, Jordan pulling Claudia back into her seat as a couple of Enforcers move towards her. "In answer to your statement, we have kept the identity of any witness a secret as requested. They have the right to keep their anonymity."
"Bullshit!" Claudia snaps back, the Judge rising from her chair.
"This is my courtroom, young lady. I suggest you keep quiet from now on, unless you wish to spend the night in the Cell."
I can't help but let my gaze move back over to my friends, Emilia unmoving, her gaze fixed on me. Are her eyes full of tears?
"Please answer the question." The Judge tears my attention away from the sad looking girl. "Do you deny the accusations?"
"Would it make any fucking difference if we did?" I snap, the Enforcer's baton lodging itself just under my ribs, all my breath leaving my body.
"Zac!" I hear her familiar voice call out, not trusting myself to look around.
"The witness described the party to be at number ten, Hudson Street, back on the eleventh of June. It was a blackout party and when the lights came on, you two were engaged in sexual activity with each other." The Judge reads out from the paper in front of her.
"It was hardly sexual activity!" Kayla retorts, her eyes blazing as she finally looks up, the black bruising visible around her eye.
"So you admit something happened then?" Germain smirks.
"No!"
"I think we've heard enough," the snotty bitch says. "Jurors, you may retire to reach your verdict."
"That's it?" A blonde guy, who I assume is Kayla's husband, stands up from his seat. "That's the whole fucking trial?"
"If you don't sit down you will be escorted out!"
Reaching up, he slams his fist down on the wood. "I don't fucking give a shit! This is a whole fucking farce, it's all bullshit!"
"Jace, please!" Kayla calls, almost begging him as the tears stream down her face. He reluctantly falls back down into the seat and I let my head drop to look at the stained floor, feeling the piercing blue eyes from my girl burn through the side of my head. She never should have come. She doesn't deserve to be a part of this.
The Jury is gone for all of five minutes, the room silent with the exception of the sobs coming from Kayla. I keep my eyes on the floor, the dark red stain before me morphing into various objects the longer I stare at it.
"Have you reached a verdict?" the Judge asks and I screw my eyes shut, already knowing what's coming.
"We have."
"Do you find the defendants guilty, or not guilty of taking part in illegal adulterous acts?"
"Guilty."
Of course. My heart sinks slightly at the words, but I'm not sure why. This is what I was expecting, but then again, I guess you always hold on to that one last strand of fucking hope before it's trampled over with that one final statement. Guilty.
"The Jury has spoken," the Judge says, whacking her gavel down on the wood.
"No!"
"This is a joke."
"You can't be serious!"
"Please don't do this!" The last plea has my face shooting up, eyes zeroing in on Emilia's distraught expression, weakly shooting her a small smile in an attempt to convince her that I'm okay.
"I sentence both Ms Thomson and Mr Hastings to thirty days in Killmoor."
"What?" Emilia exclaims, her eyes wide as she looks away from me, back towards the Judge. "You can't do that!" she screams as two men grab hold of my arms, pulling me up. "I won't let you!"
As soon as she sees that the Enforcers are attempting to drag me away, she launches herself at the edge of the seating, throwing herself over the barricade and heading straight for me. I angrily push against the Enforcers, freeing one of my arms and shoving him away, the other no match for me on his own, falling to the ground after one blow.
"Zac!" Emilia exclaims, her arms flying around me, barely registering the pain in my body as I breathe in her familiar scent, my own arms grabbing onto her small body.
"Emilia," I say softly, leaning back and staring down at her panic filled eyes, quickly pressing my lips against hers for one, final kiss before we are wrenched away from each other. Three Enforcers pull me back as she wrestles against another, kicking and screaming in an attempt to free herself. "Let her go!" I yell, my struggle futile as I am pulled out of the room, eyes still on Emilia before they slam the door shut, blocking my view.
I wonder if I'll ever see her again.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Eek!! A bit of a long one, but I didn't feel I could cut this chapter down.
Well, that's it... Zac and Kayla are off to Killmoor...
Please don't hate me too much!!