Chapte 19: Bubblegum Bitch.
"What do you mean statutory rape is being added to his list of offences? Who the Fuck did he 'rape'?" I demanded the answers that moment. Rage pulsed through my veins, I had to reject the urge to punch our lawyer square in the face. I had to meet up with him to go over the charges that were against Juice.
Today I was your perfect prude work of art in a bubblegum pink skirt from the 60's, a white long sleeved shirt with a floral embroidery that was tucked into the skirt that sat well on my waist, and a powder blue jacket. I had my hair done up nicely and everything. I felt like such a prude.
Joshua McGraw adjusted his tie nervously as he sat behind him desk in the law firm that he owned in town. He peered down his nose at the file then looked back up at me squarely.
"Mr Ortiz had sex with a minor, that minor was you." He told me casually; as if he just told me that it was raining outside and not that my fiancé is being charged with raping me.
"That's bullshit, I was 17 when we had sex. The legal age is 16." I sneered the cold truth at him point blank. He frowned and shook his head.
"The age of consent was only lowered to 16 a few years ago. When you and Mr Ortiz engaged in sexual activities the legal age was 18." Joshua blathered that in my face proudly. He's not a huge fan of Juice and would rather him be behind bars. Joshua has had this little crush on me ever since I came to Charming and offered to work as an assistant. As HIS assistant.
"Can I drop the sexual assault charges, right? I mean I was the one he supposedly raped so I should be able to make those charges go away." I babbled on about trying to help Juice in any way I can. Joshua pursed his lips tightly and shook his head again.
"I'm afraid you're not able to drop the charges because you were underage when the list of charges were made." Joshua just kept feeding me bad news. It was like getting slapped in the face over and over again. But I tried to keep my cool. My eyebrows narrowed back to their forced position.
"What other charges are there? When were they made and who made them?" I quizzically pestered him with my endless question asking. Joshua sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"In the summer of 2013 Mr Ortiz was charged with assault, breaking and entering, trespassing, statutory rape, and kidnapping. The person who pressed the charges was James Sullivan. And we have multiple accounts of Mr Ortiz and you engaging in sexual misconduct before your eighteenth birthday." How did I know it was my dad trying to ruin my life with this shit? I suppose I just had a feeling that he was too okay with me leaving with Juice in the dead of night. He didn't go around calling people to try and get me home; I had a gut feeling he'd do something like this. But not as extreme.
"What does that mean for Juice? How much time will he do?" I wanted to know how long he'll be gone because there are a couple offenses that'll put him away for a while and I need to know if Joshua can actually reduce Juice's sentence. Joshua looked back down at the open file on his OCD clean desk and frowned, shaking his head in disapproval. He sighed and looked back at me with his dull beady brown eyes that sat too close together on either side of his long and narrow nose.
"Mr Ortiz may serve 15-20 years for the statutory rape before being put on a sex offender registry. As for the other offenses against him, that'll put him away for at least 10-15 years all together. So all together Mr Ortiz is facing 25 to life." 25 to life? Did I just hear that correctly? I mean is Juice really facing a minimum of 25 years in prison?
I had to bat away the tears that stung at my eyes sadly while I dealed with the devastation of the impact that news had on me. I pulled myself together quickly and stared down Joshua with a blazing gaze.
"What do I need to do to ensure that he doesn't serve that much time?" I questioned bluntly. I was done being little Miss nice girl. Gemma taught me one thing for sure, do anything to keep your family safe and in one piece.
Joshua flipped the file closed on his desk and stared at me with a sinister glare that made my skin crawl.
"I can make sure this all goes away but its going to cost you." He warned me honestly but I had a feeling what its going to cost me will be less than honest. I sighed and nodded in agreement before I found out what he wanted from me, it wasn't money.
After I unluckily paid my debt to Mr McGraw I left the law firm and proceeded to the prison to see Juice. I knew he'd be surprised to see me wearing such an outfit but it's the best I could do to appeal to our prude of a lawyer. I don't know why, but I think its the medication and stress that made me have to pull over to the side of the road so I could vomit in the dead or dying grass.
When I got to the prison I signed in and went through all the body and bag searches. Like usual they didn't find anything but some things we got Juice for his birthday this a week.
I didn't even let Juice 10 feet into the room before I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. He did the same for me, keeping me close to him. I was happy the bruises and cuts were healing, I'm sure he's been staying out of trouble.
"Y'know you don't need to keep coming to visit me every couple of days." Juice said to me from across the table with a half smirk. I grinned at him and nodded my head.
"Yes, I do. Besides I think this is the last time I'll be able to come and see you before the court date." I told him in a caring tone that I use on him regularly. I saw his smile fade away, he swallowed hard and played with his hands on top of the table.
"I found out what all of the charges were today. I was called by our lawyer just after you left, he said he was going to make it all go away." He mumbled lowly as if he thought something was wrong. My stomach knotted tightly and my heart started to race. His darkly ringed brown eyes found mine tiredly.
"Maria, you didn't need to sleep with him. I know you're trying to help me but I'm not worth it." He flatly remarked sending a dagger through my heart. Another thing that's rubbed off of Gemma onto me is getting cold and bitter when hurt.
"Who said anything about you being worth it? I'm not doing this for your freedom, I'm doing this for our family. I'm doing what I know is best for our sons." I snarled at him in the coldest and least emotional way I possibly could. Juice seemed surprised and taken back by what I said. But then he nodded in a calm way that seemed to scream pure bliss. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair before riffling through my bag for what Percy insisted I bring Juice for his birthday. I set the tin trey down on the table top and took out the small rectangle present that had a homemade card attached to it.
"Percy made you your favorite pie and got you a birthday present." I told him sweetly after recovering from being so cold and heartless. I was doing this for everyone not just the boys. I didn't want to admit that though. Not now.
Juice's eyes widened and a radiant smile crossed his face brightly. He took the rectangle box that was wrapped with blue wrapping paper and plucked the card off of it. Juice's eyes filled with tears as he read the card that was written in crayon and colorfully decorated. This was his sixth birthday being a dad and each year he seems more and more happy about being a dad.
He reluctantly unwrapped the present and smiled at the black leather box sitting on the table in front of him. He lifted the lid and his smiled choked on a sob. He lifted out a gold chain that was long but not extremely long; it had a locket attached to the end if it. I knew what was in that locket. Juice flipped the locket over in the palm of his hand his smile brightened. I knew there was something embroidered into the back but I didn't know what.
"To dad; stay strong, love your kids." He repeated what was said on the back of the locket. When he opened it there was a flash flood of tears and choked back sobs. Inside were two pictures, one of just me then the other was of Percy and Daylon the day Daylon came home.
"Percy insisted that I bring you your birthday presents, he said as soon as you come home we'll have a nice big party for you." I know Juice missed the boys, he hasn't even seen Percy in almost two months. Percy misses his dad very much and it breaks my heart to hear that he's being bullied at School because his dad is in prison.
"Maria," Juice mumbled my name softly. I smiled and hummed softly to him. His eyes were red ringed but dark circles rounded them. His skin was pale and he looked unwell.
"Tell the boys I love them." He requested before our visiting time was up and we both had to leave. Driving home I couldn't stop thinking about how he looked and how peaceful he seemed. He seemed to at rest with himself and the things he's done. I think he's getting counseling while there which is good and I hope he takes what he learns and applies it to his life outside the prison.
When I got home Gemma was making dinner, Percy was sitting at the coffee table doing homework and Daylon was in his basinet cooing at the ceiling. I sighed and set my purse down on the dinner table. Gemma looked at me from across the room with a knowing look in her eyes. It made my stomach knot and my heart to speed up.
"You got a call from your Doctor today, your blood tests came back." She told me in a mothering way that alarmed me. I smacked my lips together and braced myself for something bad.
"And what's the verdict?" I asked curiously with a shaky voice. She sighed and came up to me with a sad expression.
"Its nothing good."