Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“I’m waiting for her case to be called and then I’m going up there,” he states and I hear Michael behind me.
“Just sit down,” he grits between clenched teeth. “All we need is you going apeshit now and postponing shit.” He practically pulls me to sit in the bench behind Stuart and our fathers.
“What time is her hearing at?” I lean forward to ask Stuart.
“It can be anywhere from nine to three,” he says and I sit back on the bench, my hands clenching by my sides.
I look forward at the judge sitting at the top of the bench. A woman brings him a manila folder. “Next up on the docket,” he announces and all I know is I hear her name. “Julia Williams.”
Stuart stands up and the side door opens, and then I see her. She walks into court with a man holding her arm, her hands placed behind her in cuffs. Michael puts his hand across me to stop me from springing up, and my father does the same thing to Max. Max just looks down and shakes his head, but my eyes never leave her. The tightness I felt in my chest all night long gets just a touch lighter. I can even breathe a touch easier now, knowing she is there in front of me and in a matter of time she is going to be in my arms.
The man leads her to the brown table on the left, just in front of us. Stuart takes his place beside her and he leans over and tells her something, and her head nods. The judge starts reading the charges, I can’t hear anything except for my breathing and heartbeat in my ears. The judge never looks up, never even sees Julia. Stuart says, “Not guilty, Your Honor.” The judge looks over at the prosecutor, who for some reason I want to throat punch.
“We ask that bail be set at seventy-five thousand dollars,” he says and I look up at the ceiling and I see spots of black and white.
“Bail is set for seventy-five thousand dollars,” the judge mumbles as he writes something down before closing the file and taking the gavel to bang it. Stuart looks over at her and says something, and she just nods as the guard comes over and escorts her out.
“Where is she going?” I fly from my seat as my eyes go to the door that closed on the side.
“She is going to be bailed out,” Stuart explains.
“You go in there and stay with her,” I say between clenched teeth and he just smirks.
“That is where I’m going, but I figured, before you got yourself held in contempt of court, I would keep you informed.” He looks over at my father. “I’ll see you guys outside in the waiting area.”
“How long?” I ask him, bouncing on the tips of my toes.
“It depends,” Stuart says and walks away before I can say anything else.
“I know that it’s not the time,” my father says, “and I know that you are one step from snapping and setting this whole place on fire.”
“Can we not say those words in a government building?” Michael growls, looking around. “Before we all get arrested.” He looks at me. “I’m going to text Jillian. Don’t fuck up anything.”
“Hey,” my father calls me, so I look over at him. “We are all on the same side. Stuart is on her side.”
“I don’t know him,” I say. “And he’s a bit too relaxed for my taste.”
“He’s doing what he needs to do,” Max says.
“Yeah, whatever,” I reply. “All I know is that if she isn’t out soon…”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” my father warns me. “Let’s go make sure that we are there when she comes out.”
I nod at him, walking from the courtroom and into the lobby. I’m standing with Michael, leaning with my back to the wall, my forefinger tapping my leg anxiously as I wait for her. Max and my father are standing in the middle, both of them on their phones. I don’t know how long we are waiting. It feels like an eternity, but then the door opens and Stuart comes out first, with her following him. I take a step toward her at the same time she looks up.
Her eyes roam the room and she spots Max first as she walks to him. In two strides, I’m by his side when I hear her voice finally. “Max,” she says, looking at him, and I can see her hand shaking. Everything inside me screams for me to walk over to her, throw her over my shoulder, and take her out of here. Then she says the next words, “I’m so sorry for letting you down.”
I know what she needs is everyone around her and I am just going to have to bide my time until I can take her home.