Page 44 of Served
“I don’t know, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. She means well. And she feels horrible this happened. She of course is all over this with dad’s campaign manager.”
“So, am I taking you to the club?” Amy asked as we pulled away.
“No, I need to call Stan and I have some work to get done to help who’s covering for me. You can just run me home.”
Amy looked over at me but didn’t ask any questions. Jason and I had spent every free moment we had together the past couple of weeks with the exception of her celebration dinner. But maybe she bought the work excuse.
We made it home and I went to my room. I did call Stan and did have work to send over. But that didn’t take me long. The rest of the day I laid in bed and stared at my phone as I annihilated my cuticles, willing a text to come. Amy knocked and poked her head in around six.
“Hey, I was gonna go grab a bite before hitting the club. Wanna come?”
I shook my head and smiled so she came and sat on the bed.
“Hey, you okay?” she asked.
I cut my eyes at her.
“I knowthat. But are you sure nothing else is bothering you?”
I shook my head. “Just this mess. I’ll be okay when it’s over. But I don’t feel like going out. But you go, have fun. I’ll be alright.”
“So is Jason coming by then?”
“Um, he had some stuff today but might be by later. I’ll try to be quiet. But are you riding back over with me tomorrow?”
She nodded, “Absolutely. Hopefully that prick takes the plea deal so I don’t have to miss more work. Although I won’t be serving much longer. Anyway, text me if you change your mind” She leaned down and kissed my forehead before she got up off the bed and closed my door as she left. I heard her shuffle around for a minute then the front door closed.
I sat up in my bed, still staring at the phone. How could he do this? Today of all days.
I kept watching the phone and finally opened a new message to send him. I typed out several messages but deleted all of them before sending. None seemed right. I couldn’t find the words. But why should I text him anyway? He’s the one acting like a lunatic. Today! He started a fight and left me on the day I needed him most.
Needed him.
Did I justneedhim? Was this all some crazy coping mechanism? Maybe he was right. Maybe I was using him in the wake of my incident that he saved me from? If that was the case, maybe as much as it hurt me, it was best for him to leave now.
But, I’ve had relationships before and none felt like this. He was safe, yes. But he was also warm, attentive, and kind. He made sure I ate. He texted me while I was at work to tell me he missed me. He pulled me close at night and even closer in the morning. He made me feel beautiful. He told me sure, but nobody had ever made mefeelbeautiful before. When I looked at him, I saw nothing else. The more I thought about him and how he wasn’t there with me, my body filled with tingles, but not the typical ones when he touched me. They were shooting and aching. It felt like my soul was being split into pieces. Tears rushed to my eyes, and I rolled, shoving my face into my pillow. How did I screw this up?
I laid crying into my pillow, shaking my bed from the sobs until I cried myself to sleep.
Chapter 22
Lucy
“I have to run by the gallery after we get out of court today but can run you wherever when we’re done.”
“Everything good there?” I asked.
“Oh yeah, since I plan to start next Monday, I just have to go take some forms in and they’ll get copies of my license, social, blood type, unborn child’s soul, ya know.”
We got to the courthouse a little early. We parked and she grabbed my hand again as we walked in.
“Hey, how we doing today?” Amy asked as she stopped me by tugging on my arm.
I shrugged my shoulders and kept walking. She asked about Jason again before we left but I skirted around it. She was onto me but didn’t press me, yet. As we made it past the security check, we saw her dad standing outside the courtroom. He waved us toward the door and started explaining what was about to happen.
“Good morning, ladies. So, here’s what to expect today. If he declines the offer, that means we go to trial, and the judge will want to start soon. I just want to prepare you.” He spoke about it like it wasn’t real. But then again, he dealt with these things a lot as the DA and didn’t have time for rainbows and butterflies.
“Okay, I guess we’ll see.” I looked behind him and saw my parents walking in. Dad was in full dress, and mom had a conservative pale pink dress suit with her two-inch black heels. Her shoulder length blonde bob was perfectly styled, even with the humidity outside.
