Page 68 of A Trial of the Heart
“I don’t give a flying fuck if I was on the streets working, behind bars in a small ass cell, or even six feet deep as a bag of bones.” I paused briefly. “I will be a fucking father no matter what. So, whatever you think this shit gonna be, it ain’t. You didn’t make that baby alone, and neither of us gonna pretend like you did.” I came off louder than I intended, but she needed to hear me loud and clear.
I allowed my words to sink in before I finally stood to my full height, even then my eyes never left hers. Shiloh sat there quietly with tears pooling in her eyes, and her bottom lip quivered.
“I’ll pay the tab on my way out.”
Those were my last words before leaving Shiloh where she sat. Shiloh may have dealt with guys in the past that didn’t want to take responsibility for their actions, but I wasn’t one of them. Like I’d told her, no matter where I was, I was going to be a father, and I meant that.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
Shiloh:
“Ouch! Shit!” I cursed, hitting my pinky toe on the side of my column bed post. It was a little after seven in the morning, and I was running around my room frantically getting dressed. I had two hours until I was scheduled for work. However, I’d been woken up around 6:00 a.m. and summoned to the courthouse for an urgent meeting with the judge.
“Oh my gosh. What?” I groaned hearing my phone ring and rattle on the sink in the bathroom. Though my phone continued ringing, I ignored it since I was still in only a bra, skirt, and had rollers in my head. I had to hurry up. I wasn’t sure of the need to be at the courthouse for Rashad when we still had a week before the trial, but we had to be there.
“Where is my shirt?” I questioned out loud, pulling the rollers from my hair and letting my curls fall freely. I was in the house alone, so the question wasn’t one that needed an answer.
“Give me a damn break!” I shouted hearing the phone ring again. I didn’t know who was calling, and I didn’t have the time to stop and see. Whoever it had been would have to wait until I was in my car, and that was only if I wasn’t ripping and running the streets to make it to the courthouse.
Glancing over at the clock that hung on the wall, I realized I had about seven minutes to be in my car to make it to the courthouse at the assigned time and that was hoping there was no traffic. I hated to rush, but today, I had no choice but to do so as it was impromptu.
Without grabbing anything for breakfast, I rushed out of the house, starting my car with my key fob. I hated being late. It made me disgruntled, and nothing ever seemed to go right. Opening the door, I tossed my messenger bag and purse onto the seat before roughly placing the car in drive and peeling off.
“Shit, shit, shit.” I banged my fist on the steering wheel when I came to a swift stop almost slamming into the car in front of me. “Freaking train.”
I sighed, looking at the time on my dashboard. Today was not the day to be late by any means. Looking in the rearview, I saw no cars were behind me. Swiftly placing the car in reverse, I backed up before placing it in drive and making a U-turn.
Thankfully, no police were in the area since I was breaking traffic laws. I made it to the courthouse in record time. Sloppily pulling into a parking space, I rushed from the car, doing double time to make it into the courthouse. Most times, when I entered the courthouse, I’d greet security, make small talk, and linger a bit. Today, I tossed my belongings on the conveyor belt and stepped through the metal detector. After being cleared to go, I grabbed my messenger bag and darted for the elevator.
I wasn’t sure why I was needed at court so early, but I knew it had to be something serious. Once on the elevator, I pressed it for the third floor, taking the time to catch my breath as it ascended to the designated floor.
“Lord give me the strength.” I prayed quietly just as the elevator door dinged, indicating I’d reached the floor. I stepped off, walking with a purpose. One last exhale slipped from my lips when I stopped in front of the courtroom’s door, and I steppedinside. As I took the short walk to the front, it seemed all eyes were fixated on me. I felt like I was about to be on trial. At the tender age of seven, I decided I wanted to follow my father’s footsteps and become a lawyer. I remembered going into the office with my dad and feeling at peace watching him in action when it came to the law. Each time the feeling was better than the last, so being his only girl and child, it was only right I did what he loved. Since I could remember, law was my life… until now. Sitting in the cold, unwelcoming courtroom, any joy I once felt seemed to diminish with each passing second.
“I wonder why we’re here,” William said out loud for the third time in two minutes as he paced the floors.
Arthur sighed heavily as he had each time William asked the question. However, this time, he responded. “I’m sure it’s nothing. His team has probably come up with some bull to throw into the case, but it won’t change us going hard and having that boy locked away.”
Could you sound more racist?I thought, staring at Arthur. I almost said something, but Rashad and his team stepped off the elevator, commanding all of our attention. Rashad’s legal team walked beside him as if they were his bodyguards, and while they were dressed nicely, my eyes seemed to zoom in on Rashad. Rashad wore gray slacks, a black button-down shirt, black designer shoes, diamond earrings in both ears, and a single platinum necklace sealed the deal. He was fine, and that man knew it.
When they neared us, I expected maybe a simple head nod or even a look of acknowledgement once Rashad was near since this was our first encounter since me telling him I was pregnant. I got nothing. Swallowing hard, I looked away, blinking my thick lashes in a hurried manner so tears wouldn’t fall. It had to have been the hormones from the baby. Usually, something so little wouldn’t have made me cry.
“You may enter the courtroom.” I heard, not even realizing the huge door to the courtroom had been pushed and held open by the bailiff. Arthur nor William had notified me or waited for me as they had already entered the courtroom. Finally standing, I gathered my messenger bag and held my head high and stepped into the courtroom.
“All rise.” I heard seconds after getting comfortable in my seat. That quickly annoyed me.
The bailiff announced Judge Fairbanks once he was in the room, and once he was settled in his seat, he instructed us all to have a seat.
“I’m not even going to pretend I’m happy to be here before my courts were due to open,” Judge Fairbanks stated without looking up from the many papers he was rifling through.
“Us either, Your Honor,” William spoke up, causing many of us to look in his direction in irritation.
Judge Fairbanks finally looked up. Annoyance was written all over his features. His eyes instantly went to Rashad and his lawyers.
“Mr. Jackson, we’re here at such an unappealing time for a request of dismissal on behalf of your client, Mr.—”
“On what grounds?” Arthur shot up from his seat. The trial would be considered a dismissal instead of an acquittal because the trial hadn’t officially started.
