Her Redemption

23. Free

I'm sitting down on the chair next to my lawyer, Mateo—Spencer's friend. My knee bouncing up and down like crazy. My nails are practically bleeding as I continue biting them until I hit my nail bed.

The judge keeps saying things I don't understand. I have a bachelors degree in English—not law and I still don't understand shit.

I haven't once looked at Enrique, knowingly that if I do, I'll burst into tears. And anger. Mostly anger.

They place me at the chair and I give them an oath only saying that I will state the truth and nothing but the truth. I really try my hardest not to look over at Enrique. My eye slightly fidgeting trying to continue with a straight calm face. It irks me that he has the audacity to do this.

"Emma what is your job?" Enrique's lawyer asks me. I snort internally. Not just his lawyer, his friend. A friend that would jerk off to me and then go back to his wife with his four inch dick.

How nauseating. You know exactly what I do.

The room is silent. The judge sternly and slowly raises a brow at me to answer the question.

I gulp. I feel like I'm about to vomit my heart out. I hate having the attention on me especially when most the people in this room are strangers.

Strangers that probably already know who I am.

"I was working in the adult film industry." I say meekly without a trace of fear in my voice even though inside I'm dying.

"Was?" I nod my head "Hmm so what you're stating is that you don't have a job at the moment?"

"Technically no." I fidget with my fingers and gold rings. Twisting a gold ring on my middle finger that belongs to Bryan.

"So how do you expect to take care of Tommy if you don't have a job?"

Before I can answer anything, my mouth parts when Mateo shouts.

"Objection!"

"Your honor what does a job have to do with taking care of her son?"

"Overruled. You may proceed on answering the question Ms. Perez." The judge says sternly.

I inhale and exhale gradually trying to keep my nerves at bay. "I just recently quit yesterday but I still make money on my own. First I'm a mother and then I'm a teacher. I'm going back to education. I —

"So you don't have a job?" He cuts me off.

Rude.

My chest starts heaving with anxiety. Without stopping, they ask me question after question and I answer truthfully. I'm really trying not to have a meltdown.

I tell them my plans. Money. Everything. As long as Tommy is safe at the end of this. They speak to me about the situation that happened with Enrique, the assault, the arrest, the temporary restraining order—that surprisingly the judge says to reembark and make it permanently just in case.

The divorce is finalized we're just waiting on custody for Tommy. I don't understand why though because he never treated him like son.

Thirty minutes later, the truth will be revealed. I hold my breath as the judge starts to speak.

"The sole custody of Tommy Perez goes to Emma Perez. Court adjourned."

Then the judge looks at me and nods his head. My heart beats erratically fast, Mateo puts his hand on my shoulder squeezing it reassuringly. I look up at him with blurry vision.

This is it.

It's done.

After all this time, every weight, every dark heavy cloud that has consistently drizzled on me, is gone. The sun is rising gleaming at its peak; has my skin feeling warm and content.