BRUISES

| Thirty-Seven |

August 2022

A knock awakens me from the door and I jolt awake. Reaching out of the cold water, I lean up and forward to catch a breath.

Water droplets sticking in my hair fall off the side of my cheeks. Exhaling a shaky sign, I hear another soft knock on the door.

"Yeah," I force out, feeling my rough fingertips. Trying to figure out how long I've been in here for.

"Marie, are you okay?" A deep voice echoes through the door. I close my eyes and run my wet hand through my already damp hair.

It's only Darin.

"Yeah, I'm good."

There's a long pause and I watch the door knob twist but not budge. I locked it due to force of habit.

"You have about half an hour until we leave." He tells me as though his mouth is pressed on the crack of the doorway.

Pushing myself out of the water, I drain it then turn the shower on so warm water can refreshen me.

"Okay," I reply before submerging my face under the water.

~*~

We sit in silence when Darin drives on the rainy road. Glancing at me, he places his hand on my lap and gives it a gentle squeeze. I half-grin when he finds my hands stuffed between my thighs and intertwines his fingers with mine.

He breaks the silence, "You've been so strong."

"Thank you." I croak out through my red painted lips.

"Last one."

"Finally," I answer before he turns right and we pull into the court house parking lot.

~*~

There are numerous of familiar faces who have been following this trial. It kept getting pushed and pushed until the date came and once I received a lawyer, things started to get heavy.

My body felt like cement when I dragged my feet to the front of the room and pull out the witness chair. I make eye contact with Darin and he nods softly.

Judge Brand knows me by now and I glance at the jury. Judge Brand clears her throat and leans into the microphone.

"May you give us your full name."

I brush my hair with my fingers and stare at the ground.

"My birth name is Marie McKennel."

"Ms. McKennel, stated on December 28th, 2019, you were at Brandon Flesher's home for a party?"

Brennan.

"Correct."

"You stated that at approximately 11:32 PM, you were upstairs with Vivian Rivera and Juliana Monroe?"

Vivi and Jules.

"Correct."

"Emma Karnowski was with Brandon Flesher, yes?"

Em.

"Correct."

"And Penelope Windsor was somewhere—possibly with Drew Chen, yes?"

Penny and Andrew.

I swallow the thick bile in my throat. "Correct."

Glancing forward, I see family members of friends.

The girls. My girls. All in a row staring at me with courageous smiles and ambitious eyes. Their faces young and completely beautiful. Frozen and in place. Juliana is missing though.