Bodies

trente-huit

And the day of Ramses's trial came up on Milan faster than she thought it would.

Valerie had insisted she and Nicoletta spent the night at her house to prepare for the day. Her husband, Luca, was out of town on a business trip which she admitted made her lonely.

The ladies spent all night primping and rehearsing certain questions the plaintiff may ask her while on the stand.

Shit, the plaintiff was the whole state of Illinois.

Milan had her work cut out for her for sure.

Nicoletta and Valerie did her best to explain all legal jargon to her as well. They went over the facts of the case over and over and over again. By the time they stopped it was almost 2AM. Milan was ready for someone to give her a law degree at that point.

I do like to argue... and what Dolph say?

It was now the morning of the trial and Milan had been up since 5AM. Her nerves were in tatters.

A soft knock came from the door and Milan quickly turned her head to see Valerie peeking in. When Valerie saw Milan was sitting up in bed, she hurriedly tiptoed in and shut the door behind her.

"Good morning, sunshiiine." Valerie whispered to Milan in a sing song voice as she walked over to the bedside. Milan was able to give her a small smile although she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"How are we feeling? Prepared?" Valerie continued on.

Not in the least.

Milan wanted to immediately reply, but she held that in.

"Nervous." Was her answer instead. Valerie nodded as she took that in, sitting on the edge of Milan's bed. The light brown woman looked ethereal in the early morning light, her bonnet was pink satin and the band was bedazzled.

The rhinestones on it reminded Milan of something she'd find out of a corner beauty store.

Valerie may not be so bougie after all.

She thought in her head as the two looked out of the window of the room together. The windows were large and spanned from floor to ceiling. It was amazing to see the Chicago city from this view.

"I would be nervous too," Valerie finally responded to Milan's confession. This caused Milan to look in her direction, Valerie had yet to turn her way though. "I came in here to remind you, you are not the one on trial today. When we first met, you had put a lot of pressure on yourself to get him out. I want to let you know, you cannot get him out. Whatever happens today...it's not on you."

After she finished speaking, that is when Valerie turned to Milan and they shared a look that almost moved Milan to tears.

Valerie's words were harsh. Milan did not know wether to be deeply offended or deeply relieved.

Visiting Ramses in prison and rekindling so much fire for him that had cooled since the separation made Milan put a lot of pressure on herself. Everything she'd been doing since Nicoletta first contacted her revolved around supporting him on the outside the best way she could.

It really had begun to feel like if he didn't get let go after this, she failed.

She failed him.

And Milan was all too well accustomed to losing things at this point in her life.

Sniffing quickly, Milan looked back towards the window. The room was being painted a soft mix of baby pink and orange due to lighting outside. The sky looked like the sweetest champagne.