Rescue Nova

Release

That Monday morning, Leila sat in a courtroom for her bail hearing. Her heart was pounding as she watched the prosecutor address the court. Would his argument be enough to persuade the judge to hold up the previous judge's decision to deny bail? Or would whatever her public defender was going to say be enough to get her out? Leila didn't know, and the wait to find out was almost unbearable.

"Your Honor, Miss Faye is accused of a grievous offense," the prosecutor told the judge. "She, by her own admission, lie resting peacefully in the living room of her victim while that victim had a stroke and died in the next room. She was there to help Charles McGregor, but she didn't care enough to so much as lay eyes on him during the night she was there. His welfare meant nothing to her. Judge Hartman made the best possible decision in this case. He denied bail to ensure the public would be safe from someone who has zero regard for human life."

After speaking, the prosecutor sat back down. The judge thanked him and then gave the other side the chance to speak. Todd Adler, Leila's attorney, stood up and addressed the court.

"Your Honor, despite the prosecution's implications that Leila Faye didn't do her job on that night, she did. Yes, the company told her to check on her clients, but she was under strict orders from Charles McGregor - and her other clients, I might add - to come to their rooms when they called her. On the night that Mr. McGregor died, Miss Faye made sure her phone on and kept it no farther than a few feet away from her throughout her entire shift. She was ready to do what she'd been asked to do, answer his call."

The prosecutor stood up to respond to that. "But she didn't follow the rules of the company that employed her. If she had, we would not be having this conversation."

"All right, counselors, I've heard enough," the judge said. "I don't believe Leila Faye poses a threat to the community. Furthermore, because she has limited resources and no criminal history, I don't believe she is a flight risk. Therefore, I am granting bail. Bail will be set at twenty-five thousand."

Leila's relief was minor. Sure, she had finally been given a chance to leave the county jail, but there was a problem. And it wasn't a small one. Neither she nor Kimberly had twenty-five thousand dollars. Of course, there was the option of a bondsman, but that would still require her to put down ten percent of the overall bail amount, and they didn't have twenty-five hundred dollars to spare either.

In the gallery, Nova, who was out of headspace, and Kimberly, who'd taken the day off work to attend Leila's hearing, watched the proceedings and had very different responses to it. Nova was delighted and smiling from ear to ear. Kimberly, on the other hand, wasn't looking too happy. Just like Leila, Kimberly knew they didn't have twenty-five hundred dollars to give a bondsman.

Nova, still smiling, turned to Kimberly and whispered, "She got bail! She's getting out!" Nova's smile turned to a look of confusion when she saw Kimberly's expression. "What's wrong?"

•••••••••••••••

Nova cried all the way home. Although she had been out of headspace during the hearing, she became very upset and regressed when Kimberly told her they didn't have the money that would be needed to get Leila out. Kimberly told Nova that she was going to try to think of a way to come up with the money, but that it was possible she wouldn't be able to, and even if she did, it probably wouldn't be today. Nova flipped.

When they got home, Kimberly sat with her sobbing daughter on her lap. It took almost an hour, but Kimberly eventually got Nova to stop crying. Once the girl was calm, Kimberly tried to think of a way to keep Nova entertained while Kimberly thought about how to get ahold of twenty-five hundred dollars.

"Honey, do you want to go to your room and play with Fiona and Belle?"

Sniffling, the little girl nodded.