"Ms Cole" the lawyer nodded to her as she opened the door to him.
"Mr..?" she started, wondering what to call him.
"Ravenscroft" he replied, holding his hand out to her. They shook hands and she let him in.
She walked into the living room with Mr Ravenscroft following behind. Kimberley noticed Cheryl was fidgeting with her hands a lot, a clear sign she was nervous.
"Here, take a seat" the Geordie told him. She went and sat next to a smiling Kimberley and held her hand to calm herself down.
"Would you like a drink?" Kimberley asked.
"A coffee would be lovely, thank you. Milk, two sugars" he said. Kimberley nodded to him and stood up, Cheryl didn't want to let her go. The older woman leant down and kissed her on the forehead and went into the kitchen.
Kimberley came back into the living room with coffee for the three of them and sat back down next to Cheryl. The two women looked at Mr Ravenscroft.
"I trust you know what this is about" he said, Cheryl nodded. "Now, the injured woman has documents of her injuries. She has several bruises around her rib area and bruising to her wrists. She also has a cut on her right cheek" he explained. Cheryl nodded again.
"She is claiming Mr Cole did this to her" he said. Cheryl screwed up her nose and held Kimberley's hand tightly. "Mr Cole tells me, if you can put your past to the back of your mind, that you may be able to defend him" he added.
Cheryl breathed out heavily and looked at the floor, a million and one thoughts flying through her mind.
"First Ms Cole, could you confirm to me that Mr Cole was never violent to you and you do not believe he is capable of it" he said.
"Yes" she replied after a while. "He was never violent towards me and I don't... I don't think he is capable of it" she stuttered slightly. Kimberley looked at her girlfriend to make sure she was okay.
"May I ask you a question?" Mr Ravenscroft asked. Cheryl nodded. "I know you're uncomfortable about this, but will you be stable enough to take the stand?" he questioned. Cheryl felt her bottom lip quiver and didn't respond.
"Miss Walsh, is there any way I can talk to Ms Cole alone please?" he asked. Cheryl's head immediately shot up.
"No way" the Geordie said. "She's staying here" she added, her head shaking slightly. "And it's Miss Tweedy, Cole is just my stage name" she said, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I apologise Miss Tweedy" he said and cleared his throat after. "Could I ask why you seem relucant to help an innocent man?" he questioned her. Kimberley glanced at him with a disgusted look.
"Don't make her feel guilty about this" said Kimberley. "This is hard for her. Surely it's pretty obvious why she isn't exactly running straight to the courts to defend the man who broke her heart" she frowned. Cheryl's eyes filled with tears over her past and how Kimberley was being.
"Sorry" the man said to the both of them.
"I'll do it" Cheryl said after a while. She didn't want to make Kimberley feel like she still felt something for her ex husband. She didn't anymore, but she couldn't deny it still hurt her. Then she suddenly thought that helping him could give Kimberley the wrong idea as well.
"No wait" Cheryl said. "Could you give us a minute?" she said to the lawyer. He nodded. Cheryl took Kimberley's hand and went into the kitchen with her.
"You don't need to decide right now babe" the older woman said to her.
"It's not that" she said. She took a few deep breaths. "What would you prefer me to do?" she asked. Kimberley tilted her head to the side slightly.
"It is up to you babe. It hasn't got anything to do with me. I'll be there for you which ever way though" she replied. Cheryl leant forwards and rested her forehead on Kimberley's chest and sighed.
"I don't do want to do it then give you the impression that I still feel something for him so I am helping him... and I don't want to do it then give you the impression I'm so hurt about him still they I can't go through with it" she started to sob onto her girlfriends chest. Kimberley wrapped her arms around Cheryl and pulled her in close.
"Sssh babe. Don't think like that" she said, stroking the womans hair. Cheryl nodded against her. Kimberley pulled away from her and looked at her, the tears down her face.
"Who do you love?" the older woman asked.
"You" the Geordie choked out. "Always so in love with you" she sniffed.
"There you go then, beautiful" Kimberley replied, wiping Cheryl's tears away. "You were married to him. I'm not just going to expect you to not feel the tiniest thing for him anymore. You can always talk to me about it. I'm not going to get upset. We're together and I know you aren't going to leave me for him just because you want to save him from going to prison for something you don't think he done" she added.
"Oh God no. I'd never even think about that" the younger girl replied, the thought of being with Ashley again make her feel sick now that she was so happy with Kimberley.
"So what do you want to do?" Kimberley asked. "Remember I will support you every step of the way, you just need to talk to me about it"
