Too much too young

41

The room was silent, all I could hear was the thumping of my own heart. I wiped my clammy palm on my black skirt and fingered the material. I was a bag of nerves, I don't remember the last time I had felt so scared.

For the first time since I was kept hostage I wasn't in control and it scared me. I needed to feel like I had some sort of choice which unfortunately I didn't.

I moved my hands and rested them on my ready to pop bump, the past months had gone by so quickly. I felt huge, Donnie swore that I wasn't but the scales told me differently. My ankles were as large as Donnies biceps and by breasts were swollen and we large as melons.

Donnie enclosed my shaking hands in his, I looked up at him and felt a little more safe. I knew he would always be there for me and our children.

I looked to my right and saw kitty and pops, they were sat staring blankly ahead. The distaste in both of their faces was obvious.

"You ok" kitty turned and smiled.

"Seeing him makes me angry, what he did to you and my daughter makes me want to go up there and hit him myself" I was taken aback by the venom in kitty's voice, I had never seen her like that.

"He will be found guilty, he has to" I assured her but also myself.

We had been sat in the court waiting for my fathers verdict, the jury had been gone around an hour.

I had been watching the clock that sat above the dock, I hadn't missed a single move of the hand.

"All rise for the honourable judge Long"

My mouth was suddenly dry. My butt was stuck to the seat, Donnie had to help me stand. I looked at kitty and pop  who were staring straight ahead. Donnie tightened his grip on my hand.

"Did the jury make a decision" judge long was old with a stern face. He spoke in clipped formal tones, he make me nervous.
The foreman a young woman with red hair stood and nodded.
"We the jury find the defendant guilty on all charges"

My knees went from beneath me, Donnie caught me and held me close to him as I sobbed.

I finally managed to look up at my father, he looked crestfallen but like the whole of the trial he didn't show any remorse. He hadn't been smart enough to even fake remorse.

I tuned out and just sobbed, I didn't listen to the judges comments. I didn't need to hear them, I had the outcome I wanted. It felt like that chapter was closed and I could move on.

-------------------

The press had bombarded me like I had been told to expect. We had just stepped out of the building when cameras and reporters dived at us. Donnie held on to my arms, he was the only thing keeping me from falling. My legs were like jelly, the last thing I wanted was to discuss what had happened.

"My family and I are extremely happy with the outcome today. My father has never been a real dad to me, throughout my childhood he was a destructive force. He hasn't changed, he has shown no remorse for his actions. I'm grateful to the jury for seeing through his fake rehabilitation and making the right decision. The fact that he put mine and more importantly my child's life in danger is enough proof to me that he is an evil man" I wiped the tears from my eyes as I spoke.

"Is the rumours that your having a girl true"

"When are you due"

I sighed as irrelevant questions were shouted at me, it was like what had happened was not important. All they cared about was getting gossip about my pregnancy, it was all about selling newspapers and not justice.

The press were swarming around me like flies, I was staring to feel agitated.

"Oh my word, her waters have broken. We need to go to the hospital" kitty shrieked.

I looked down and saw a pool of water on the step between my legs.

Donnie pushed reporters to the side making a clear route to the car. I felt kitty and pop guide me gently to the waiting car.

I was looking down at my legs in confusion, I had expected to feel when my waters broke. The mothers amongst my friends said I would feel a gush but I didn't, I felt nothing.

I sat in my seat in the car and rubbed my legs together, my thighs were dry.

"I don't think my waters broke" I said quietly.

Donnie had started the car and was just pulling out of the drive. He looked at me in confusion.

I turned to kitty in the back seat who was giggling, I gasped when I saw her holding an empty bottle of water.

"Oops I spilled my drink. I must have made a mistake." Kitty's said with a shrug and a wink.