Everything Has Changed: Book Three

Chapter Eleven: April Twenty Eighth

This chapter is one of the longest ones I've written in a while

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Chapter Eleven: April Twenty Eighth

I slowly watched as things began to change.

Beatrice and Caleb bought a house and we knocked down walls and are working on renovating it. Micah got close with Kyle and Miley and now he asks me every single weekend to have sleepovers at their house. When I asked him why, he told me they read him bedtime stories and take him outside to play and help him with homework.

Obviously we do too, but he insisted it's different.

I watched as my belly grew larger and the baby began kicking more, until Danny would sit in bed with me at night and read our daughter stories, and she responds to his voice. I can feel her jump in my tummy from loud noises.

Now I'm twenty nine weeks pregnant down to the day, and it's April twenty eighth.

I left Micah in North Carolina. He was going to stay with my grandparents but he begged and pleaded to stay with Miley and Kyle.

I smooth out my dress, which is navy blue and skintight. My makeup is on and my hair is up in a sophisticated style.

Danny reaches over to take my hand and squeeze it, and I watch as we get closer to the courthouse.

I found out online that the trial is at 10:30AM.

It's eleven, so I'm a little anxious because we're late.

I keep my hands on my belly and watch as we get closer to the courthouse.

Danny pays for four hours.

Beatrice, Caleb, Danny and I walk over to the crosswalk. I waddle next to Danny and he keeps his hand on me at all times.

When the light changes for us to walk, we go across the street and I use the ramp instead of the stairs.

We walk into the door and go up to the second floor, where they make us go through security.

After we've all been cleared, I turn to one of the guards.

"Can you tell me where the Levinsky custody trial is?" I ask.

"Down that hall, third door on your right. It's a full house."

"Thank you." I say.

He nods and I stop to take a couple of deep breaths.

"Sweetheart, all you're doing is telling your story." Danny says softly. "You can do this."

This is all for my baby brother, so with a nod, I turn around and march down the hall, my heels clicking against the tile floor.

As far as Micah knows, we're on a business trip.

I stop outside the double doors, take a deep breath and throw them open.

They open loudly.

It's all about the entrance.

My Mother is at the stand being questioned, and the look on her face turns venomous when I walk in. Every single head in the court room turns, and I hear Danny, Caleb, and Beatrice enter silently behind me. The doors click shut and I clear my throat.

I wrote a whole speech for this and I have it in the pocket of my dress, but I can't read it.

The look of pure hatred on my Mom's face is enough to make me get chills.