Free (Sequel to Through The Dark) Complete

Chapter 72

Harry's lawyers worked quickly and had the necessary documents set up so that the Johnny drama could be dealt with as soon as possible.  Everyone hoped this could be dealt with before not only Niall and Amanda's wedding, but also the party they were going to have.  Hopefully Julie wouldn't be having to deal with this legal entanglement, while she was celebrating the love of her best friends.  Harry sat back in the hallway and leaned his head against the wall.  His lawyers had Julie in the conference room preparing her for trial.  Yeah, trial.  They had gotten her to go along with a counter suit.  It took some convincing, and she was reluctant; but as much as she hated it, it seemed like the only way to get Johnny to go away for good.  At least that's what Harry was hoping for.

Harry sat up straight and looked over at the door when it opened and his lawyers walked out from the conference room.  He was disappointed when he was advised they were just taking a break and weren't yet finished for the day.  He hated every part of this.  He had been in the room a lot.  But every now and again they pushed for him to leave.  He walked into the room and looked at Julie still sitting in the seat she'd been sitting every time they were there.  Her eyes glued to her hands in her lap.  He could tell she'd been crying.  He hated every fucking second of this.  Her pain was too much for him.  And every day after the meetings, she was more broken than the day before.

Harry pulled up the chair next to her and put his hands over hers.  "Hey, baby.  How are you doing?"

Julie slowly lifted her eyes to his.  She was drained.  Mentally she was completely overwhelmed.  Emotionally she didn't know how much more she could take.  "I don't want to do this anymore."  She whined.  She sounded ridiculous even to herself, but the questions that they asked her.  The way they made it all out to be her fault.  She knew that they were trying to prepare her for the cross examination, but the process was brutal.  She now knew why they had asked Harry to leave.  The lawyers hadn't held back.  She got so confused, and everything she said just made it worse.

Harry leaned forward and kissed her forehead.  He'd never seen her look so childlike.  "I'm sorry, love.  You have no idea how sorry.  I know it has to be hard on you.  I can't even imagine how hard it is for you to think about all your past in detail.  To share it with everyone."

"Stop.  Please.  Just stop."  Julie pleaded.  She stood up and walked over and got a glass of water from the pitcher on the table across the room.  She wished it was filled with something a hell of a lot stronger.  She drank it and then set it down.  "I just want to finish this damn day and go home."

Harry sighed and stood up.  He walked up to her and pulled her into his arms.  "Alright, love.  I'm sorry."  He rubbed her back gently until he heard the door open and the lawyers walk back in.  "I'm going to stay this time."  He said to Julie, but he made sure the lawyers heard him also.

"Harry, I'm not sure that's such a great idea."  Marc, the senior attorney advised him.  "This isn't an easy process.  But we need to make sure she's ready."

"Well, if it's necessary, then there shouldn't be a problem with me being here."  Harry said as he took his usual position across the room and watched as Julie slowly meandered back to the chair she'd vacated just a bit ago.  She was not herself.  All her sass and her spunk were missing.  Every day she left the law office, she just went home and locked herself inside the house.  She would let him stay with her and be with her, but she wouldn't open up, she wouldn't pay attention to the movie or tv show he would try to get her to watch.  The party planning had basically been put on hold because she couldn't concentrate enough on any of the details.  Niall and Amanda were pretty much doing any work that hadn't already been done on their own parties.  He kept trying to look at the positive, the end game, but it was getting harder and harder every day.  He sat back to observe like he had been told he needed to every time he was there.