strangers in love

chapter 8

AMELIAS POV
Today I had to fly back to LA. I asked Derek to go back with me and agreed. I was going to drop the kids off at his house.
"Mom where exactly are you going?" Emma asked.
"To testify against your cheating father in court," I said.
"Oh," she said.
"Mhm," I said, "fun times."
"Mommy when are you coming back?" Izzy said and jumped on me to pick her up.
"A few days," I said, "you're gonna stay with Aunt Meredith and their friend Owen."
"Wait Owen?" Joey said, "Owens cool!"
"Mhm," I smiled and started making breakfast.
"Mommy can I help?" Joey asked.
"Sure come here buddy," I said. Emma was sitting at the table trying to finish her homework last minute.
"Emma you shouldn't wait till last minute," I said.
"I forgot about it," Emma shrugged. I made breakfast and the kids sat at the table and I felt my phone buzz. I looked at it and it was a text from Owen, I smiled and read it.
"LA today?" He sent.
"Yeah I'll be back on Saturday," I sent.
"Okay," he sent, "good luck with the trial and all."
"Thanks," I sent. Owen and I have been talking a lot lately and it's been nice. I've had someone who isn't Derek or Meredith to talk to about Spencer which is super nice. I pulled into Derek's and i helped the kids carry their stuff in and they went upstairs. Meredith had to rush out to work and I walked into the kitchen where Owen was on his laptop. He looked up and smiled.
"Hey," he smiled.
"Hey," I said. He got up and walked towards me. He opened his arms and I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes as I nuzzled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and rested one of them on my waist. The hug was so nice, it made me feel so safe.
"Everything is gonna be okay today," he said, "with the trial and everything I promise."
"I hope," I said quietly.
"It will," He said, "and call me if you need anything."
"Thanks," I said.
"Of course," he said. I looked up at him and he smiled.
"It'll be okay you got this," He said.
"Let's hope," I said quietly.
"You do," He said. He still had his arms around my waist and I smiled. I looked up at him and he smiled back and I really did want to kiss him.
"Mommy!" I heard Izzy say. Owen let go of me and Izzy ran into the kitchen.
"Hi baby what's up?" I said and picked her up.
"I wanted to say bye bye before you leave," she said.
"Awe okay," I smiled, "I'm not leaving just yet." She nuzzled into me and I kissed her head. Owen smiled at us and Derek came in.
"Hey we should get going," he said.
"Yeah," I said.
"Bye mommy!" Izzy said. I kissed her cheek and put her down.
"Let's go see your siblings," I said. I walked upstairs and Emma and Joey were playing with Zola.
"Hey guys I have to go now," I said. Joey sprinted to me and hugged me. I chuckled and kissed his head and hugged him.
"Don't go," Joey said.
"Joey I'll be back in like two days okay?" I said.
"Promise?" Joey asked.
"Yes of course," I said. I hugged Emma and I knew she understood what was going on.
"I love you mom," she said, "it'll be ok."
"I love you too," I said, "and I love you two too." I said looking at Joey and Izzy.
"I love you too!" Joey and Emma said.
"Okay guys you have to be on your best behavior for Aunt Meredith and Owen Okay?" I said.
"We will be," Emma chuckled.
"I know you will," I chuckled. I hugged them one last time and walked downstairs. I could feel tears forming in my eyes because I didn't want to leave them and I didn't want to do this. I found Owen at the bottom of the stairs and I ran into his arms. I didn't even think twice about it.
"I don't want to do this," I said and started crying.
"I know," He said and rubbed my back.
"I can't do this," I said and hid my face in his chest.
"Yes you can," He said, "you're strong I know you can do it." That made me smile. I looked up at him and he smiled, and I smiled back. I wiped my eyes and grabbed my bag.
"Hey have a good flight," Owen said.
"Thanks," I said.
"Call me if you need anything, or you know just wanna talk," he shrugged.
"Oh don't worry I will," I chuckled. Derek came down the stairs with his bag.
"You ready?" He asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be for this shit," I said.
"I will take that as a yes," he chuckled.
"Mhm," I chuckled. I looked over at Owen and hugged him one more time.
"Bye," Owen said, "have a good flight and all."
"Thanks," I said, "and bye I'll see you in a few." We let go of each other and I really resisted the urge to kiss him. I smiled and gave him a little wave and walked out with Derek. Derek put my bag in the trunk and I got in the front seat. He opened the door and sat down next to me.
"So are you gonna spill what's going on with you and Owen?" He chuckled.
"Derek nothings going on," I said.
"Ok keep telling yourself that," he chuckled, "Do you like him?"
"I don't know," I said.
"But you think he's cute?" He chuckled.
"Yeah," I smiled, "hes really cute."
"You know some birdie told me he thinks you're cute too," he said and pulled out of the driveway.
"That's not true," I said.
"And why is that?" He asked.
"I don't know," I said.
"Well," he shrugged. I smiled and looked out the window.
"So anyway," Derek said, "you ready to do this?"
"No," I said, "I really don't think I can."
-
Derek and I had gotten ready for court in the hotel. I was wearing a black dress and I straightened my hair. I really wasn't ready to do this. We were waiting outside the court room. Some lady came out and looked at me.
"You must be Amelia Shepherd," she said.
"Yeah," I said.
"They'll call you in any minute," she said.
"Okay thanks," I said. I could feel my heart racing and I looked at Derek.
"I don't want to," I said and started panicking.
"Come here," He said and pulled me into a hug.
"Just tell the truth," he said, "all you have to do." Another lady came out and told me I could go in and took Derek in another direction. I walked up to the witness stand. I sat down and my eyes landed on Spencer. I looked away quickly and the judge looked at me.
"Please state your name," she said.
"Amelia Shepherd," I said. Then I had to put my hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.
"What is your relation to the defendant?" The judge asked.
"He's my ex husband," I said. I looked over and saw the girl who he cheated with. She looked so young and innocent.
"How did you find out that Spencer Marks was sleeping with Stephanie Jobbs while you two were still married?" The judge asked. I took a deep breath and looked at Spencer.
"I saw a message on his phone, um, it was from Stephanie, and I asked who she was and he replied with that she was just a student. I thought it was weird that he was texting his students so I opened the message and it was an inappropriate picture," I said, "and he confessed and told me he was sleeping with her."
"He admitted it?" The judge asked.
"Yes your honor," I said.
"Do you and the defendant have any children?" She asked.
"Yes, 3," I said.
"Who has custody?" She asked.
"I have full custody your honor," I said.
"Okay," She said. The girls lawyer stood up and asked for a question, the judge allowed.
"Do you believe this relationship was consensual or rape?" He asked.
"Speculation," The judge said.
"Fine let me reword," He asked, "did your husband seem to reveal if this was a consensual relationship?"
"He did," I said.
"What did you do after you found out your husband was sleeping with a 16 year old?" He asked.
"I filed for divorce and custody of our children," I said.
"Do you know how long this had gone on?" He asked.
"No," I said, "I assumed a few months."
"I'm done now," he said and sat down.
"I have come to a verdict," the judge said, "may everyone please rise." I locked eyes with Derek and waited for the judge to speak.
"Spencer Marks is sentenced to jail for 7 years for relations with a minor and pedohpilia," she said. They took Spencer away in handcuffs and I bit my lip to hold myself from crying. Everyone started leaving and I ran out of the court room. I knew Derek would follow me. I started crying and walked out of the building.
"Hey," Derek said behind me. I looked at him and I couldn't stop crying.
"Come here," He said and pulled me into a hug.
"He's going to jail now," I cried, "My kids will never see their dad."
"Okay calm down," Derek said, "he was going to jail anyway, and you don't want him around your kids okay?"
"They're gonna ask what do i tell them?" I started sobbing.
"It'll be okay," Derek said and we walked to the car.
OWENS POV
Amelia and Derek have been gone for a few hours. I figured Amelia was probably in court right now so I wasn't gonna text her. I know she was really scared for it and I don't blame her, and I can imagine how hard it would be for her to face Spencer. That's another reason why I'm scared that I like her because I know she's having a hard time moving on and she wouldn't even be thinking about having a crush on someone let alone me. Meredith ran downstairs frantically.
"I am so sorry but I just got a 911 can you watch them?" She said.
"Yeah of course," I said.
"Thank you," she said and ran out. Joey came in a few minutes later and looked at me.
"Do you know when my mommy is coming back?" He asked.
"She should be back on Saturday," I said.
"What day is today?" He said, I forgot kids don't really have a perception of days.
"Thursday," I said.
"Oh," he shrugged and sat at the table with a toy, "where'd she go?"
"She has work with your Uncle," I lied.
"Oh," she said, "I miss her."
"Well I know she misses you too," I said. Emma came in and she sat down next to Joey.
"Hey whatcha doing?" She asked.
"I'm talking to Owen," he said as if it was obvious. I chuckled and she smiled.
"Is my mom going to see my dad?" Joey asked.
"Joey we talked about that," Emma said.
"She has work," I lied again. I wondered if Emma knew, I figured she probably did.
"Why don't you go upstairs Bailey is looking for you," Emma suggested.
"Okay," he said and ran out. Emma got up and looked at me.
"I know," she said, "where she really is."
"I wasn't-" I started.
"You were thinking it," she chuckled.
"Yeah," I shrugged.
"Do you think he went to jail?" She said.
"I don't know," I said.
"Would you tell me if you knew?" She asked.
"Yes," I said.
"I miss him," she said, "I mean what he did was wrong but I do miss him, but I don't blame my mom for coming here."
"That's normal," I said.
"Nothing about this is normal," she said, "I mean what kind of father sleeps with a teenage girl."
"I don't know," I shrugged.
"Do you have kids?" She asked curiously.
"No," I said.
"It kind sucks, um, ya know, my dad going to jail and all," she said, "like it's not that I'd really even want him around after that shit but like I don't want people to know he's in jail."
"You don't have to tell anyone," I said.
"It's on the news," she said.
"Oh," I said.
"Yeah," she said, "so some people kinda know, that's why my mom moved here, and to be closer to her brother."
"Makes sense," I said.
"So here's a question," she said, "So do you like my mom?"