I'm Not A Girl, I Swear [Discontinued]

XXXV

"Hi, dad," Nick said, getting in the car.

"Hey, Nick," his father said softly. "How are yo-"

"Don't," Nick interrupted. "Dad, I'm fine. Please don't act like I'm made of glass. But tell me about this trial that I just heard of."

"Right. I was waiting to tell you about that, so you didn't freak out about it. It's Saturday."

"That's tomorrow!" Nick exclaimed.

"Nick, all you have to do is tell the story. Just tell the truth, tell them what happened, and it will be fine."

Despite his words, Nick couldn't sleep that night. There was a tense atmosphere in the house, Daniel and Clara hardly even speaking.

-

"Father, are you sure about this?" Wes asked, helping him with his tie.

His father looked straight ahead into the mirror, perfecting his appearance. "Wesley, I've known that man and his wife for years. I always knew he was no good. Follow your instincts, because if I had, he'd never be able to accuse his wife of something so terrible."

"They're divorced," Wes reminded him.

"Tell me again their son's name? It was something common, wasn't it?" his mother asked, smoothing her dress which was already perfectly ironed.

He bit back his urge to defend Nick. "His name is Nicholas, though he goes by Nick."

She nodded, putting in her earrings. "I always thought she wasn't the most creative with names. Like the Thompsons, what was the name again?"

"David, mother, named after David and Goliath. They're a very religious family." It took all of Wes's self control to not lose his temper. Nobody talked about David like that.

"Hm. I've never liked religious names, they hardly have meaning."

He bristled. "Wesley means dweller of a western clearing or meadow. Does that have a meaning?"

"Don't talk back to me, young man," she snapped. "And yes, it does. The sun sets in the west, and I'm sure you know the saying your grandfather lived by."

He almost rolled his eyes. His grandfather sails from Asia to America once, and it's suddenly the family motto. "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."

"Exactly. It's good luck, a sign of clear skies to come."

"I'm sorry for talking back to you." The meaning was such a stretch, it was hard not to laugh. "You two should be going if you don't want to be late."

His father chuckled. "You're coming with us."

"I am?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course. You're friends with this Nicholas, a word from you and this whole affair is over."

Wes's stomach dropped as he realized what his father meant. "You mean you want me to testify against the charge?"