Standing By

Falling Over Each Other

(Austin)

"Twice?" this Avritt judge demanded, eyes angrily flashing from Tim and back to us.  Craaappola.  Now we're all in for it.  Except Chris, Adam, and Rob.  They might be OK.  But the rest of us were toast.  We'd all been involved in the brawl at the bank.  I'd even thrown punches and resorted to drastic means when I was being pummeled.  Hell, I'm not lying down and taking a beating.  Seriously.  What was I supposed to do, let Dale and Mark beat me up?  That ain't happening.  You come swinging at me, by God, I'm fighting back. Been beaten down too much in my life and I've learned the hard way how to defend myself against bullies. They lucky all I did was knock them back.

    "I only heard of the incident at the bank, for which we have multiple suspects, including Dale and Mark Marion, as well as Blake and Kelly Clark, serving twenty-four hour restraining order violation sentences, which technically should also be applied to Mr. Foust and his friends as well."

    I shifted my eyes to Chance, starting to feel my own heart pound.  Shit.  Were we fixing to get twenty-four hour restraining order violation sentences as well?  "Chance—are we—"

    He shrugged unhappily.  "I dunno.  I reckon so.  We did..."  His eyes closed briefly, clearly trying to compose himself.  "...violate the order, even though they turned it physical."

    "What the hell happened at the bank?" Scott demanded, tapping me on the shoulder.

    "Tim transferred funds out of his joint account into his personal account," I whispered.  "Trying to protect his assets.  He did have several thousands of dollars in it that was apparently fair game for either of them."

    "Ran into her and her family and friends at the bank," Chance added.  "They started throwing punches; the two of us here returned them.  Tim took it and never lifted a hand to defend himself.  Kevin tried to stop them from attacking us; never threw a punch, just held an arm or two."

    "It technically was a violation of the restraining order," I muttered, running a hand through my still slightly damp hair.  I sighed.  Reckon I was going to jail.  Fuck.  I wondered if I could keep this from my parents.  I've always been good at keeping secrets.

Never ever gotten in trouble with the law before, save a few traffic tickets.  I'd kept my nose clean all my life but here I was.  Only experiences I've had were on the other side, watching the guilty finally getting prosecuted for fighting, for killing in his anger. Now I'm the one facing jail for going against the restraining order and fighting. At least I'd killed no one? Lordy.  Mom'd rip me a new one, and I didn't even know what Dad'd do.  He used to give me paddlings, but I was a grown man now.  You don't paddle grown men.  He'd be fit to be tied though, probably rip me a new one alongside Mom.  It'd be the first thing the two of them agreed on in years.

    "Tim!" Jenika screamed suddenly.  "Anne!  Stop!  Somebody!"  She continued to shout and I shifted my eyes to Tim, who had remarkably held it together all throughout proceedings. Now he was sitting there with his head in his hands.  Still seemed collected, though clearly dejected.  Didn't really blame him.  I was feeling a bit dejected myself.

    "Ms. Foust!" a court officer snapped at her, trying to stop her forward momentum.  Suddeth grabbed for Jenika as well but she pulled away, still trying to get to Tim, the man  she had accused for God's sake.

    "What the hell she think she's doing?" Kirstie demanded as Chris' mouth fell open and Rob actually stood up.  Adam started to tug as his shirt to get him to sit down. 

    "I don't know," I groaned at a regular volume.  Didn't matter; it was pandemonium anyway.

    "Will the two of you sit down?" Adam hissed, Chris now on his feet next to Rob.