𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭 (𝟏𝟖+) 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 ✓

Chapter 34

"Wren, I'll see you later okay? You'll have a supply for the morning but I'll hopefully be back in the afternoon," I tell him, walking him to the school grounds.

"Where are you going, mommy? Are you taking Jax to work?" he questions.

"We have a meeting to go to and then I'm taking him to work. I'll see you later, okay? Love you," I kiss his rosy cheek, watching him walk over to students in my class and Clarissa's class. Today is the first hearing for Wren's case and the two of us are heading to the courthouse.

"When do we need to be at the courthouse?" Jax questions as I enter the car.

"I talked with Wren's social worker and he said that it starts at nine so we still have a good amount of time," I say driving out of the school. "Are you ready to see them? After all, you haven't seen them for the last couple of years," I ask glancing over at him.

"I wish I would never have to set my eyes on them again but we don't always get what we want," he says shrugging his shoulders.

"I know but we have to see this through for Wren," I tell him and I silently think of Jax too, the fact that this is also for him so he can put his parents in the past and move forward.

"I want them sentenced for the maximum number of years," he says to me and I nod my head in agreement.

"I still don't know yet what charges they have except for abuse and child endangerment," I answer as I make a turn. We spend another ten minutes driving before reaching the courthouse. "I guess we'll hear everything today. Although I wish I was seeing this on a different occasion, you look very sexy in that suit," I say brushing a piece of lint off of his jacket. 

"What can I say, I aim to please," he says with a wolfish smile. He has on black slacks, a black dress shirt and jacket. It may look dark but on him it makes him look dangerous not to mention sexy.

"You can aim to please another time. I'd be more than willing to take that off for you," I reply with a teasing smile. He lets out a bark of laughter as we exit the car, walking inside the courthouse.

"I'll hold you to that angel," he whispers in my ear as we walk over to Paul and his counterpart.

"Ms. Dawson, Mr. Beckett; it's good to see the two of you," Paul says shaking our hands. 

"It's good to see you as well, Paul and Tanya. I hope you two had a pleasant holiday season," I tell them. 

"All was well Ms. Dawson but now it's time to get back to work. This is just the first preliminary hearing to see if we can settle the case before officially taking it to court," he tells us.

"How many years are you hoping they're sentenced to?" I question.

"Twenty-five years. When we did additional investigations in Wren's previous home, we found the living conditions to be deplorable. There's a likely chance that if you didn't ask him what was wrong that day, he would have died," Tanya tells me. I hold back a gasp at the thought and I see Jax clenching his fists. It makes me sick to the stomach to think if I didn't ask him if he was okay, Wren might not be here with us.

"Have they arrived already?" I ask as we walk towards the courtroom.

"Yes, we were just waiting for you two. We should enter now, we will be starting soon," Paul tells us.

"Is this them Mr. Coleman?" a man at the door questions.

"Yes, this is Jax Beckett, the plaintiff's older brother and Charlotte Dawson, adoptive mother to the plaintiff. Charlotte, Jax, this is Mr. Taylor, the lawyer that will be representing Wren," Paul says as he introduces us to one another. We shake hands with him and the five of us walk into a small courtroom, Jax's parents and their defence lawyer sitting on one side and the judge at their bench. They both look dishevelled and worn out as if they haven't rested since they were arrested. Wren's mother looks at us as we walk in and once her eyes settle on me, she looks surprised for a moment before a glare fixates her face.