Time for Love

Chapter Twelve

I knew she was upset with me but I was trying to do the right thing. And that relationship thing she brought up, I hadn't really thought about it. Was she my girlfriend in my eyes? Once I thought about it, I guess she was. I loved her and didn't want anyone else to have her. That was part of a relationship or so I thought.

I left María alone for the rest of the day and then I got called in to work to handle some cases. And I thought that was hard. But the worse part was the news I got when I arrived home.

I had barely walked in the door when the maid ran up to me, looking frantic.

"Mr. Brown!" She yelled.

"What, what? Why are you screaming?" I asked.

"María. I got a call, she's been arrested."

"What?!" I dropped my briefcase.

"They wouldn't tell me why. But I thought you-"

"Nevermind that, I'm going down there." I turned around and went back to my car. What the hell was she doing to get arrested?!

I sped down to the police station as fast as I could. I couldn't imagine her in a jail cell all by herself, she was too delicate for that. She better have a good explanation for this.

When I got there, it was a large group of people standing around that looked like parents.

"Excuse me." I stopped a passing officer. "I got a call that my young girl, María, had been arrested."

"You must be talking about one of the kids. There was a party and neighbors called. Barged in and we found drugs and alcohol."

"There must be a mistake, that can't be my María. She wouldn't be messing around with drugs."

"Is her last name Castiglione?" He asked. I nodded and he flipped through his papers.

"She was charged with underaged drinking. They book her in the morning."

"Can't I see her?" I begged. He sighed and looked around.

"I guess. But only for a little bit."

"Thank you." He made me sign some papers that verified the visit and led me to the back where the holding cells were. I saw a bunch of teenagers looking scared and at the last cell, two girls were sitting in it. One was María.

"You have a visitor." The officer said, opening up the cell. "She's drunk so you might not get much out of her." He then said to me.

"María." I spoke and she slowly looked up. Her face was riddled with tears and when she saw me, she started to cry again.

"What happened?" I asked her, reaching out towards her. She shrunk away from me and turned her head.

"Leave me alone." Her voice sounded a bit slurred from the alcohol. "Mr. I can't break the rules. Mr. I didn't think of it as a relationship. You don't love me." She stood up and stumbled and I caught her. I tried to shush her, I wasn't sure how far that officer was and I didn't want him to get suspicious.

"María." I whispered in her ear. "I love you. Don't ever say that I don't." She was crying again and I realized I couldn't really talk to her until she was sober.

"What happened?" I asked her, hoping I could a get a little bit out of her.

"Ugh, why are you talking so loud?" She said. "It was a party. I don't know what happened. Police showed up and arrested everyone. Didn't even read me my rights, stupid police." She fell back and I sat her down.

"What did you say? They didn't do what?"

"You know, the rights the guys in blue say when they cuff you. You have the right to remain silent, blah blah blah. I was listening."