Married To Baseball

It All Comes Out Now.

Christian~

As much as I knew about JJ's relationship with Nick, it's still insane to hear everything again and the disgusting things he's continued to say for the last seven years. Michael and Jessica are conversing with the judge following Nick's cross-examination, JJ remains in her place at the prosecution's table as they speak. As incredible as I've always known she is, her composure through this entire process has been impressive to say the absolute least.

A couple of minutes pass as Jessica and Michael deliberate something with the judge before they turn and head back to their desks. The subtle murmurs that filled the room while they were speaking quickly cease as the judge clears her throat, "After discussing with both the prosecution and defense, they've agreed to call Christian Yelich to the stand as a character witness." Furrowing my brows slightly, I nod feeling every eye in the room on me as I stand, JJ's are the only ones I catch as she turns to me for the first time since being on the stand herself.

Adjusting my suit jacket, I make my way down the aisle. I was only two rows back, the rest of the prosecution and their planned witnesses in the front. As I pass JJ, she has her hand reached out discreetly to me letting me give it a small squeeze as I pass with a reassuring smile. They really are making a spectacle out of this case.

"Mr.Kelly, if you're ready you may proceed," the Judge states after I'm sworn in and take my seat at the stand. Michael nods before standing up and approaching me. The arrogance he had come into this case with seems to have settled. Something's shifted from how he approached JJ and how he's approaching me.

"Good afternoon, Christian, thank you for taking the stand even without notice," Michael starts, I give a small nod acknowledging his sentiment but having nothing kind to reciprocate after his demeanor with JJ. "Congratulations on your World Series win and your third MVP season, as well as your nuptials with Jailyn."

"Thank you," I say remaining short. I've got no interest in whatever bullshit small talk this is.

Michael seems to catch my lack of interest as he shifts gears to his actual questioning. "Just to confirm you and Jailyn met in 2019, correct?"

"Yes," I confirm, "June 2019, in her friend Tyler's bar after a game against the Rockies." A slight smile lingers on the corner of my lips as I remember that night. "Since you're into details we won 4 to 2."

"Noted," Michael states, "And what would you describe the nature of your relationship at that point?"

"Casual," I reply honestly, "I don't think either one of us was looking for anything serious when it came to a relationship at that point. JJ very quickly became one of my best friends though, it was only about a month before we were hanging out practically every off day I had and after games."

"And when would you say things changed into something more than casual?"

"JJ and I didn't start dating officially until October 2020. It was a couple of days after we'd won the World Series."

Michael nods, "And what would you say was the reason it took so long for the two of you to start officially dating?"

What does this have to do with anything? "As I said before, neither of us was looking for something serious when we met. Then things didn't line up after that, I went back to California after the season wrapped up and things with my knee were in a good place and then JJ started dating a guy she was in school with not long after."

"Any overlap between that relationship and you?" Michael asks.

"No," I confirm, "I saw her maybe four times when they were dating. She was busy with Team USA and having the greatest debut season of any athlete ever and I was busy with my season so we were rarely in the same place at the same time. JJ was also trying to spend time with him when she was back home."