Midnight Train

Chapter 10

"What happened next?" my husband asks, his elbows resting on his knees and his head being supported by his hands.

I roll my eyes though a smile shines on my face. "You were there, honey. You're in this story, remember?"

"What? I am? Did you skip that part?" My husband sounds like how I imagine a dog would sound when said dog is chasing its tail.

"So, anyway, I stayed there for the week before my court date.  Your Dad offered me his room. I refused at first, but I finally got sick of falling asleep on the living room couch and waking up in your Dad's room. Whenever I would walk back out to the couch, your Dad would be asleep there."

"Aw," Bex said, clearly loving the story.

"I called my parents, making sure it would go to voicemail. I told them I would see them in court and they couldn't get out of it. Then I turned my phone off. I tried to get my mind off of my phone so we messed around, brainstorming ideas for future videos. After an hour or so, I turned my phone on and saw the list of notifications. Many were messages from my parents threatening me if I took them to court. The sight of those messages made me start to cry. Your Dad, seeing my tears, grabbed my phone out of my hands. I tried to get it back, but I couldn't reach it."

"I didn't want you crying because you're to beautiful to cry. And I did a pretty good job of cheering you up."

I smile, remembering how he cheered me up. "We spent the day playing on the beach. Racing RC cars, jumping them over ramps made of sand, swimming in the moat, and the occasional prank, too. I think my favorite memory was when you picked me up and ran into the moat before throwing me in." I direct that last part at my husband.

We both start laughing at the memory.

"I remember that day so well. I also remember that when we went back inside, we changed clothes and went shopping so you could have something to wear for your court date."

"I still have that outfit. It was a black pencil skirt and a simple white button down shirt with a pair of black heels. The outfit wasn't much, but it didn't need to be."

"What happened in the court room, Mom?" Bex asks eagerly.

"Well, your father and I arrived at 9:00 in the morning because the court would meet at 10:00. Your father was dressed nicely in some dress pants and a nice dress shirt to match. Uncles Gabe, Nathan, Cedrick, and Jordan were also here to lend support. When we pulled in, I saw my parents and immediately cringed back, still recalling the sting of that slap. My phone was gripped tightly in my hand, the only piece of evidence I had to prove James's, and my own, innocence. Your Dad took my free hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. We had persuaded the lawyer to let him sit with me so I could keep my composure."

"When we entered into the court room, we were seated with the prosecuting lawyer. My parents sat across the aisle with the defending lawyer. When my parents and I made eye contact, they narrowed their eyes at me. The only thing that scared me was the flicker of trickery that flashed in their eyes for a brief second. The judge called us to order and the jury filed in. They took their places and the trial began."

"The trial began smoothly enough, I suppose. My parents were pressing charges against James because they claimed he had kidnapped me and forced me to be in a relationship with him. When we heard that, I felt his grip on my hand tighten. I honestly don't remember feeling it because I was in shock that they would claim such a thing. Numerous witnesses were called forth, even the police officers who 'arrested' me at the train station that night.

"They called me up, too," my husband continues. "Your parents and their lawyer wanted to know who I was and what I had done to their daughter. Which was honestly nothing but make her fall in love with me." He winked at me and I chuckled slightly. "Our lawyer also wanted to know what I had done to help your mother in her time of need and such."

"Finally it was my turn to testify. I took my phone up and placed it on the edge of the podium while I swore on the Bible. That done, I seated myself to face the entire court room and the barrage of questions. The defending lawyer tried time and time again to find out where I had gone this past week and if I had been kidnapped before. I debunked all of this them easily. Soon the prosecution came forward and started questioning me himself. When he mentioned me recording a video of the last night I spent in my parents' house, their faces faded into a deathly pale. They knew they were done."

"When I played the video for the judge and the jury, everyone was deathly quiet. Everything was plain to hear, from my parents thanking the police officers,who were still in the room with us, to the argument that followed the second they left. When the slap resonated throughout the chamber, followed by my phone tumbling to the ground, I saw several members of the jury cover their mouths. My lawyer then proceeded to inform the judge that I had texts on my phone from my parents threatening me if I carried on with the trial. The messages were projected on a screen for everyone to see. That put the proverbial nail in the coffin."

Everyone was.silent throughout this entire exchange. Finally Sam pipes us, "What happened next?"

"When met with such firm evidence, the jury had no choice but to rule in my favor. They were going to place me in a foster home, but Uncle Nathan stood up and said I could live with him until I turned 18. The judge also ruled that my parents could not have any contact with me until I officially turned 18."

"When I walked out of that court room, it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I spun around and gave a shout of joy. Your Dad picked me up and spun me around before giving me a kiss on the lips. After that, we all clambered back into the truck and I headed for my new home.