Chapter 20
1539 Words
The Trial
It was trail day I was nervous as hell. I was jittery. And I had to talk about things today that I never wanted to think about again. But now I had to. So that way Toby was never going to be able to hurt another women again.
Ever. I come into the bedroom after spending an hour fixing myself up in my bathroom! And all I was wearing was a simple black dress. And a black top. I feel Michael's arms steal around my middle. Holding me close. He nibbles kisses on my neck.
I turn around to face him. "Baby are you ready?" he asks me. I nod.
He kisses me on the lips. "I am" I sigh. "At least now this will all be over with. And we can get on with our lives"
"True. And the tour can begin. And I can make love to my beautiful sexy wife" he says to me. Happiness shines in his brown eyes. He touches my cheek with his hand. Then kisses me again. I melt into him.
"I can do anything as long as I am with you" I vow.
Kendall finally comes by. Then we all swing over to the courthouse. Fan fair was gathered around outside the courthouse. Fans were cheering. Screaming Michael's name.
We get out of the limo. Camera's are flashed in our direction. I spot Courtney heading into the courthouse. She was here. I was sure the other girls were here to testify against Toby. Kendall squeezes my arm. We head in.
We are all seated. Then Michael is in the seat over from us. I am right behind him. Cindy and the other women are behind me. We wait for them to bring in Toby. My heart was pounding loudly in my eardrums.
This was going to be the last time that I was ever going to have to see this asshole. I fold my hands in my lap. Kendall takes my hand then holds it to help me feel better. She knows how shaky I am.
Michael glances back then smiles at me. His lawyer is seated beside him.
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There is a rise of chatter in the crowd suddenly.
"There is that ass!" Kendall whispers to me.
I squeeze her hand hard then I make myself glance over to where they were bringing in Toby. He was dressed in an orange and black jump suite.
His brown hair was shaggy and longer. I could not bring myself to look him in the eyes yet. I glance away. Tears come to me. I feel a hand on my shoulder. Michael. He takes my other hand in his. Then kisses the top of my hand and smiles at me.
I smile gratefully at him.
The judge comes in the room. We are all to rise. Then the trial can begin. Witnesses are called. Cindy goes first on the stand. Michael's lawyer is questing her.
She does not look a bit nervous. I wondered how she did it. She was going to be a big help to this trial. I was not sure how helpful that I would be. But I would really try.
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"What happened the night of your attack?" asks the lawyer. "did you think Michael had attacked you? What made you think he had done it?" it was Toby's creepy lawyers turn to ask the questions.
"I assumed Michael was meeting me for a date" says Cindy as her pink lips frown, she looked so tense. "he was the last person that I talked to"
"So, you think Michael could have showed up. You really have no proof Toby was the one who showed up that night at your hotel?" asks the lawyer.
Cindy looks close to tears. My heart felt for her. "No, it was not Michael who attacked me that night"
"But you did not see him doing it right? So, you can't say who attacked you that night?" the lawyer demands to know.
"No! Stop twisting the truth! Toby raped me! He attacked me! Not Michael!" she declares. "Michael is innocent"
"Order! Order!" calls out the judge.
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Soon Michael is called to testify after the rest of the girls do. Then Toby then myself. In that order. I was feeling more and more nervous. Cindy nearly lost it on the stands. I hoped to stay strong for this. For Michael. And for the other women.
Michael went through the trial questions like a champ. Because he was innocent. He had nothing to hide. Then after Michael it was Toby's turn then my turn in that order.
Toby was one that I really did not enjoy hearing. I was dreading it. Michael soon was done. He came down from the stand. I smile back at him when our eyes meet right before he sits back down in his chair.
Toby soon heads to the stand. His eyes look into mine. Panic comes washing over me. The last time I saw those eyes he had been on top of me. Trying to get his way with me. He smiles my way. Not at Michael. Right at me. My hands shake. I feel Kendall rub my back lightly to keep me calm.
"I would like to say something before we begin" Toby asks in the mic. He had both his hands in cuffs.
"Go ahead!" says the judge. He nods.
"I am sorry for hurting you Renee. And for hurting Michael. I apologize for my actions. I am sorry for hurting you Renee" he states in the mic and looks right at me. He did not look sorry to me.
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I shiver as I have to look away from his cold uncaring eyes.
Everything went by in a haze. I went up to talk next. Then after they were making their choice. Basically, they were trying to say Toby had only attacked me because I had been wrongfully accusing him of rape. And he had not raped the others. I hoped that he would go away for a long long time. Soon the judge comes back in after about an hour. Michael squeezes my hand.
"It is almost over baby" he promises me. I nod.
"We find him guilty!" is all I later hear them saying. Everyone in the courtroom is cheering.
"Did you hear that Renee? Toby is going away for twenty years or more!" exclaims Kendall as she hugs me.
"This is wonderful!" I hear Michael cheer.
Kendall hugs Michael. Michael shakes hands with is lawyer. Then he kisses me.
I glance over at Toby as they are taking him back to his jail cell. Toby's eyes look right into mine. Piercing mad. He glares at me. Anger shoots from his soul to mine. I shiver and can't look away. Michael holds me close to his side suddenly.
"Come on baby we are free to leave! It is all over with" he says softly in my ear. He kisses my cheek.
As Michael leads me out of there and away from the crowds my stomach begins to turn. "Hold on" I tell him. "I need to go to the bathroom" I say.
I rush in the bathroom. The closet one that I could find. I throw up in the nearest toilet. I could not stop getting sick. I was nervous. On edge. I needed to get away from the crowds. I needed to be back home.
Finally, I was done in the bathroom getting sick. I clean up. Then head out to meet up with Michael and Kendall. I breath in once I was done being sick. The sickness subsides at last. Then I rush right back in the bathroom again. Everything was overwhelming me today!
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"Baby are you okay?" Michael had come in the women's bathroom.
"Michael what are you doing in here?" I gasp.
"I had to make sure you are okay" he tells me.
"What if they pick on you for coming in the women's bathroom because of me?" I worry.
"I could care less. I had to see if you were alright" he worries. He pulls me in his arms. He kisses me. "All I care about right now is you. You" he states to me.
"I was scared. I never have been so scared as to face that monster again" I mutter.
He holds me close. "I know you were. I saw the look on your face. How soft spoken you were when they asked you questions", he tells me. He rubs my back. "Baby" he sighs. "It is all over"
He pulls me back. "Let me take you home"
I nod. He kisses me on the forehead. "I am ready to go home" I sigh.
Michael leads me out of the bathroom. We see Courtney before we leave.
"Hey, you did great. Thank you for helping me put my attacker in jail where he belongs", she tells me. She hugs me as well all stand outside the courthouse together.
"Michael I am sorry for thinking the worst of you when my daughter was attacked" her mother speaks up to Michael while we are there.
"Thank you for saying that. It means the world" Michael tells her.
They hug. Then we all leave. Parting ways. It was all over with. At last.
Now that I was back in the limo I snuggle on Michael. He holds me in his embrace. He kisses the top of my head. It was finally over. At last.
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- Writer
