Seventeen
Beth’s initial reaction when she had learned Friday—two days after Halloween—that the judge would allow the recording of the r**e to be used as evidence had been mild surprise and relief. She had hoped it would be allowed, but a small part of her had doubted. Then, on Monday, when the county attorney had officially dropped the charge of misdemeanor assault against Nick with the recording proving beyond a reasonable doubt that he had acted within the parameters of self-defense in coming to Beth’s aid, surprise had turned swiftly into elation. Dean Harris had gleefully reinstated Nick to full academic privileges that day, and Nick had gone back to class for the first time in nearly two months on Tuesday. That evening, they had gone dancing with Sam and Michelle, Nick’s brothers, a
