Page 99 of Protecting Christina

“I’ve been so worried about losing them. I—I’ve lost sleep and held them close to me in bed, afraid that I might not have this every night moving forward. And now—” Her voice broke, and she inhaled raggedly. “And now I don’t have to think about that anymore.”

“No. You don’t,” I said.

Turning to Christina, she pulled her into her arms. “Thank you,” she whispered. Her voice was hoarse.

Just then, the seven-year-old walked into the room. “Mommy. Are you OK?” She wore pigtails and a rainbow T-shirt with pink clouds. My throat tightened when I realized she would never have to witness another terrifying screaming match between her parents again. Christina had saved her from that.

“Yes, darling,” Faye said and opened her arms. Her daughter ran to her and threw her tiny arms around Faye’s waist. “Everything is more than OK.”

Christina wiped something from her cheek and turned around. I smiled. She wasn’t angry and bitter. Her past hadn’t turned her into any of those things. She was kind, loving, and cared about people.

I stood, and Christina got up, too. “We’ll give you some privacy to process the news,” she said.

Faye nodded while hugging her daughter. She smiled, but tears streamed down her face. My vision blurred, and I stepped away before embarrassing myself.

“Oh, by the way, Will. I’ve nearly closed on an apartment in the city. I should be ready to move out by the end of the month.”

I shook my head. “There’s no rush, Faye. You’re welcome to stay as long as you wish. And if you like this neighborhood, I can find something for you in the area that you can afford.”

“I can’t afford this area,” she said.

“Oh, I think you can. I know a guy.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

When Christina and I closed the door behind us in the hallway, she turned to me. “You know a guy?”

I shrugged. “I don’t like people feeling indebted to me. Best if she thinks she got a great deal.”

“You are something else.” She shook her head and walked toward the elevator.

When I joined her, I pulled her beside me. “So are you. I’m not the only one running around saving people. You’ve done a damn good job of that yourself.”

She narrowed her eyes and then smiled at me. “Do you really think that?”

“I do.”

She licked her lips and stared straight ahead. A small smile played on her lips and I felt like some superhero, thinking I was the one who put it there.

24

Christina

I chewed on the last fragments of a hangnail as the defense attorney laid in on Donna’s friend, Lynette. “So, you’re saying you agreed to be a part of this profane business scheme?”

“Objection,” the prosecutor said, pushing himself up from his chair. I wished I was the one prosecuting Simon and his gang, but the state had taken over the case.

The judge waved the prosecutor down. “Overruled. However, Mr. Freeman,” the judge said to the other attorney. “I will ask that you refrain from giving sermons in my courtroom.”

I balled my fist and silently cheered the judge for pointing out to the jury what the defense was trying to do: blame the victims. So far, the defense’s case was that Donna and her friends had entered into an agreement with Simon and weren’t happy when the business went sour.

While Lynette and her friend Cheyanne both agreed to testify against Simon, Donna refused. I was disappointed. I wouldn’t lie about that, but I understood why she did it. I realized my sister had never been able to stand up for herself. She ran from her problems. I was no longer angry with her for it. I accepted who she was and what she was capable of.

As I sat in that courtroom and listened to the defense try to make these women falter, I grew angry.

Leaning forward in my pew, I tapped the back of the prosecutor’s chair. He turned and narrowed his eyes at me. When he didn’t ask me what I wanted, I told him anyway. “You need to call for a short recess,” I said.

“Why would I want to do that?”

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