Page 122 of Not Your Little Girl Anymore

Allen gives me a curt nod. I respond with a small smile, but it’s anything but real.

“Good morning, Ms. Raleigh,” Kayse greets me.

“Please, call me Summer.” The last thing I want to be called is Ms. Raleigh on a day like today, with the reminder of my mother and father lingering in the back of my mind.

“Of course. Summer.” Kayse flips through a few papers in the folder he has in his hands, skimming over them for a brief minute. Now, I understand that we have only spoken on the phone once, but I can assure you that with everything we put together, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

Running my tongue across my dry mouth, I nod. Alec’s arm lies on the small of my back, his thumb moving back and forth to comfort me—that’s all I need—not the words spoken by Kayse and certainly not the confident look Allen is giving me.

Kayse closes the folder and exhales. “Great. I will let them know we’re all here.” He takes off, leaving just Allen, Alec, and me.

I glance back at Allen. His features shift in slight concern. “Are you sure you want to be here for this? Your father will be on the stand.”

I push through the nerves and through the clammy tension and pain delving between my eyes. “Yes, I’m sure.”

He gives me a sad smile and offers a small hug. I take it because I don’t want him to feel like this is too much for me. I don’t want anyone to think that I can’t handle watching this hearing.

“I need to see it. I need to be here,” I silently remind myself. It’s getting hard to believe, though.

Alec leans down and kisses the top of my head. “Let’s go take our seats.”

I suck in a deep wary breath.

I can do this.

We get into the courtroom, Chloe stands immediately rushing toward me and pulling me into a hug. The bright lights only deepen the small ache between my eyebrows. I blink a few times, to adjust to the change in my environment and wrap my arms around Chloe.

“Everything will be OK, Summer. This needed to be done,” Chloe whispers in my ear.

“I know,” I choke out, having a hard time keeping myself steady.

There aren’t a lot of people, a good handful, but it feels like it’s far more crowded. James, Tyler and Samantha sit in the first row all the way in the back. When Chloe lets go of me, my eyes fall to the floor, lingering a little too long on the stained carpet.

We sit with everyone in the back, Alec beside me.

Samantha reaches over James and taps my leg softly to get my attention. “It’ll be OK.”

Her reassurance is as nice as Chloe’s, and I couldn’t be more thankful for each of them. I nod as James wraps his arm around my shoulder for a quick side hug.

“We’re here for you,” James says.

“And don’t ever think otherwise,” Tyler adds.

I smile softly, taking in another deep breath.

A few minutes later, the security guard shouts, “All rise.”

Everyone in the seating area does, and my body is moving slower than average. My heart thunders deep inside of me, my ears drawing out the sound of deep footsteps and low voices. Alec gives my hand a small squeeze, seeing how overstimulated I am.

The room falls silent as a door opens. I know this because I can hear it through the beat of my heart and throbbing pulse in my neck. We take our seats once again as a cleared throat sounds through the room.

“You may begin,” a female says. Judge Hathaway, Allen told me. He said she’s the hardest judge in the state.

Keeping my head down, I listened as Kayse pitches his testimony—my testimony—down to a T. He doesn’t leave a single detail out, including everything regarding Alec’s case.

Hearing the words fall from his mouth increases the tension in my muscles. The visions replay in my mind. It’s unwanted. Heavy. Dangerous.

“As you see, ma’am. Charles Raleigh has corrupted the system. Involved himself in a third-degree murder with Brandon Antonio and proceeded to hide evidence of the murder of Katherine Raleigh—his wife,” Kayse ends his testimony.

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