Page 168 of In the Air Tonight

“You’re here now.”

“I heard you have four kids. Do you have pictures?”

“Of course I do.” She smiles as she hands over her phone with a picture of two older kids holding babies. “That’s Charlotte, Levi, Hudson and Hayes.”

“They’re beautiful.”

“They’re a handful.”

“I’ll bet.”

“While you have my phone, put your number in my contacts. I’d like to keep in touch if that would be all right with you.”

“I’d love that.” I put my number into her contacts and return the phone to her. “Thank you for your kindness toward me. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Anger got me nowhere. Kindness and understanding for others has been far more productive.”

“Words to live by.”

After a knock on the door, Josh sticks his head in. “We’re ready for you in court, ladies.”

“Here we go,” Denise says with a grimace. “Let’s get it over with so we can get back to more enjoyable things.”

“Yes, please.”

Josh Spurling escorts us into the courtroom and shows us where to sit. “Keep Denise and Blaise on the aisles for when they’re called to testify.” To Denise, he says, “You remember Judge Denton from the first time, right?”

“I do.”

“It’s somewhat of a lucky break for us that she’s presiding this time, too.”

When we’re seated, with Denise and Kane in front of us, Jack puts his arm around me in a public show of support.

“Thank you for everything.”

He kisses my temple. “Entirely my pleasure, love, except the part about you getting hurt.”

A rustle of activity behind us precedes the scent of my mother’s familiar fragrance settling over me. “We’re here, Blaise,” she says.

Jack moves so I can turn—slowly and carefully—to see Mom and Teagan behind me. I wince from the movement. My ribs have been incredibly sore since the accident. “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course we came.” Mom fixates on the bruises on my face that she’s already seen via FaceTime. “How’re you feeling, honey?”

“A little better every day.”

“It’s such an outrage that it happened in the first place.”

“Agreed,” Jack says.

Mom glances at him and raises a brow.

“Oh, um, this is Jack Olsen. Jack, my mom, Deena, and my sister, Teagan.”

“It’s so nice to meet you both,” Jack says.

“Likewise,” Teagan replies. “Blaisey has been keeping some secrets from us.”

“Blaisey, huh?” Jack asks with a grin.

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