Page 61 of James

“Yes, it’s here. I think I remember where it is.” Laura found her files from the divorce and added them to her bag. She finished packing and then just stood for a moment in her living, looking around with wide, sad eyes until James went over and tucked her under his arm. He felt her stiffen and thought she might pull away, but she turned into his chest and hugged him tightly. He let herfor as long as she needed it, swaying slightly and stroking her hair.

At last, she straightened and stepped back, smoothing down her clothes. “Okay,” she said. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

He picked up her suitcases and they left together.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Living with James might not be what she had planned, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy. Although he was a dominant man through and through, he didn’t boss her around all the time, nor did he make all the decisions. He cleaned out some shelves in his bathroom for her personal items, made room in his closet for her clothes, and in every way made sure that she wasn’t just wedging herself into his life, but that she fit there, with room to grow. He even let her choose what program to watch on his big television screen.

On Sunday, he took Laura, Tim and Abby to the zoo. Laura objected to him paying for everything, but he made it clear it was his treat. On the way back to Suzie’s, they stopped and picked up pizza for everyone, and he didn’t fuss when Laura insisted on paying for the food.

Monday morning, they met Lincoln at the office of Judge Matthew Edinger. The attorney assured her Judge Edinger would be the best because he was almost always sympathetic in cases that stemmed from domestic violence.

They were shown into the judge’s chambers, the room cluttered with legal documents. After hearing her situation, the judge looked over his glasses at Laura, understanding in his eyes. He agreed to the temporary order of protection with little additional discussion. He wished Laura good luck as they left the room.

Outside, his clerk set a date for the hearing and promised to let them know when Jake had been served. James dropped Laura off at her office and picked her up again at the end of the day.

On Tuesday, he drove her again and they stopped in to see Dan. He was surprised to see James until they told him of recent events.

“I’m really glad to see you keeping a close eye on Laura,” Dan told James. “The last time around wasn’t pretty.”

“Dad, it’s just until we get the permanent order. It’s not a big deal and I still think I would have been fine on my own,” Laura said.

Her father nodded, but said, “If James is with you and nothing happens, then we all overreacted and you can tell us you told us so for the rest of your life. If James isn’t with you and something does happen… what’s the worst-case scenario then?”

Laura had no answer for that, but it kept coming back to her in the dark hours as she lay in James’s bed, unable to sleep.

A couple of days passed without incident, until they went over to Laura’s place to check on things on Thursday. As they were leaving, a shout came from the opposite side of the street: “Laura, you cunt, you can’t do this to me!”

Laura cringed as she recognized Jake’s voice. Whenshe turned, he was there, on the opposite side of the four-lane street, getting out of his car. It looked like he'd been living in it lately, the backseat filled with boxes and clothes, and trash spilling out the driver’s door. Jake looked worse, if possible. He looked like he hadn’t seen a comb or a shower in days, and even from this distance, his eyes were wild with rage.

Next to her, James went rigid and pressed his phone into her hands. “Call 911 and then get the camera on my phone started,” he ordered before yelling to Jake, “We have a restraining order, Jake. You’re already in violation of it and Laura is calling the police.”

“Oh, does the big, tough guy need to call the piggy-wiggies?” Jake sneered. “I’m so scared! Laura! Get your fat ass over here, right the fuck now!”

James planted his feet and curled his hands into fists. “If you’ve got something to say, you call Lincoln Andrews, our lawyer.”

“I’m not talking to any more fucking lawyers,” Jake yelled. He took a step out into the street, causing a passing car to honk loudly as it veered around him. Jake kicked wildly out at it, missed, and stumbled even further into the lane. “I am talking to my fucking whore of a wife!”

“The police are on their way,” Laura told James and held up the camera to film the altercation.

“The cops are coming!” James warned.

Jake balled his hands into fists and lowered his head, like a bull about to charge. “Good!” he shouted. “They can clean up!”

And before anyone could say any more, Jake charged across the busy street.

Despite everything, despite knowing exactly what he wanted to happen if he made it all the way to her, herinstinct was to scream, “Jake, no! Get back!” but if he heard, he did not react. It was hard to hear anything over the shriek of brakes, hard to see anything but Jake’s red face contorted in murderous fury and the dark blue blur of the SUV that hit him.

Time seemed to slow as the bone-crushing impact reverberated through the air. The smell of burning rubber hit her at the same instant as metal hit flesh. Laura's heart seemed to stop for an agonizing moment. Her breath caught in her throat. She shook her head, but could not unmake the horrifying spectacle unfolding before her.

The impact propelled Jake through the air, his body caught up in a twisted dance with gravity. He tumbled over the hood of the SUV, limbs flailing in ways no body was meant to move. He landed on his back, his head hitting the pavement first with a shocking crack, sending shockwaves of pain and disbelief through Laura's core.

Someone screamed and just kept screaming. Laura looked around, but it wasn’t until her throat started to ache that she realized it was her making that God-awful sound.

The moment James rushed forward, he knew he was too late. His heart pounded like a battle drum in his chest as he sprinted forward, his feet slapping against the pavement in a desperate race against time.

Traffic became even more chaotic for a moment as vehicles swerved, braked, and stopped, but the SUV barreled past, briefly slowed, then sped up again, tires screeching in protest as it disappeared around the next corner, leaving behind a trail of dust and despair.

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