Page 118 of All for her Forgiveness

It's as if the words were spoken in a foreign language.

I'm finally free.

No more desperate dawns in which I wake up and bring King to our bed so I can watch the two men in my life as if trying to record them forever inside me for fear that all of this will be stolen from me.

"The Prosecutor’s Office has decided to drop the charges of complicity in the murder of Miss Pam Marcotte against Miss Kennedy Juliet O’Neal. Consequently, Miss O’Neal no longer has any outstanding commitments to the justice system."

Soon after I received the right to respond to the case while out on bail and went to New Orleans, the Public Prosecutor filed charges against me not only for advice on committing a crime but also for complicity in Pam's murder.

I panicked, so hearing the judge say now that I am free from all charges fills my heart with happiness.

The fact that I can barely believe that I am free does not mean that I doubted Hades' word that he would not rest until I was found innocent. Rather, it’s that I became accustomed to the constant threat of going to prison and being labeled a criminal.

The judge's impassive face tells me that, to him, I'm just another name, the number on the main page of a lawsuit. He has no idea he just gave me my peace back.

The lawyers informed us that a hearing had been scheduled to announce the withdrawal of the charges and that's why we came, but I needed the certainty that only the judge's statement could give me.

Miss O’Neal no longer has any outstanding commitments to the justice system,I repeat to myself.

It's like having a closed cut.

Healed? No.

The scars of that accusation hit me deeply. The scars won't disappear, but the pain will.

I stand up on wobbly legs and feel like everyone is watching me, but I only have eyes for a specific group and I look directly at them:

The Kostanidou, the Lykaioses, Ernest, and especially, my future husband who holds our son in his arms.

Suddenly, I snap out of the almost catatonic state I entered into, and my body is overcome with adrenaline. Relief washing over me makes me truly smile for the first time in a long time.

I feel the tears of happiness roll down my cheeks when, after quickly returning the lawyers' greetings, I start to walk towards Hades and King. Only when I see a sob from my boy do I dry the tears.

"Mommysad." He still doesn't know the difference between tears of joy and tears of sadness.

I smile at my Kostanidis miniature. "No, my love. Mom is very happy."

When I lift my head to face Hades, I see sparks in his black irises. He is also emotional.

"It's over," I say and hide my face in his chest, not caring that the courtroom is crowded, including photographers and reporters, who must be taking photos of us.

"No, now we can really start," he says, kissing the top of my head. "It's the beginning of the life you deserve, Kennedy, and the beginning of my redemption."

"I thought that was already happening."

"Partly," he says, holding my chin and kissing my mouth, which makes King scream, “kissyyyy," laughing. "But until now, I've focused on saving you. From this moment on"—he bends down and whispers so that only I can hear—"my revenge will begin."

"Don't do something crazy because of me," I beg nervously.

"Everyone achieves their own peace in a different way, my beauty. We got yours; I need mine too."

I still feel apprehensive, but I don't have time to ask him anything else because soon, Ernest and everyone else approaches us.

I am surrounded in a group hug by my sisters-in-law and also by the three new friends I made at lunch last week: Brooklyn, Elina, and Zoe.

"Are you at peace now?" Serenity asks.

"Yes, I am. I can finally dream again."

---