Page 56 of After Midnight

“Really, you think she’ll run?” I hated the idea Margarette might evade justice and go on to wreak the same havoc on someone else’s life.

“No doubt,” Mr. Galbraith said. “She knows she lost your money when the girls went into my custody. Even if she won the lawsuit, which won’t happen, the money would follow them, not her.”

I nodded. “True,” I said, still overwhelmed by the sudden change in my luck after all this time. “Either way, hopefully it means we’ve seen the last of her.”

Chapter twenty-four

Dillon

Isat across from my fathers at the table in our breakfast nook, the place we always seemed to gather when dealing with family issues. “Thank you, Miss Rita,” Papa K said into the phone. “Yes, I’ll let him know.”

I’d been holding my breath the entire call, hoping for good news. Or any news, really. The moment Papa K hung up, he said, “It seems things are finally shifting in Dominic’s favor.”

My father had contacted Miss Rita when I’d not been able to reach Dominic, and she’d kept us apprised of his legal situation. I’ll admit, I was surprised she was willing to confide in us. But then again, I think she was just happy to have someone to share in all the hardship when she, like me, felt so helpless.

“So, the girls are now living in the house with their godparent,” Papa K continued. “Dominic has moved into a hotel for the time being.”

“Should I call him?” I asked, grabbing my phone.

Papa K shook his head. “Probably not the best idea, not yet. Miss Rita said he’s a basket case, and that she and Ashton are taking turns staying with him to keep him from spiraling further.She said you can try reaching out to him, honey, but,” he said, placing his hand over mine, “she doesn’t think he’d respond. There’s just too much going on, he’s not in a good headspace.”

I nodded, feeling sadness overwhelm me. “He’s got good people around him, at least. Maybe I should just go back to Chicago then. Mr. Foreman is itching for me and Feldman to return.”

Both my parents shrugged but then nodded. “Why don’t you give it another week and see what happens, then decide,” Dad suggested.

“Okay, yeah, no harm in hanging around a while longer if it means I get to give my dads some more grief, right?” I joked, trying to lighten the mood even though I didn’t feel it. Honestly, I didn’t know what I should do, but I trusted Miss Rita’s judgement, mainly because Dominic seemed to. I wondered if the sadness I felt at missing him would ever go away if he decided not to let me back in. I seriously doubted it would.

Chapter twenty-five

Dominic

The hope I’d resisted all this time began to burn brightly as things continued to move in our favor. As Mr. Langdon had predicted, the appellate court smashed the lower court’s entire ruling, calling it inappropriate and an offense to the rule of law. My favorite part of all was how the idiot judge who’d had an eye for Margaretteretiredshortly after the ruling came down.Good riddance, I thought.

Margarette didn’t attend the next family court hearing, although her attorney was there. Mr. Clifford sat at the back of the room, trying to disappear.

Poor Alli cried on the stand, saying she just couldn’t lie like Margarette wanted her to and she didn’t want me to lose all my trust money and end up living on the streets, either. I think that probably more than anything helped convince the court this had all been a farse.

When Olivia spoke, she kept looking at me and saying she was sorry until I couldn’t take it anymore and just stood up with my arms outstretched. She came running and I engulfed her in a huge hug. To my surprise, the judge didn’t say anythingwhen that happened, allowing the emotional moment to play out instead. Alli came around my other side and clung to me as well.

When I looked up, tears of relief dripping down my face, I noticed that everyone in the courtroom had teared up as well. Even Margarette’s attorney.

I knelt down and pulled my sisters to me while the three of us let our emotions flow freely. I vaguely heard the judge state the court found me innocent of all charges.

When she then addressed Margarette’s attorney, asking why his client didn’t attend the hearing, Mr. Clifford admitted he didn’t know where she’d gone. “Please inform Ms. Shipley I’m issuing a warrant for her arrest and when she’s apprehended, I want to hear her explanation for the fiasco she’s put her stepchildren and my court through, am I clear?”

I glanced over at the man, who had gone pale with the judge’s words, and he simply nodded.

By the time Olivia and Alli let me go, the judge had gone into her chambers, and everyone was filing out of the courtroom. “I need a lot of ice cream, how about you two?” I asked, wiping my eyes and smiling at my sisters.

They both nodded, but Olivia didn’t budge. “You don’t hate me?” she asked in a voice so small it nearly broke my heart.

“Of course not, sweetie. I’m furious at our horrible old witch of a stepmother for what she put you through, put all of us through, but nothing could change how much I love you two girls.Almostas much as I love Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk.”

“No way, Phish Food,” Olivia scoffed, but a bright smile lit her face at my reassurance.

Alli jumped up and down, chanting, “Chunky Monkey, Chunky Monkey.”

“Mr. Galbraith, shall we show you our favorite Ben and Jerry’s establishment?” I asked, and caught him wiping away a tear as he nodded.

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