Page 43 of Made For Me

“She is going to be bailed out,” Stuart explains.

“You go in there and stay with her,” I say between clenched teeth and he just smirks.

“That is where I’m going, but I figured, before you got yourself held in contempt of court, I would keep you informed.” He looks over at my father. “I’ll see you guys outside in the waiting area.”

“How long?” I ask him, bouncing on the tips of my toes.

“It depends,” Stuart says and walks away before I can say anything else.

“I know that it’s not the time,” my father says, “and I know that you are one step from snapping and setting this whole place on fire.”

“Can we not say those words in a government building?” Michael growls, looking around. “Before we all get arrested.” He looks at me. “I’m going to text Jillian. Don’t fuck up anything.”

“Hey,” my father calls me, so I look over at him. “We are all on the same side. Stuart is on her side.”

“I don’t know him,” I say. “And he’s a bit too relaxed for my taste.”

“He’s doing what he needs to do,” Max says.

“Yeah, whatever,” I reply. “All I know is that if she isn’t out soon…”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” my father warns me. “Let’s go make sure that we are there when she comes out.”

I nod at him, walking from the courtroom and into the lobby. I’m standing with Michael, leaning with my back to the wall, my forefinger tapping my leg anxiously as I wait for her. Max and my father are standing in the middle, both of them on their phones. I don’t know how long we are waiting. It feels like an eternity, but then the door opens and Stuart comes out first, with her following him. I take a step toward her at the same time she looks up.

Her eyes roam the room and she spots Max first as she walks to him. In two strides, I’m by his side when I hear her voice finally. “Max,” she says, looking at him, and I can see her hand shaking. Everything inside me screams for me to walk over to her, throw her over my shoulder, and take her out of here. Then she says the next words, “I’m so sorry for letting you down.”

I know what she needs is everyone around her and I am just going to have to bide my time until I can take her home.

CHAPTER25

Julia

“We should get out there,” Stuart says, as the man behind the counter hands me the bag I had on me when it all happened. “Before someone ends up in trouble.”

I don’t have a chance to ask him what he’s talking about before he turns around, walking out of the room we just left. My head is still spinning from walking into the courtroom. I didn’t look up with the fear I might see my mother and Jillian. Not sure I could have held it together if I saw them, so I kept my head down, getting up when I felt Stuart getting up. I don’t even know what was said. I rub my wrists that are free again from the heavy metal handcuffs.

He pulls open the door and steps out. I take a step forward, my head down. Only when I feel the eyes on me do I look up. I’m expecting to see my mother and Jillian here waiting for me. Instead, all I can see is Max there with Matthew. I walk to him. “Max.” I look up at him, and the tears well in my eyes. I hold my hands together to stop them from shaking. The lump in my throat is so big I don’t even think I’ll be able to breathe let alone speak. “I’m so sorry for letting you down.” My voice cracks at the end and he takes me in his arms.

“Never,” he says softly into my hair. “Are you okay?”

I nod my head yes, because the last thing he needs is me complaining. “We have to get you home,” he states.

“I have to get you to your sister,” Michael says and I look up, seeing him walking toward us with Chase behind him. “Or she’s going to chew my ass.” My eyes see that his eyes are red and he looks as bad as I feel.

I walk from the courthouse by the front door instead of the back door, with Max and Matthew on one side. Chase and Michael on the other side.

We stop on the sidewalk as I take another look at Max as he nods to Matthew, who gives me a side hug. “It’s going to be okay,” he assures me, turning and walking toward the car that is there. Max follows him and I’m about to take a step forward when Michael looks at Chase.

“Hurry up,” Michael urges. “Or else you’ll be the one dealing with Jillian.”

He nods at him and walks away. “Are you driving me?” I ask him and he just nods his head. It takes him two steps to stop in front of me. His hand comes up and he moves the hair away from my face. “Chase.” I say his name, but he just shakes his head at me and pulls me to him. I’ve hugged him a thousand times since we’ve met. But this one feels different.

“Julia,” he says, and all I can do is smell him. Everything in me settles. He lets go of me and I look up at him. “How are you doing?” His eyes never leave mine. I try to be brave, I try to pretend I’m fine.

“Like I’m dying inside,” I say the truth, something about his eyes feeds my soul. “I don’t know if I’m going to survive this.” I wipe the tear rolling down my cheek. I’ve cried more tears in the last week than I thought was possible. “I could be a felon.” The words taste like acid in my mouth. “I can’t do my job as a felon.” I put my hand to my stomach as it sinks with the thought that everything could be gone.

His hand goes to my cheek, where he catches another tear rolling down my face, before he moves his hand down and slips it into mine. It’s like an electric shock going through me, as his fingers link with mine. “We are going to get through this.”

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