Page 109 of Life To My Flight

She was a woman with brass balls bigger than most men.

Cleo and Loki had been talking this morning when we’d stopped at a red light, and Loki had said something about her that I couldn’t believe.

Now, though, looking at her, I realized what he meant.

She looks like Snow White, Loki had said.

She did, indeed, look like Snow White.

Black hair in a bob at chin level.

Porcelain white skin.

Rosy cheeks.

Then she spoke, and any disillusion that she was like Snow White flew out the window.

“Sit down. Dortea, get on with it,” Judge Judy snapped.

“Somebody didn’t get any last night,” Cleo muttered under his breath.

I elbowed him, causing a gush of air to escape him.

He turned and glared at me. I could feel his gaze as it burned a hole in the side of my face.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, inadvertently bumping Loki’s shoulder.

Why I had to sit in between the two of them was beyond me, but if that’s what I had to do to make the two of them comfortable, then so be it.

Dortea stood from her chair, and walked until she stood just in front of the judge’s bench. “I’d like to call Rue Loden to the stand. The SANE, or sexual assault nurse examiner, who was the first one to speak with Vanessa about the case.”

I stood, nervousness making my legs shake, and walked up to the front.

However, not before Cleo grabbed the back of my thigh and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

I patted his hand, letting him know I had it under control.

Walking up to the stand, I ignored the whispered conversations as best as I could.

I still heard the muttered comment of ‘he’s hot. Wonder why he’s with her.’

I would’ve loved to respond, but Judge Judy AKA Snow White, probably wouldn’t like me going all Southern on whatever bitch had just said that, in her courtroom.

Doing the usual, I stood behind the wooden barrier that was directly beside the Judge’s bench, and placed my hand on the bible.

“Do you swear to tell the truth,” the bailiff began.

I missed the rest of what was said, and barely managed an ‘I do’ because my eyes caught on Cleo.

His gaze held mine, and all the nervousness I was feeling evaporated.

He wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I was sure of it.

***

Rue

It all started out good.

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