Indigo (44 page)

“No, I want them there. I’ve shut them out this entire time, through this whole thing. Not anymore.”

“It’s caused quite a stir,” she murmurs, flattening the sides of my tight bun.

When the media found out I was letting cameras in, it caused a whirlwind of commotion. Shawn even told me that I was trending on Twitter. Everyone is waiting to get the exclusive on the Indigo kidnapping, and although I’m absolutely terrified, I have to try and hold myself together and follow this through.

“They have no idea,” I tell my mom, feeling a small burst of adrenaline. “Of what a stir I plan to cause.”

Beaming, my mom gives me one last hug. “I hope you do. Jack wanted me to tell you he’s sorry he couldn’t make it, he had to work. He wanted me to tell you that he’s with you in spirit.”

“Thanks mom. I love you.”

“I love you too, so much honey.”

I watch her disappear inside the courtroom just in time to see Kennedy, Sabrina, Shawn, and a fourth man that I’ve never seen before approach.

“Frank DeBlaney, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” the man says once they walk up. I recognize the name of course from the paperwork Kennedy gave me. From just a glance, I can tell he is a man who must be an absolute viper in the courtroom. He’s incredibly handsome, and has an ice blue stare that seems to be stabbing me in the gut. A lethal combination for a lawyer.

“It’s nice to meet you, thank you, for offering to take on the case.”

He nods, all business. “It would be a symbiotic relationship, to be quite honest. But I’ve followed the case since the beginning, and I know that woman deserves to be behind bars.”

“She sure fucking does,” Sabrina sneers.

I smile at her crude language, and at how she almost looks back to normal since the poisoning. Her and Shawn are hand in hand, and that makes me smile too.

“I took the initiative of talking to the judge and parole officers beforehand,” Frank says, surprising me. “They know that if she walks today, we’re going after her. Needless to say, I think it will help sway their hand.”

The knowledge is comforting, and an overwhelming amount of gratitude towards him and Kennedy makes me weak enough to sit back down the bench. “I don’t know what to say…Thank you so much.”

Kennedy immediately sits down beside me and throws his arm over my shoulder, pulling me in. He’s been like this the past few days. A constant by my side, always making sure he’s touching me in some way. I know my story has really affected him, but I’m glad know he finally knows the truth. I don’t want anything else between us.

He kisses me on the cheek, and Frank slips into the courtroom quietly as I do my best to gather myself again.

“I’ve made Sabrina promise not to shout anything out during the hearing,” Shawn says. I know he is trying to lighten the dark mood. “So no more psycho bitch or lousy miserable cunt’s out of this one.”

“That’s going to be so hard for me,” Sabrina murmurs. “I want you to know it wasn’t an easy promise. I will
also
be in severe emotional turmoil in the courtroom today.”

I smile at her attempt at a joke. The cupcake incident has been left under wraps as planned, although the police have launched an extensive undercover investigation. So far nothing conclusive has been found.

“Thank you guys for being here,” I tell them, leaning into Kennedy. “I don’t think I could have done this without you. All of you.”

“This is all
you
,” Sabrina says softly. “You’re the one going up there. You’re so brave, and we’re all so proud of you. You can do this.”

The time I’ve spent with them the past few days has gotten us closer than probably any of us have ever imagined could happen in such a short space of time. And it may sound corny, but that’s what friends are for. People to share your tragedies and triumphs with, and that knowledge is giving me such strength today. I’m so grateful to have that in my life again.

“We’ll be sitting in the front right behind you,” Shawn tells me softly. “Good luck.”

“You’re going to kick ass.” Sabrina grins.

I hug them both, and then watch them disappear into the courtroom.

Nerves start in then, and I turn my face into Kennedy’s sweater, craving his warmth. I realize he hasn’t really said anything so far, and when I hear the judge’s gavel strike on the wood, I moan quietly and bury myself deeper. “I can’t do this.”

He turns towards me, and without warning gives me a burning kiss that I feel all the way to my toes. My mind teeters and then sets itself straight, and for that second, I forget everything else, just like I always do. He pulls back to look me in the eyes, and I stare back at him, savoring the strength of feeling I read in his eyes.

“I’m so proud of you, I can barely see straight,” he whispers, his voice hoarse, nose nuzzling into my throat. “From the moment I saw you, you were under my skin. It wasn’t just your beauty, but it was your vulnerability. I was drawn to that, because of my past. Back then you were reaching out without even knowing it. And I’m so fucking glad that I’m the one who got to grab your hand. I had no idea what’d you been through, but now that I do, and seeing you here today…how can I think anything other than that you are the most amazing woman in the entire world?”

His words seem to seep into the fiber of my soul. “Kennedy…”

“You can do this Indigo Olsen. I love you.”

He gives me on last searing kiss, and then with goes into the courtroom, leaving me speechless.

KENNEDY

It took all the courage I had not to wait and see if Indigo would tell me she loves me back. Because God knows I need to hear the words. But I’m glad I didn’t give in to the desire, because today is about her. Whatever strength I can give her through my love, even if telling her was the scariest thing I’ve ever done, I had to do it, and I’m glad I did. It feels like a monster-sized weight was lifted from my chest at the confession, and I think about the very moment I fell in love with her.

But pretty soon, reality comes crashing back in, and when I make my way down the aisle to where Sabrina and Shawn are sitting in the front, I hear the photogs snap a few pictures. I hear a few whispers of
boyfriend
, and I wonder how the hell they found that out. I don’t care who knows that we’re together, a part of me loving the fact that everyone will know she’s mine, but I do care about Indigo’s personal life being splashed across the front page news.

“You’d be surprised,” Frank DeBlaney whispers when I sit down, as if reading my mind. “At the investigative powers of the media.”

I grunt, and then settle myself in as much as I can.

We’re in what feels like a casual courtroom, like a C- version of the grand courtrooms you see on TV. It’s much smaller than I imagined, and doesn’t have the grandeur that I would think a high profile case like this would deserve. 

I take a look around me and am surprised to note that besides those of us who came to support Indigo, there are not too many other people at the hearing. The media is all crammed in the back, but it looks like they didn’t allow a lot of people in for the “show.” The rows of seats are nearly empty.

There’s an older woman sitting on the other side of the room, staring straight ahead. She has tissues in her hand, and huge bifocal lenses perched on her nose. Next to her is a professional-looking woman in maybe her late 30’s or 40’s, who keeps turning around and looking curiously at the cameras. She looks familiar, and I wonder if she is somehow connected to the college in any way.

My attention is drawn to the front of the room, when the security guard standing in front of a side door tells us to stand. We all do so, and the judge walks in a moment later without seemingly any pomp or circumstance. He has dark skin that looks old and weathered, and I put his age at about 70 years old. I can’t decide if that will work in our favor or not.

My mind strays to Indigo, who is probably still sitting outside the room at this very moment.  I would do anything to be sitting with her, but she wants to walk in alone, and I have to honor her request. Since hearing all that Indigo had to say, helping her construct what I feel is a perfect speech, I feel that our connection is on a whole other level. I’m with her, even if not physically.

How can I
not
love the bravest woman I’ve ever met?

The judge starts speaking and going through what feels like a laundry list of legal announcements, but the air in the room, and the tension in the front row, sky rockets when Joan Huff is brought in.

My mind starts racing, putting this psychopath in the place of the woman that hurt the only girl I’ve ever loved. The stories that Indigo’s told me, the horrific nightmare she suffered at the hands of this beast swirl like a hurricane through my mind. I can’t take my eyes off her, knowing that this was the face that changed Indigo’s life forever. This is a woman who stole so much, and now wants to rejoin society as if it never happened. The thought twists my stomach and my first clench on my knees of their own accord.

I look over and see Sabrina, Shawn and Indigo’s mom, also watching her every move. Sabrina looks murderous, and Shawn has his arm around her shoulder, as if trying to keep her in place, wearing a dark scowl of his own. Indigo’s looks blank as she silently wipes tears from her cheeks.

This woman, this demon incarnate, looks nothing like I imagined she would. Her lawyers have done their best to make her look presentable, but to me, I can still see the sallow, damaged, and drooping woman beneath. Her dull red hair is long and worn straight down her back, so long it looks like she could be a hippie from the 70’s. She’s slim, almost to the point of looking sick, and her top of the line clothes look out of place on her weathered and pale figure. Before she takes her seat, her eyes run over the room, not stopping for more than second on anything except the two women I noticed earlier.

When her eyes pass over us, I can’t help but look for the flash of evil, as if I’d be able to pick it up in her stare. But I see nothing. In fact, as I observe her closely, I can’t see anything behind her eyes. It’s as if no one’s home, the gaze so blank.

The judge begins speaking again, talking about the original trial, going over time served and reviewing Joan’s original sentence. Now that I know the whole story first-hand from Indigo, it strikes me as grossly unfair and outrageous that this woman was only sentenced to five years. It makes me insanely grateful that Indigo has the chance to put her a way for a few more. Anything helps.

The judge then announces that there will be a speaker today who will give a statement. The buzz in the room, especially from the cameras seems to skyrocket. Indigo’s mom and Sabrina reach out to each other to clasp hands, and I start getting restless, wishing there was more I could do than just sit here and observe. Just sit here while the love of my life has to come face to face with a person she never wanted to see again.

But I know that sitting here is exactly what Indigo needs me to do.

But fuck if I’m not uncomfortable doing it. One of my legs is jumping up and down and my hands can’t decide what they hell
they
want to do. I don’t think I’ve ever been so worked up in my life.

But when the door quietly opens, and Indigo slips inside, her letter clasped in her hands, I school my face into one of absolute calm. Her eyes find me immediately, and I try to convey through just a stare, my utter love and devotion for her. After pausing for a second by the doorway she starts walking slowly to the front of the room. Cameras are flashing, videos rolling, as all eyes watch the beautiful girl make her way to the podium set in the front of the room.

I’m so unbelievably honored and amazed that I am the one who gets to love her, that I’m the one she needs. She looks incredible, but nervous, her cheeks pink and her eyes vibrant, so full of life next to the haggard psychopath that imprisoned her those few years ago.

I hold my breath as she takes her place behind the podium, and gathers herself by flattening out the letter. There are a few moments of pause, in which I know she’s gathering her courage. A small hand reaches out to tuck a few stray hands behind her ear. The movement draws attention to her scar, as if she wants the audience to see it. There’s no sadness in her eyes, just determination.