Her emotions have been crazy lately. She cried for hours once she got the papers, knowing she had to go back there. I made Taylor take her for a day at the spa and called Luca.
“Not yet, man, I am doing my best.”
“What about Josie?”
“She hasn't done anything with Frank's but if I was looking for Frank I think his sister might be the place to start. Have either have you talked to her?”
“No.”
“Well that might be a place to start. If she can give you any information it would be helpful. If I find anything else out I'll let you know and you do the same.”
“Cya.”
Trevor sits down across from me at the table and sighs. The longer we have all lived together, he and Taylor have gotten closer and I don't think he likes the idea of her being back there any more than I do.
“The police have said they would keep an eye on everything the whole time we are there,” Trevor says.
“I am starting to think they could care less if they are found or not. I don't want her going back there,” I say balling my hands into fists.
If the police had done their job the first time none of us would be going through this.
“I know, man, but if she doesn't go then he could get out and we both know that is not what we want to happen,” Trevor says.
“Luca wants me to call Josie,” I add.
Trevor shrugs his shoulders knowing how bad I want nothing to do with her either. It seems like since we got the papers things have been nothing but one pile of shit after the other.
“Fucking hell,” I say.
I look through my phone and find the number she called from and hit call. Maybe she will be more useful now than she was when Joslynn was a kid. If she is serious about wanting to know how Joslynn is she will do something to help her.
“Hello?”
“Josie?”
“Yes, Marshall? Is everything okay?”
“No. As much as I want nothing to do with you, I need your help.”
“Uhm. Okay?”
“You're Frank's sister correct?”
“Yes?” I hear the question in her voice.
Asking her for help tastes like venom on my lips. I grit my teeth and take a deep breath.
“He and his friend, Tank, helped Joslynn's father try to kill us. Joslynn got papers yesterday that she has to go to court and testify against him and I don't want her anywhere in that state until both of them are behind bars along with Nick.”
I hear her gasp saying nothing for a few seconds. The longer she is quiet the longer I wonder if maybe she had a hand in helping Nick.
“Frank helped Nick? He hated Nick for what he did to us. It's part of the reason he gave her the job at his restaurant. He said in his own way he was taking care of her.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Our parents have a house in Ohio he could be there. They passed away a few years ago and left the house to both of us.”
“Thanks. Why did you buy Frank's?”
The question has nothing to do with why I called her but I can't decide if I trust her or not. It all feels so strange that she would try to come back around now.
“My parents bought it for him. He was always so spoiled. He called me when he planned to sell it and said he needed some money. He couldn't tell me why but he knew I always wanted to open my own dessert shop. So he called and offered it to me. I couldn't say no.”
“Alright. Thanks.”
“Marshall?”
“What?”
“I used to go into Frank's all the time just so I could see her. He used to call me and tell me about her. About how beautiful she was and how much she looked like me. Nick used to be so good to her before I left. She was Daddy's baby. He was always holding her and telling her how much he loved her. But he was a drunk and when he drank he was a totally different person than he was when he was sober. He used to beat me. I had to get out. I packed our bags one day when he was at work and he got off early. He told me he refused to live without both of his girls. He used to love her so much I thought we would both be safe if I left her with him.”
“You might have been but she wasn't, Josie. He blamed her. I remember one day she ran outside crying after one of his drunken nights and he told her that she was the reason he lost everything. He used to always tell her how much he hated her and wished she was dead.”
Josie starts to cry and say sorry. I hang up the phone and tell Trevor everything. Taylor and Joslynn walk through the door laughing. I put on my fake smile and stand to kiss my beautiful wife.
“Hey, baby, how was the spa?”
“She ate the cucumbers,” Taylor says laughing.
“They left the whole bowl right beside me, I was hungry,” she says pouting.
Trevor and I bust out laughing. I may not know anything about a spa day but the look on Joslynn's face is one of the sexiest things I have ever seen.
“Are you hungry, sis?” Trevor asks once he catches his breath.
“She shouldn't be! I thought the lady was going to pee herself laughing when she came in to find the bowl empty. Joslynn cried she felt so bad,” Taylor says.
Joslynn sticks her tongue out and stomps to our room leaving us all in the kitchen holding our stomachs laughing.
“I'm going to go call Luca,” Trevor says.
Once he's out of the room Taylor grabs my arm and nods to the table.
“Sit for a second.”
“What's up?”
“Have you noticed your wife's emotions lately?”
I sit back in the chair and nod. She cries at the smallest things like pound commercials and being out of milk.
“She needs to take a test, Marshall.”
“Test for what?” Joslynn asks walking back into the kitchen.
Taylor and I jump at the sound of her voice.
“Sit for a second, baby.”
“I am going to go see what Trevor is doing,” Taylor says.
Joslynn sits down beside me looking confused.
“Baby, uhm.” I am at a loss for words.
What am I supposed to say to my emotional wife? ‘Uh, baby, you're crying a lot lately piss on this stick, please?’
“Marshall, what is it? You're scaring me.”
“Baby, when was your last, uh, last period?”
Joslynn looks at me confused for a few seconds before her eyes fill with tears, and I know I don't need to say anything else.
Chapter Thirteen
Joslynn
I sit on the side of the bathtub with my heart beating way too fast. The test says to wait three minutes before looking. It has been thirteen Mississippi's and I am about to vomit waiting. I can hear Marshall pacing the floor on the other side of the door.
I told him when he heard me scream he could come through the door.
I finally stand and inch my way towards the test, my heart in my throat. Marshall wouldn't leave the store until we bought one of the tests that would say yes or no across the small screen. I stand above the test with my eyes shut and count to fifty.
When I open my eyes the answer on the test is the one answer I am not sure if I want to dance, cry or scream about.
“MARSHALL!” I yell.
He busts in the door like the house is on fire and runs to my side looking at the test. He stands looking at it for a second before he picks me up and swings me around the small bathroom kissing every inch of my face.
“We are going to be parents... FUCK ME, WE ARE HAVING A BABY!” He yells.
Taylor and Trevor both run into the small bathroom and look at the test. Taylor turns to me tears running down her face and a huge smile.
“I am going to be an aunt! OH, MY GOSH! A BABY! We have so much to do! We need to baby proof the house. We need gates and those things to go in the plugs in the walls and oh, we need some of those things so he or she can't open the cabinets.”
“Take a breath, Aunt Taylor, we just saw the test,” Trevor says turning his head wi
ping the tears from his face.
“Are you crying?” She asks laughing.
“It's not tears it's the awful smell in this bathroom,” he says wiping his eyes again and walking out.
Taylor squeals again and dances around the bathroom kissing our cheeks and running out.
“If my son comes out with gunk on his arms I am going to kick your ass,” I say walking to the bedroom.
Marshall laughs following me, sitting on the bed beside me and kissing me on the cheek.
“How do you feel about this?”
“I am going to be the best damn mom this baby has ever seen,” I say smiling.
“Hell yeah you are,” he says and leans in kissing my cheek again.
“We are going to be parents,” I say.
Marshall wraps me in a hug and lies back on the bed with me in his arms. I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat.
***
Being back in Alabama has my nerves on edge. I pace the small waiting area outside the courtroom while waiting for my turn to speak about everything that happened with my father. Marshall sits beside me gritting his teeth at the thought of me being in the same room with my father again. We asked to stay in here until I had to speak and also for permission to be able to leave the court room right after my testimony.
Taylor and Trevor are in the courtroom waiting. Marshall asked Luca to come and stand outside to make sure Tank and Frank are nowhere around. My nerves are on edge as we wait our turn.
“Baby, sit.”
“I can't. I don't want to be here. I don't want to do this. Can't we just go home?”
“It's going to be okay just answer the questions and keep your eyes on me.”
“Mrs. Andrews?”
I jump at the sound of my name and look to the lady standing in the doorway. She has her hair up in a tight bun and her glasses are low on her nose. She motions for me to follow her and walks out the door. I take a deep breath and kiss Marshall and then follow her out of the room. I keep my eyes on the floor the whole time until I am sitting down and I find Marshall. He is sitting with Trevor and Taylor. He looks to me and then to my father.
They ask many of the same questions I have been asked time and time again. I answer each one of them the same way I did the time before. My father deserved to sit in prison and rot and if my testimony had anything to do with it I wanted them to know exactly how horrible he was to me.
“Thank you, Mrs. Andrews, you may step down now.”
I nod my head and walk down the aisle past my father and sit by Taylor. They ask Marshall much of the same questions and soon he is sitting beside me.
“Do you want to leave now?” He whispers.
“No, I want to be here when they read the verdict.”
“Okay.”
He leans in and kisses my cheek wrapping my hand in his. Taylor holds my other hand and a small smile comes to my face when I see Trevor has her other hand. Taylor has been an amazing friend and in a small way she has been through just as much as I have. She and Trevor together is just the thing I think she needs.
We all rise as the judge walks in and the verdict is handed over. I hold my breath and wait.
“We, the jury, find the defendant Nick Michael Nethers guilty.”
I can't help but cry as the verdict is read and feel like I have won the world cup. My father will spend the rest of his life in prison never able to hurt me or my child again. I wrap my arms around Marshall and bury my face in his chest and continue to cry.
“Come on, baby, let's get out of here,” he says rubbing my back.
Marshall grabs my hand and leads me down the aisle and then I see her sitting in the back of the room watching me. I feel my anger rise and I ball my hands in fist. I don't want to hear anything she has to say- none of her excuses, none of her apologies.
We make it to the door and she stands.
“Jos...Oh, my gosh, Joslynn.”
When I look at her, I see what my father meant by me looking just like her. She's beautiful.
“Don't,” I say and shake my head.
I look to Marshall and open the door and walk out. When I look behind me, I see her walk out the door behind Taylor and watch me walk out. Because of her, I lived through hell. A hell that she just heard all about. She now knows everything that my father ever did to me from my childhood to present.
Luca meets us at the door and waits with us while Marshall runs to grab the car.
“Well?” He asks.
“He won't be getting out...Ever,” I say and smile.
“Great. And Frank and Tank? Did Josie give any ideas as to where they were?” He asks.
I look to Trevor and wait. He's looking at Luca like he could rip his heart out.
“What is he talking about? Why would she know where they are?” I question.
“Oh shit,” Luca says.
“What's going on, Trevor?” Taylor asks.
She is just as confused as I am. Marshall walks up the stairs his smile falling as soon as he sees the look on my face. “What's wrong?”
“What's wrong?”
“Why don't you ask your fucking friend who seems to have all the answers!” I exclaim.
I walk to the car and slam the door. He is keeping shit from me. Things that I deserve to know. Taylor soon joins me in the car and sighs.
“You okay?”
“I just want to go home.”
“Joslynn, you don't know what's going on, so find out before you blow up.”
Marshall and Trevor get in the car neither of them saying a word. I buckle my seatbelt and wait.
“Ba...”
I throw my hand up to stop him.
“Crank the fucking car and drive me to the hotel.”
He nods his head and cranks the car. Smart man.
Chapter Fourteen
Marshall
The drive back to Georgia is long. Joslynn refuses to speak to anyone. I know I should have told her everything, but I thought her knowing who Josie was, nothing else about her would be a safe topic. As soon as we make it home, she goes straight to the bathroom and locks the door.
When she enters the kitchen, I take a deep breath and make sure nothing sharp is within reaching distance.
“Joslynn, sit down.”
She takes a deep breath and sits down beside me.
“Listen, I know there are things I should have told you but after I told you who she was I kind of thought the topic was off limits.”
“It is,” she sighs. “These damn emotions are so confusing. One second I want to hurt you and the next I want to fuck your brains out,” she says blushing.
Taylor and Trevor both laugh.
“Do you want to know it all now?” I ask once the laughing stops.
“I only want the major things. None of the excuses, Marshall.”
I nod and grab her hand. Trevor and Taylor start to leave the room and I hold up my other hand to stop them. This is something I want them both to hear so we can get all the questions out of the way at one time.
“Okay, Josie bought Frank's as soon as it went on the market so I had Luca check out who she was and found out that...she is Frank's sister.”
“He's my fucking uncle?”
“He gave you the job when you applied because he knew who you were and he wanted to make sure you were okay. I don't know how your father got to him or why he decided to help but I called Luca to see if he could find them before we went back to Alabama. I didn't want you going back there not knowing where they were. Luca couldn't find shit on them so he told me to call and see if she could give is any insight as to where they might be.”
Joslynn wipes the tears and takes a deep breath. Seems like there has been a lot of both going on recently.
“And did she?”
“She said he has a house in Ohio. Trevor called him back to let him know but it was the same night we found out you were pregnant so after that I know nothing, baby.”
She looks to Trevor and waits. T
revor takes a deep breath as the spotlight is shifted to him.
Forgive Me (Say Something Book 2) Page 5
