Thirty-Four

I was sitting on the sidewalk with my head in my hands. I was desperate to get him out. He told me to go to Uncle Chris. A few minutes later my father called me dragging my thoughts momentarily away from my despair about Ryan being taken away.

"Hey pumpkin!" He exclaimed before I even said anything.

"What has you so excited?" I asked trying to sound normal.

"Didn't you hear? The guy who kidnapped you is at the police station. He'll be coming into my courtroom for his prelim. in a week." He sounded giddy. Of course he was he could give Ryan the harshest punishment out there.

"How do you know he's the one who kidnapped me?" I was trying not to get mad but I was already a nervous wreck that Ryan was arrested.

"He admitted it. He's in the interrogation room now."

I sigh and hold back the tears. Why would he admit it? Why would this happen now? Is this what Pat was talking to him about? Did she give him an ultimatum? "Okay. Well I need to go Dad. I brought some manuscripts home for the weekend I wanted to do. "

"I love you. I'll let you know the time his prelim is. I want you there. " He says like I never come to any of his trials no matter how small.

I hung up on my father quickly going through my contacts. It would be just like Ryan to put his Uncle's number in my phone when I was sleeping.

I chuckle lightly as a few tears fell down my face. Of course he would have put him under Uncle Chris. Why wouldn't he. I felt my heart breaking.

"Hello?" I hear Uncle Chris on the other end of the line.

"Uncle Chris, he's been arrested."

"When?" I heard him breathe in quickly in shock. He got up grabbing his keys.

"Five minutes ago. I would have called sooner but my father called then I had to find your contact."

"Where are you?"

"I'm still home."

"Send me your address. I'm on the way to you." He hung up and i sent him the address. I felt a little relaxed. I knew everything was going to be okay. I clean up the apartment while I wait. Once it hit the forty-five minute mark my doorbell rings. I run to the front door and am relieved when it's Uncle Chris.

He walks in hurriedly and I shut the door following him to the kitchen.

"Did your friend or therapist turn him in?"

"I asked the police officer. He said it was Meghan Blanch."

"The one you punched?"

"Yeah, I guess, I don't know her name. I swear I'm going to kill her." I was gritting my teeth and I could feel that my eyes were still swollen.

I feel strong arms wrap around me hugging me tight. "No one is going to believe you. You have to get her to admit it." He says regretfully.

"Fine. I'll do it Uncle Chris. I just want him with me." I knew what this was going to take I just hope that everyone would believe me.

"Of course you do. That's what love is. I'm surprised it's taken you this long to finally admit your feelings for him. Anyone with half a brain could see how you two were with each other when you were still his captive. I am sorry though he was so rough with you."

I laugh out loud quickly and break into tears. "What are we going to do?"

"How do you want to do this? It's up to you on how you wanna get her confession and then punish her. Also how you want to get him out."

"I'll try talking to my father first about getting him out. But Meghan... I need a party. I don't care when. I want a party. I need a wire and a camera."

"I think you were meant for this life."

"Well thank you." I say and bow gracefully while the tears streamed down my face. I had to stay calm enough to do this for him.

"I'll get word out about a party and you deal with your father."

"Okay. Thank you."

"He's lucky that you're Judge Carsons daughter. If not he'd be in jail with no way out of prison."

"He still might be stuck in prison because I am the judges' daughter." I said forlornly.

Uncle Chris gives me another quick hug and leaves me by myself. I run to my room and grab my things so I can run over to my parents house. I had to convince my Dad not to prosecute him or let him off. I wasn't sure how to do that.

I lock my apartment door behind me and hail a taxi, blurting out my parents address as I rifle through my purse for some cash. Thank god I still have that fifty. The ride was silent and I was hoping I didn't make my driver anxious by the tension radiating off of me. I really hoped my father would see how I felt about Ryan and give him a lesser sentence or let him off completely.

"Ma'am? That'll be fifteen dollars and forty- two cents."

I hand him the fifty and wait while he gives me back my change. I hand him a five for a tip because he did hurry over and I felt bad because it had to be because he felt how much of a rush I was in. I step out of the cab and walk into my parents house.

"Honey. Hey." My mother envelops me in a hug. A few minutes later my father walks into the living room and looks shocked.

"Hey sweetheart. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I need to talk to you though, Dad. Alone?"

"We don't keep secrets in this family. Sit down." He pats the couch next to him and I politely refuse saying I'd rather stand up.

"Well, father, I've been keeping a really big secret. Pat knows and honestly, I'm still not completely sure how I feel about the way I feel about Ryan."

"What?" My mother gasps interrupting me.

"Just let me talk please." I watch as both my parents nod in understanding. I tell them everything I told Pat and how Ryan has been around since my first day of therapy. How I'm so sure of how I feel about him and I make sure to point out that Ryan saved me not once but twice. The second time because I know his whole family except for Uncle Chris wanted him to kill me. I explain that Ryan stopped blaming me for the decision he made and how I never agreed with my fathers decision. Once I was done my parents were quiet and my father looked at me in confusion.

"So you're telling me this entire time you knew who he was and that he has been staying with you?"

"Yes. Listen I know what he did to me at first was horrible. But I've forgiven him because of all the good he has done. You can't just throw him into the pen because of what he did. If the situation was reversed I would have done the same thing he did in order to get you out."

"That's the thing though he broke bones and cracked them. You had to see a therapist. Athea, you can not be serious about having any type of inkling of a feeling for him?"

"I do."

"Well, I don't think it's true and I think you may need to go to a pysch. ward due to this. He really messed up your brain."

"If I didn't really care for him do you think I would come here and tell you everything. Literally everything about what he did and how I reacted? Do you think I would be trying to do this? I want you to really think. Did I ever do this for any guy before any of this happened?"

"Well- no.." My father stammers.

"Exactly, and you told me that if it was real on how I felt then you would consider going easier on him. Plus, I'm not making any charges against him. I wouldn't have let him around if I was actually scared of him. I'm not saying he wasn't in the wrong for doing what he did but I'm saying that you shouldn't judge him too harshly on why he did what he did. Now I have to go because I need to go talk to his Uncle. Even though he has declared me as one of them I'm still someone they can't trust due to you. Someone who is their family has fucked up and she needs to admit to it. Now you seriously need to think about all of this and leave me alone until you come up with a decision."

"Athea, I've already made my decision." I stop in my tracks dread in my stomach. "I'm putting him away for assault and battery on a high profile civilian."

"Yeah, well, you've just lost your daughter." I say slamming the door behind me and calling Uncle Chris. "Can you come pick me up? I'm at the corner of Tanenbaum and sarsaparilla."