Lana’s lungs emptied, the wind knocked out of her. Heathcliff sat up in his seat, and everyone in the room was stunned, eyebrows raised, as confused glances were exchanged throughout the courtroom. Judge Hartwell then turned his gaze to Kim.
“Do you understand that if I accept your plea under the First Offender Act, you will not be convicted of the crime of which you are accused, but any violation of the terms and conditions of your sentence can and will result in a resentencing up to themaximum sentence allowed by law?” he asked her in a single breath.
Not convicted?Lana saw white dots cross her eyelids and thought she would fall flat on her face at any moment. The room started spinning around her, and she couldn’t breathe, not believing what was happening right in front of her very eyes.
“I understand, your honor,” Kim chirped, as if she were answering a Miss U.S.A. pageant question.
“And are you also aware, you are giving up the right to appeal whatever your sentence may be, and that these charges will become a part of your permanent record and cannot and will not be expunged?”
Kayden rose slowly, and Maureen got up and stood next to him.
“Sit down,” she whispered, her eyes the size of saucers.
Lana’s mouth hung open, her eyes filled with terror. She couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t accept it.
“Six months!” Lana bellowed from her seat, having an out-of-body experience.
Kayden looked down at her for a moment, and Maureen pulled him down to sit.
“Order in my court!” Judge Hartwell yelled, banging his gavel.
“Please tell me you’re gonna throw this out?” Lana continued from her seat.
Sam started to get up, but Carmen held his arm, shook her head side to side, and stopped him.
“Six months? This woman tried to take our lives and caused me to lose our unborn child!” She shrieked.
Lana couldn’t contain the emotions coursing through her, unable to control what came out of her mouth as the onlookers watched in pity. Kayden sat back down, now wrapping his arm around her. Kim turned to Lana then, her eyes landing on Lana’sstomach and back up to her face.What was that look? Regret? Guilt? Remorse?Whatever it was, it didn’t matter.
“Please don’t do this,” she sobbed, pleading with the Judge, clutching the bench in front of her to stop from toppling over.
Veronica and Rupert stood beside her now, anger on their faces, trying to calm her down.
“Ms. McKenzie, please contain yourself, or I’ll have you removed from the courtroom,” the Judge demanded.
Lana looked at him, her face somber, defeated.
“No need, your Honor. I’ll see myself out,” she replied so quietly it sounded like a whisper in the silent room.
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Kayden soothed, leading her away, “This is bullshit. And you’re fired!” He directed towards their lawyer.
Lana locked eyes with Kim once more, stood, then walked out of the courtroom with Kayden, followed by Veronica and Rupert. She couldn’t believe what had just happened and needed to get as far away from the courthouse as possible before she got herself arrested.
LANA AND KAYDENpushedthrough the barrage of reporters and flashing cameras and shielded their faces from them as best as they could. There wasn’t an ounce of patience in her body for answering questions, and she just wanted to get back to Paula’s to have a good cry and sleep the hellish morning away. Paula, Sam, and Taylor were right behind her when Paula stopped to answer questions from the press. Lana and Kayden got into the waiting SUV first, and Veronica and Rupert got in with them. Lana broke down on her mother’s shoulder as Vincent and Kayden held onto each of her hands.
“How is this possible?” Lana wailed, soaking and ruining her mother’s blouse with tears and mascara.
“I don’t understand,” Kayden replied, “What the hell is the First Offender law?”
“And how could your lawyer accept it without you knowing beforehand?” Rupert added, confused.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure as shit, gonna find out,” Kayden replied.
“It’s not fair! Six months of probation for trying to kill two people? It makes no sense. How can the Judge think that’s fair to us?” she bawled.
“I don’t know,” he replied, his face twisted in anguish.
“Is that all you have to say?” she yelled.
