“He’ll hurt her,” she says. “Maybe not now, maybe not yet, but eventually, he’ll hurt her the same way he hurts me.”
“We won’t let that happen, okay?” I gather up my purse and Tara grabs hers. Then we walk together into the courthouse to meet Tara’s public defender, a nice, middle-aged lady with glasses and short, no-bullshit hair.
Tara is quiet, probably too nervous to speak again, and the three of us are escorted to the second floor, where the case will be held. Kasper is nowhere to be seen, which is just fine with me.
“Wait here,” the frizzy-haired receptionist says, pointing at an empty bench right outside the door. “The bailiff will come when they’re ready for you.”
* * *
Kasper’s eyesare on my back as I walk with Tara and her attorney out of the courtroom an hour later, and it takes everything I have in my power not to flinch, not to cower down or sink into the floor just to escape him.
Tara is keeping it together better than I am, I think, but once we’re safely out of view and in the privacy of a quiet room, she begins to cry. Her attorney has already left with promises to contact her within the next day or so, so I set my briefcase down and lead Tara to a chair, where she sits and cries some more. I don’t know what else to do, so I wrap my arms around her and hold tight, fighting to give even an ounce of comfort to this poor, terrified woman.
“You’re so brave,” I murmur. “So, so brave, Tara. You did the right thing, I promise.”
“Then why do I feel so bad?” she asks, shaking her head. “Why do I feel like I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life?”
“Fear,” I tell her. “You’re afraid of him, Tara, as you should be. But that doesn’t mean you didn’t do the right thing. I promise. Just think of Maddy, okay? You told the judge the truth, and now it’s out there. The hard part is over.”
“Right. Yes.” Tara clears her throat and takes a deep breath, meeting my eyes. “What now?”
“If you can handle one more night at the shelter, I have an apartment lined up for you and Madison. Even a job for you if you want it.” Pulling out my cell phone, I unlock the screen and pull up my old client Tracy’s number. “I’ve already spoken with her. It’s a childcare position, so you can take Maddy with you while you get your life together and search for something more. I figured you’d want to be as close to Maddy as possible for a while.”
Tara nods and swallows a lump in her throat, then, catching me off guard, she steps forward and hugs me tight. “Thank you, Jami. Thank you for everything. I could not have done this without you.”
“You already did,” I murmur. “And this is going to be huge for you, okay? Just hang in there for a few more days. But for now, just keep your head low and stay safe.”
Tara nods, swallowing her fear, and then grabs my hand. “Will he know where to find us?”
“No,” I say firmly. “Not unless someone tells him, and only a handful of trustworthy people will know, okay? You’ll be safe.”
16
ELY
Jami stumbles through my front door that night around nine. Exhaustion tugs at her eyelids, and her usual immaculate hair is falling out of the bun she wears, sending stray hairs this way and that. She kicks off her shoes by the door–the heels that she hates but wears to court because they make her look taller–then she crosses the living room and into the kitchen to fall into my arms, her body melting into mine. We’ve been spending nights at my place, probably because it’s twice the size of Jami’s apartment, and I don’t mind. It’s been a long time since this house has felt like home … A home where laughter once hung in the air, where love was given in abundance, and the warmth of a family spread through the hallways.
“I made dinner,” I whisper, nuzzling her neck. “Garlic parmesan risotto, your favorite.”
“God, how did I get so lucky?” Jami sighs into my shirt, then kisses my chin, then my neck.
“How was court today? I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for support.” I release Jami and turn her around to take the jacket from her shoulders. She sighs heavily and plops down at the dining room table, slumped over in exhaustion.
“It was about as expected,” she says, rubbing her face with one hand. I get a wine glass from the cupboard and pour her a glass, then set it in front of her. She takes it gratefully and presses it to plump red lips. “Tara is still scared, of course, especially after seeing Kasper today.”
“Did he try and speak to you guys?”
“No, but he’s an intimidating guy. She has a right to be scared.”
I dish up some risotto and chicken for Jami and me, then serve dinner and sit down across from her. Jami digs in eagerly. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the first time she’s eaten all day.
“This is amazing,” she says, closing her eyes to inhale the steaming food. She sets her fork down and reaches across the table for my hand, her warm skin like silk against my own. “Where have you been all my life?”
“Waiting for you, it seems,” I say with a grin, and Jami laughs.
“Knowing that I’d be coming home to you after work today made it that much more bearable,” she says. “Not even Kasper Hill can bring me down and keep me there.”
“I know I’m not the only one to say this, but if Kasper Hill even looks at you sideways, I want you to tell me. I don’t trust the guy, especially now that he knows you’re very much involved in this whole thing.”
