“You’ll need to go back to your cell until you’re processed out,” Alesha reminds me.
“I’ll be here when you’re done,” Jeny tells me, smiling that beautiful smile she only gives me.
“Thank you.”
It’s lame, but I feel like something’s caught in my throat. She rented us a house, because she knew I’d need one. That means she has to move out of the C&C apartments, and leave her friends. I know it’s not forever, but it still feels like it is. Like this is the real beginning for us.
* * *
J enysis
After Wayne was led out of the courtroom, his lawyer took me over to the clerk so I could give our new address to the court. It’s been two hours since I did that, and I’m going a little crazy right now. Knowing Wayne is so close to me, yet I can’t touch him, or kiss him…it’s, well, I won’t say torture…but it’s hard. I’ve never been able to not touch him if I wanted to, because even back when I wouldn’t admit things were serious, I always knew he was mine. And I was his.
“They’re about to bring him out,” Alesha tells me.
My gut reaction is that I like this woman, his lawyer. She seems to genuinely want to help him, and she’s friends with Stella and Tegan, so there’s that. Wayne needs someone to believe in him when they’re defending him in court, and I really believe that she does.
I stand, running my hands down my shorts to smooth them out. I took a lot of care with my appearance on the plane, not because Wayne cares how I look, but because the press will. It’s important for me to look like nothing’s wrong when I walk out of here with him, because between us, things are the same as they were before the police came to that hotel room door.
Wayne isn’t smiling when the guards lead him out. His jaw is clenched, and my own smile falters a little, wondering what happened to him since the courtroom. He doesn’t even try to touch me when he approaches us, and I’m starting to get a little worried.
We both listen as Alesha gives us instructions about what he can, and can’t do, without permission. He nods as I try to catch his eye, but fail. He flinches when I take his hand, but doesn’t pull away. At least I can be thankful for that.
“I’ve arranged for us to leave by the back door,” Alesha says, startling me.
“We’re not going to go out front?”
“The press is out front.”
“Exactly. Wayne has nothing to be ashamed of. We should be walking out there, and showing them that.”
“He needs to have a prepared statement.”
“No. He needs to be sincere, and not rehearsed.”
“I’m afraid we’re going to have to disagree, but ultimately, it’s up to Wayne. What do you think?”
He looks between us, and then nods at her. “Alesha knows best about these things. We’ll go out the back.”
I pull my hand away, and when he doesn’t stop me, I fight to remain calm. I remind myself that he’s going through something horrible, and that he needs my support. “Let’s go, then.”
Once outside, we get into the car Alesha arranged for us. “I’m just going to check out your place, and then I’ll leave the two of you alone.”
Wayne thanks her again for everything, but I don’t say anything. I’m trying not to be petty, but I’ve never had another woman besides Tegan come before me to him. And even with her, he once told her he’d choose me before her. While I understand he needs Alesha in court, he’s just taken her side over me, and I don’t like it.
I texted the management company for our house on the drive over, and a representative is at the gates, opening them for us when we pull up. After we’ve parked in the circular driveway, we all get out to greet him. And yeah, Wayne holds the door for Alesha while the driver gets my door. Maybe this whole thing is a bad idea; not just the living together, but all of it.
I talk to the property manager, and get the keys while they go inside and look around. I only saw pictures of this place,