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“I am, Your Honor,” Repo said, standing from his seat. “I’m the father of her baby and her soon to be husband. I’m also the luckiest fucker in the world.” Repo heard the lawyer’s moan and Cat’s giggle and he couldn’t hide his smile. He was never one to mince words and he wouldn’t start now.
The judge grunted and nodded. “You seem like a pretty good judge of character,” he said. “Do you feel like she’s changed since you’ve met her?”
Repo looked over at Cat and smiled, even giving her a wink to let her know that he had this. “Yes and no,” he admitted. Her lawyer groaned again and the judge shushed him. “She’s feisty and fiery as hell, just like the day we met. I’m her bail bondsman and well, I didn’t trust her to do the right thing and not run. When I found out she had been evicted from her apartment, I decided to take her home with me—worried that I’d lose my money. I fought how I felt about her. We both did actually and I’m pretty sure she all but hated me for the first two weeks we lived together. But then, something changed. She changed. You might not believe that people can do that, especially in your line of work. I’m sure you see people who say that they’ll be a different person but then they show up back in your courtroom in just a few months. You have my word that won’t be Cat’s story. I was just like Catrina Linz, Your Honor. I was living on the streets and turning tricks to stay alive. You have to do things you’d never dream of doing for food and a dry, safe place to live. I narrowly avoided your courtroom by sheer dumb luck. One day, I decided to turn my life around and make something of myself, so I did. I see that same drive in Cat’s eyes and I know she’ll be a success story if you just give her the chance to be.”
“Thank you,” the judge said to Repo. “I’m going to make my ruling now and I’ve decided to do things a little differently than I normally do. First, Catrina Linz, you will be on probation for the term of one year and you will also pay a one-thousand dollar fine for appearing in my courtroom and taking up my time.”
“Yes, Your Honor, thank you,” she said.
“I’m not finished,” the judge interrupted. “I want you to go to see a therapist as part of your probation. I think it would do you good to work out some of your past issues and help you find a healthy way forward—especially given your circumstances of becoming a mother and wife so quickly after leaving your old life behind.” Cat nodded.
“Good,” the judge said. “One last thing and this involves your fiancé. If I might be so bold to ask, I’d like to be the one you let marry you today. It will save you time in the Clerk’s office and give me great pleasure to see you both find some happiness. I have a feeling that if anyone deserves it, you two do. How about it?” Cat looked back at him and smiled and Repo knew her answer. He could see it in her beautiful blue eyes.
“Yes,” they both said in unison. Repo wasn’t sure how but in just a few short minutes he had gotten everything he wanted.
“Perfect,” the judge said. “Now, if you’d both approach the bench, we can get you hitched. Council, would you like to stand up for the happy couple? Bailiff, you can be the second witness, if you don’t mind.” Both men quickly agreed and Repo walked to the front of the courtroom and wrapped his arms around Cat. She was crying and looked so happy but a part of him wondered if she was happy not to be going to prison or happy to be marrying him.
“Good tears?” he asked. She nodded and wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve and Repo was pretty sure it was the cutest damn thing he’d ever seen.
“All I seem to do is cry now,” she whispered. “Must be the hormones.”
“You sure you want to get married today?” he asked. “If this is all too much, just say the word and we’ll wait until you’re ready.”
Cat suddenly seemed unsure of herself. “Have you changed your mind, Repo?” she asked.
He pushed back a strand of her long blond hair and ran his thumb down her cheek. “Never,” he breathed. “I want you Cat—I want you both.”
“Then, let’s get hitched,” she whispered, repeating the judge’s words. Repo took her hand into his and stood with her at the front of the courthouse. They stood side by side as they said their vows to love, honor, and cherish each other for the rest of their lives and he could see all the promises she wasn’t saying out loud, shining back at him in her beautiful blue eyes. Cat would be his future, his love, and his whole world. She possessed him body, mind, and soul and that was just fine by him.
