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“There’s nothing any of you can do now. We have to wait until tomorrow to find out if he makes bail. In the meantime, I suggest you all get some rest. The arraignment will be held at nine in the morning at the courthouse.” Jenson turns abruptly and walks off.
We all say our goodbyes, agreeing to meet at the courthouse in the morning. I feel numb as I slide into the back of Chris’ car as he drives us back to Sarah’s. The trip is silent and filled with tension. I remain stoic the entire car ride as I try to keep my calm façade. We arrive at the house, and Sarah puts her arm around me, walking me to the sofa.
“Lie down, and I’ll make you a cup of cocoa.”
Leaning back, I take the blanket from the back of the sofa and place it over my legs. I hear Chris and Sarah talking in the kitchen, but I can’t really understand them.
My eyes feel heavy as the emotion of the day exhausts me, and welcomed sleep invades.
“Sweetie, it’s time to get up,” Sarah softly coos. I sit and make my way to the bathroom still wearing the clothes from yesterday. I fix my hair and wander into the kitchen.
“Would you like some toast?” Chris asks as he pours me a coffee.
“No thanks,” I mumble as I sit at the table.
“You should eat something. You didn’t have lunch or dinner yesterday. You need to keep up your strength,” Sarah tells me.
The thought of food unsettles my stomach. I know I’m trying to keep a cool, calm head in this, but food is something that doesn’t sit right with me at the moment. “Coffee will do, thanks.”
Chris hands it to me with a sympathetic look in his eyes. I sit at the table sipping on my coffee staring into nothingness as I feel my life tearing apart.
Aiden, my Aiden, is being held for a crime he may not have committed, while I sit here contemplating nothing. My head’s empty except for this persistent fuzziness that spins endlessly, causing me to constantly feel nauseous while an overwhelming sense of guilt flows over me.
I’m confused.
I love him, but do I trust that he didn’t do this?
Is that even possible to love someone and not trust them?
Honestly, I have no idea.
All I want is for yesterday to rewind and to somehow not exist, and for everything to go back to normal. But that’s not going to happen, is it? So, I have to get my head straight and get on with it.
We later head to the courthouse, and everyone’s waiting outside—everyone except for Niall.
Callie hugs me. “Oh, Jeni, you look pale. Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” I lie.
However, she must realize I’m anything but as she wraps her arm around my shoulders and walks with me into the courthouse. We take a seat on the benches in the courtroom where Aiden is set to appear. A door opens, Jenson and Aiden step through. He’s still in handcuffs as he’s escorted to the bench by an officer of the court. He looks directly at me, his eyes full of something—could that be defeat?
My heart breaks into tiny slivers. I never knew my world could be like this. A world where I had the man of my dreams, but then he would somehow be on trial and could possibly go away for a long period of time. My heart hammers in my chest as my stomach swirls in the uncertainty that today will bring for him and me. I’m here for him, of course, I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I hope that, in the end, it’s a good outcome. An outcome we can all be happy with.
The bailiff calls out, “All rise.”
The judge walks in, we stand as he enters, and he then sits.
“Be seated,” the bailiff states.
The judge steadies his shoulders and addresses the room. “We are here today for the arraignment of Aiden O’Connell. The Court advises that this arraignment is to inform you of the official charge and to allow you to enter a plea in response to these charges. There are three possible pleas… guilty, not guilty, and no contest…”
A whole pile of words are said by the judge, most of which I don’t understand or even hear, then he states, “A jury will be chosen to determine guilt or innocence where, if found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, you can be sentenced up to a maximum of ten years imprisonment.” Then the judge looks up and says, “Does everyone understand the terms of this arraignment?”
I hold in a silent gasp at the mention of ten years imprisonment. If I lost Aiden for ten years, I’m not sure I could bear it. To be honest, I can hardly stand the fact of being away from him for one night.
“Yes, Your Honor,” Jenson answers on behalf of Aiden.
“Then, let’s begin.” Aiden and Jenson stand. “Aiden O’Connell, on the charges of embezzlement of the sum of ten million dollars. How do you plea?”
