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“She’s my paternal aunt,” I say woodenly. Suzanna’s smiling at me from the pews, but I ignore her.
“And are you close with her?”
“Not particularly, no. I haven’t spoken to her in years.”
The lawyer hums. “Yet, you currently watch her children, correct?”
“I watch Mr. Ledderman’s children,” I say flatly, and the lawyer checks her notes.
“Monday through Friday, six in the morning until six at night, is that correct?”
“Yes.” She isn’t asking anything particularly wild, at least not yet, but I'm wary.
“When does Mr. Ledderman spend time with his children?”
“Every moment that he’s not at work,” I say confidently. I look over at Derek but he’s looking down at his hands.
“And you’ve seen this?”
“Well, sometimes. I usually go home or make myself scarce so that they have time together, but he’s taken mornings and full days off to spend with them. He’s wonderful with the kids.”
The questioning goes on, but she never asks if I have an appropriate relationship with my employer the way that Brett said she might.
I let out a long breath of relief leaving the courtroom. I don’t know how the case will pan out, but I’ve done my part.
I know that I should go home, wait to hear the results from Derek himself, but instead, I hang around in the parking garage near my car. I want to make sure he’s okay, no matter how it went.
I see him coming around the corner, loosening his tie with a thunderous expression on his face, and suddenly I’m afraid. What if everything did go wrong? What if he blames me for it? What if I’m fired now?
“Kenna?” Derek frowns, squinting at me in the dark of the parking garage.
I clear my throat and step out from behind one of the pillars. “I wasn’t stalking you; just was curious as to how things went.”
“They went great,” he admits, breaking into a big smile. “You helped me out so much back there, Kenna, I don’t know what to do to repay you.”
My shoulders slump in relief. I didn’t realize how worried I was about it until I heard it turned out fine.
“You don’t have to do anything to repay me,” I say simply. “I just told the truth.”
“You didn’t have to help me,” Derek murmurs, walking closer. “Especially after what happened, and I’m so grateful.”
I look up at him, slightly nervous that he’s so close. Usually, when Derek gets this close, something happens.
“I didn’t have to help you, but those kids love you, Derek. You’re what’s best for them, not my aunt.”
“I was worried you’d testify for her.”
My face goes blank as I try not to be angry. I can’t believe he would think that I’d choose to testify for her after the time I spent working for him, being with him and the kids.
I’m suddenly not feeling very well, the world tilting slightly on its axis, and I start to walk back toward my car.
Derek grabs my wrist, turning me around and pulling me to him.
I gasp, looking up into his eyes but before I can speak, he leans down to kiss me. It isn’t hungry or searching like it has been before, but somehow just sweet, like a reward.
It almost feels like goodbye.
He pulls away slowly. “You’ll be available to start work again on Monday?” he asks.
