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She responds with a silent smile, a blend of gratitude and fear in her eyes, just as Marleen knocks on the door, returning with her forgotten items. Jordin unlocks the door, and when it opens, the scent of fresh flowers from a nearby arrangement lingers, and the soft hum of the air conditioner provides a counterpoint to the emotional atmosphere in the room.
Jordin seems more relaxed as our conversation with Marleen shifts back to the mundane details of bridesmaid dresses and color swatches.
Forty minutes later, we leave the store with every essential item on our list checked off. It’s warmer today than it has been all week, the afternoon sunlight filtering through the store’s windows, casting a golden glow on the bustling streets. We hug out our goodbyes and Jordin makes me promise to video chat with her tomorrow night so we can watch the latest episode of the vampire show she loves so much. We’ve done this every Thursday night since Ian doesn’t allow her to leave the house except to go to school. I admit that I didn’t really like it at first, but the truth is, I’m as hooked as she is.
Chains is waiting in the car to take me home, and as I walk away from the bridal store, I can’t shake the feeling that in the coming days, our futures will change in ways we can’t yet comprehend.
Chapter Fifty
Ipacebackandforth in the dimly lit room, the seconds ticking away like a time bomb as I try to comprehend this.
“What did you just say?” I bark into the phone, impatience seeping through each syllable as I jab my finger at the speakerphone button so Caleb could listen to our conversation.
A heavy sigh echoes through the receiver and Jim’s voice wavers. “We’ve hit a roadblock. The prosecution is raising questions about the evidence you provided. They think it’s been tampered with.”
My grip on the phone tightens. “Tampered with? That’s fucking bullshit, and you know it. No one has tampered with any of those tapes.”
“I know that, Saint. But the court wants to be certain. The Judge has ordered an independent analysis. The tape has already been sent. There’s nothing more we can do except wait for the results to come through, but these things take time,” Jim explains, his words measured, trying to soothe my rising frustration.
Time is a luxury I can’t afford. The wedding is only two days away, and every moment Marcus spends behind those prison walls is a moment too many.
“Who do we need to pay to speed this up?” Caleb asks, his anger reflecting my own.
“You can’t. There’s no way of knowing who the Judge sent the tape to for testing. It’s strictly confidential. I’m sorry. It’s out of my hands.”
“Fuck.” Caleb yells in frustration, slamming his fist onto the desk, creating a sharp thud that sends the pages resting on the surface, scattering to the floor.
I take a seat, needing to ground myself and clench the arms of my chair.
Is two days gonna be enough time for the results to come back?
The weight of uncertainty presses down on me like a ton of bricks on my chest. I lean forward, pinching the bridge of my nose.
Think Saint. Think!
“What are my options if the results aren’t back by Saturday?” I inquire, addressing Jim.
“In what manner?”
“For the wedding. If it goes ahead. Can I obtain a marriage annulment as soon as Marcus is released?”
The words hang in the air, and then Jim clears his throat. “Regrettably, my specialization lies in Criminal Law, but I could recommend a colleague versed in Family Law and discretion.”
“For fucks sake, Jim. Just give it to me hypothetically. Can it be done or not?” I press, seeking another way to temporarily fix this pile of shit he just threw at my feet.
“Hypothetically speaking, yes. However, there would need to be common ground for annulment recognized in our jurisdiction.”
“Such as?”
“It could be anything from fraud, incest, bigamy, coercion, or lack of consent.”
“I need a solution that won’t lead to legal repercussions for either of us.”
“Well, you could state a lack of consummation.”
“Lack of consummation? How does that work?”
“Either party would assert that sexual intercourse never transpired in the marriage.”
