Chapter 36

Day three of the trial. Day three of torture. Day three of listening to gruesome details of the worst memories of Callie's life. A forensic analyst and doctor detailed the evidence of the brutal assault while a psychologist tried to paint Callie as unstable, vindictive, and attention-seeking. Now Liam was at the stand with his lawyer trying to paint an image of a gentleman. He rehashed his history with Callie, although he was mostly spewing lies.

"Did Callie willingly go to the woods with you?" Jack asked.

"Yes. She found me by the water and told me Vico was waiting. Then she led me to the woods where Vico was." Liam explained.

"What happened once you saw Vico?"

"I asked why she brought me there and she said she wanted a three-way with us, and she wanted it rough."

Callie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The shame bubbling within her was starting to boil over and the fear that everyone would believe their side over hers was beginning to consume her.

"What happened after she said that?"

"Vico and I agreed to it. She started to take off her dress, so we started to undress too. She started to kiss Vico and then came over to me. She had sex with me first. And then she had sex with Vico. She wanted both of us to be rough with her. She asked to be hit and choked a bit."

"So, Callie initiated the sex?"

"Yes." Liam nodded.

"Did she ever say no or tell you to stop?"

"No. In fact, she said yes a lot."

The smirk on his face made Callie's stomach lurch.

"What happened after you and Vico had sex with Callie?"

"We left while she was getting dressed. She told us she'd be in touch."

"Was Callie severely injured when you left her?" Jack asked.

"No. I mean maybe a little roughed up, but all of it was from what she asked for. Definitely no broken bones or anything. But it wouldn't be the first time she tried to blame injuries on other people."

"What do you mean by that?"

Liam locked eyes with Callie for a moment before returning his attention to his lawyer. "She broke her arm and blamed it on one of her foster mothers, but there was no evidence of that. She dislocated her shoulder another time and blamed it on her foster mother's boyfriend, again no evidence. She said her last foster father was abusive, and again no evidence. She even tried to blame me for rape earlier and there was no evidence. All I'm saying is, she's crazy. I wouldn't be surprised if she injured herself to try to blame it on us."

"So, you would describe the previous accusation as consensual as well?"

"Oh yeah." Liam nodded eagerly. "In fact, I was the one who was hesitant to take it to the next level. We'd been flirting and stuff since my parents started fostering her. She wanted to have sex, but I was a little hesitant since I knew foster siblings weren't supposed to have relationships. She begged me and I gave in. My parents caught us kissing then and she got kicked out of the house. She didn't accuse me till she was placed with the Fosters. She was probably trying to get attention again."

"So to summarize, you and Vico had consensual sex with Callie and left her in the woods uninjured, correct?"

"Yup." Liam agreed.

"No further questions."

Olivia stood from her seat and strolled to the front of the courtroom. "Mr. Olmstead, are you admitting that there was a sexual interaction between you and Callie back when she was living in your home?"

"Yes. A consensual one."

"During that time, Callie was fifteen and you were how old?"

"Twenty-one."

"Are you aware that consensual or not, you still committed a crime being that Callie was a minor?"

Liam shrugged. "Well, I was cleared of any charges from then."

"If it's true you had consensual sex with Callie and Callie then supposedly falsely accused you, why would you agree to have sex with her again?"

"Looking back, it was probably a mistake, but I'm a guy. I'll admit I couldn't resist the temptation. She's the best I've ever had." A smirk spread across his lips as he found Callie's eyes.

Callie swallowed the bile rising in her throat as she closed her eyes for a moment. "I feel sick."

Brandon reached for her hand. "Me too. But everyone can tell this is all fake."

"According to you, you and Mr. Cerar engaged in consensual sex with Callie and when you left her, she wasn't injured, correct?"

"Yes. Just a little roughed up from the rough sex she wanted."

"And you're saying that Callie purposefully injured herself after you and Vico left to make it look like the two of you did it?"

"Yes."

"So, you're saying that Callie severely fractured her own wrist, fractured her own ankle and cheek, gave herself a concussion, dislocated her own shoulder, broke four of her own ribs so bad that it punctured and collapsed her lung?"

Liam shrugged. "I'm saying she wasn't like that when we left, and I wouldn't be surprised if she did it herself because she's crazy."

"What about the vaginal lacerations and bleeding? Or the bruised cervix?"

"She wanted us to be rough."

"Are you aware that consensual sex, no matter how rough, would not lead to the severity of vaginal injuries that Callie suffered from? Or that there has never been a case of a woman needing the surgery Callie had after consensual sex?"

Liam remained quiet for a moment. "I wouldn't be surprised if she injured herself with that after we left."

"Take a look at Document F. Do you know what we are looking at in these images, Mr. Olmstead?" Olivia asked as she pointed at the display of multiple images on the screen.

"Pictures of bruises."

"That's right. Pictures of bruises on Callie on the night that you say you and Vico engaged in consensual sex. Do you notice anything about the bruises?"

"No."

"Did you know the bruising we are looking at is consistent with abuse, that the bruising shown is called finger pad and wrap around bruising because it is in the shape of finger and handprints consistent with forceful restraint, grabbing, and/or squeezing?"

Liam was quiet for a moment before muttering his response. "No."

"Now take a look at Document G. Here we are looking at an image of the awful bruising on Callie's abdomen as well as the bottom of Mr. Olmstead's boot. Do you notice anything, Mr. Olmstead?"

"No." Liam repeated.

"The pattern of the sole on your boot matches the bruising on Callie' abdomen. How would you explain that?"

Liam looked like a kid caught sneaking a cookie before dinner. "I don't know. Just a coincidence."

"No further questions."

Vico's testimony began similar to Liam's. Jack once again tried to paint the image of a well-behaved teenager involved in the community. He stuck to the same story Liam told; Callie initiated the sex and had been "roughed" up when they left her. He remained consistent in trying to advocate that she was crazy and the idea of her creating injures to blame them was not farfetched. He twisted the fake ID story by trying to blame Brandon; Brandon was the one to start the sale of fake IDs and lured Vico into it, and once Vico backed out, Brandon was the angry one. He tried to blame Brandon as the one seeking revenge.

"Can you explain the events that occurred on June 24th?"

"Callie asked to meet me. Said something along the lines of making things right. So, I met her at a foreclosed house- her idea. She started getting crazy when we got there. Started yelling and hitting me. I think it was a set up because the next thing I know her boyfriend and foster mom came barging in."

"Did you engage in sexual intercourse with Callie during this time?"

"No." Vico shook his head.

"Did you hit or push Callie during this time?"

"I didn't lay a hand on her. Except to help her up." Vico explained. "She fell at one point and I tried to help her up, but she refused."

"So Callie set you up both the night of the winter ball and again on June 24th, correct?"

Vico nodded. "Yes."

"No further questions."

Olivia stood again and faced Vico. "You admit to selling the fake IDs with Brandon, correct?"

"Yes."

"And you say Brandon was the one that started it and became angry when you backed out, correct?"

"Yes."

"Did you frame Callie with the bribing of winter queen votes with alcohol?"

"No." Vico shook his head. "That was Brandon. He even admitted it to the cops."

"So, you say that Brandon was seeking revenge on you for backing out on selling the IDs, which is why he and Callie supposedly framed you for rape, correct?"

"Yes."

"Why would Brandon get Callie in trouble then?"

"I don't know." Vico shrugged. "They're both crazy."

"And if Brandon's plan had worked and Callie had been punished for the alcohol, then she wouldn't have been able to frame you, right?"

"Well…" Vico paused for a moment. "Brandon was probably planning on admitting it the whole time."

"So why go through the trouble of setting up Callie?"

"For a distraction."

"So, Brandon set up Callie knowing he would take the blame for a distraction so Callie could frame you and Liam is what you're saying?" Olivia asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes." Vico nodded.

"For clarification, according to your story was Brandon or Callie seeking revenge?"

"Brandon. He was mad I wouldn't continue selling the fake IDs." Vico explained.

"And what was Brandon's motive for framing Liam?"

"Well, Callie was getting revenge on him. For getting her kicked out of the house."

"So, Callie and Brandon were both seeking revenge?"

"Yup." He nodded once again.

"Why would Brandon have the girl he loves engage in sex with two other men?"

Vico found Callie's eyes and his lips curved into a smirk. "A girl like that can't be tamed. I'm sure Brandon knows that."

This time it was Brandon who shifted in his chair. Each word out of Vico's mouth intensified the fury pumping through his veins. It was so tempting to lunge for him and hit him till he was begging for mercy.

"Okay so according to you, Callie had consensual so-called rough sex with both you and Liam, and when you left her, she was just 'roughened up a bit,' but not injured, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then how come you showed up in the emergency room that night?"

Vico rubbed the nape of his neck as his mind scrambled for a response. "I uh…I heard she was in the hospital."

"How did you hear?"

"I saw an ambulance leave their house."

Olivia cocked an eyebrow at the obvious lies spewing from Vico's mouth but moved forward. "You said Callie initiated the meeting on June 24th, correct?"

"Yes."

"Are you aware that even if Callie agreed to meet you, it is still a violation of your bail terms?"

"I know. It was a mistake. But I thought we were going to clear the air."

"If you were meeting Callie at that house, why cut off your anklet, which would only alert the police if you were close to the Anchor Beach Charter School or the Adams-Foster household?"

"Um…I guess I wasn't really thinking. I just did it." Vico shrugged.

"You said you didn't touch or hurt Callie on June 24th, correct?"

"Yes."

Olivia pursed her lips as she pointed to the images that appeared on the screen. "Then how would you explain the injuries that Callie sustained on that day? Document H."

Vico shrugged. "I said, she fell. And she probably injured herself on purpose to frame me again."

"Take a look at the picture of the x-ray. That is a picture of the fractured wrist Callie suffered following her encounter with you. How would you explain that injury?"

"I said she fell. I think she landed on her wrist."

Olivia's lips curved upwards. "Mr. Cerar, are you aware that the x-ray shows a spiral fracture and that spiral fractures are not caused by falling, but by a forceful twist or rotating say from another person?"

Vico fidgeted in his seat as his eyes widened slightly. He was silent for a moment. "No."

"So how would you explain that injury?"

"I um…" He stammered as his eyes shifted. "She probably asked someone to break her wrist to frame me."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "She asked someone to break her wrist? How is that possible when there was no time in between you being with Callie to the police getting involved?"

Vico's eyes darted around the room as he tried to think of a response. "I don't know, but she was fine when I was with her."

"Also shown on the screen are images of the bruises Callie, who may I remind was pregnant at this time, sustained including a fractured cheekbone. These are bruises caused by a fist. Again, how do you explain these injuries when she went from being with you to being with the police?"

"Maybe she was hurt before she met me."

Olivia didn't even bother to dwell on the lie from Vico and instead moved on to her next point. "Now take a look a Document I, a police report from that day in which an officer reported that you became aggressive upon arrest and called Callie a slut, told her you owned her and threatened that she would pay. Do you recall those words?"

"No. I do recall her foster mother and her boyfriend's dad being there though. I wouldn't be surprised if they changed the report."

"No further questions."

Callie paced the small room as she had been for nearly an hour. Brandon caught her hand, stopping her in her tracks. "Cal, why don't you sit?"

"I can't. This is taking too long." She exhaled shakily as she fiddled with the bracelet encircling her wrist.

Stef glanced at her watch. The knowledge that this could take much longer was worrying her. The thought of Callie having to wait possibly days for a verdict was troubling. She couldn't imagine how the teenager would be able to cope. "Probably another hour and they'll let us wait at home."

Callie's stomach knotted tighter. The thought of waiting another hour or more was agonizing. Dangerous thoughts were consuming her. The assumption was that a quick deliberation usually resulted in a guilty verdict while a longer deliberation usually resulted in a not guilty verdict. The deliberation was just approaching an hour. Callie knew long deliberations went on for days, but it wouldn't take this long for everyone to agree. At least one out of the twelve jurors didn't think Vico and Liam were guilty. It very well could be the opposite; eleven thought they weren't guilty while only one thought they were. The chance of them being convicted would be slim then.

Oxygen escaped her lungs and utter terror-filled every inch of her body when she thought of the possibilities of Liam and Vico not being convicted. There was no doubt in her mind that they would seek revenge. That was how they got into this mess to begin with. They would come after her or worse her family. That constant on edge feeling she had felt while Vico was on bail would be multiplied by ten. Everyone told her then that she was safe; that he had strict rules he had to follow. But that didn't stop him. Now he would be even angrier, there wouldn't be rules, and he had proven time and time again that nothing would stop him. Now there would be two of them seeking revenge again. Now she wouldn't be able to go out in public without seeking every face for theirs, without constantly checking her surroundings; she'd be wondering where they were lurking, waiting for their next attack.

The room was spinning. A burning pain was tightening in her chest. Absolute hopelessness was swirling in the pit of her stomach. There would be no out if they weren't convicted. If they didn't kill her, they would have a constant hold on her and there would be nothing she could do. Running away would leave her family at risk and she had no doubt that they would track her down no matter where she went. Those twelve people were currently making a decision that would have one of the biggest effects on her life.

"Callie." Brandon called. The distant look in her eyes was all too familiar. Those eyes told him hazardous thoughts were floating through her mind. He stood up beside her and pulled her into his arms. "You're going to win."

"You don't know that." She whispered into his shoulder.

Brandon moved back slightly to cup her cheek with his hand and gaze into her anxious eyes. "I do know that. Nobody is going to believe their argument. Olivia caught them in so many lies and there were so many times they didn't even know how to refute some of the evidence."

"They'll come after me." Callie choked out.

"I'm not going to let that happen. I would go to any means to keep you safe." Brandon reassured.

All eyes moved to the door as it clicked open. Callie disentangled herself from Brandon's arms when Olivia entered. "The jury has reached a verdict."

Callie reached for Brandon's hand to stop her knees from buckling. Somehow her stomach knotted tighter than it had been. She'd forgotten what it felt like to not be anxious. Time felt like it was moving in slow motion as they complied back into the courtroom.

Callie fidgeted in her seat. They'd only been sitting for three minutes but it felt like an eternity and the two more minutes they had to wait felt like they would never pass. Her breath got caught in her throat when Liam and Vico strolled back in, sandwiched between their lawyer and a police officer. Their eyes met Callie's tauntingly. She rolled her shoulders back; her muscles were aching at the tension that they held. "This is torturous."

Brandon reached into her lap to grab her hand and intertwined their fingers. She latched onto him tightly as though he were her lifeline. "I know. It's almost over. The jury is coming in now."

Every muscle in her body was trembling. During preparation, during the time leading up to the trial, and even during the time she was on the stand, Callie had thought that giving her testimony was the most agonizing and difficult part of this process. But now that they were waiting for the decision that would ultimately determine her safety, she couldn't help but think that this part may be worse.

Another minute felt like another lifetime. The jury finally settled in and the judge claimed her podium. Callie's grip on Brandon's hand tightened as the judge's voice carried throughout the room. The unbearable anxiety disallowed Callie from focusing on her words. All she wanted to hear was guilty or not guilty. She held her breath as the judge's voice stopped and the foreperson of the jury opened their mouth. Brandon squeezed her hand.

"We the jury find the defendants, Liam Olmstead and Vico Cerar, guilty on all accounts."

The breath Callie had been holding in released. Air seemed to resume its path to her lungs. It felt as though the hands that were suffocating her for nearly a year had finally disappeared. The tension in her muscles eased. The judge continued to speak but she couldn't process the words. She won. It was over. It was finally over. All the uncertainty, all the wondering of what they would do if they were released from jail was gone. She was safe.

Part of her still felt on edge. Was this actually real or was she dreaming? But the judge was dismissing the jury, and everyone was rising. Brandon's arms enveloped her, and she slumped into them, her eyes fluttering shut as he pressed a kiss to her head. "You did it. It's over."

"Congrats, love." Stef gently patted Callie's back.

The clanking of the handcuffs echoed throughout the room as Vico and Liam struggled against the officers. Callie disentangled herself from Bandon's arms as they approached. Vico's wild eyes found Callie as he passed her. "This isn't over, you slut!"

"I'll always be the one who marked you first!" Liam shouted with a twisted grin.

"Shut up!" The officer yelled, dragging them out of the courtroom.

Callie's stomach clenched as their words echoed in her ears. She watched them disappear through the corridor as Brandon's arms protectively enfolded around her again. "Don't listen to them. It is over."

"Come on, love. Let's get out of here." Stef led the group out of the room. "Do you want to go somewhere to celebrate?"

"No. I just want to go home." Callie whispered. There was a part of her that was scared to celebrate. A part of her that felt like this wasn't actually the end; that there would be some sort of loophole and somehow the conviction would be taken back. And if that didn't happen, she couldn't help but feel as though she would pay for this some other way. Besides, she was exhausted, and she just wanted to put on sweats and lay in Brandon's arms.

Lena pressed a soft kiss to the side of Callie's head. "We'll see you back at the house."

Brandon and Callie walked with their hands intertwined to Brandon's car. Brandon watched Callie as she pulled her seatbelt across her body. She'd been quiet since the verdict and for one of the rare times, he was struggling to read her. "You doing okay?"

Callie shrugged, turning her head to meet Brandon's eyes. "I'm so relieved. And I know I should be happy, but I don't know…I just thought if they were convicted it would all just go away. That everything would be better. Maybe I just need time to process it."

Brandon reached across the console to take her hand in his. "Whatever you're feeling is okay. But just because you got justice doesn't mean all that trauma just disappeared. Especially after rehashing all of it and seeing the people who hurt you for a week."

Callie let out a long breath. "You're right. It just feels like I've been dealing with this forever."

"I know. You've had a lot of pain in your life." Brandon frowned. "But I think this was a very important step in healing."

Callie nodded. "Thank you. For everything. I don't think I'd be able to do any of this without you. You're the reason I get up in the morning."

A smile stretched Brandon's lips as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You're the reason I get up in the morning too. I love you more than anything. Nothing will ever change that."

Callie leaned across the console to plant a passionate kiss on his lips. Sparks tickled every inch of her skin as it did every time their lips connected. Time stood still and the anxiety swirling in her stomach dissipated whenever Brandon's lips were on hers. Everything seemed okay for those few moments. "I love you too."

Brandon reluctantly released Callie's hand and pulled the seatbelt across his midsection. "How about we stop for some milkshakes before heading home?"

A smile found Callie's lips as she nodded. It continued to amaze her how well Brandon knew her. More often than not, he knew what she needed before she knew herself. Milkshakes had become their go-to date, their go-to pick me up, their go-to celebration. It had become a common craving of Callie's when she was pregnant. She could no longer order a cookie dough milkshake- the only flavor she ordered during the pregnancy- because it brought back too many memories- but it was something that had stuck. "That sounds wonderful."

Thanks for reading! This chapter took longer than I expected, but here it finally is. Hope everyone is safe and healthy!

Review!