Reverend Camden got a lawyer for Wilson through his church connections. Mr. Rosling, a parishioner's friend's brother, was one of the best lawyers in the area. Luckily, when he was informed of Wilson's case he took it on free of charge. Once everything was all arranged, he wanted to meet with Mary and Wilson. A court date had been set for about a month from now, and being the experienced lawyer he was he knew that he was going to need all of the preparation time he could get before the actual trial. The better he got to know Mary and Wilson, the smoother everything would go when the big day came.

"So, Wilson…may I call you Wilson?" Mr. Rosling asked.

He nodded.

"Wilson, when is your birthday?"

"January 9th, 1980."

"And Miss Camden, when is yours?" he asked as he recorded down Wilson's birth date on the yellow notepad on his lap.

"July 12th, 1982."

"So that makes you…" Mr. Rosling did the math is his head. "2 years, 7 months, and 3 days older than her Wilson, correct?"

Wilson counted days on his fingers. "I think so."

"And from what I understand you two did have intercourse."

"That's right Sir," Wilson replied, recoiling with the blatancy of his question.

"Do you by chance know the date of when this happened?"

Wilson thought for a second. "May…May…" he repeated, racking his brain to figure out at least what time of the month it happened.

"May 17, around 2:30 in the afternoon," Mary replied sullenly. "It was a Saturday."

Wilson looked over at Mary, but she stared in the opposite direction.

"Can you confirm the date Wilson?"

"Yes."

"At the time, then, Wilson you were 18 and Miss Camden was 15. Therein lies the problem, no?"

"Sort of," Wilson replied. "Have you talked to Reverend Camden?"

"Yes, and he told me about how the GlenOak Police Department swindled you so to speak. And as of right now, I think the best I can do is provide you both with some answers. I'm sure you know what statutory rape is, so I'll stick to the stuff you probably don't know. Statutory rape is the biggest crime committed by the youth in GlenOak second only to teen drinking. The whole state of California got some money form the governor to up their police departments to be able to investigate cases similar to yours. They want to try and decrease the number of births among minors. However, I do feel that not only are they exploiting your case, as well as Mary who is a minor, but also that convicting you is going against everything the law was made to protect. I consider myself a very good judge of character, and when the two of you walked in I could tell you're not the type of couple that should be going through this. You are a couple, aren't you?"

Wilson nodded. "I live in the Camden house as well, if that has any validity to it."

"Good, that's good," Mr. Rosling said. "How long have you two been together?"

"Over a year on and off, about 7 months straight now."

"That's nice, I'm happy for you."

Wilson was nod amused with the emotional side Mr. Rosling was showing them. "I was wondering," Wilson said impatiently, "exactly what types of charges am I facing here?"

"Well, since you are over 2 years older than Mary and you were over 18 when the crime took place, you're treading the fine line between misdemeanor and a full-blown felony. You're punishable under the "Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Act of 1995" which entails a fine of $2,000 to $5,000. Then there is 180 hours of community service and, most harsh, 30 to 60 days in jail."

Both Mary and Wilson's faces went sour fast as the lawyer told Wilson what he was inevitably going to be charged with.

"Now, the only problem we face is that you are guilty. They can even physically see it, so even if we were to lie, which we aren't going to do, it wouldn't work. I've thought about your case, though, and I think the way to win this one is to play up he emotional factor, tug at the jury's heartstrings. So, I'd like to ask Mary a few questions, and then we'll go from there. Would you have a problem with testifying Mary?"

"If it's going to help him," she said picking up Wilson's hand, "no."

Mr. Rosling flipped through the pages in his legal pad. "I wrote some questions down…you don't have to answer anything that seems to personal but remember all the information you can give me will help."

Mary nodded.

Mr. Rosling scanned his list of questions, then took a good look at Mary. She was cowering in her chair and looked like she would crawl up into a ball if she could. He recognized that look. It was the same look he had seen on the faces of many mothers and sisters and wives of people who were facing a severe sentencing. "You know what, maybe it might be easier if Wilson stepped outside."

Wilson looked at Mary, then back at Mr. Rosling, and then walked out the door. He didn't really know if she wanted him to leave or stay, but he was going nonetheless.

"So Mary," the lawyer started warmly, "how do you feel about all of this? Are you scared?"

"Terrified. Please don't let him go to jail…I need him with me."

"Did you feel you needed him before you got pregnant?"

"No, but we've gotten so close that I can't imagine not being with him."

"Are you staying with him just because he is the father of your child?"

Mary was appalled. "No, definitely not. I'm in love with him."

"And he is living in your house. What do you think of that?"

"At first I thought it was a little weird, but now I like it. He looks after me…" Mary's voice trailed off some. "He's going to make a good father."

"Are you happy about becoming a mother?"

"I wouldn't say happy exactly, but more excited and nervous. I don't know if I can do it. But one of the great things about being with Wilson, though, is that I know we can do it together. We've been saving money- well he is, he doesn't want me working, and he spends all of his free time with me whether I am in a good mood or not. He's a special guy and I am really lucky to have him."

Mary caught herself smiling and bit her tongue. She had just met this man, and now she was telling him her life story. She definitely wasn't acting like herself, which Mary considered to be a good thing. If he could manipulate her into spilling her guts, then he would be able to manipulate other people into giving him the information he needed while the case was at trial.

"One last question," he said, "when the tow of you had intercourse, did you pursue him or was it more of him pressuring you? It doesn't matter in the eyes of the court, but just so that I know for future reference." Mary sat there not saying anything, her eyes shifting nervously around the room. "You can tell me the truth, it isn't going to affect the outcome of the case at all."

"I pursued him."

"OK, I think we are done here then. Thank you for taking out the time to answer my questions and to come down here today. Would you be so kind as to make an appointment for about a week from now with my secretary on you way out?"

Mary smiled politely as she struggled to stand up. "Sure, and thank you."

The two said there good-byes and Mary walked out into the waiting room and over to Wilson. They made an appointment just like Mr. Rosling asked and  went out to the car.

"So," Wilson asked, "what did you think of him?"

"He was very polite," she replied. "I guess I liked him. I love you." Wilson cocked his head. "What?"

"Those two sentences don't quite go together," he said.

"Sorry, I just blurted it out. I do, though."

"I know, and I love you, too." Wilson looked into Mary's eyes. "And don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

(A/N: The following information was based on information that I found from reliable sources via the Internet. Most of the legal aspect is true, including the part about the police getting money and the "Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Act of 1995", which provided liabilities ranging from $2,000 to $ 25,000, depending on the difference in the ages of the partners and was enacted in September of 1996 in California.

Anyways, let me know what you think of this chapter. Please review!)