Chapter Two
Kate somehow made it to work without any more annoying incidents. She was so glad she didn't have any meetings to go to because all she could think about was being selected for jury duty. The day dragged on but Kate got very little work done. Roman stopped by and brought lunch so they sat and ate outside in the park.
"So when do you have to be at the courthouse?" Roman asked gently.
"Tomorrow at 9:00," she sighed. She knew she had no choice, it was either jury duty or jail time. To Kate they were both forms of imprisonment but at least with jury duty she could shower privately. "The attorneys will begin jury selection around 11:00 and will hopefully be done by 5:00pm. If I'm selected the trial is set to begin the following day so I will have to pack and be ready first thing in the morning."
"Kate it's going to be okay, even if you are selected the trial may only be a couple of days."
"It feels like I'm going to prison Roman. I hate this. I don't want to be away from my job, my kids, Will, and especially you," a tear slid down her cheek as she looked at him.
Roman kissed away the tear and wrapped her in his arms. She leaned into his embrace enjoying the warmth and comforting strength of his arms that she knew she was going to terribly miss. Before long she had to return to work. Roman walked her back to her office and gently kissed her goodbye. "Cheer up sweetheart, think positively, you may not even get picked tomorrow."
She gave him a shaky smile, "I'll try but I know I'm going to get selected. I just have this gut feeling, call it intuition or something."
"I have to work late again tonight but I'll be home in the morning before you leave. I just hope I don't find you splashing around in the toilet again." Roman laughed.
She playfully swatted his arm and gave him a quick kiss, "That could have been a plumbing disaster if you hadn't shown up when you did. I'll see you in the morning."
Roman waved as he left and Kate was overcome with a sudden wave of loneliness. "I don't know why this is bothering me so much," she thought. "Roman's right it will probably only be a few days anyway, Surely I can handle that."
***
Kate had purchased a new alarm clock and she woke up the next morning to an uninspiring version of Daydream Believer but it certainly was better than that awful beeping she was used to.
She could smell bacon frying and smiled, Roman could be so thoughtful sometimes, her stomach growled as she thought about the delicious breakfast that awaited her. When she stepped into the kitchen she almost started to cry. The table was covered with a lace tablecloth and set with beautiful plates and shiny silverware. There was a bouquet of fresh cut flowers in the middle of the table and the room glowed dimly with candlelight. A single long stemmed rose lay across her plate and she gently picked it up touching the soft petals to her cheek.
Roman was filling crystal champagne glasses with juice when he looked up and smiled at her. "Good morning beautiful."
Kate's eyes glistened as tears were about to spill over. "Roman, this is so sweet, it's just perfect. Thank you, I really needed this."
"Hey, those aren't tears are they? I did all this to put a smile on that gorgeous face of yours." Kate laughed and a big smile spread across her face. "Now that's better, that smile makes it all worth while. I'd do anything to make you happy, you know that right?" Kate nodded and stepped into his embrace. He kissed the top of her head and slowly rubbed her back. "So are you ready for the best breakfast you've ever had?" Roman asked.
"Mmm, it smells delicious, I'm starving." She sat down at the table and he brought her juice and a tantalizing plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and fresh fruit. The meal was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. When Kate finally looked at her watch it was already after 8am. Her stomach flipped as her nerves began to take over, it was almost time to leave for the court house. Kate stood up and began to gather dishes.
"Hey Lady put those down, leave the clean up to me." Roman insisted lifting the plates out of her hands. "I don't want you to be late."
Kate looked at him with a pout, "I wouldn't be late if I just didn't bother going."
Roman set the dishes in the sink then walked over to her and grabbed her hands. "Don't worry, this will all be over before you know it. Besides those orange jumpsuits are just not your style Kate. Now you'd better get going, call me on my cell as soon as you find out, okay."
"Mmm, hmm. I will." She turned to leave then stopped, "Roman...I love you."
"And I...," he planted a big kiss on her lips, "...love you."
***
There were quite a few potential jurors early in the process but as the day went on the group got smaller and smaller. The moment of truth had arrived and Kate sat on the edge of her seat anxiously waiting. They had already picked 10 members of the jury, only 6 more to go. It was the defenses turn to select a juror and Kate knew as soon as the lawyer stood up that she was next. He looked at her and announced that his next selection was juror number 88.
Kate almost cursed out loud as she stood up and made her way over to join the other ten. The total ended up 9 women and 7 men. They were escorted into a small room and a young woman went over all the details. Because of the odd number of males and females, Kate ended up with a room all to herself. They were allowed to make phone calls as long as they did not discuss the case but they were not allowed visitors. If the trial ended up lasting more than a week, family visits would be arranged. Several people had questions and Kate fidgeted impatiently while they were answered and finally they were free to go home for the night. It was well after 7pm when Kate got into her car.
She dialed Roman's cell but he didn't answer so she left a message telling him the bad news. She needed a few things to take with her so she did some shopping before heading back to Roman's place. Roman's car was in the drive when Kate arrived, "Hmm, I thought he was still working nights," she thought. She walked in the house setting her bags by the door and her keys on the table.
The house was quiet and she curiously made her way to the bedroom searching for Roman. When she opened the door she gasped. "Oh my. This is unbelievable." She gazed around the room in awe. Swirls of flower petals in every imaginable color completely covered the floor. Kate closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet fragrance. The bed was made with satin sheets and a generous sprinkle of velvety red rose petals stood out brightly against the gold background. There was champagne on ice sitting on the nightstand with two glasses. Roman appeared from the bathroom and Kate felt her heart beat a little faster. "Roman, this is incredible, how did you do this?"
"I'm glad you approve. I got your message earlier and decided to take the night off so I could make tonight special. I want you to forget about everything else and just focus on you and me, right here, right now." He walked over to the champagne, popped the cork and poured them each a glass. He handed one to her and raised his glass, "To a perfect night and a perfect love." They clinked glasses and took a sip.
The rest of the night was absolutely delicious. They made love for hours, playfully at first, but more and more passionately, until they were both to exhausted to even speak. They lay in each other's arms their legs still tangled in the silky sheets. Roman looked at Kate sleeping quietly with a smile still on her face. "The next few days are going to feel like an eternity, my love," he whispered. "But at least I'll have the memory of this night to keep me company until you return." He brushed a strand of hair off her cheek, kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. Before long the only sound was that of the two lovers softly breathing in and out, perfectly in time with one another.
Kate somehow made it to work without any more annoying incidents. She was so glad she didn't have any meetings to go to because all she could think about was being selected for jury duty. The day dragged on but Kate got very little work done. Roman stopped by and brought lunch so they sat and ate outside in the park.
"So when do you have to be at the courthouse?" Roman asked gently.
"Tomorrow at 9:00," she sighed. She knew she had no choice, it was either jury duty or jail time. To Kate they were both forms of imprisonment but at least with jury duty she could shower privately. "The attorneys will begin jury selection around 11:00 and will hopefully be done by 5:00pm. If I'm selected the trial is set to begin the following day so I will have to pack and be ready first thing in the morning."
"Kate it's going to be okay, even if you are selected the trial may only be a couple of days."
"It feels like I'm going to prison Roman. I hate this. I don't want to be away from my job, my kids, Will, and especially you," a tear slid down her cheek as she looked at him.
Roman kissed away the tear and wrapped her in his arms. She leaned into his embrace enjoying the warmth and comforting strength of his arms that she knew she was going to terribly miss. Before long she had to return to work. Roman walked her back to her office and gently kissed her goodbye. "Cheer up sweetheart, think positively, you may not even get picked tomorrow."
She gave him a shaky smile, "I'll try but I know I'm going to get selected. I just have this gut feeling, call it intuition or something."
"I have to work late again tonight but I'll be home in the morning before you leave. I just hope I don't find you splashing around in the toilet again." Roman laughed.
She playfully swatted his arm and gave him a quick kiss, "That could have been a plumbing disaster if you hadn't shown up when you did. I'll see you in the morning."
Roman waved as he left and Kate was overcome with a sudden wave of loneliness. "I don't know why this is bothering me so much," she thought. "Roman's right it will probably only be a few days anyway, Surely I can handle that."
***
Kate had purchased a new alarm clock and she woke up the next morning to an uninspiring version of Daydream Believer but it certainly was better than that awful beeping she was used to.
She could smell bacon frying and smiled, Roman could be so thoughtful sometimes, her stomach growled as she thought about the delicious breakfast that awaited her. When she stepped into the kitchen she almost started to cry. The table was covered with a lace tablecloth and set with beautiful plates and shiny silverware. There was a bouquet of fresh cut flowers in the middle of the table and the room glowed dimly with candlelight. A single long stemmed rose lay across her plate and she gently picked it up touching the soft petals to her cheek.
Roman was filling crystal champagne glasses with juice when he looked up and smiled at her. "Good morning beautiful."
Kate's eyes glistened as tears were about to spill over. "Roman, this is so sweet, it's just perfect. Thank you, I really needed this."
"Hey, those aren't tears are they? I did all this to put a smile on that gorgeous face of yours." Kate laughed and a big smile spread across her face. "Now that's better, that smile makes it all worth while. I'd do anything to make you happy, you know that right?" Kate nodded and stepped into his embrace. He kissed the top of her head and slowly rubbed her back. "So are you ready for the best breakfast you've ever had?" Roman asked.
"Mmm, it smells delicious, I'm starving." She sat down at the table and he brought her juice and a tantalizing plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and fresh fruit. The meal was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. When Kate finally looked at her watch it was already after 8am. Her stomach flipped as her nerves began to take over, it was almost time to leave for the court house. Kate stood up and began to gather dishes.
"Hey Lady put those down, leave the clean up to me." Roman insisted lifting the plates out of her hands. "I don't want you to be late."
Kate looked at him with a pout, "I wouldn't be late if I just didn't bother going."
Roman set the dishes in the sink then walked over to her and grabbed her hands. "Don't worry, this will all be over before you know it. Besides those orange jumpsuits are just not your style Kate. Now you'd better get going, call me on my cell as soon as you find out, okay."
"Mmm, hmm. I will." She turned to leave then stopped, "Roman...I love you."
"And I...," he planted a big kiss on her lips, "...love you."
***
There were quite a few potential jurors early in the process but as the day went on the group got smaller and smaller. The moment of truth had arrived and Kate sat on the edge of her seat anxiously waiting. They had already picked 10 members of the jury, only 6 more to go. It was the defenses turn to select a juror and Kate knew as soon as the lawyer stood up that she was next. He looked at her and announced that his next selection was juror number 88.
Kate almost cursed out loud as she stood up and made her way over to join the other ten. The total ended up 9 women and 7 men. They were escorted into a small room and a young woman went over all the details. Because of the odd number of males and females, Kate ended up with a room all to herself. They were allowed to make phone calls as long as they did not discuss the case but they were not allowed visitors. If the trial ended up lasting more than a week, family visits would be arranged. Several people had questions and Kate fidgeted impatiently while they were answered and finally they were free to go home for the night. It was well after 7pm when Kate got into her car.
She dialed Roman's cell but he didn't answer so she left a message telling him the bad news. She needed a few things to take with her so she did some shopping before heading back to Roman's place. Roman's car was in the drive when Kate arrived, "Hmm, I thought he was still working nights," she thought. She walked in the house setting her bags by the door and her keys on the table.
The house was quiet and she curiously made her way to the bedroom searching for Roman. When she opened the door she gasped. "Oh my. This is unbelievable." She gazed around the room in awe. Swirls of flower petals in every imaginable color completely covered the floor. Kate closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet fragrance. The bed was made with satin sheets and a generous sprinkle of velvety red rose petals stood out brightly against the gold background. There was champagne on ice sitting on the nightstand with two glasses. Roman appeared from the bathroom and Kate felt her heart beat a little faster. "Roman, this is incredible, how did you do this?"
"I'm glad you approve. I got your message earlier and decided to take the night off so I could make tonight special. I want you to forget about everything else and just focus on you and me, right here, right now." He walked over to the champagne, popped the cork and poured them each a glass. He handed one to her and raised his glass, "To a perfect night and a perfect love." They clinked glasses and took a sip.
The rest of the night was absolutely delicious. They made love for hours, playfully at first, but more and more passionately, until they were both to exhausted to even speak. They lay in each other's arms their legs still tangled in the silky sheets. Roman looked at Kate sleeping quietly with a smile still on her face. "The next few days are going to feel like an eternity, my love," he whispered. "But at least I'll have the memory of this night to keep me company until you return." He brushed a strand of hair off her cheek, kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. Before long the only sound was that of the two lovers softly breathing in and out, perfectly in time with one another.
