Marissa walked out of the police station with her parents that morning in a daze. Her mother paid the twenty-five thousand dollar bail to have her released until her trial. The police had charged her with manslaughter. No one could believe what had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Especially Marissa., for that matter.
Her parents walked her to the Mercedes-Benz that they had driven in, and she sat down in the back seat. She stared lifeless out into her surroundings. Her hands were cold because she was still in shock of what had happened.
Her father turned around and said, "It 'ill be okay, kiddo, I promise."
"Do you think it will really be 'okay', Dad? Was it 'okay' when you squandered other people's money? Was it 'okay' when you and Mom got divorced? Was it 'okay' when I moved in with Caleb and Mom? Was it 'okay' when you moved to Hawaii? I murdered someone, Dad. Ryan's brother, and I don't know if he'll ever be able to forgive me," Marissa cried. Her father looked at her sympathetically and sighed. He knew that there was nothing that he could do to really help her. All he could do was be there for her when she needed him, like now.
When they returned to the house, Marissa went inside to her bedroom, and just laid on her bed. That was all she could think to do, for the time being. Her parents were downstairs in the kitchen making a late breakfast. Everyone was quiet, not a word was being said. While Jimmy and Julie wanted to be positive, they knew that danger was eminent too.
Finally, Julie broke the silence and said, "Do you think she will have to go away to... you know?"
Jimmy sat down on a bar stool and sighed. He looked at Julie and replied, "I'd like to hope not. I mean, according to what Marissa told Sandy, she didn't really do anything wrong. She was defending Ryan. Sandy seems to think that she will get off, but I don't think this is the end of this for her - "
"She'll need therapy, wont she Jimmy?" Julie cut in.
"Yeah, she probably will, but don't force her into yet, Jules. See how she handles it first. I mean, she has us here to help her too," Jimmy stated
"But will she let us in?" Julie asked. Jimmy looked at her for a moment. He did not know what to tell her. He knew that Marissa would be more open to him than her mother, which scared him.