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DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own any of The OC except Marty Jefferson (I'm getting tired of telling this)
10. We found him
Two and half months later. Kirsten was in her eighth month of pregnancy. Her belly had been getting bigger and she had to be working from home because the doctors said that too much stress might affect her unborn child. Sandy refused to leave his wife alone. Even if it was for work, so he decided to accompany her at home. Since he knew, he had moved in again. Julie had taken the guest room of the Cohen house, in case for being needed, but she slept at home. Nevertheless, the whole life of the family seemed to take place in the Cohen house. Julie was still living there during the day and Summer and Marissa didn't seem to go home at all. Kirsten was happy about that fact. She was happy that someone was caring about her and that she could reassure someone of her being okay. She was not alone. Every night Kirsten lay down in Sandy's arms and leaned against his chest. In her eyes it was an unfamiliar situation. Two months had been passing without Sandy being there for her. Two months without any male person touching her like Sandy would do. And it was strange. It was strange for Kirsten to lean against him and pretend that everything was okay, because it wasn't. Nothing was okay, and even if she was happy that Sandy came back to her, she was feeling uncomfortable. Kirsten always jumped when he touched her and almost screamed when he tried to hug her. The visible, external wounds had faded but the pain in her soul was still there. It was still gnawing off her strength and it was still making her feel small and powerless.
"Honey, can I bring you something?" Sandy asked his wife. She was lying on the couch, forbidden to carry anything that was heavier than a feather. And that by her own husband.
"No, I'm fine." It was past eight and she zapped through the TiVo, looking for a program that wouldn't make her cry. Since she was pregnant she always began to cry when something good or bad happened on TV. So actually she cried every time she was watching TV.
"Okay. Then maybe you can tell me if it's a boy or a girl." Sandy wanted to know and changed the topic laughing. He wanted to know it since the day he came back. And Kirsten refused to tell him. I don't want to jinx it. She had said, but he kept asking. Someday it would slip out of her. He thought. He looked at her curiously.
"No." Kirsten loved to tease him by not telling him.
"You'll find out soon enough." She smiled. Three months before she would have done everything to tell him anything about her or her child, but now she didn't. She turned around and gave him a knowing smile.
"You're mean." He knelt down in font of her and took her hands.
"No, I'm you're wife." She smiled. How caressing his fingers were. Her hand slid into his, they kissed and then he lifted her up.
"Where do you bring me?" She asked him like a child.
"You'll see." He gave her a big smile and brought her outside. He let her down on one of those deckchairs on the grass.
"What about a beautiful sunset for my beautiful bride?"
"Perfect. But I'm not beautiful. I look like a whale. A whale that has eaten another whale." She moaned at Sandy.
"You don't. You're pregnant, but you don't look like a whale. Maybe you look like you have eaten one, but you definitely do not look like one of them." Sandy joked to cheer his wife up. Kirsten gave him a loving smile. A smile that was very rare in those days.
"Hey, Mom. Dad." Seth and Summer appeared on the patio and with them Ryan and Marissa. Together they watched the sundown before they went to bed.
Next morning. Kirsten was still asleep when Sandy opened the door. Caleb rushed in with a very serious face.
"We found him." He said with gritted teeth. Sandy was still sleepy and didn't understand what Caleb meant.
"You found who?"
"This Jefferson. We found him in a supermarket in San Diego. He's been remanded in custody since last night. Today he'll be examined and then our lawyers can prepare for the lawsuit." He has changed. Sandy thought when he listened to Caleb. Caleb, who had seen every relationship as a business relationship, had changed. One year earlier those words wouldn't have sounded concerned and anxious but commanding and imperious. Sandy's eyes widened. They had found the guy who had hurt his wife so much, and now he was gonna pay for it.
"Do you already know a date for the lawsuit?"
"Court says it would start within a week." Caleb told Sandy gladly. Soon the torturer of his daughter would be behind bars.
"But Kirsten. What about her? She doesn't have to make a statement in court, does she? I mean she won't have to face him." Sandy knew that Kirsten wouldn't stand the pressure. She was a strong woman, no doubt about that, but she was pregnant. And when TV could make her cry, what would happen if she were faced with the man who raped her?
"We hope so. Our lawyers don't know yet, but they try to convince the judge of a release of Kirsten." He told Sandy quickly after he had noticed his daughter coming out of the bedroom.
"Great, that's great. Do you want breakfast?" Sandy had noticed Kirsten, too, and wanted to change the subject. No stressing news before breakfast.
"Oh hi, Dad." Kirsten greeted him smiling.
"Something happened?" Of course, she had recognized the two men talking about her and was curious about what it was.
"Nah. Nothing, that can't wait until we've eaten something, Kiki." With those words Caleb pushed Sandy and Kirsten into the kitchen. After breakfast, Caleb and Sandy told Kirsten and the kids the news. They tried to be gentle with telling her, but there was no way to make it easier for her. She caressed her stomach and smiled. I was a weak smile but nonetheless a smile. Maybe she had to see him again, but there was hope. She hoped that she didn't have to.