Chapter 9
Sonny and Trudy sat on the beach alone in a comfortable silence once she calm down and her crying subsided Sonny slowly rubbed her arms as he reminded her how much he still loved and desired her. They reminisced about all the fun times they had at the beach in the water and on the boat. They lost track of the time watching the sunset was a favorite pastime of theirs when schedules allowed for it.
"I am going to have to testify aren't I?"
She asked quietly as she watched him shake the sand out of the blanket in the newly risen moonlight.
"The DA hasn't said anything to Castillo in either direction. I do know that to prevent your identity the courtroom will be sealed, no artist renderings, media, and gag orders all around. I guess we will know something soon baby."
He helped her get situated as she yawned painfully.
"Home, dinner, bed for you Mrs. Crockett in that order."
As soon as they got to the house she walked around slowly and reflectively. He let her roam on her own as best she could. He went to start some dinner. He was busy in his work when she popped up in the kitchen doorway.
"It smells amazing. I love your shrimp alfredo."
"and that's why I am making it babe"
He winked and popped a jumbo shrimp in his mouth. His smile fell on sullen eyes.
"I never thought I would see our home again. It's like I'm a visitor in my own home. I already started to mentally detach myself from everything I loved. You, my team, my home, Billy, our future children. All of it was written off in my eyes."
She wiped her eyes with her sleeve like a little kid would.
"I have to keep reminding myself that I am here where I belong."
Sonny walked over to her and held her hands in hers.
" I didn't set foot in this house while you were gone. It was like it wasnt a home anymore. It was just a building."
"I have a lot of adjusting to do i guess."
"We both do Trudy we both do. Come on, let's go eat by the pool. I already lit the tiki candles and turned on the pool lights lets just hang back and enjoy being together again what do you say?"
"That sounds great but let me freshen up first."
"Take your time, the food will be warm."
He kissed her on the temple above her good eye.
"Come on let me run you a nice hot bubble bath baby."
He stood in the bathroom doorway and watched her as she walked around in her walk in closet. All her vice clothes were on 1 side and her regular off duty clothes were on the other. She ran her hand down her clothes as if they were new to her. She sat on the edge of their king sized bed nervously like a virgin bride in the honeymoon suite.
"Hey"
He called over to her.
"You belong here, keep telling yourself that do you hear me?"
She nodded
"I will leave you alone. I don't want to invade your privacy."
He walked towards the bedroom door when she spoke up.
"I don't know what I look like. I have not seen myself. I am afraid to see what he has done."
She stood up to walk into the bathroom and quietly closed the door before he could respond. He felt utterly useless, seeing his wife so broken was breaking him. He set the table out by the pool when he heard her blow dryer shut off. He sat on the side of the pool with his legs in the water. He laid back and got lost in the night sky thinking back to better times for him and her.
"I hope it didn't take too long."
She was standing there barefoot her hair up in a sloppy ponytail. She had on a simple cotton sundress. He sat back up and stood up to pull out her chair.
They ate in a comfortable silence. She devoured her plate and was working on her second helping he was grinning from ear to ear watching her eat.
She looked up in the mid twirl of her fork into her pasta.
"What I am starving. Grant it I did all of the cooking but it was bare minimum. Well one night we did have spaghetti. You have no idea how hard it is to cook with no sharp objects. I tried my best to keep up our nourishment, but the doctor said I am malnourished a little. Oh My Gosh this is amazing."
"That's why I am smiling baby you look so happy over a simple meal that we have had a zillion times."
She smiled for the first time in a while. She reached for her glass of wine but it was on the side of her bad eye and she hit the glass instead of picking it up. Her huge engagement ring and wedding band scattered the glass.
"OH God I am so sorry. I ruined it. I am so sorry I never meant to.
She tried to jump up as best she could to start the cleanup. She was frazzled, rambling, and holding her side that she knew was badly bruised.
"Hey hey Trudy."
He called out to her as he grabbed her hand to stop her from picking up the broken glass.
"Baby stop, you don't have to do that. It's fine, it's no big deal, not the end of the world baby. It is ok."
He held her and she kept apologizing. He walked over to their round patio bed and sat with her. He made sure she knew it was OK.
"I am not him and you didn't do anything wrong. I know that is what you are thinking."
"No Sonny you went through so much with this whole nightmare. I feel so bad I ruined what you made so beautiful. The food, candles and the lights are so perfect. You and I both know how this night should have ended."
"Nope wrong"
He picked her up, laid her at the top of the bed he laid next to her.
"Tonight is ending exactly how it should end. You here with me back home that is all I wanted Trudy. Fuck the food, fuck the glass, fuck that son of a bitch."
For the first time in weeks she felt safe and loved. They laid there looking at the vast sky, he held her as they talked about nothing and everything. Before he knew it she was snoring in his arms. He quietly picked her up and carried his wife to bed. For the first time in a long time he welcomed sleep as well.
