Chapter 23:
One Year Later…
The trial against Nate and Christian lasted longer than anyone expected due to the defense attorneys' fishing expeditions. When nothing new was forthcoming they tried to make the kidnapping and physical abuse Lexxi was subject to, Andrea's fault. Alex and Blair put an end to that almost immediately by introducing evidence against the allegations and by calling Andy to the witness stand again.
She had talked about both her pregnancies and the first few years of Rory's life leading up to Lexxi's birth, the years she spent loving and caring for them as well as an ill spouse, moving them to a better place, and the adjustments she made to make life easier on them, all under the guidance of the attorney's questions. When the defense attorney brought up the fact that her late husband could not have fathered Aurora Andy had frozen, but after a deep breath she told the truth.
When Alex had asked her about the day Lexxi was kidnapped a very tearful Andrea shared her feelings and thoughts with the court and no one, not even the defense attorneys could deny the amount of pain and anguish in her voice. The remainder of the trial was just as emotional with Miranda, Cassidy, Isabella, a few teachers from Dalton, four young women, along with their parents, and Lexxi, herself, were all called to testify for the prosecution.
It turned out Christian was not a first time offender. Although he was never convicted he was arrested in connection to three other child abductions and 4 other sexual assaults against minors. The defense attorney inadvertly gave the prosecution the open door and they walked through it with figurative guns blazing. With objections flying and tempers not far from boiling point the prosecution managed to get confessions out of Christian concerning the other cases and he finally after months of silence told in sickening details of what he'd done to Lexxi while she was in his possession.
The confession was spoken in a passionate voice and as they watched the blond man give his account of things they were all aware of his enjoyment of the memories. Somewhere during the testimony Andrea had left the courtroom and just barely made it to a trash bin before she threw up the contents of her stomach. The confession had gone on for almost 20 minutes before the judge had enough and ordered him to be silent. When he left the stand, Nate was called up and although he admitted to helping with the kidnapping, he swore he was innocent of the other charges. After that all that was left was for the judge and jury to decide.
"Andy, I don't usually say this to someone that isn't Emily, but you have got to calm down." Serena said.
Andrea paused and looked at Serena and then Emily and for the first time in almost a year she truly laughed. Leaning against the wall Andy wiped her eyes and nodded, "Emily said that to me years ago when I was running around trying to find the unpublished Harry Potter manuscript for my two little demons and their mother." She said with a sigh.
Emily smiled and nodded, "Yes, it was true then and it is true now, you have to calm down."
Andy nodded again and took a few deep breaths, "It's just, they came back fast, and I don't know if that's good or bad, but it is unanimous whatever the decision is. I just want this all behind us so we can move on." She said pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Come on, Miranda, Isabella and the girls are waiting. Nigel, Doug, Brittany, Aubrey, Mitchell, and the others are all waiting in the room across the hall watching on the monitors. We're coming with you for support, they are supporting from afar. Kat is still a mess of emotions after what Christian said on the stand… they are trying to keep her calm as possible." Serena told her pulling her down the hall and back to the courtroom.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The honorable Judge Elizabeth Donnelly asked.
"We have, your Honour." the jury foreman replied.
"In the case of Nathaniel Cooper, Kidnapping in the first degree, how do you find?"
"We, the jury, find the defendant, Nathaniel Carlisle…Guilty."
A few cheers went up in the courtroom and out in the hall you could hear a few as well. Andrea felt a small smile form on her lips as tears gathered in her eyes as she realized the nightmare was almost over. Blinking rapidly she tightened her hold on Miranda's hands and continued looking directly at the juror as he continued to read off guilty verdicts against Nate and only one Not Guilty. She couldn't look at her fiancée or her friend's gathered to support both Lexxi and her, if she did she'd lose it right in the courtroom.
"In the case of Christian Thompson, Kidnapping in the first degree, how do you find?"
"We, the jury, find the defendant, Christian Thompson… Guilty."
"In the case of Christian Thompson, unlawful imprisonment, how do you find?"
"Guilty."
"In the case of Christian Thompson, child endangerment and abuse, how do you find?"
"Guilty"
Andrea felt the tears fall from her eyes and slide down her cheeks. Finally taking her eyes off the jury she looked at Miranda and smiled a teary smile. The jury kept reading off guilty verdicts as the judge named each charged filed against Christian and Andrea felt weak with relief as she calculated again all the time both men would be away. Her children were safe from these predators and she would make sure to keep them that way.
"In the case of Christian Thompson, predatory sexual assault against a child, how do you find?"
"We find the defendant, Christian Thompson, guilty."
"Ladies and gentleman of the jury I would like to thank you for your time ..."
Epilogue:
14 Months Later…
Standing at the window of her home studio Andrea smiled as she watched her children and her wife playing around in the garden by the small pool. Watching her family she felt the familiar warmth and peace she'd come to love and cherish over the last year wash over her and she sighed happily.
After the trial and conviction of both Nate and Christian, Andrea and her family learned to deal with the media and the relapses that Lexxi would occasionally suffer. It only took a few sessions with a highly recommended therapist before Lexxi was back to her old self and refusing to go back. At first Andy was skeptical but after a month with no relapse or negative emotions from her youngest child she gave up trying to send her and allowed her daughter to heal on her own terms.
Work picked up for both DeMarzio's and Runway so the wedding was pushed back a few more months while both Miranda and Andrea cleared schedules for the wedding and the honeymoon that would follow. Isabella, Emily, and Aubrey took over all wedding plans and forbade both brides from interfering. While Miranda hated the idea, Andrea loved it and spent her free time with their children or finding ways to distract the older woman from the fact that she was being kept out of the loop. In the end Miranda had no complaints and the wedding went off without a hitch.
Central park was bursting with excited guests and reporters on the morning of the wedding. Laughing at the memory of an irate Nigel chasing one of Doug's friends with a Dolce & Gabbana handbag, Andrea left her art studio to head out to the garden with her family. Aside from a minor wardrobe mishap that was quickly fixed the wedding along with the reception were perfect. The park was beautifully decorated with sheer fabrics draped around and over the trees and benches in whites and reds. The music was beautiful and classy.
The best part of the wedding to Andrea however was the girls giving their parents away and the exchanging of the vows. Watching as Caroline and Cassidy followed by Rory and Lexxi stood before hundreds of people and told them, and the world that was watching through cameras, that they approved of the match and was giving their permission for their families to be joined. The pride and joy she felt in that moment was only bested by the announcement that followed shortly after announcing Miranda as her wife.
Smiling at the children as she entered the garden courtyard, Andrea winked and joined her wife at the small table for a glass of lemonade.
"What are you smiling about Andrea?" Miranda asked her bright blue eyes smiling at her wife.
Andrea leaned over and pressed a light kiss to her wife's lips and nodded towards their children, "Our family gives me hope for the future."
Miranda smiled and gave a small nod, "As I told you once before my darling, I live on hope. Now that you've tied yourself to me, we'll do so together."
Leaning her head against the snowy one on her shoulder the brunette smiled, "Together, we live on hope." Andrea whispered kissing the rings on her wife's fingers.
THE END?