August 10, 2013

"You have mail from your lawyer on the desk," Sam calls as I enter the house.

"Hello to you too," I call back changing my path to swing by Randy's home office. "Oh, I haven't been up to much. Just making a person. No big deal," I mutter grabbing the envelop off the desk.

"You're not the first woman to make a person, you drama queen," she smiles from the doorway as I turn around. "I just thought you would like to know you had important papers here."

"Thank you," I smile tearing open the envelop.

"Any good news?"

"I have to schedule the amniocentesis," I state reading over the letter again and pulling out my phone. "Way to go Colby." "Jon finally got off his ass."

"Took you two long enough," she smirks turning on her heel. "If you can get in today, take it. We can go shopping some other time."

"We made plans."

"We have plenty of time to get all the baby things. This needs to get taken care of, maybe you'll stop sulking."

"I don't-"

"I know. I know," she interrupts. "You don't sulk. Make the phone call. Remember nothing after three. You have court."

Taking a seat at the desk I do just that.

XXX

I arrived to court with five minutes to spare from my amniocentesis test.

"Hey," Sam smiles wrapping me in a hug. "Everything ok?"

"Nice of you to join us, Janet," my father sniffs. "Especially since you started this whole mess."

"Actually Dad, I started this whole mess," Randy smiles as he rounds the corner with my attorney. "So please shut up. This affects all of us. Try to be supportive."

"JJ," Mr. Greenbriar smiles. "Can I speak with you for a moment before we go in?"

"Of course, sir," I smile following him. "And yes, Sam, everything is fine. Dad, you're going to have another granddaughter."

"JJ," Mr. Greenbriar starts as we settle into a small conference room, "I just want to remind you of our strategy. All you need to do is stick to the facts. Speak clearly and concisely. Try not to let your emotions get the best of you which I understand might be difficult in your current situation."

"I'll do my best not to be a hormonal mess in there."

"I will try to keep this as short as possible to minimize any undue stress but I can not guarantee the same from his attorney."."

"I appreciate that but I will be fine."

"Ms. Orton, can you tell us, in your own words, what happened on the night of January second of this year," Mr. Greenbriar asks.

"Mr. Dreyer and I returned home from a friend's party around eight p.m. Mr. Dreyer retired to the living room with a bottle of liquor from the party while I went to the kitchen to clean. About a half hour later he joined me in the kitchen. He was intoxicated. He shoved me into a corner and we had sex. When it was over he threw me into the floor, insulted me, and insinuated that he had intentions for my sister-in-law and niece."

"What kind of intentions, Ms. Orton?"

"Sexual," I answer. I see Sam's eyes widen over my attorney's shoulder, her hand grasping Randy's tightly. "I admit that my temper flared at the thought of the him abusing my family. I told him I would call the authorities if he attempted to go near my family. He punched me multiple times before turning to leave. I'll admit to stabbing him in a fit of rage and have worked to financially repay him."

"I have a copy of the cashier's check made out to Mr. Dreyer for eight-five percent of his medical fees along with a copy of a payment agreement for the final fifteen percent to be paid in a timely manner signed by Ms. Orton and Mr. Dreyer," Mr. Greenbriar states handing over the paperwork before turning his attention back to me. "Now, Ms. Orton, can you describe the morning of May thirteenth?"

"Mr. Dreyer called me at three a.m. claiming to want to reconcile. When I rebuffed him because of our past, he again threatened my family. I told him to do whatever he deemed necessary as long as he left my family out of this. I understand that he then called my father claiming to publicly disgrace my family if I didn't publicly apologize and as well as pay his medical bills."

"Objection," Rick's lawyer cries. "Hear say."

I grasp the arms of the chair I'm sitting in so tight my knuckles turn white.

"Continue Ms. Orton," the judge states dully.

Taking a deep breathe I release my grip and continue, "After I ended my call with my father, I e-mailed Mr. Greenbriar a photo of my call log as proof of who called whom and to state that I was willing to pay any medical bills I may have caused but nothing else. An act I have continued multiple times daily since that day."

There is another exchange of papers after this.

"Is there anything else you would like to add, Ms. Orton," Mr. Greenbriar asks.

"I just want my family safe. Nothing more," I state looking over at the three people sitting in the audience section behind my attorney's table.

"No further questions, your honor."

"Ms. Orton," Rick's attorney immediately starts. "Could you elaborate a bit more on the night of January second."

"Objection," Mr. Greenbriar calls. "Need?"

"Ms. Orton was vague. I am establishing mindset."

The judge nods for me to continue.

"What would you like me to elaborate on, sir," I ask.

"Is it a habit for you to return from a party so early?"

"No. Mr. Dreyer had began drinking early that night and had flew into a rage when another gentleman began talking to me. We were asked to leave."

The man's eyes widen slightly at this before regaining his composure.

"We argued the entire drive home which is why I thought it was best we separate when we returned home."

"Why then did you make love with my client," he asks.

"I never said we made love, I said we had sex. By the time Rick had approached me that night, I had lost all the fight in me. I was willing to do anything to get him to leave me alone again."

"So you admit that you were willing."

"I would describe my feelings as more indifferent than willing but he did not force himself on me if that was the meaning behind your questioning."

"It's just that you painted yourself as a victim in your original telling," he smiles.

"I'm sorry I never caught your name, Mr…"

"Jones," he supplies.

"Mr. Jones, I assume you have the police report from that night."

"Yes," he answers confusion written on his face.

"Your honor?"

The judge shuffles the papers on his desk before pulling a folder to the top and nodding.

"If you look at the photo labeled STL543 you will see the bruise left across my throat from his arm he used to keep me upright while he had sex with me. Photo labeled STL546 is the gash that resulted from the five pound knife block being knocked off on me while I laid in the floor. Photo STL545 is my jaw after four punches to the face. Just because he did not force himself on me does not mean I was not the victim that night," I state barely reining myself in enough to stay calm.

"Let's move on to the day of May thirteenth," he states. "You claim Mr. Dreyer made multiple attempts to get in contact with you that day and since."

"Yes."

"How many times did you respond to these attempts."

"Just the original attempt. The three a.m. attempt. My friend Joe did answer that afternoon to inform him I wasn't taking calls at that time."

"That would be the two fifteen call," he states studying the paper in his hands.

"I believe that to be right. I don't remember the exact time, I'm sorry."

"Can you tell me who he spoke to at two twenty-five?"

"Nobody that I'm aware of."

"Really? We are expected to believe that in a ten minute span that you left your phone with an unknown person that answered?"

I sit in stunned silence.

"Allow me to enlighten you," he smiles bringing out a digital recorder. "This is a recording from that phone call."

Randy leans over to whisper something to my attorney, who waves him off after glancing my direction.

"Leave her alone," Jon's voice growls.

"Who is this," Rick's voice counters. "You're not the same guy as before."

"Someone who cares for her."

"How sweet. How many of you pathetic jackasses are there?"

"I'm not the sick fuck who gets off on her misery," Jon growls.

"No, you just the pathetic fuck who gets off from my leftovers. Tell me something, does she still just lay there like a dead fish during."

There is a deep inhalation before Jon's voice replies, "Just leave JJ fucking alone. This is you last warning."

"And if I don't?"

"You will have me to deal with," Jon snaps before silence fills the tape.

I sit staring at Mr. Jones expectedly.

"So Ms. Orton," he smiles patiently, "Could you enlighten the court on who you had threaten my client?"

"Your Honor, Ms. Orton's voice was never heard anywhere on that tape," Mr. Greenbriar interrupts.

"I return to my earlier question to Ms. Orton. In a gap of ten minutes, her phone is with this mystery person and she is nowhere around."

"It was my friend, Jonathan," I state. "My day was becoming exceedingly bad, I was becoming frustrated by the number of calls I was receiving from Mr. Dreyer combined with my earlier argument with my father and the disagreement I was having with my brother caused me to throw my phone. Joe caught it thankfully and informed the caller I wasn't taking calls before returning it. Jonathan and our friend Colby were also there. Jonathan noticed how upset I was and offered to talk. Having spent the previous hours on the treadmill I decided to take a shower first. This must have been when their conversation occurred. I had no knowledge of it before today. Now I believe that the original course of this today was to provide proof for a restraining and no contact order against Mr. Dreyer for me and my family. Mr. Greenbriar and I have given our evidence and Mr. Jones has helped our case with his recording, Your Honor. I would like to apologize but I am four and a half months pregnant and need to be excused," I smile hoping apologetically.

"Of course, Ms. Orton," he smiles dismissing me.

I rush from the room as quickly as my legs will carry me. The sound of his voice affecting me more than I'm willing to admit to anyone. "Someone who cares for her," my brain replays his voice bringing tears to my eyes. "Pull yourself together, JJ. You can fall apart when you get home. Do not fall apart in public."

"That was quick," I smile exiting the restroom.

"The evidence was against him," Randy smiles. "I think the judge was pissed about the whole thing."

"So," I asked.

"They're going to re-evaluate in a hundred and eighty days but we got what we want. No contact with any of us and he's not allowed to be within five hundred feet of any of our homes or any of us."

"Janet," our father interrupts. "can I talk with you?"

"Sure," I answer cautiously.

"Do I need to go," Randy asks.

"No," we answer in unison.

"I just want to know how much you still owe?"

"Owe on what, Father," I sigh.

"How much do you still owe Rick?"

"Why?"

"Because I want to pay him off for you," Dad states. "I want to help."

"This isn't something you can just throw money at and make it all better."

"I know," he sighs, "but it is a place to start. Our relationship has never been the best but that is just because we are both so pig-headed. We both hold on to our hurt from the past and I, for one, am tired of hurting."

"Me too," I whisper.

"So," Randy prompts.

"Mr. Greenbrair has all the paperwork. He will be able to give you all the information."

"Okay," Dad smiles.

"Thank you," I smile.

"Anything for you baby girl," he whispers wrapping me in a hug. "I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

"I have got to keep you pregnant somehow," Randy grins wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "You are much more agreeable this way."