I Shouldn’t Love Him (Book 2) – Chapter 76
LAKE
The clock on the dashboard has changed. 12:53
Tiffany had been the perfect person to get us here – driving over the speed limit was her default.
but at this point Manning’s lawyer was the only person who could help me.
f the car.
e said, unbuckling
t know wh
either
ected. During the ride, I had built it up in my mind as a big, scary place.
E!” Tiffany caught up wi
aid.
.”
nd my mother’s pumps kept slipping, already rubbing against my heels.
and collected our purses from the conveyor belt.
ey’ll run behind,” she said.
ay
t there instead.
ext to me, scanning
ting. “Sutter, Mr. Courtroom Eight.” I turned to her. “But where would his lawyer b
e no ide
und us. Men and women in suits were rushing down the hallway in both dire
was true.
hing I could control at the moment.
rime . . Do you understand the nature of the accusations?
? I spoke to him, but he just glanced at the ground and turned back to the front.
dded once.
.”
rs.
?
Honor.”
and that by pleading guilty
es, Your Honor.”
teps further into the room, my heels sticking to the threadbare carpet. Tiffany grabbed my elbow to pull me back.
e is a plea bargain on the table,” the judge continued. “The prosecutor will now state the t
le to Manning’s left sto
opose to reduce the charge
ning.
he plea agreement?”
d.
ge asked questions I didn’t understand.
sit down,”
om his grip and walked towards the parti
Sutter, how do you ple
nning didn’t even hesitate.
y, Your Honor
The court will accept your guilty
plea …
sentenced to two years
e sides of my
d. “If he pleases you, don’t.”
ars, but our eyes met, he implored me.
sked him. “You are not guilty.”
th the inmate.”
ards us.
r checked over his shoulder
, but my voice came out as a whisper.
ay.
-”
I didn’t.” My voice and hands were shaking.
.
“That’s my f—”
was the only way. You have to trust me.”
innocent.”
d.” He looked at Tiffa
ha
the judge said.
the inmate is grounds for arrest.
uard grabbed Manning’s arm.
,” said he pulled her away.
ed.
an I come see you?”
sister needs you,” he said to Tiffany over his shoulder.
er to Manning just as he disappeared into the back.
th us.
was t
.
as-“
e, it will only hurt him.”
te was true.
er handed Tiffany a business card and
What is this?” she
se.”
wave of tears as I pulled it out. It was worthless, just a few intertwined ropes of wax, but they wouldn’t even let him keep that. It was all he had on him when they arrested him, which meant he was also carrying the huge, fat ring in the bottom of the bag. I wasn’t sure what it was or if it meant anything to him. The other morning, as we walked into Reflection, he said he wanted to give me something. Maybe that was it. I put the bracelet and ring in my pocket before Tiffany could take them.
y noticed.
“I’ll go get the car.”
end up in prison. I had made huge mistakes and didn’t even have the luxury of reaping the punishment myself. The man I had hurt, the man I loved, had to do it for me. If anyone deserved to be taken to that sinister back room, it was me.
down the passenger window.
next to her.
walls and chipped brown roof of the building.
car.
her.
u doing?” I asked.
e kept her gaze
him?”
ry as the car shrank around us. The sunlight hardened a film of dust
member them ever being the shade of icy blue that they were now.
No.”
ave seen, least of all her. It was three days ago, and she hadn’t said a word about it.
ear, I didn’t. All we did was go for a
she asked.
k. He didn’t burglarize any houses. We didn’t.”
’t have s*x.
nsole and threw it at my feet.
?”
p, the keys jingling.
I. . I don’t know. He has no
it from me.
m? You don’t even know how to drive.” His voice cracked. “He didn’t even want to talk to me in there. He didn’t have only a few seconds, but you took them. All he said to me was “your sist
me and Manning? That I had felt justified in the decisions I had made to try to keep him to myself? “I’m sorry.” “Sorry, I
et out of jail.” She started the car.
ook what you did, Lake. You made a colossa
he summer. Just like Manning.
e left, until I can no longer see through my tears. Tiffany’s words played over and over in my head.
k what