Sanctuary - Side 2

Two days passed and it was now time for Abby’s testimony. Before we headed into the courthouse, I sat on the steps with her as she curled up into me, not wanting me to let go. Her friends arrived sometime later, she got up and embraced them.

“Hey, guys.”

“I’d ask how you’re doing, but I already know the answer.” Miranda said, making a face.

“I’d like to thank you all for being here. It means so much. This is absolutely terrifying.”

“Well, there’s no way we couldn’t be here. Now, that would be wrong.”

She smiled and nodded.

“Shall we walk inside, ladies?” I asked.

She took my hand and we walked into the building. Her friends sat directly behind us before we sat down in the courtroom.

“I love you.” I said.

“I love you, too.” she said quietly.

“Is there anything you’d like to do after this?”

“If I’m not sick to my stomach, could we go out and get some food? Maybe a milkshake?”

“Great idea, babe.”

She faintly smiled.

“Let me know when he walks in. Okay? I just wanna know so I can avoid looking in that general direction.”

“Of course.”

A couple of minutes later, I whispered into her ear that he was here. We stood up and sat back down just like the other day, but it was time for Abby to testify.

“Will Abigail Shaw come to the stand?”

She squeezed my hand and smiled at me; I smiled back.

“Raise your right hand. Do you promise to tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?”

“I do.” she said as bravely as she could.

The prosecutor spoke first.

“Now, Ms. Shaw, I know this difficult for you, but could you relay what happened in the night of May 7th?”

“That night began out with a celebration of my best friend’s birthday and my new job. We started out at a restaurant for dinner before we started barhopping. At the third and final bar, my friends and I were at, we were having the most we had all night until this man followed me to the restroom. He didn’t follow me in and was gone when I walked back out. I managed to avoid him for ten minutes, but I then saw him again and excused myself and headed outside in an attempt to get rid of him. It didn’t work.

Tears came streaming down her face and she was given tissues; the sight was breaking my heart, but it was only going to get worse.

“Just as I walked outside, I felt him grab my butt. I walked more as I called my boyfriend, but he got to me and dragged me to an alley, and pushed me up against the wall. He slid his hand up my dress while he kissed my neck. Then, he pulled my... pulled my panties down and thrust two fingers into my vagina multiple times...

I looked at her and wanted to go up there; I could also see her looking straight into my eyes.

“I managed to get away from him. I pushed him with one of my shoes and knocked him down, but then he tried to drag me back when I tried to get off the ground which resulted in my falling back down and skinning my knees. Someone saw what was going on and made sure that the man who hurt me wouldn’t get away as I called the police.”

“Thank you, Ms. Shaw.” the prosecutor said.

She nodded and took another deep breath. Then, his defense lawyer came up and spoke to her.

“That’s quite the story, Ms. Shaw.“

He was entertained. Fuck him.

“You do know that there are false allegations made every day. Right?”

She was angry.

“Yes, so?” she said somehow keeping her cool.

“This sounds like one of those allegations. A lot of women like it rough. Are you one of these people?”

The prosecutor objected, but I had to answer it.

“I am. Why does that matter?”

“Because that sounds like rough sex to me.”

The anger in her and me were growing.

“It doesn't that it was right or consensual.”

He shook his head.

“Whatever you say, Ms. Shaw.”

She was ready to sit back down; she had enough.

“That’s all I have to say, your honor.”

“Ms. Shaw. You can step down.”

She nodded and sat back down next to me.

“You did good.” I whispered before kissing her cheek.

She was starting to feel better.

“Will Mr. Mars take the stand?”

With a smile on his face, he proudly walked up to the stand down.

“Hello, Mr. Mars.” the prosecutor said.

“Hello.”

“What’s your account on the events on the night of May 7th?”

“Well, I’m glad you asked.”

That fucker.

“That night was a great one. One of the best nights I’ve had actually. I saw this beautiful woman in a bar that night and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. When she decided to head outside, I followed her; I just needed to talk to her. She was just another girl who liked to play hard to get and I wish the night would’ve gone better when she changed her mind. I’d do it all again if I could.”

She put her head between her legs and rocked while I rubbed her back.

“Thank you for your testimony, sir.”

“You are very welcome.”

The prosecutor was clearly disgusted. His attorney didn't have any questions for him and we were thankful; we needed out of here.

“That’s all for today. Court will reconvene on Monday. Court dismissed.”

The fact that she had to give her testimony with me in the crowd was painful because I couldn’t console her or hold her hand while she spoke.

Abby immediately rushed to the restroom while her friends and I followed.

“Let me go in.” Miranda told me.

I agreed. They were in for about five minutes, and once I heard the door open, I wrapped my arms around Abby; she did the same and had no plans on letting go.

“Can we go? Please?” she sobbed into my chest.

“Absolutely.”

“Guys, I’ll talk to you later. I need to go before I lose my mind.”

“Of course. Feel better, hun.” Brielle said.

She took my hand and we walked out of the courthouse.

“Anything I can do, Abby?”

“Is fast food and a milkshake still on the table?”

I smiled.

“It always is.”

She smiled and melted into me.

“I love you.” she said.

“I love you, too.”

We sat in my car and ate; her tears had cleared up which was a good sign.

“Can you believe the words that came out of his mouth? I had never been so disgusted in my life.” she said.

“I wanted to knock his fucking lights out, if you ask me. How can someone even be that smug?”

“That’s a really good question. You know, his lawyer can go to hell too. He asked about my sex life and insisted my rape was actually just rough sex. I can’t even think about rough sex now… something I fucking love!”

She was screaming. I placed my hands on her shoulders to help her calm down.

“Breathe, Abby. Just breathe.”

It took her a moment.

“In and out, in and out.”

Within seconds, her breathing had returned to normal.

“Thank you. I gotta chill. It’s just so fucking hard. I also gotta cut down on the swearing.”

I laughed at the last part. I kissed and hugged her again.

“It will happen. I just know it will.”

“Alex, I need to go to a doctor. I’m pretty sure that I have PTSD.”

“I feel like that’s the right thing to do.”

“I’m not looking forward to going back on meds if I need to. I dealt with being on them when I was depressed, but I’ll deal with it if I have to.”

“And I’ll always be there.”

Notes