by Maria Carter
"You know that's not true. Not anymore. This would just hurt us both."
"I don't know that. Neither do you. Call him. If he says no, I'll do it."
Bommer was backing her into a corner. And he seemed quite proud of himself.
"Fine," she muttered.
"Bye, Vanessa."
He hung up, and Vanessa was left staring at the phone again. But she did what had to be done—she called Eric. He picked up after three rings on his rarely-used cell phone.
"Hello?"
His deep, familiar voice was a shock to Vanessa's system. Memories and emotions she'd begun to bury surfaced in a rush. For a moment, she couldn't speak. She didn't know how to begin.
"Hi, Eric. It's Vanessa. Dickson."
She wasn't sure why she added the last name. In case he'd forgotten about her, she supposed. It was Eric's turn to pause. She could sense his struggle. To say they hadn't left on the best of terms was an understatement. Any feEricngs he had left for her had to be unpleasant.
"What do you want?" he sighed.
His tone stung. He'd loved her once. She still loved him. Now they were strangers, even more so than that day they'd met on the side of the road.
"I've decided to press charges against Goe." She waited for a reaction, but Eric said nothing. "My lawyer said I need someone who saw the bruise he gave me firsthand. The picture I took isn't enough."
Eric remained silent. His lack of reaction was torture. Her frail confidence faltered, but it was all she had. She gathered it back up and finished quickly.
"So I was hoping you might be able to come to New York next week and testify. I'll pay for the plane ticket, of course."
There was another pause and then, "Did you ask Bommer?"
"Yes. He won't."
"Isn't there anyone else?" Vanessa's heart clenched at the tired, pained edge to his voice. He really didn't want to see her. She wasn't sure she could respond, but he spoke again. "I'll try."
He was still attempting indifference, and Vanessa wouldn't press him—as much as she wanted to know how Julia and Sharon were doing, as much as she wanted to know if his backyard still smelled like oak trees and fresh cut grass, as much as she wanted to beg him to pretend the last month and a half hadn't happened. Vanessa kept her questions to herself and tried to keep her emotions under control.
"Thanks, Eric."
Her only answer was a click on the other line. Vanessa sat just as she was for a few long moments, phone at her ear, heart beating painfully in her chest. She'd made the right decision by leaving. The moment Eric saw her round stomach, he'd know. He'd know everything, and he'd understand why, and he'd agree. Vanessa sighed and set the phone down, but it rang again, startling her. It was Eric.
"Hello?" she said hesitantly.
"Did he hit you again?"
There was anger in his voice, and a stinging disappointment. He would never love her again. She was a horrible example for Julia.
"Not exactly."
"Jesus, Vanessa."
"I'm fine. I promise."
"There's no reason for me to come."
"I know."
She could hear his sigh, imagine his struggle. She braced herself for rejection.
"When do you need me?"
"Tuesday morning."
"Fine."
"Thank—"
He hung up again. Vanessa set the phone down and rested her chin on her hands. She hadn't expected him to say yes. She wasn't sure how to feel. She missed him. He was everything she'd ever wanted. She wanted to be near him. But being so close to something she knew she couldn't have would be painful. Almost unbearable.
Vanessa gave herself the luxury of letting her shoulders slump.
Chapter Twenty
"You have to go," Eric told his brother for what seemed like the hundredth time, frustration making his fists clench.
"I'm not going," Bommer moved some tools around in his garage, unfazed by his brother's emotional torment. "You still love her. She had her reasons for leaving. It's time you go and find out what they are."
"Look, I get that you're happy and in love and life is all shiny and new for you, but Vanessa and I aren't happening. I don't want anything to do with her."
"So you keep saying."
"You're backing me into a corner."
"I am not."
"You are! If you don't go, and I don't go, then who the hell is going to make sure that asshole gets put in jail?"
"Why do you care?"
"It's for the common good."
"Bullshit. Look, Eric, if you didn't love her there would be no corner for me to back you into. You made your corner. You still have feEricngs for her. Go get your closure. Better yet, go get her and bring her home."
"She made it pretty damn obvious this isn't her home."
"Ask her. Ask her where she wants to be."
"Did she say something to you? Because she has no right—"
"No. She never said anything. She cares about you too much to come begging, especially through me."
"She cares about me too much?"
"Yes."
"You're ridiculous."
"You are."
"You are!"
"Ahem!" Someone cleared their throat at the garage door, and Eric and Bommer turned to find Julia and Sharon standing behind them, watching. Eric's face flushed. His daughter had just witnessed him arguing like a child.
"Julia, what are you doing here?"
"Practice was canceled. I had the bus driver drop me off at Grandma's."
"You should have called."
"What are you fighting about?"
"We're not fighting."
"Your Dad's going to New York tomorrow," Bommer said.
Eric could have punched him.
"What?" Julia' eyes widened and she clapped happily. "Can I come? I can come, right? Are we visiting Vanessa? I bet she could get Tom to show me around a set sometime. Maybe I'd get to meet some designers. Maybe I'd get to meet Tyra Banks! Daddy, I'm so excited!"
"No, Julia, I'm sorry. You can't come." His daughter's face fell, squeezing his heart. He tried to make her understand. "BEriceve me, if I was going for fun, I'd take you with me in a second. But I'm not. I'll only be there for two days."
"I can't bEriceve this!" Julia' excitement became pure, preteen anger in a second. "This sucks! You never let me do anything fun!" She stamped her foot and stormed past Sharon, probably out to his truck. Or to her grandmother's truck, if she was mad enough.
Eric looked at Sharon. "I'm sorry for the short notice. Can you take her for a few days?"
"Of course." Sharon reached out and squeezed his arm, an understanding smile on her lips. "Drop her off in the morning. Then go get Vanessa."
"I'm not going to get Vanessa." Eric's patience was already tried, but he did his best to sound reasonable in front of his former mother-in-law. "I'm going to testify at a court hearing. Then I'm coming straight home."
"Just don't rule it out."
"Does no one remember what she did to me? To us? She's a liar, a user, a—"
Sharon shrugged, and that was enough to cut Eric off. "I'm sure she has her reasons, Eric."
"None of them are worth hearing."
"Just talk to her, Eric. Sort things out. I'll see you in the morning."
"I'm sorry." Eric took a deep, calming breath and hugged her goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Eric's plane landed at JFK the next day. Bommer had fun in New York. He'd found it exciting. For Eric, the hustle and bustle of the airport, the rush for taxi cabs, and the stop-and-go traffic were overwhelming. He'd never been before, and he just wanted to get back to Virginia as quickly as possible. He considered turning right back around and catching the next flight out without ever leaving the airport, but he'd already come this far.
Vanessa had hurt him. She'd brought him one step toward normal and then kicked him two steps back. But Eric loved deeply, whether he liked to admit it or not, and Vanessa needed him. It wasn't in his nature to de
ny her.
But this would have to be enough. This would have to be the end.
He checked into his hotel and sat in the small, yet somehow incredibly expensive, room. For a moment, he enjoyed the quiet. Then he dialed Vanessa's number.
He'd left her a message the night before, after Julia was asleep, to confirm details. He was hoping he could leave another impersonal voicemail today, but she picked up. Her voice was quiet, serious.
"Hey, Eric."
His heart twinged. She was more understanding of his anger than he wanted her to be. Part of him craved the gratification of turning her down, but he knew she'd never ask to have him back, just like Bommer said. She wouldn't beg. Even if she wanted him.
"I need to know when and where to meet the lawyer."
"Sure. I'll text you the info. Can you get texts?"
"Yeah."
He picked up on something in her voice. She sounded tired, shaky. He couldn't ask if she was alright. He wasn't supposed to care. He needed to remain objective. He was here to put an asshole in jail, not to reconcile, not to ask how she was feEricng, not to be friendly, not to discuss what might have been.
His voice was neutral as he asked the next question. "Will I see you tomorrow?"
"I think so." She was almost apologetic. "They'll call on me before you, so..." She seemed to struggle a bit to finish her thought. "I think they'll need you for the duration of the hearing. Maybe two hours."
Eric hated himself for it, but he couldn't hold it in any longer. She sounded like crap.
"What's wrong?" he asked, annoyance lacing his tone, but most of the irritation was directed at himself.
"I'm a little sick."
"Sick? Will you be able to go on tomorrow?"
"Yes."
Eric wasn't sure what else there was to say. It was the longest conversation they'd had since she left, and she wasn't offering much information. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. He didn't need another reason to feel soft toward her.
"I should go," Vanessa said. "See you tomorrow."
There was a click on the other line. Eric took the phone away from his ear and rubbed his hands over his face.
He needed to get this over with.
The next day arrived too quickly. Vanessa had bought her first maternity dress on Sunday and wore it now. It had a peach top and black skirt, accentuating her stomach as the lawyer suggested. She hadn't spoken with Eric since the previous day, when he'd caught her during her first and only bout of morning sickness.
Her mother said it was stress.
She arrived in a taxi with Tom and her parents. A few newspapers were covering the story, and cameras flashed as she walked. She was used to them, ignored them easily, and walked into the building with her entourage. Esmeralda met them at the courtroom door and led Vanessa to the plaintiff's table while her family and Tom sat in the gallery.
Goe was already seated at the defendant's table. He gave her an indifferent glance as she took her seat. Vanessa pursed her lips and stared straight ahead, waiting for the judge to appear. She took a deep breath and poured a glass of water, doing her best to keep the nausea at bay. She didn't want to look behind her. She didn't want to know if Eric had arrived yet or if he could tell something was different just by looking at her back. Her lawyer gave her a sideways glance.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Have you heard from Eric?"
Esmeralda turned in her seat and glanced around the courtroom. "He just walked in."
"When you talked to him...did he seem cooperative?"
"Yes. But any idiot can see there's some kind of history between you two. Did you cheat on Goe?"
Vanessa shook her head.
"Is there any chance that baby isn't Goe's?"
Vanessa shook her head again.
"Then just be honest. About everything. It's the best way to keep them from poking holes in your story."
Vanessa nodded and turned briefly to find Eric. He sat by the aisle, about halfway back, wearing slacks, a button-down shirt, and a tie. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, and he hadn't even attempted to tame is unruly blond hair. Vanessa's breath left her body in a rush. He was just as she remembered. He met her gaze, and she turned back to the bench immediately.
"All rise," the bailiff ordered, and the judge, an older man who looked as if nothing could surprise him anymore, took his seat.
Anxiousness settled in the pit of Vanessa's stomach. Goe, of course, pleaded not guilty, and Esmeralda had the floor first. She introduced the case and called Vanessa to the stand.
She wanted badly to escape herself, to let someone else take over her body and say what needed to be said, go through the motions that needed to be made. She didn't want to look at Goe, and she didn't want to look at Eric. But she would do what she had to. Vanessa stood and gathered all of her poise and grace as she made the short but life-changing walk to the witness stand.
"Ms. Dickson, will you please tell the court how long you've known Mr. Black?"
Vanessa glanced up at the judge. She felt small. He seemed far more intimidating up close. But she took a deep breath and tried to stay focused on her lawyer.
"I've known him for about a year and a half."
"And in that year and a half, how many times has he hit you, shoved you, or made you the victim of physical abuse?"
Vanessa almost winced. The words were harsh.
"Twice. Once in April and again about two weeks ago."
"Can you please tell the court about the first incident?"
"Objection!" the defense attorney's sharp cry startled Vanessa. "There's no evidence showing the incident in question ever occurred."
"We have a photo and an eyewitness," Esmeralda told the judge crisply.
"Overruled." He nodded to Vanessa.
"I caught him in bed with another woman. I was angry, and I yelled at him. He slapped me across my face."
"And what was your reaction?"
"I left."
"Here is the photo Ms. Dickson took after the incident, Your Honor. You can clearly see the damage to her left cheek."
"Did he cause these scratches, also?" the judge asked.
"That was a separate incident."
The judge turned to Vanessa for an explanation.
"I hit a deer with my car."
His expression remained neutral as the lawyer displayed Vanessa's injured face on a big screen.
"Could you please explain to the court what made you decide to return?" Esmeralda continued.
Vanessa couldn't keep her gaze from landing on Eric this time. His face was white. His eyes were glued to hers as he waited to hear what he already knew.
"I found out I was pregnant."
Eric's head dropped immediately. Esmeralda blocked her view, telling her with one stern look she'd better stay focused.
"And everything was fine until the incident two weeks ago?"
"I wouldn't call it fine, but he didn't lay a hand on me."
"Can you tell us about that night?"
Vanessa shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Eric again. He'd raised his head to hear the rest of her story, but his eyes were dark. Her heart ached for him.
"He came home late, and I suspected he was cheating again."
"Why did you think that?"
"Several reasons. He lost interest in me when I started gaining weight. He missed our ultrasound appointment that day, and I could smell perfume on him when he came home that night. When I confronted him, he admitted to it."
"Objection! Hearsay." The defense attorney stepped in again.
"Sustained." The judge agreed.
"Well, then, I confronted him about it. We fought, and I told him I was leaving. For good. I realized how big of a mistake I made by going back to him." She looked at Eric when she said this, but his expression didn't change. "When I went to the bedroom to pack, he pinned me down on the bed and locked me in the room with him. I tried to fight, but he put his knee in my stomach and wouldn't let me move."
"How did you escape?"
"I managed to get my pepper spray."
"Thank you, Ms. Dickson."
The defense approached to cross-examine her. "Ms. Dickson, if Goe had a history of violent behavior, why did you bEriceve bringing a child to live with him was a good idea?"
"We'd been dating for a year before he ever hit me. I guess I panicked. I thought maybe it had been a fluke and he'd never do it again. Or he'd change for the baby. Like I said, as soon as I realized I was wrong, I tried to leave."
"But there's no evidence that this incident ever occurred. In fact, there's only evidence of your violence toward him."
"Objection!" It was Esmeralda's turn. "My client is not the one on trial."
"Withdrawn," Goe's lawyer said easily. "There's actually no evidence of either attack since that bruise could easily have been caused by your accident with the deer."
"We have a witness appearing that will refute that," Esmeralda interjected.
"Well, I'm looking forward to that." The lawyer pretended to smile. "I think we're finished with Ms. Dickson."
"You can step down," the judge said.
Vanessa walked calmly back to her seat, but her heart was beating fast. It hadn't gone as well as she'd hoped. Esmeralda squeezed her hand.
"We're okay," she whispered.
Goe stepped up and presented his side of the story—his very skewed side of the story in which Vanessa drove him to cheat by continuously rejecting him and making him feel inadequate. Apparently she'd excluded him from the sonogram but still made him pay for the appointment. He'd grown angry and yelled at her (which he wasn't proud of) but he'd never hit a woman.
Vanessa had to bite her tongue several times. She hated him. Esmeralda got him to admit he'd locked her in the bedroom, but he insisted it was only so she'd talk to him.
Eric was up next. Vanessa considered leaving as he took the stand. She could say she didn't feel well. It wasn't a lie.
"Mr. Sims, could you please explain how you know Ms. Dickson?"
Eric's expression was unreadable as Esmeralda began questioning him, and his voice remained flat.
"I met her after she left Mr. Black the first time. She was driving to be with her parents in Florida, and she got a flat near my hometown in Virginia. I put her spare on and took her to my brother's shop to get a replacement."