Chapter 14 #2
Dorothy turned to her client. “I want my future back, Mr. Grimm. The one you promised me. I came to you for help and you painted a glorious picture for me. The man of my dreams, a gorgeous home, two daughters, a lifetime of happiness. I worked hard to make my dreams come true. I planned and prepared myself for the future and it was all one big fat lie! You stole my life and I want it back!”
Ten felt sorry for Autumn as he listened to her speak. He could feel her pain, her rage, her thirst for vengeance. He was going to have to speak very carefully. Turning to Reagan, the attorney shook his head.
“Thank you, Miss Miller. Now that you’ve told us what you want, tell me what giving you your future back looks like.”
“I don’t understand,” Autumn said.
“Well, if I threw a baseball through your window, you’d want the window repaired, right?” Reagan asked. “Of course you would. In legal terms, that’s called making you whole. What I need you to do is tell me how Mr. Grimm can give you what you’re asking for.”
Autumn’s rage settled, confusion replaced it, as if she hadn’t thought far enough ahead to even consider what she wanted from Tennyson. “You know what I want!” Autumn challenged Ten.
“Do I?” Ten asked. Of course he knew what she wanted. What Ten needed her to do was say it out loud and on video.
“I want you to read my future and tell me how I can win Eli back!” Autumn said.
“I’m not so sure that’s a very good idea,” Ten replied.
“Giving you that very thing one year ago is the reason we’re all sitting here now.
” Ten resisted the urge to smile. He knew he had Autumn right where he wanted her.
“You called me a fraud, said that my gift wasn’t real.
How can I trust you won’t do the same thing again? ”
“Your gift is real!” Autumn shot back. “Happy now?”
Dorothy put a hand on Autumn’s arm and leaned in closer to whisper something to her client.
“I don’t care!” Autumn spat back. “I want a future with Eli. Tennyson can tell me how to get it.”
It was Ten’s turn to consult his attorney. Reagan bent his head toward Ten’s. “Do I tell her the truth or do I lie to her?”
“What’s the truth, that Elijah Logan won’t touch her with a ten foot pole?” Reagan asked.
“More or less, Ten agreed.
“Get her to agree to drop the charges on video. If she does that, drop the hammer. If she refuses to agree, I end the meeting.”
Ten nodded. “I’m more than happy to tell you what I see, but I need you to say you’re dropping the charges against me and no others will be filed as a result of this meeting.”
“You need to tell me about Eli!” Autumn shouted.
“No, I don’t.” Ten stood up. “Thanks to you, I spent a night in jail away from my family. I could spend ten years in prison. Why the hell should I do what you’re asking, so that you can add more charges and I spend twenty years in jail.
” Ten shook his head. “No, I’m not putting my future on the line. ” He headed for the door.
“Tennyson, stop!” Autumn cried out, sounding more scared than angry. “I’ll drop all the charges, I promise. I won’t swear out any new charges. I’ll call Vance off. Please, just tell me what’s going to happen to me and Eli.”
Ten took a deep breath. Ronan gave him a slow nod, as did Reagan.
He walked back to his place at the table and took a seat, his eyes on Autumn’s attorney.
“I want the charges against me dropped with prejudice, so they can never be refiled against me. I also want your word that no suits will be filed against West Side Magick, Carson Craig, Cole Craig, or Cope Forbes.” Ten felt Carson nod beside him.
“You have my word,” Dorothy said. “I’ll call DA Briggs myself when this meeting ends. I will also speak with him about not filing any other charges as a result of what happens here today.”
“Does that work for you?” Ten asked Reagan.
“It does. I’ll also make sure copies of these videos get to the DA as well.” Reagan grinned at Ten. “The floor is yours.”
“I’ve been doing readings like this for most of my life.
They all start out the same way, with my admonition that the future is fluid.
” Ten paused, making sure that Autumn did not disagree.
“The future that I see in the moment is changeable. You told me you were in love with Eli, but I never told you the man I saw you marrying was Elijah Logan. At that moment it very well may have been, but your actions after you left my office that day changed things.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Autumn asked, slumping into her seat.
“You began to harass Doctor Logan. You flirted with him at work, in front of patients. You showed up uninvited to places you knew he would be. You called and texted him relentlessly. I don’t know about you, but this would be the last person I would consider dating.”
“I never did any of those things. You’re lying!” Autumn practically spat. “Eli gave me his phone number and told me to call whenever I wanted. He invited me to join him at restaurants and bars. This is all bullshit!”
Tennyson reached for a stack of papers in front of Reagan.
“These are Doctor Logan’s phone records for the last year.
He gave them to Captain Fitzgibbon when we met with him the other day.
Ten picked up the second stack of papers.
“These are sworn statements from Doctor Logan documenting every time you showed up where he was dining, shopping, or staying. This pile,” Ten held the pages up high, “are all of the complaints made about you by your work colleagues, Doctor Logan and parents of your patients that accuse you of being derelict in your duties.” Ten slid the documents to Dorothy, who stacked them neatly in front of her.
“You’re lying. The other nurses are my friends. They would never say anything bad about me.”
“They did, Autumn. Every single one of them. We met with the Hughes family and they were beside themselves when you walked out of the room last week when their baby was in distress. They were afraid that their child was going to die.” Ten paused to gather his temper.
The last thing he needed was to go nuclear on this woman.
“Every drop of water in a pond makes a ripple. Imagine every call, every text adding more ripples to the pond. Add in all the times you showed up when Doctor Logan wasn’t expecting you or wanting to see you.
Buying the wedding gown and showing around the pictures, the money you bragged about spending on the venue, stories about the different cakes you tasted.
Now the ripples have turned to waves, washing away any chance you might have had with Eli. ”
“How do I get him back! You can change the future! You can bring him back to me! That’s what I want. That’s how you fix the future you stole from me. I demand you read my future!” Autumn slammed both hands on the table.
Ten turned to Reagan, who nodded.
“You’re going to be served with lawsuits for medical malpractice and professional negligence.
The Salem police department will arrest you on charges of stalking, harassment, breaking and entering, and criminal mischief in regard to Elijah Logan.
You will go to prison.” Ten paused and watched Autumn, who was stunned silent.
“But, like I said, the future is fluid. Dorothy is a good lawyer, perhaps there are legal remedies to these problems that can help you out.”
“I-I” Autumn looked gobsmacked.
Ten turned to the man who’d nearly broken his nose.
“Captain Dutch Vance will be fired from the Danvers Police Department for assaulting me and for swearing out false warrants for my arrest,” Ten continued.
“DA Briggs will be terminated from his position as district attorney. Lastly, Doctor Elijah Logan will marry and have children. You will not be his wife, nor the mother to his kids.”
“No, that can’t happen!” Autumn screamed. “It can’t. Elijah is my soul mate! I can make him love me!”
“Autumn,” Ten said gently, “you need professional help. Let Dorothy put those wheels in motion for you. Your life and future will be so much brighter and happier on the other side of this situation. I promise.” Ten turned to Dorothy. “Please do everything you can to help Autumn.”
“I don’t need anyone’s help! Fuck you all! I’ll get you for this, if it’s the last thing I do!” Autumn pushed back from the table, sending the chair over on its side. She yanked open the door so hard that it bounced off the wall and slammed shut again.
“Tennyson, I want to apologize for everything you’ve been put through. I will make sure the charges against you are dropped ASAP. As for you, Reagan, nice job. I look forward to battling against you again, soon.” Dorothy winked at him and headed for the door.
“Dorothy?” Ten called to the attorney. “The next time he asks you out, say yes.”
Dorothy gasped before blushing. “Are you sure?”
Ten nodded. “Dead sure!”
“You dog!” Ronan crowed, when Dorothy left the room.
“Duking it out like this is our foreplay.” Reagan chuckled.
“I’ve been asking her out for a drink for over a year.
I ask. She says no. Rinse. Repeat. Thanks to you, Ten, I might break my streak.
” Reagan slapped Ten’s shoulder. “I’ll be in touch when the charges are dropped.
Fitz, I’ll send you my bill. I might pad it a bit so that I can take Dorothy out for a swanky dinner. ”
Fitz snorted. “Deal!”
“Until next time,” Reagan chuckled and headed out of the room.
“Christ,” Ronan muttered. “Do you think there will be a next time?”
“Knowing you, yes!” Jude snickered.
“Next time can take care of itself. I’m starving. Let’s go grab some lunch at Lobster Charlie’s. Ronan’s treat!” Ten wrapped his arms around his husband. “I love you so much. Thank you for standing by me.”
“I love you too,” Ronan said, sounding emotional. “I’ll always be by your side, no matter what. I never, for one second, thought you were guilty of these accused crimes. I was prepared to fight for you until my last breath.” Ronan held on tight.
“I’m gonna hold you to that.” Ten would always be by Ronan’s side, through thick and thin and when Ronan was inevitably a dumbass. Ronan and their kids were Tennyson’s sun, moon, earth, and universe; nothing would ever keep them apart again.