Olivia #3
“You mentioned reconnecting with childhood friends. Did those relationships help you better understand the abuse you experienced during your marriage with Mr. Hayes?”
“Yes.”
“How so?”
For the first time since this started, I look up at Jason and meet his eyes directly.
“I met men who didn’t need fear to feel powerful,” I say, and Jason’s jaw tightens.
“I reconnected with someone who showed me that good men don’t humiliate people to keep them around…
He made me realize that Jason was never strong…
He’s just a weak man who hurts people so he doesn’t have to feel how small and alone he is. ”
Jason’s chair scrapes against the floor as he surges to his feet. “You fucking…”
“Mr. Hayes!” The Judge shouts.
Without even glancing at Jason, Amy continues. “One final question, Olivia… Why did you testify here today?”
“Because I’m not scared anymore,” I say, finding the courage to straighten my back and stand tall for once. “He doesn’t control my life anymore.”
“The prosecution rests, Your Honor,” Amy says.
The judge calls for a brief recess before starting closing arguments, and I feel weak as I step down from the witness stand. I don’t even fully process Jason moving. One second, he’s at the defense table, and the next, he is charging at me.
“You fucking bitch!” Jason screams. He grabs my arm hard, and his hand cracks across my face with a blinding force. The impact of his slap sends me stumbling sideways into the wooden railing beside the witness stand. Pain stabs through my shoulder when I crash down to the floor.
The courtroom erupts in chaos when Jett slams into Jason before he can get to me again. I hear a violent crash of bodies and furniture as Jett grabs Jason and launches him into the defense table as deputies swarm him.
“Get the fuck off me!” Jason screams. “You fucking bitch! You’ll fucking die for this! You hear me, whore?!” He screams as they drag him from the courtroom.
Everything has blurred together as Bodhi gets to me. “Liv,” he says, his voice shaky. “Look at me, baby.”
My lip throbs, and I can taste blood. When I look at him—Like really look at him—all I see is panic. Real panic. Not anger. Not embarrassment. He thought he was about to lose me.
“I’m okay,” I whisper.
“You aren’t okay,” Bodhi says softly.
“She ruined my fucking life!” Jason screams as the doors shut behind the deputies, taking him away in cuffs. Bodhi doesn’t look at him even once because he is too busy looking at me like nothing else in the world matters.
Bodhi helps me up, and Jett is huffing as he comes over to me. He gently tips my chin up and frowns deeply. “It’s not your fault, Jett,” I say when he doesn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry he hurt you, Olivia,” he says. “He was talking to his lawyer, and then just…”
“He knew what he was doing,” I say. “I’m okay.”
“Is she free to go?” Jett asks Judge Henderson.
“Yes. Ms. Monroe, I am so sorry that happened. Additional charges will be filed for aggravated assault, and the lifetime protective order will be granted.”
“Thank you,” I say.
Bodhi all but carries me out of the courthouse and to the parking lot before the media can notice me. I just publicly named a senator as the ringleader of a trafficking operation, so the place has started to become swarmed by the press.
I am placed into the truck alone so the others can talk. Bodhi recognizes that I need to be alone right now.
Sitting here, the pain of the cyst is starting to filter back into my mind, and it’s horrible. When Bodhi gets into the driver’s seat, he looks over at me. “Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I’m just in pain.”
“Your face?”
“No,” I laugh.
“Oh,” he says. “Well, let’s go back to town, and we can go to the clinic and take care of this. Do you want anyone with you?”
“Uh… Kate and Luke?” I ask. “Luke can just close his eyes.”
“Yeah,” he says, rolling my window down. “Kate. Luke.”
“Yes?” Kate asks, walking over to my window.
“Kate. Luke. Liv wants you two to join us. We are going to the clinic to handle something for her, and she’d like support,” Bodhi explains.
“Oh shit. Are you okay?” Kate asks me
Rhett is standing with them, so Bodhi glances at me.
“It’s fine. As long as he doesn’t be weird,” I sigh.
“She has a Bartholin cyst that has become rather severe, so I am going to take care of it for her.”
“Oh Jesus,” Kate says. “I’ve had one of those. Awful. I’m so sorry. Are you in pain?”
“A lot,” I say.
“Isn’t that a vulvar cyst?” Rhett asks.
“Yeah, it’s like right at the opening, so every time you move, you feel it,” Kate says.
“Fucking ow. That hurts my pussy, and I don’t even have one,” Rhett remarks.
“Kate was miserable when she had it,” Luke says. “I’m sorry, Liv.”
“Yeah, babe. We will come with you,” Kate says.
“Am I still kicked out, or can I ride?” Rhett says with sad puppy dog eyes.
“Come on,” I laugh.
“Just keep it down,” Bodhi says as they get into the truck. They wave off Jett, Tim, and Marcy. I assume I will meet up with them at a later point. I’m just ready to lie in bed and relax.