Loving Charley (21 page)

“I’m your sister. I’m here
no matter what is going on and whether you are right or wrong. Now,
I smell bacon. Are you ready?” Laughing, I shake my head yes, and
we go inside for breakfast with Mama and Dad.

After breakfast, I go
upstairs, shower, and get ready for court. Looking at the two
outfits I brought home, I choose the A-line dress. Rummaging
through the closet, I find my black pumps and pray that I can walk
in them. Taking extra time to finish my makeup and hair, I try my
best to look like a professional. I want people to take me
seriously and know this isn’t a joke. After adding my waterproof
mascara, I take a step back and like what I see. I grab my purse
and make my way downstairs.

Tessa, Mama and Dad are
waiting on me. “Charley, you look beautiful,” Mama says.

“Is it too much? I want to
look professional.”

“I think it’s perfect,” she
says. We make our way to the truck, and I send Cash a
text.

Me: We’re on our way. I
love you 4ever & ever

Cash: We r 2! I love you
4ever & ever & ever

As I put my phone into my
purse, I try my best not to think about the shrinking distance
between our farm and the courthouse, but before I have much time to
process it, Dad is parking. Tessa squeezes my hand, and I smile at
her.

Dad cuts off the engine and
speaks before opening the door, “Whatever happens in there today,
remember why we are here, and that we are a family. We will get
through whatever is thrown our way. I’m proud of you, Charley. One
thing I want you to realize is that they might not get to Cash’s
case today. It’s up after Dylan’s, but they have to get a jury and
everything. Just be prepared that this could go on for a
while.”

He opens the door, and we
all follow. Mama puts her arm around my shoulder and gives me a
squeeze as I step toward the curb, and Tessa takes my hand as we
make our way up the courthouse steps.

As we enter the courthouse,
we are met by a large metal detector and an officer. Dad empties
his pockets, and we all follow in line, making it through with no
problems. We walk down the hallway to the courtroom.

An officer opens the door
for us, and an eerie feeling sweeps over my body. I see Dylan’s
family seated behind the defendant’s side. They don’t smile or look
my way. Dustin looks at Tessa and waves to her. Today he has to
stay by his brother’s side, and she knows it.

We walk and sit behind the
prosecutor’s table, and I do everything I can to keep my mind off
what is about to occur. The clock on the wall reads eight
forty-five, and I know I have fifteen minutes until my case
begins.

Bouncing my leg up and
down, I’m brought to an abrupt halt when Cash places his hand on my
shoulder. “It’s gonna be aight. I have to go back there and wait
until it’s my turn, but I’m right here,” he says, pointing to my
heart. He kisses my cheek before the officer guides him out of the
courtroom and into the holding area.

As quickly as Cash
vanishes, the door opens, and Dylan appears. He is dressed in a
charcoal suit with a white dress shirt and pale pink paisley tie.
Not one tattoo is showing, and his hair is combed neatly in place.
Even though he looks well put together, something is different. The
swag that he usually possesses isn’t there; instead, I see a scared
little boy who looks at me with pleading eyes.

Refusing to look at him, I
turn toward Tessa. She looks at Dylan with a
go to hell
look and squeezes my hand
tighter. I can’t help but feel sorry for Dylan. I know he’s an ass,
but he has totally fucked up his life because of one mistake.
Thinking back to when we were younger, he was the kid on the swim
team everyone looked up to. He’s always got what he wants and been
the best at everything. I guess that’s why he did what he did. It
doesn’t make it right, and I hope he has to pay one helluva price.
I just wish the Dylan I used to spend hours at the pool with when
we were nine was still around. He was a
good
person, and I’m not sure what
happened. He’s the perfect example of a kid with a great family,
support, and everything going for him, but one choice cost it
all.

Dylan walks by and takes
his seat by his lawyer. His dad places his hand on his shoulder for
comfort, and we all sit and wait. The clock seems to be frozen in
time.

At exactly nine, a petite
African American woman walks proudly into the courtroom. We stand
as she enters and then take our seats. She announces the case, and
my stomach is full of butterflies. One by one, people are called
and questioned at the stand. Slowly but surely, the twelve jurors
are chosen, and we take a ten-minute recess before it’s show
time.

I don’t leave the
courtroom; I stay seated, waiting anxiously. I have no idea how
quickly my name will be called. Checking my phone, I look for
something from Cash, but who am I kidding? They probably
confiscated his phone.

As I drop my phone into my
purse, I hear voices that warm my soul, the Kluft girls. “Girl, you
look all pro-fess-ion-al!” Hayden states. Only she would make light
of this situation, but I love her for it. I stand and turn to face
them as Georgia embraces me, and everyone else follows
suit.

“Thank y’all for comin’,” I
say.

“There’s no way we
weren’t,” Tori states. “You are a part of us, and we are here for
you.”

Glancing at the clock, I
don’t have much time before the trial starts. The girls take a
seat, and I get ready to testify against Dylan.

As Judge Reeves calls the
court into session, she reads the charges to the courtroom. “The
State charges Dylan Randall Sloan with second-degree forcible rape.
What is your plea?”

“Not guilty,” Dylan states
with little emotion.

The State begins with their
evidence against Dylan. After they lay everything out on the table,
the judge asks if there is anyone they would like to call to the
stand. This is my cue. When my name is called, I stand confidently,
even though I’m a train wreck inside. I straighten my dress and
walk with my head held high. Placing my hand on the Bible, I swear
to tell the whole truth, and then I’m asked what happened that
night in July.

“Miss Rice, can you tell us
what happened on July 20, 2012?” the District Attorney
questions.

“Yes, sir.” Taking a deep
breath, I begin to tell my side of the story. “My parents were out
of town, and I was going to a party with Dylan, my boyfriend at the
time. Nothing was out of the ordinary until we were on our way
home. I became very incoherent and realized that something was off
about Dylan. We had to leave early because of my responsibilities
at the farm. When we got to the house, my sister wasn’t there.
Dylan took me to my room and raped me. I told him no several times,
but it was like my body couldn’t move.”

As the DA paces the floor meticulously
choosing his next question, I try to hold back the emotion from my
voice. I want to be strong, but I’m unsure as he asks his next
question.

“I have no further
questions, your Honor,” he says as he takes his seat.

When the State is finished
with my questioning, I know that I’m now going to be put under fire
with Dylan’s lawyer, who is looking directly at me. He stands and
walks slyly toward the stand as my body begins to
quiver.

“Miss Rice, you said that Dylan
drugged you. Is there any physical evidence to prove that? How did
you know that happened?”

“I didn’t feel right, and
there was evidence of Dylan discussing those drugs on tape. I’m
sure you’re aware of those as well.”

Pacing the floor, he turns
to look at me. “I am aware, but aren’t they from the same young man
who beat my client?”

“Objection, your Honor!”
the State yells.

“Objection sustained,”
Judge Reeves states.

Dylan’s lawyer doesn’t say
anything to that. Instead, he pulls another stab at me. “Was Mr.
Sloan not your boyfriend?”

“Yes, I believe I’ve
already confirmed that,” I say with fire in my voice.

“Why didn’t you report this
earlier?” he asks with a crooked grin that I’d love to slap off his
face.

“I didn’t know what to do.
I didn’t think people would believe me, but then I thought he might
do this to someone else. I can’t let that happen.”

“Did you not try to take
this into your own hands?”

“Yes, sir. I knew I needed
proof to go to the police.”

“In doing that, you put my
client in harm’s way, did you not?”

The State comes in with
another disapproval. “Objection, Miss Rice isn’t on
trial.”

“Rephrase your question or
move on,” the judge says with annoyance in her voice.

“No further questions, your
Honor.”

“Miss Rice, you may leave
the stand,” she says and relief washes over my body.

Over the next hour, the
two attorneys battle out the evidence, give theories, and provide
their final arguments.
Is Dylan not going
to give his side? Seriously, is he that much of a pansy?
As I glance toward him, I’m shocked that he
doesn’t want to have the final word as usual.

Judge Reeves dismisses the
jury for deliberation while the audience waits talkatively. After
forty-five long minutes, the jury returns. This is the moment I’ve
been waiting for. The spokesperson for the jury stands and hands
the verdict to the bailiff who passes it to Judge Reeves. She gives
no indication of her feelings about the verdict. She has one
helluva poker face.

The spokesperson stands,
and when asked, he reads the verdict. I feel the air still as I
wait for the words. “The jury finds Dylan Randall Sloan guilty of
second-degree forcible rape.” He then takes a seat.

All the air expels from
lungs, and relief washes over me. Tears begin to fall from my eyes.
He’s going to pay for what he did, but now, the question is for how
long? Judge Reeves calls for order in the courtroom and gives her
verdict. Dylan stands with his head hung low as he waits for his
future.

“Mr. Sloan, I see that you
have no prior crimes, but due to the nature of your crime, I’m
sentencing you to one hundred and twenty months in prison. Your
sentence is effective immediately.” The bailiff walks to Dylan as
he turns to look at his parents. Mrs. Sloan is a complete mess, and
I lose it completely, too. As much as I hate what Dylan did, I hate
to see his family suffer. My sister is in love with his brother,
and they will always be a part of my life, but I can’t help but
wonder, what will happen when Dylan is released?

Mr. Sloan and Dustin try to
comfort Mrs. Sloan the best they can and try to remain strong for
Dylan. Dylan looks at me as he exits the courtroom, mouthing the
words, “I’m sorry.”

Doing the right thing, I
mouth back to him, “I forgive you.” I turn, and as a sob escapes on
my sister’s shoulder, the bailiff leads him into the
hallway.
Why does my heart feel like it is
being ripped from me again? I should feel relief, but instead, I
feel pain filling my body once more.

“Char, that has to be the
most honorable thing I’ve ever seen. To tell him you forgive him? I
couldn’t have done that,” Tessa says as she pulls me from her
shoulder.

Wiping the tears from my
eyes, I say, “I can’t move forward without forgiving him, and
neither can he. I know deep down in my heart that the good Dylan is
in there somewhere. I just hope that he surfaces when he’s
released. Honestly, I feel like my heart has just been ripped out
again. It’s not that I love him or anything like that, but he was
an important part of my life for a long time, even before we dated…
it just hurts.”

“You honestly amaze me,
Char. Not many people can feel the way that you do, and I’m like
you. I hope the Dylan we all used to love returns,” Tessa says.
Dustin and his family approach us.

“Charley, we are so sorry
about everything. You know we love you, but he’s our child,” Mr.
Sloan states with a wavering in his voice.

“I know. I just want
everything to be like it was before all of this happened. I want
Tessa and Dustin to be happy without this drama,” I say
confidently.

Pausing a moment, Mr. Sloan
replies, “We do, too.”

Court is adjourned for
lunch, and after this win, I’m hoping that Cash’s verdict goes in
his favor, unlike Dylan’s.

The Kluft girls are waiting
outside the courthouse, and we all walk to the little café a block
down the street for a quick bite to eat. Honestly, I’m not hungry,
but I’ve gotta eat before this one, because if it doesn’t go well,
then I’m liable to swear off food forever.

“Charley, we’re
so
proud of you!”
Georgia exclaims.

“Yeah, you kicked ass up there!”
Hayden says confidently, and of course, always keeping it
real.

“Thanks, I guess,” I reply,
and we enter the small café.

At lunch, I’m pretty quiet.
The Kluft girls and Tessa try to make me laugh. Piper and Joe eat
with us as well. I looked for them while I was on the stand, but I
didn’t see them. Instead of keeping the thought to myself, I just
blurt it out, “Where were y’all?” I state directly to Piper and
Joe.