2 Weeks Later

Building a case against was surprisingly easy.  The police brought Chris Pettiford, the cousin of the man who assaulted Lynne into the precinct for questioning.  He corroborated his cousin’s story.  Alicia Staley had contacted him about “teaching the bitch her man was cheating with a lesson”.  In order to make sure the charges against Alicia stuck, they needed hard evidence against her.  They advised Chris that he he’d be facing conspiracy to a felony charges, but they’d bump that down to an accessory to a felony charge if he helped build their case against Alicia.

The first step was to have Chris contact Alicia to advise that the police had questioned him about the night Lynne was assaulted.

“Well did you tell them anything?” Alicia asked when Chris spoke to her over the phone.

“No!  I open my mouth and I’ll probably go down with y’all”.

“Well if your cousin would have just beat the bitches ass, LIKE I TOLD HIM TO, instead of trying to kill her, his stupid ass might not be in jail now.  He spent too much time there.  He should have just fucked her up and left”.

The call had been recorded and it was enough to charge Alicia Staley with conspiracy to commit felony assault.  

When the police advised Lynne that they’d arrested Alicia, she cried with relief.  Her mother Della and her Aunt Ernestine where there when she received the call.

“Lynnie, what’s happened?”  Asked Della.

“Th-th-they got her!  They arrested her!  The got a tape of her basically confessing organizing the attack.  She’s going to prison!”

“Look at God!  Won’t he do it?!”  Della shouted, holding out her arms and pulling her daughter into a tight hug.

“I’m glad Jesus fixed it because I was ready to grease up my face and SEE that lil heifuh”.  Ernestine added.

“I’m so glad this is over.  It’s finally over”.  Lynne said, tears welling up in her eyes.

“I know baby, we are too”, Della said with a smile.

A minute or two later the doorbell rang.  “I’ll get that”, Ernestine said.

“That’s probably Malcolm”.  Lynne said.  There was a slight smile on her face as she said it.  He’d been so attentive; bringing her lunch, helping the substitute teacher who was handling her class while she was on leave, and just keeping her company.  He was such a sweetheart.

Ernestine looked out of the window.  “Nope, it’s your idiot ex-husband”.

“What?  Why is he here?” Della asked Lynne.

“I don’t know, Mom”.

“You want me to let him in or chase him off with a broom”, said Ernestine with a frown.  Lynne didn’t doubt for a second that she was serious.

Lynne sighed wearily.  “Let him in”.

Ernestine opened the door and looked up at Saul with clear disdain.

“Hello Aunt Ernestine”.  Saul said softly.

“Boy, we ain’t related no mo’.  You can call me Mrs. Christie”.

“Aunt Ernie, stop it”, Lynne said, walking to the door.  “What is it, Saul”.

“I just wanted to talk, Lynne”.

Lynne sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.  She knew she had to deal with him in order to truly move on with her life.  It just wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have today.

“Come on in.  We can go into the den and talk”.

“Hello, Della.”

“Saul”, Della said, barely sparing him a glance while her sister stared daggers at him.

Saul followed Lynne into the den.  He sat on the couch and she sat in the armchair across from him.

“I see your bruises are fading.  How are you feeling?”

“The physical wounds are healing well.  The emotional wounds...that’s a different story”.

“Lynne I am so sorry about everything that’s happened in the past year.  Me cheating, Alicia having you assaulted, all of it.  I’m ashamed of myself.  I had everything and I pissed on it.  I have absolutely no excuse for what I did, you deserved so much better.  I just hope that in time, you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me”.

Lynne looked at Saul and for the first time in the past year, she felt sorry for him.  He’d brought his troubles on himself and he was paying for them.  He’ll probably continue to pay for them for years to come; He’ll have a hard row to hoe with his children, especially Malachi.  She had to forgive him.  She had to forgive him in order to have peace; in order to move on.

“I can forgive you, Saul.  Forgiveness is not easy to achieve, but stewing in anger and hatred is not good for the soul.  And I want peace.  I want to move on with my life.  And I want you to do the same”.

Saul nodded his head.  Her words were both relief and heartache, but he knew that he had to accept them.  They DID both need to move forward with their lives.

“Oh, I have news”, Lynne said. “They were able to get Alicia to incriminate herself.  She’s been arrested”.

“Thank God”, Saul breathed.  It was a relief to know that she was going to be unable to harm Lynne or the kids.  “Thank God”.

“Well, I’m going to take off.  Thank you, Lynne.  Take care of yourself”.

“You too, Saul”.  She felt a pang of loss.  This was goodbye for them.  Even though it was what she wanted, she still felt a lump in her throat and unshed tears in her eyes.

Lynne walked Saul to the door and saw Malcolm’s car pull up.  She felt her heart lift at the sight of him.  As she watched the men walk towards their different destinations, she realized that her past was walking away from her as her future walked towards her, smiling and loaded down with bags from Boston Market.  

For the first time in almost a year, she could breathe again.