“Is he?” the judge asked.
Looking straight at Nick.
Silence.
Long.
Heavy.
Nick looked down.
And at that moment…
Everything fell apart.
He didn’t need to confess.
Because there was nowhere left to hide.
“Your Honor,” he finally said, “…this is being taken out of context…”
But his voice…
I no longer had any strength.
The judge did not respond.
He just took note.
And then he looked at Chloe.
-Thank you.
She nodded.
And he returned.
He didn’t run.
She didn’t cry.
He just went back to his place.
Next to me.
It got into my arm like when I was little.
And there…
trembling was allowed.
I hugged her.
As best I could.
With the pain.
With fear.
But also with something more.
Something I hadn’t felt in weeks.
TRUE.
The hearing did not end immediately.
But she wasn’t the same anymore.
The lawyer’s words no longer carried the same weight.
Doubts about me…
They could no longer stand up.
Because the truth is…
I was already in the room.
Days later, the ruling came.
It wasn’t perfect.
Nothing is.
