"You worked many hours, and your brain may have been too tired or just didn't want to see or accept that everyone was right about him. Add that to the daily verbal abuse and it fits. He was sly and always made it seem as if he was trying to help you.” “I have seen many men and women in the same situation. Some people just know how to play the game. And I'll bet that up until finding the two of them in a compromising position, Derrik had gotten his way in everything in your marriage and your wants had been pushed to the side." Milton raised his eyebrow but Pandora nodded, knowing he was right. She had to accept her responsibility for Derrik's behavior towards her. After all, she allowed and even encouraged it. "So when you didn't give in to his demands during the divorce, it sent him down the path to making you regret it. Only he made mistakes, he's not as smart as he thinks he is. He will pay the price, for everything he has done. The District Attorney is filing charges and intends
"I know, Momma," Derrik said, sounding like a little boy. "Hey," Ron called, kissing the side of Pandora’s head. "See that, she just lets him kiss her and does nothing! That just proves that she's sleeping with them all like you think. I bet she's lying and is just saying that doctor is her partner so the judge will look kindly toward her." "Who let the dog out?" Ron asked loudly. Miriam huffed and glared at them. "Ron," Milton said in a warning tone. "Not here." Miriam gave Ron a big smile, showing her teeth because she felt she had won something with her little show. "Preston v Leonard," the court clerk called. Benjamin growled a little but took Pandora’s hand and led her into the courtroom. The Judge that granted the restraining order walked in. His eyes flickered to Derrik and stayed there as the case was read by the court clerk. Once they were told to be seated, Mr. Hill remained standing. "Your honor, may counsel approach the bench?" "Yes," the judge stated as both Hill
"We have proof those babies are Mr. Preston's," Derrik’s attorney stated. "Now, you look here!" Miriam yelled, standing up. "He was drunk and she raped him. He was ashamed and embarrassed about it so he lied." "Mrs. Preston, you were warned and are now in direct contempt of court and have gained yourself thirty days in county lock up and a fine of five thousand dollars. Bailiff, remove her!" Miriam's mouth just opened and closed as she was put in handcuffs and led away. The room was silent, and Derrik looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Your Honor, Detective Milton Banks is present with a bench warrant for Mr. Preston due to breaking the restraining order," the bailiff stated from the door and Milton entered the courtroom. Milton walked up to the bench and handed the paperwork to the judge. The judge read it over and looked at Derrik’s attorney. "Since you and your client are both here, I'll allow you to have fifteen minutes of conference time, and we will hear your client's defe
Pandora yawned when the alarm went off. She reached out and looked at the display to see that it was seven before she clicked off the buzzer. "Go back to sleep, love," Benjamin whispered but she shook her head. "No, I want to make you a good breakfast before you leave for your first day back to work," she told him as she got out of bed, wishing the past eight weeks hadn’t gone so fast. When she got to the kitchen, she started to cook bacon and pancakes. Not long after she began things, she heard Jack crying through the baby monitor. Pandora sighed and switched off the stove before going to get him. "Good morning, Jack," she grinned as she picked him up. She set about changing his diaper before sitting down to feed him. She got him fed and settled back down, and started to head for the kitchen. She barely made it to the door, when Micheal started to fuss. "Come on, my sweet little man," she said, picking her up. Again, she changed a diaper and sat down to feed the baby. As he was
It only took Benjamin a few minutes to come back to the table. He had a tray with their drinks and what looked like a couple of desserts. Pandora dug out the sandwiches she packed, and he set out the drinks. "I'm sorry that I didn't pack that much, I just wanted to have lunch with you." "This is perfect and really, you couldn't have carried more than this anyway, along with the boys and their diaper bag. Besides, they had some yummy desserts up there, and the cafeteria always has milk which is good for you right now." She smiled at him. "Next time you want to do this, pack whatever you want and call me. I will come out to the car and help you," Benjamin said, making her look at him. She smiled at him because he was always thinking of her as well as the boys. "How have they been today?" he asked, taking a bite of his sandwich. "They've been okay, but I think they are missing you— I know I am." "I'm missing all of you, too, so much," he confessed and leaned over to kiss her. Just
"Sorry, he's in surgery," Emily sighed as she sat down beside her. Pandora hummed as a reply and felt Emily take her hand. "Are you okay?" she asked and Pandora nodded immediately. "Yeah, I know he works hard and..." she sighed, trailing off. She worked long hours, too. Derrik, at first, complained she worked too hard. Until now she never saw it from his point of view. Right then, she felt that she may have played a bigger part in his cheating on her than she had ever accepted. "Can you walk with me back to my car?" she asked and Emily smiled sadly. By ten o'clock at night, Benjamin was still not home. She left his cake and gifts on the table and headed to bed. "I am so sorry, love," she heard Benjamin whisper as the bed dipped. As soon as she knew he was settled, she opened her eyes and looked at the clock. It was almost one in the morning, so he was at work on his day off, his birthday, for over sixteen hours. She closed her eyes, biting her lip. The next was a normal work da
"Parks residence," she said sleepily. "Pandora?" she carried on right away. She was sure she heard Jack screaming. "Jack is sick, really sick and I can't get a hold of Benjamin. Lana, I don't know what to do?" she sobbed into the phone. "We're on our way," she told Pandora and she let out a breath. It felt as if it took them hours to get there, but she knew by the clock it had only been ten minutes when she heard the door open. "Here, here, Jack," Peter said, taking him from Pandora. "Where's Benjamin?" he asked. She shrugged and he frowned at her. "What… Has something happened?" Lana asked. "He arrived home but got a call to go back to the hospital. He said he had to leave and go back to work. I've called twice asking them to page him, but nurse Leena," she spat out her name, "said he wasn't there and that she had paged him and he hadn't responded." "Pandora, I think he has a chest infection," Peter stated softly. "I think it would be best to take him to the hospital." She gu
When Benjamin was finished talking, Pandora gulped. But her inner voices were all in agreement with what he has said. "I know that I hide my feelings, and I'm sorry. It's just hard for me to confide in anyone. But when could I have talked to you about it? We've barely had an hour together without someone —the hospital— interrupting." Just as if to prove her point, Benjamin's pager went off. Benjamin seemed to just sit there and his pager went off again. "You should probably get that," she told him and he sighed as he stood up. But before he could walk out, the door opened."Hi, Benjamin, I've been paging you. I saw Minnie and she told me you were here," a woman's voice said. "Nurse Leena, is there a problem?" he asked as her head turned to the door. "I brought you a late dinner. I know that you missed out on dinner tonight and I thought you'd be hungry. You will need something in your stomach to work these extra hours." Before Benjamin could say anything, Pandora leaped up. "Fanc