OS: Day Twenty-One < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Three

News

Today was not going to be a good day. Shortly after the kids all got off to school, the power went out. Marnie gritted her teeth, put the now useless vacuum away, and tried to make the best of things. The twins still needed care, and food.. and the kids would be coming home from school later in the day.

Marnie dreaded the next day, and started really wondering what to do. There was no way she was going to be able to care for all these kids in the situation she found herself in now. At this point, she would even take Bennie coming back. Him riding in like a white knight would definitely improve the situation.. but she was pretty sure it wasn't going to happen.

At the Willow Creek Municipal Center jail, Benji was escorted from his cell to an interrogation room to meet his new lawyer...

Hello, Benjamin! I am Nikolai Delossantos, I have been assigned to your case." the man said, and Benji cringed internally.

"Benji. Please."

"Oh. Yes. Um... Benji. I've looked over the case file, and I'm afraid you don't have much of a case. Since you pretty much already confessed... it's going to be tough to even get a judge to reduce the sentence." said Nikolai, shaking his head sadly.

"But Shaylee will be able to go free, right?" Benji tried to confirm., looking worried.

"Shaylee? Oh, right. The girlfriend. Yes, as far as I can see, she's not in danger of more jail time than she'll already have served by the time the trial happens. She was only along "for the ride", after all." The lawyer replied after a moment of confusion.

"I thought she was in trouble for taking the violin?" Benji asked, also confused.

The lawyer (Benji had already forgotten his name) shuffled through his notes, looking confused. "No, I have it right here, it's .. uh.. Rita? that actually took the violin. And the police have already recovered it, luckily. So that's in your favor."

Benji cursed and threw his hands in the air. "WHY did I confess to save Shaylee, then? The cop said.. well, he said Shaylee was in big trouble, almost as much as me."

"I'm sorry, Benji, but I can't tell you why the man said that. Clearly it was a tactic that worked, unfortunately. Shaylee will also be getting a reduced sentence - because of the baby, of course." the man replied.

Benji just sat and looked at him for a moment. " .... Baby?"

"Oh. Yes. She's pregnant. I figured you knew that, since she was so far along." the lawyer replied.

"Oh. Um... no. How far along did you say she is?" Benji asked, reeling.

"Second trimester. So she probably has known for quite a while. She didn't tell you?" the lawyer asked, again just shaking his head.

"No. No, she didn't." Benji replied, putting his head in his hands for a moment. Then he sat up, trying to do the math. that would mean.. she'd been pregnant the entire time she'd been dating him. And had never told him a thing. She hadn't even tried to pass off the baby as his.

Angry, Benji stood up from the table and walked to the door where the guard waited. "Let me out. I'm done." he demanded.

Standing up behind him, the lawyer sputtered, "But.. Benji, we have more to discuss....!"

"Figure it out yourself." Benji growled as the door was unlocked, then stomped through it, not needing any directions to get back to his cell.

Just before bedtime, at the Malone's...

"So.. why couldn't we go to therapy today?" Jaz asked, confused.

"Because I had too many things to do, Jaz. I already told you this." Marnie replied, frustration showing in her voice.

"Oh. Is it because Dad is gone?" Jaz asked, looking down sadly.

"Umm.. yeah. Sure, because Dad is gone." Marnie replied, then tucked Jaz into bed. She had other kids to tuck in. Hopefully ones without so many questions.

OS: Day Twenty-One < | Challenge Home Page | > OS: Day Twenty-Three