Finding Love

"So remember, this case is basically handed to you,” Max Spelling reassured Bridget. Max was Sidney’s lawyer, and was representing Bridget. Max had short curly hair, was extremely tall, and had pretty green eyes.

“I hope so,” Bridget nervously bit her lip. The courtroom was tense, almost as if Bridget could cut through it with a knife. Sidney was sitting next to Bridget, holding her hand tightly. They both dressed nicely for the occasion, Bridget choosing a skirt and blouse while Sidney opted out for a suit. Bridget had to wear a flat because her broken leg was still in a cast. Ariel was sitting in the back of the courtroom with Max Talbot; the couple hoped she would keep quiet.

“Order, order in the court. Today we here to the case of Jennings,” the judge who was a hard old woman brought the room to silence.

Sidney could feel Bridget clam up, her thin small hand grasping Sidney’s large warm one tightly.

Watching Mr.Jennings walk into the room. Sidney almost couldn’t take it. He almost had to get up and strangle the man, the man who would actually hurt a girl. Sidney being a father, he knew that almost no love was greater than the one you feel towards your own child.

He would never, ever hurt his baby girl. How could Bridget’s dad hit her? It just didn’t seem real to him, like it was impossible. To him though, it was impossible. Hurting Ariel? That would never happen.

If anyone ever hurt his daughter, he would hurt him or her even harder. Sidney wanted to do this same to this older man because of Bridget, but of course she didn’t let him.

Number 87 watched as the guilty man walked up to the podium. His body was sluggish and his shoulders were hunched. He wore a suit with old dress shoes and a red tie.

Bridget watched closely as her Dad walked down the aisle. She wanted to scream, kick, put some sense into him. How could he? How dare he hurt her?

The distressed pair’s thoughts were soon shushed, for the trial began.

Luckily for them, it was short. Short, sweet and to the point- exactly how Sidney liked things.

Everyone knew that Mr. Jennings was guilty, you could tell by his face, his eyes almost tearing. Another piece of evidence was the blood that was left on the floor of Bridget’s apartment, and obviously her injuries.

The old mans pleas were laughable. They made no sense, and the judge had to put him to order several times.

By the end of the trial, which seemed like forever in Bridget’s mind, she was looking closely at the judge.

“I pronounce Bill Jeff Jennings 20 to life in prison,” she tapped her gavel on the wood podium.

Bridget felt a tear protrude from her face. She did it. Her father was gone.

“Thank you Judge,” she grinned, hugging Sidney.

“I told you baby, I told you,” Sidney held Bridget close.

Everyone exited the building, and soon they were in the chilly Philly air.

“Icecream?” Ariel asked as soon as her Daddy picked her up.

“It’s too cold out baby, how about a cupcake?” Sidney zipped up Ariel’s coat even further so that she wouldn’t catch a chill.

“Bridget comes too right?” Ariel looked around for the woman who had been in her life a lot lately.

“Sure, lets just find her.”

“Dad, I hope that I never see you again. I don’t need your excuses, or your guilty face. Just leave me alone,” Sidney caught Bridget saying this to the handcuffed man. They had the same eyes, Bridget and her father.

“I understand. Goodbye Bridget,” he spat as he allowed the police to take him into the car waiting.

“Bridget, you did really well today. We got what you wanted,” Max Spelling came up to Bridget, hugging her.

“Thank you so much Max. It means so much to me. Finally, I’m safe,” Bridget thanked him.

“Anytime,” Max smiled as he walked away, of course every time he watched someone feel accomplished because of him, he felt amazing.

“Hey honey,” Bridget kissed Sidney’s lips, then took Ariel, “Hey baby.”

“Daddy said we could go get cupcakes. Come with us,” Ariel explained.

Bridget laughed and agreed, they all deserved a cupcake for this victory.

Bridget felt a sense of freedom. Almost as if she was a bird finally being lifted from her cage, she was being freed from her prisoner.