24 September 2012
"Hey" Will whispered as he stepped into Tiffany's room just before midnight. "Hey you" she said, sitting up and beckoning him over. "Shh, Mom and Serena are asleep" "They'll be alright" she said, just a notch quieter "What's up?" "It's a while since I've been able to spend some quality time with my favourite sister" he said, smiling and sitting on the end of her bed. "Do you remember when you used to sit there when we were little? You would always come and say goodnight to me in the same way fathers normally do" "I know. I really am proud of you, you know. Serena's such a gorgeous little baby" "Thank you. Now, come here" she said, patting the other side of her bed "And let's discuss this court case. I've had a plan" "I thought as much" he smiled, putting his arm around her. "So, I'm a woman" "Oh gee, Tiffany. That's such a great plan" "Stay with me! I'm a woman, with a child" "This gets better and better! Whatever next? You've got a husband?" "Better than that. I have a husband who doesn't care about his child" "What? Nate loves Serena? What are you on about?" "For your case, if we play the doting uncle card, and pressure them to release you for the pure reason that you have to look after your sister who's a single mother then I'm certain they'll at least consider this" "Tiffany, that's ridiculous. Nate would be livid and I'm not his favourite person as it stands already" Will said, kissing her on the forehead nonetheless. "But he loves me. And I love you and I want this to happen. You can't go to jail" "It won't be jail. I'll just get a few nights and community service" "And you think that looks better on a résumé? Please consider it" Tiffany said, sinking down in the bed so she was laying horizontally. "I won't let you do this for me. Money can solve this little mess, not lies and deceit" "I'm totally serious, I'll lie and be deceitful if it means your life is 10x easier" "Thanks Tiff" Will said, his eyelids becoming heavy and causing them to droop down whilst his little sister's did exactly the same, until they were both sound asleep.
FOUR DAYS LATER The court room was full of faces. These faces depicted one of two emotions: distraught or proud, and there was a clear half way divide in the audience who sat upon a high. As one looked down into the area below the audience of family, friends and loved ones of the defendant and the accused, you could see a young man, barely the age of 22, standing trial for taking advantage of a young woman and trying to get away with it. For those with fresh and new eyes; eyes that had never seen this young man before, they would probably spite him for committing such a hideous crime. But for Tiffany and those who knew Will, the crimes that were bestowed on him were unjust. "He's not guilty. I know he isn't, and no matter what the judge says right now, I'll never believe otherwise" "I know Tiffany," her mother replied to her "I just hope this teaches him a lesson. His lifestyle just can't continue" "I think he knows that. Just look at him, and look at her" Tiffany said, gazing down at her brother, his rugged charm doing battle with his nervous and suddenly shy character. And she, the victim, was dressed in slitted jeans, a strappy top and a baggy sweater that didn't quite make it to her belly button. "I know we shouldn't judge, but who looks more guilty in this situation?" Tiffany's mother asked her daughter, counting her blessings that she'd ended up the way she did instead of like the girl presented before her. "Don't get me started" Tiffany said, glaring down at the girl. "They've heard all the evidence, and the jury has returned. Would you please present your verdict?" the judge asked his jury. Tiffany's hand clasped around her mothers, as she held on tightly, awaiting her brother's fate. "Guilty" the chairman of the jury stated, an echo of the sound bouncing around the walls of the courtroom and in Tiffany's head. "On the grounds that this isn't a serious rape offence, I sentence you to 4 months imprisonment" the judge said to Will, but all else was a blur to Tiffany. All she saw was her brother's weak and trembling frame turn towards her and her mother, gaze up and stare helplessly towards them. She then saw him lead down, deep down into the holding cells, in the solitary confinement that he would have to face for the next four months, and the solitude and isolation that he would have to face for the rest of his life.
"And..?" Nate said, opening the door with the baby in his arms as soon as Tiffany returned home from the court. "Four months" she said plainly and blankly. "That could be worse babe, he could have got a lot longer" "He could have got nothing at all had he let me help him out" Tiffany sighed, plodding up the stairs to their bedroom. "Hey hey, come on, you did all you could" he said, settling the baby down in her cot and sitting alongside Tiffany. "There was something I could have done. Something I could have pretended so that he could have got off" "What was it?" "I was going to say I was a single mother and that he was looking after Serena for me. It sounds stupid, but you have to realise that the judge would have sympathised" "And what about the truth?" "I don't know. I just wanted him to be okay" "T, you haven't seen him for months. I know you care about him, but why are you abandoning me in pursuit of him?" "He's my brother. Wouldn't you try and protect Joe?" "Of course I would, but I wouldn't put our relationship at risk for him. But I know he'd never do anything like this" "Will didn't do it. He's innocent! You have to believe me?" "I believe you, yes. But I don't believe him. You know what he's like, T" "He's my brother. I don't care 'what he's like'. My brother is locked away with some of the roughest, most dangerous men in New York and all you can say is 'you know what he's like'? I'd go and see Joe if I were you, and tell him about what's happened. Then imagine he wasn't there with you. Then imagine what it would be like to deal with if I'd just said to you what you said to me. Good night" Tiffany said, laying down on the bed and drawing the duvet over her head.
Love You Too: PART 108 • Opuss № I