Doing his job as a social worker, John Kasey works diligently to find a suitable temporary foster home where Gideon can reside until a permanent placement can be made. Now that the truth about Gideon's biological origin has come to light, there are several hoops to jump through in the process of adequately securing him somewhere deemed acceptable. It is initially a challenging task, taking into account the circumstances of his family situation; however, he eventually locates an appropriate place. While permanent placements are preferred to be with blood relatives, it will likely be left up to the Ortiz family to provide a home for the child unless a distant relation to Andrew comes forward to offer their home. Meanwhile, Gideon adjusts quickly to the change, his young age likely lending to his incredible resilience.
Unfortunately, Andrew doesn't have an equally easy time adjusting to his new home. Life behind bars is difficult for him from the moment he steps through the doors of the jail, where he awaits sentencing and then transfer to a prison. The weight of the inevitable and heart-wrenching consequences of his extensive mistakes bears heavily on his shoulders, crushing his spirit along with his heart. In addition to the relentless emotional anguish, his mind overworks itself, struggling to deal with the drastic turn his life has taken. As he awaits trial, Andrew remains in police custody, choosing to forgo bail. In his opinion, he deserves to be locked away, where he won't be able to cause any more harm to anyone he cares about. With his mind made up, there's nothing anyone can do to change it; Andrew insists that he must atone for his actions, and anything more pleasant than jail time is utterly unacceptable to him.
Ken Roscoe immediately offers his services to represent Andrew, their close bond solidifying the decision. He attempts to convince Andrew to post bail so he can at least be out of the confines of a cell, but Andrew refuses. Ken's heart aches to see his friend in so much pain, and he does his best to remain optimistic despite the copious and blatant evidence against them. Regardless of the minuscule chances of winning the case, Ken is willing to risk his career for the sake of his friend, his heart overruling his brain on the topic.
Cora's death is further investigated, and evidence suggests that Andrew was involved in his wife's death. As the prime suspect in the murder of Cora Dalton, Andrew is subjected to even more emotional turmoil as authorities begin building a case against him. While he knows he could never stoop to killing the woman he dearly loved, Andrew's mental state has significantly declined, leading him to become temporarily nonverbal as he struggles to cope. This new development doesn't bode well for Andrew's defense, but Ken seems to be at a loss when it comes to helping him. Regardless, he vows to not concede, providing Andrew with the best defense he can manage.
As news of the charges against Andrew Dalton spreads, he becomes the topic of gossip in the city of Chesterton. His picture-perfect life is torn apart, its innards shredded to threads, and placed on public display for the world to see. The rumors regarding his part in Cora's death bring unexpected special visitors to the jail, desperately seeking consolation from Andrew himself. He's wholly surprised to see his in-laws seated in the visiting area, the two huddled together as if they've just lost the most important thing in their lives. And they have. Separated by the bulletproof glass, Andrew's tired, hazel eyes take in the sight of the people who loved him like their own son. Tom looks as if he's aged a decade in the week since Cora's passing, the bags under his eyes indicating that he hasn't been sleeping, and the glassy redness alluding to a possible newfound drinking problem. Marlys looks like she's lost weight, and the tear tracks staining her cheeks look as if they've been permanently burned into her flesh. Andrew's heart clenches as he observes them, wishing that he were able to provide them some sort of comfort.
Clearing her throat, Marlys says, "While I don't agree with the things you've done, I still consider you my son." She chokes on the words as a sob breaks free, interrupting what her heart is urging her to say. After a moment, she collects herself enough to continue, "I don't believe that you killed our daughter; regardless of the other crimes you may have committed, I don't believe you're capable of murdering Cora."
The whispered words are barely audible, but they speak directly to Andrew's soul, their loud and heartfelt meaning reverberating through him. Tears gather quickly in his eyes as he suddenly breaks down, the elderly couple behind the glass longing to hold him.
Andrew sobs more violently as he realizes the profound significance of what he's lost to his regretful affair with Maria Ortiz. He's lost his wife, both his children, his freedom, and the most loving family he's ever known just because he couldn't keep it in his pants.
YOU ARE READING
Picture Perfect
神秘 / 惊悚Andrew Dalton has always aspired to have the picture-perfect life. From his car to his job to his marriage, the man works hard to maintain the image of perfection-- but sometimes, things are not as they seem. When unexpected events occur, circumstan...
