Take A Walk (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 5 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Three

❝reunion (pronounced riːˈjuːnjən or re-yoon-yuh n), noun
an instance of two or more people coming together again after a period of separation.❞

"What the hell was that?!" yelled Ivy in the car. "You- you can't be serious, did you actually just spring a bombshell in the court, not to mention under oath?!"

"It's the truth."

"I don't give a shit, Elle! I'm not just your mother, I'm your lawyer, and I'm trying to get you acquitted!"

"I know you didn't believe me when I said I was innocent," said Elle.

Cassie put a hand on Elle's arm, and said, "Ivy, listen. Elle didn't tell you because it's the reason Frank killed Gabriel. He killed him because otherwise Gabriel would have called the police. Because he wanted to marry Elle."

Ivy stopped the car at the remand, and Elle stepped out, walking inside. Ivy signed her in, and they went back to her room together.

They sat down, and Elle couldn't look at her mother. Her hands were shaking too hard. "Elle, would you look at me, please?"

"I can't," whispered Elle, and then the tears began. She began sobbing, the first time she had really cried since she had left to go to Gabriel's house. All she could think about was the horrible look on Drew's face, the look that was both disgusted and horrified by her.

"I'm not just your mother, I'm your lawyer," repeated Ivy gently. "We need to have mutual trust, otherwise I can't help you. I need you to tell me the whole truth and nothing but the truth, or it's not going to go well for you or for me."

She shook her head. "Drew," she whispered.

"What?"

But Elle could hear him. He was outside. He was yelling. "I don't care, I may as well be family, I'm her boyfriend and I want to see her!"

Ivy shook her head. "No, Elle, he can't-"

"If I can't see him, I'm not saying anything," said Elle defiantly.

Ivy glared, then threw her hands into the air in frustration. "Of course I had to give my only daughter the stubbornness that makes her the most difficult client in the world," she snapped, before walking out and slamming the door behind her.

Cassie glanced at Elle. "Ellie, I didn't know you were going to say that on the stand," she whispered.

"I didn't either." She was still crying. "I want Drew. I want to tell him I'm sorry."

"I heard him when we were coming back, he said he wanted to have you back so that he could keep you safe."

The door opened again, and Drew ran in. He tackled Elle, hugging her tightly and whispering over and over, "It'll be okay, it's gonna be fine, Ellie, I promise, I'm here now. You're safe, you're safe and you're loved, please tell me that you're okay."

And Elle cried. She let out all the tears she had been holding in, and Drew held her, drying her tears, being the rock that she had needed for the whole year that they'd been apart, and he held her. He didn't need to say anything. He just had to envelope her in his warm, chocolatey scent, and kiss her hair.

"Now," he breathed, when her tears subsided just slightly. "Are you ready to tell your mom what happened?"

She looked at Ivy, then back at him, and whispered, "No. Not her. I want to tell you."

Ivy's lips went pale, and she looked down. "Alright," she said finally. "Am I allowed to leave a recording device in here, and you tell Drew by yourself?"