The Free Pass

Chapter 3

Shawn

"So just like that, you're marrying someone who is virtually a stranger?" my mom asked, her voice angry.

We were sitting at the dining room table at my condo. It was me, my parents, and Andrew. I'd made tea for everyone, but no one was drinking it.

"Shawn and Mallory are going to meet next week. They aren't getting married unless they both agree to it," Andrew explained.

"Except if he doesn't, he could get charged with sexual assault," my dad said.

"That's what Mr. Everett is suggesting. He's said he'll contact the police and the press."

"So you either marry this young woman or you risk going to jail and having your reputation ruined?" my mom asked me.

I was staring at my hands as I wrung them. They were turning red from the friction. I'd been a mess since the meeting in New York.

"What if it isn't even Shawn's baby?" my dad asked, his voice rising.

Andrew spoke again. "There will be a paternity test. If the baby is not Shawn's, they will divorce if they do get married. That scandal would be minor in comparison to a sexual assault allegation."

"I have told you repeatedly not to mess around with anyone drunk!" my mom said, her voice sharp.

I looked up at her. "I know. It was stupid. I know she gave me consent, though. I had no idea Virginia has that law."

"Our lawyer doesn't think they'd actually have a case in court," Andrew said. "They were both drunk and Mallory Everett has not said she was unable to give consent or that she wouldn't have consented sober. In fact, when Stevens and I talked to their lawyer yesterday, she said Ms. Everett is disgusted by how her father is handling this. The problem is, even if there's no case, it can still be extremely damaging."

And that was the bottom line. Mallory Everett's father had me by the balls. I hated him. I hated her too, because she was part of the problem. Hell, she was the cause of it. I knew this wasn't rational, because I was equally to blame, but I couldn't help it.

I was going to Virginia to meet with Mallory over the US Thanksgiving. Andrew was accompanying me, thank god. Lawyers would not be present since this was supposed to be a friendly meeting. Friendly. Ha. What a fucking joke.

She lived in some nothing town a couple hours west of Charlottesville. We'd been invited to stay at their home, but I'd rather eat shards of glass than stay in the same house with them. We were staying at a hotel. This town had no hotels like the kind I was accustomed to, but I'd deal.

There was one good thing. My lawyer and their lawyer had talked extensively. It was agreed that I was not expected to stay married to Mallory. Apparently her parents were quite religious. They felt strongly that the baby needed to be born in wedlock. As outdated as that idea was, there was no swaying them. They were fine with us splitting up after a certain period of time, as long as I supported the baby. So I wasn't going to be tied down forever.

If we got married, that is. I was counting on finding a way out of that.

~~~~~~

Andrew and I pulled up to the large colonial style house in our rental car.

"You ready to do this?" he asked.

"No."

He sighed. "We're here for three days. You need to try to get to know Mallory. And you never know...maybe if you two talk enough and become friendly, she'll be able to convince her father to drop everything. We'll work out the support paperwork if the baby is proven to be yours, and you can move on."