Ethelinda woke to the sound of her phone ringing. She groaned as she reached onto her side table and picked up her phone. "Hello..."
"Is this Miss Stewarts?"
"Yes... Who's this?" She sat up in her bed. She was awake now, why not get up?...
"This is Aaron Sayed... I'm the district attorney defending your mothers case. I hate to bother you so early ma'am, but my office hours are limited..."
"It's no problem Mr. Sayed... Could I ask why you're calling?"
"It's completely up to you miss Stewarts, but we would like you to testify on your mothers behalf, against your father..." She was quiet. "Again, Miss Stewarts, this is completely up to you. And you don't have to answer now, just let me know by the end of this business day."
"I'll have to get back to you on that. I'm a little conflicted..."
"That's perfectly alright Miss Stewarts... Take your time... Have a wonderful day, and again, sorry to bother you so early..."
"Have a nice day as well Mr. Sayed..." She hung up the phone. She fell back into the bed crying. All she wanted to do was call Eric, but she knew what she was feeling was wrong. But the heart doesn't lie, she loves him...
She started crying harder, she was sobbing at this point... She picked up the phone and dialed Eric's number. "Ethilinda, it's early... Is everything okay?" He heard her deep sobs. "Ethilinda, I can be there in five minutes... Are you okay?" She continued sobbing. "Ethelinda?!"
"Eric, I feel so conflicted..." She sobbed.
"Ethelinda... You're not alone... Please talk to me..."
"The lawyer just called. The one defending my moms case... He wants me to testify against my dad..." She sobbed. "Eric i hate him so fucking much!"
"I know..."
"But why do i still love him?! I can't love him and hate him! God I want my mom! And I just want my dad to be the way he used to be! Eric I need you!" She cried these words out like a pain staking roar. She heard a knock on the door. She got up from the bed and sobbed walking to the door. She opened it, and there stood Eric. She jumped into his arms and sobbed on his shoulder.
He held her, one hand on her waist and one on the back of her head. He just held her, there in the doorway for almost ten minutes. She sobbed, his shoulder was soaked, his heart was breaking for her right now, it has been since the day he saw her in that front desk... "Shhh... Shhh... It's okay... I'm right here... It's okay baby girl... I love you... It's okay... Shhh..."
She looked deep into his eyes as she began to calm down. "Why do I still love him Eric? He killed my mom... I should want him dead... And some days I do... But why do I have to feel this? Why do I want to kill him, yet still want to just hug him? God Eric I hate him!"
"I know baby girl... You may not see it now, but you really are so strong... You can do this... You can make it in this world... You can be whoever you want to be... And feel everything you need to feel... But don't let that change the color of your heart. I know your heart feels cold and black right now, but deep under that, its warm and deep red..." She kissed him slowly and softly.
"I love you so much..."
"I love you so much more Ethelinda. You're not alone..."
"I know Eric... I'll have you through this all... I'll have you sitting right there while I tell the jury and judge what he did... I'm putting him in prison for killing my mom, and for beating me senseless... Will you be there?"
He took hold gently of her chin, and kissed her lips quickly. "Always..."
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