If Karen hadn't thrown such a curveball, Dorothy might have been none the wiser. She dashed over and clamped a hand over Jeffrey's mouth, which only ended up making Dorothy feel awkward. As if she had been gossiping about Everett behind Karen's back...
"Today, it's just going to be a girls' day out for Dorothy and me. You can stay home!" Karen said as she looped her arm through Dorothy's.
Jeffrey's handsome face turned into a picture of sorrow, "Honey... Karen..."
"Get lost!" Karen snapped, grabbing the car keys from the hall table and handing them to Dorothy. "You drive, Dorothy!"
"Are you sure we shouldn't bring him along? What if we need some muscle for something, like climbing up and down the hospital stairs."
Dorothy, who had been through childbirth, knew all too well what a prenatal checkup entailed.
"No need! Jeffrey arranged for VIP service. We won't need your help; your company is all I need."
Dorothy shot Jeffrey a sympathetic look.
She cautiously ventured only after they got in the car, "Did you guys have a fight over something?"
"Nah, it's trivial!"
"Is it... about me?"
"No way! It has nothing to do with you!" Karen was resolute, refusing to bring up Everett's name and add to Dorothy's concerns.
Seeing Karen's certainty, Dorothy felt a bit relieved.
Approaching the hospital, Dorothy could see Jeffrey's car stealthily trailing them in the rear-view mirror.
Karen didn't need to guess; she knew that man would follow.
"Jeez, Jeffrey's like bubblegum stuck to our shoe—impossible to shake off."
Dorothy sighed resignedly, "He's worried about you! How about I head off and you let him keep you company?"
"No way, I want my best gal by my side!" Karen chuckled. "Hey, when your court date comes up, can I come with you? I want to be there in the gallery!"
"You're pregnant, honey. That's no place for you."
Courtrooms weren't exactly cheerful places, and going through a security scan would bring radiation, which wasn't ideal for someone expecting.
"But I want to be there for you! I've watched you pour your heart and soul into this case. Now that it's crunch time, I want to stand by you."
"Karen, just bringing that baby into the world safe and sound is my biggest wish. Forget the rest," Dorothy said, gripping the steering wheel and forcing a smile. "As for the trial, I'm ready for whatever comes. Don't worry about me." She claimed.
On hearing this, Karen frowned slightly. "If... I mean if it doesn't go our way, would you give up, or would you appeal again?"
"I've thought it through. Whatever the verdict of the first trial, I won't appeal. Karen, I'm out of steam."
If the verdict went against them, she'd enact her plan. Should Everett's mother be acquitted or sentenced to a mere slap on the wrist, the Lopez family surely wouldn't appeal, as that would be the outcome they desired.
For Dorothy, if she still lost despite the overwhelming evidence, any appeal would only prolong the agony. She didn't want to suffer any longer.
It was all too exhausting. She yearned to wrap it all up.
"So you'd just accept it?" Karen was taken aback. "You used to say..."
"Karen, I want this trial over so I can finally rest."
And rest forever.
Karen didn't catch the gravity in her words and nodded earnestly, "You're right, after all these years of battling, you deserve a break! As long as you're at peace with it, I'll support whatever you decide!"
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