I explain everything that has been happening and after an hour or so she has all my information and decides that we can speak with the detectives. Same black woman and Asian man come into the room and the questioning ensues. We don't tell them everything but they lay out suspicions, ones about the war last year and people being hurt on my order, more about a stabbing and a maiming that I was allegedly involved in, biggest of all the first death. They bring up Derek to me, the one person I haven't forgotten over the years and the first person I didn't want to die when they went against me. A lot of my questions are answered by Kelsea and once the detectives decide that they're not getting a confession I'm formally charged with Murder 2 and put back in a cell.
I spent a couple weeks in jail getting visits from family and my girls, everyone hopeful but sad. I am not given bail as I am stated as a flight risk before they put me back in the slammer. Mercifully with me in jail I'm put in general populous and that is where things get real for me. My first day I have five offers to be someone's bunk mate, the second day I'm in the shower and one man grabs me and when I turn on him to defend myself I see about five more large individuals.
"Jim sends his best and Sid wants to know if they serve ice cream up here," the big man tells me and I relax a lot.
Yeah I'm in jail and it sucks but I'm safe and have more uncles than I can count, people don't get within ten feet of me and I make note to personally thank the hell out of my friends when I get out of here. It's maybe two months since and while I'm doing classes online and in correspondence the trial is what takes up the most of my time, the whole thing is maybe nine days total with gaps in between. Don't let TV fool you I'm mostly bored and worried, at no point do I take the stand either. It's a tactic that you don't want to use if you have a solid defense. The prosecutor goes through everything in my life. I'm a polygamist, an egomaniac, I have a messiah complex, I'm the antiChrist in teen form as far as he's concerned and now I'm trying to get away with murder in broad daylight. My defense however shows me as persecuted, it pulls evidence that proves I've been provoked by outside forces. Of all the things that happen I see Heather on the stand speaking about what happened more or less between her and I and she, in tears, explains that I am a target of jealousy. I didn't know they were using her as a witness and once all questions are done and final statements are made the jury deliberates.
"How bad is it," I ask Kelsea as we wait in the side cell of the courthouse.
"I don't know we have some wins but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that they're hoping will sway opinion. We're fighting the opinions of the jury now and that's where things get muddy," Kelsea tells me pacing.
"You're making me nervous," I tell her and we both stop and chuckle a little.
We're brought back in after three hours and when the judge asks if they need more time the forewoman says they have reached a verdict. We're ordered to stand and I do before closing my eyes and waiting for the inevitable.
"We the jury, on the charge of murder in the second degree," the woman pauses a little," find the defendant Guy Donnelly…."
Months Later
Well here I am sitting in a vehicle with four men dressed very similar to me and absolutely no talking involved. I think we're all nervous as hell and me more so, today is the day where freedom ends as they say. When we arrive at the destination an almost angry voice decides to start yelling at us.
"My god son it's your wedding," Dad hollers from the front of the church," You're lucky five women take forever to get ready or you'd be on your own in that fight.
Devin, Kyle, Ben, Jun and I exit the car in our tuxedos and make our way inside, the church the girls chose is packed and I mean really packed. There are almost two hundred people here and as I'm shaking hands on my way up to the altar I have to admit I'm kind of excited.
Oh wait the trial, not guilty on the murder charge. Yeah me getting married after graduation kind of gives that away but let just say they tried their damndest to get me and it didn't work. A lot of my personal life was aired out in the court but I'm not Brad Pitt, thank god, and I don't have people reporting on my life with cameras in the courtroom. The rest of the school year was good too. We really held things down and by we I mean everyone. I even went above and beyond and got Isaac elected as next class president as a junior, his acceptance speech started with thanking me and assuring people he was a 'black politician that they could trust'.
Now here I am waiting in the wings as the time honored music kicks up and as the bridesmaids are already up there and my groomsmen, Jun holding best man status, I make my way to the front while someone's baby cries a little and I smirk. I take my place at the front and finally the bride march kicks up and now I start to panic and begin by taking long slow breaths. I watch as all five of my girls make their way down the aisle, Kori and Carl leading followed by Katy and my Dad, then Matty and her Daddy, Imelda is walked down by an older uncle in her family that I met maybe twice and finally Rachael is led down by Randy. And before people think anything funny all the dresses are white but each has a different colored bouquet of flowers. I watch as the girls get in line after their father's have given them away and first up is Kori. Wedding goes as planned and mercifully the priest doesn't ask 'if anyone has any reason' and finally it gets to the vows, I will get to those in a second but after the exchanging of the rings with Kori and you may kiss the bride there is some light clapping when Devin decides to do his part.
"And switch," Is what he bellows and I watch as Kori steps to the back and Katy comes forward to repeat the process.
Every one of my girls get different vows from me and each one tears up a little bit.
"Korinna, the only reason we have all this is because of you. Your ideas, your patience, your love for me and your sisters made all this possible. You earned every bit of love from me and I will spend the rest of my life making sure you are happy," My vows to Kori.
"Katy you are a spitfire, I never knew what I was fully doing when we first met but you showed me a rebellious side and a will that I have come to love and trust. I didn't tame you, you chose to be with me and we're going to have a lot of fun from now on," My vows to Katy with a smirk.
"Mathilda my Amazon, you are so sweet and kind that I couldn't believe how you were when I first saw you play. I have nothing to hold back when we're together, you let me be honest and I let you be yourself and now we're here at the new beginning and everyone now sees you the way I always have," My vows to Matty with a sniffle from her.
"My sweet fiery Imelda, you wanted me more than anything. You saw the rest of the girls and you coined the term sisters and now it's a reality. You are my ball of fire and when we've turned up the heat you've made me have to catch up to you. I will never get tired of your fire," My vows to Imelda in semi-fluent Spanish, a surprise for her.
"My innocent little Rachael, you did something that nobody ever thought could be done. You found my good nature and kindness and you helped it grow. I'm a better person now because of you and your gentle nature," My vows to Rachael.