~~~~Two Lives, One Heart~~~~

Chapter Thirty~Eight


The week after Nick returned from the hospital was a busy one. The court had moved Mandy's court appearance up in light of her attack on Nick. She was looking at charges of attempted murder, trespass and aggravated assault. Elisha asked the lawyer to add insanity to the list. Nick had tried to convince Elisha to stay away from the trial but she insisted on coming for moral support. Thankfully, with all the evidence the police had, they didn't think Nick or Elisha would have to testify. Aside from all the evidence from the car accident, she left her purse in the house and her fingerprints on the knife.

"She's not the brightest crayon in the box, is she?" Elisha mused the night before the trial. "What did you ever see in her Nick?"

Nick looked up from his computer game. "She was really nice when we first met, as soon as she got the recording contract, things changed. I don't know what's come over her, I really don't have any explanation."

"Well, let's just pray to God that we'll soon be seeing the last of her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trial moved along quickly. Elisha sat beside Nick holding his hand so tightly, her knuckles were turning white. Mandy kept turning around and staring at them, but they ignored her. The police presented their evidence to the court and the judge. After some consideration, the judge asked for a recess of an hour. When everyone was led back into the courtroom and things were called to order, he asked that Mandy stand before him.

"Miss Willaford, I can't believe that with all this evidence against you, that you even dared to plead not guilty. You obviously acted in a fits of rage, knowingly, against this young couple. My ruling is that you be remanded in custody for a period of no less than 20 years. You seem to be a very troubled individual, and I hope that you get the counselling you so desperately seem to need while you are in custody."

He banged his gavel and called the case to a close. Elisha let out a whoop of joy and hugged Nick tightly.

"We're done with her Nick, she's going to jail for good now."

They watched her being escorted by the officers down the aisle.

"This isn't over Nick!" she screamed.

The officers quieted her and pushed her through the doors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The weeks to the wedding rushed by quickly after the trial. Jane had done a wonderful job of getting almost everything ready for them. Elisha was delighted with all of her choices for the reception and made very few changes. They had decided to hold the reception at the house, a few more people were coming for it, but they had enough room. Christine and Linda had taken Elisha to the bridal shop for the final fitting and to pick the dress up. Elisha couldn't stop laughing as she tried the dress on.

"How many other brides need 5 people to help her get into her dress?" she giggled.

Her friends helped her stand so she could get the full effect once the dress was on.

"Oh, honey, Nick is gonna love it!" Christine gushed.

"You look beautiful!" Linda echoed.

Elisha collapsed into her chair and hugged the two of them.

"You guys have been so great, how can I ever thank you for everything? You're the best!"

When they arrived home, the guys were modelling the tuxedos for Jane.

"Whoa! Hello gorgeous!" Elisha whistled when she saw Nick.

His tuxedo was the longer style, the coat came to just above his knees. The fit was perfect. The sight almost brought tears to her eyes.

"Man, you really lucked out Martin." she thought to herself. "Just look at that wonderful man you're going to be marrying."

"You guys look okay too!" she teased the others.

"Hey, you're not supposed to see me in this before the wedding!" Nick hollered, grabbing the suit bag and trying to cover himself with it.

"Thats the bride, you dope! You don't see the bride before the wedding" Brian punched him in the arm.

"Oh, okay then. You like it honey?" Nick turned and dropped the bag, playfully modelling the tux for her.

"You are gonna be the most wonderful groom."

Nick leaned in for a kiss and the others groaned.

"Save it for tomorrow, man! Don't make us nauseous!" AJ teased.

Nick pulled away blushing, as the others laughed. "Ah, knock it off, you guys!"

"Hey Kevin, could I see you for a minute?"

Kevin excused himself to Christine and hurried over to Elisha's side. "What can I do for you?"

She looked around to see if anyone was close. "I was wondering if you would do me a big favour?"

"Just name it, darlin'"

Elisha smiled. "I'd like you to give me away tomorrow. I know it's late notice, but, you're the perfect one."

Kevin blushed. "I'm honored, Elisha, really. I'd be pleased to do it." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"There's one more thing I need you to do, Kevin. But you can't tell anybody!"

He nodded and drew his hand across his mouth. "My lips are sealed."

She crooked her finger, signalling him to come closer and whispered her request in his ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elisha and Nick lay quietly in bed that night.

"Are you scared?" he asked her.

"Why, are you?" she challenged.

"No, I'm just terrified!" He grinned and hugged her tight.

"I just can't believe how fast everything has happened." she said. "I mean, last year at this time, I was stealing glances in teen magazines to see pictures of you!"

Nick laughed. "I can't believe how much as happened to us. We, hopefully, have used up all our bad luck."

"I'm sure we have." Elisha yawned and pulled the covers up to her neck. "I don't know about you, Mr. Carter, but I have a very busy day tomorrow and I need my sleep!" she kissed him and rolled over.

"Yeah I think my day is busy too!"

They spooned together and tried to get to sleep without thinking too many thoughts about tomorrow - their wedding day.

next page-----previous page

story index

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1