Just A Kiss (Part 3) by By: Morgan:) (book recommendations for teens .txt) 📕

his mallet again.
“Order!” He yelled. Everyone got quiet. I walked up to the stand. I placed one hand on the bible and the other in the air.
“Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?” A bailiff asked me.
“I do.” I promised. I walked up to the stand. My attorney approached me.
“Ms. Smith, can I ask you to tell me exactly what had happened on your wedding day?” He asked me. I nodded.
“I got ready in my dressing room. Isabelle got ready with me because she was the beautiful flower girl.” I paused for a second to control my tears. “Then my friend from when I was pregnant with Isabelle, showed up. She became my maid of honor. Everything looked like it was going to go smoothly. As I took my Dad’s arm and walked down the aisle I looked as Isabelle throwing the flower petals. She looked so beautiful. I then looked at James. I couldn’t imagine what I would do without him. Bella love him as much as I did. He was a fantastic father to her. When I got to the alter the preacher began. He asked if anyone objected and no one spoke. Just seconds later Jacob stormed through the door. He pulled out a gun. Isabelle was standing behind me with her eyes closed. She was mumbling to herself to calm her down. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.” I had tears rolling down my cheeks now. “He aimed and shot. James pushed me out of the way. The bullet passed me and hit Isabelle behind me. She laid limp on the floor. I held her in my arms. With her last breath she whispered I love you. She called James Daddy.” I smiled as he bit his hand not to cry. “I passed out. When I awoke I was in a hospital bed.” I said.
“And what did you do when you were told she had lost to much blood and wasn’t able to be revived?” He asked.
“I cried.” I answered. My attorney sat down and Jacobs attorney stood up.
“Hello, Ms. Smith. How are you today?” She asked.
“Okay.” I answered.
“Thats good. When you and Jacob knew each other in high school, did you love him?” She asked me.
“More than anything at the time.” I answered.
“And you knew that Isabelle was his child?” She asked.
“Yes.” I answered.
“Then why wasn’t she aloud to know or see him?” She asked.
“Because he hurt me and I didn’t want him running off and hurting her. She was safer not knowing.” I answered.
“But didn’t you care what Jacob thought?” She asked.
“Ma’am I was seventeen when I got pregnant. I was alone. I didn’t care what he thought. He took advantage of me and I couldn’t see him do that to my angel.” I answered.
“Did you know the hardship of not having his child know who he was, did to him?” She asked.
“No, I did not.” I said.
“He didn’t sleep or eat.” She answered her question. “Did you know that he was still in love with you?”
“Yes, I did.” I answered.
“And did you hear him out?” She asked.
“Yes, and at one point I did think of him but I thought of Isabelle and what was best for her. Then I met James.” I smiled. He scratched his light after shave and smiled back.
“Thats all.” She said disappointed that she couldn’t get something out of me. She sat back down.
“Your honor, may I approach the defendant again?” My attorney asked. He nodded.
“Hello.” He smiled. “Ms. Smith and you tell me about Isabelle?” He asked me.
“She has dirty blonde hair. It was so wavy. Her eyes were green. A bright green that would make you stare at them for hours. She had two freckles right here.” I said while pointing to my temple. “She had a little button nose and the cutest dimples. When getting dressed she would always put her socks on first. She loved dresses. She said that when she got older she wanted to be a horse trainer.” I cried. I covered my face with my hands. “She also said she wants to be a Mother so she can have a baby and love it as much as I love her.” I cried even harder. “My Little girl had big dreams and now she wont be able to live them. I can never see her face again. I will never hear her sing again. I wont see her dance to her favorite song. I wont be able to put on Hannah Montana for her to watch anymore. I have an instant reminder that she’s gone with her empty room. Her little stuff animals and barbies will never be played with again. My baby girl is gone and its all his fault.” I cried. I looked at the judge with tears in my eyes. He avoided my eye contact.
“Thank you.” My attorney said and sat down.
“I will go over the evidence and then get back to you with my decision in an hour.” The judge said. Everyone went out of the court room. My attorney and family went back to my house for coffee. I sat impatiently on the couch with my coffee in my hand.
“You did great.” James said as sat next to me.
“I hope you see’s through Jacobs sad eyes.” I said. He put his arm around me and kissed my forehead.
“He will. He has to.” He whispered. The phone rang. Everyone sat silent.
“That was quick.” My attorney said.
“Thats a good thing right?” Michelle asked.
“It can be good or bad.” He answered. He picked up his phone and listened. “Uh huh. Yup. Okay.” He said. He hung up the phone and set it on the table.
“Lets go.” He said. We all piled into our cars and drove to the court room. After ten minutes of sitting at the table the judge entered the room. We all stood up. He sat down and then so did we.
“In all the years I’ve been a judge, I’ve never come across a case like this. First, I would like to say that my heart and soul go out to your family, Ms. Smith. The way you described your daughter made me think of mine. I’m so sorry for your loss.” He said. Jacob put his head into his hands. “Its a sad day when an innocent soul leaves the earth. Justice must be served. Mr. Marks, I sentence you to life in prison. This case is dismissed!” He said and hit his mallet.
“What? No!” Jacob shouted. Everyone on my side jumped for joy. James picked me up and kissed me. I hugged him. The judge stood up smiling at me. He winked. I mouthed ‘Thank you’. He smiled and went into his office. I was so happy. This doesn’t bring her back but it helps that he has to pay.
“Lets go home.” James smiled. I nodded with tears in my eyes.

When I got home I stood in Isabelle’s doorway. I looked at her empty bed. I smiled at the little table in the corner. She had little plates and tea cups set out to have a tea party. James walked up behind me. He wrapped his arms around me.
“She’s really gone.” I said.
“Yup.” He said. I turned to face him and hugged him.
“I love you.” I told him while my face was buried into his chest. He checked his watch.
“Its getting late. I think I’m going to go to bed.” He said.
“I will be right there.” I told him. He walked to my room while I stayed in Belle’s room. I walked in and sat on her bed.
“I miss you, baby. Its hard not having you here. I’m sorry that you had to die that way. I love you. Sweet dreams, baby girl.” I said and then shut off the light. I walked to my room and got into bed with James. I laid my head on his chest.
“Are you sure you want to get married?” I asked him. He sat up and I sat up.
“Yes. Do you?” He asked me.
“Yes but I don’t want to hold you back.” I told him.
“Baby, you wont hold me back. You are the thing that will begin my life. You are my morning. My sun. You are what makes my world go around. Miley, I’d take a bullet for you.” He said. I hugged him. “I will always love you and by us getting married I can make that promise in writing.”
“Lets get married.” I smiled. “I want to get married here. In the back yard. I want to have only friends.”
“okay.” He smiled.

Its took months of preparing for the wedding. My Mother did most just like last time. She hired caterers and did some of the decorations. Michelle did the dresses and she hired a band. I loved the dresses she chose. They were a dark purple. They were short and had one strap over the shoulder. I had to go shopping for a new wedding dress because blood stains. I found a wedding dress that was long and strapless except it was beaded from the breast down. It was a beautiful pattern. It came out at the bottom. Not as beautiful as the last but I couldn’t control how that got destroyed.
Everyone was so excited for the wedding. They say its the first step to moving on but I didn’t want to move on. I shouldn’t have to. This isn’t where I saw myself in my twenties. I haven’t been to my job in so long I think they might have fired me. I didn’t even plan on having a child but now that I did I want nothing more than to have her. Belle was a blessing from God. She was exactly what I needed at that time. Michelle was gone and I was lonely, depressed. I missed Jacob and when Isabelle came she helped. She made me smile and see life in a new way. I should have been there for her more. I shouldn’t have gone to college. I should have stayed home and raised her. I missed so much. First words. First steps. First everything. Why couldn’t I have been there!

I stood staring at myself in the mirror, in my room. My hair glittered. It was partly pinned up with bobby pins. I looked at my dress. Michelle came up from behind me. She put two hands on my shoulders.
“You look beautiful.” She smiled.
“Thanks.” I smiled back.
“She would really be proud.” She said. I smiled.
“There almost ready.” My Mother came in. She smiled. She was wearing her black skirt suit with a big black hat. “You look so beautiful.”
“Okay.” I smiled. I stood outside the door and looked at all the people staring back at me.
What if this is a mistake? What if this isn’t where my life is suppose to lead? What if what happened last time was a sign? I can’t do this. I began hyperventilating. I took my fathers arm and we started walking down the aisle. I looked at James and the empty stop where Isabelle would have stood. I stopped walking and stood in place. I looked at all the people. They were staring at me. I knew what they were thinking. ‘Poor girl, she’s making a mistake. How could she do this when her daughter is dead? Is she selfish?’ I knew thats what they were thinking. I could just