Chapter 48 Confrontations

“Why didn’t you tell me?” John asked raking his hands through his hair “you had every opportunity to tell me this morning and you didn’t.”
“I wanted to but I knew you wouldn’t believe me unless I showed you proof.”
“Why wouldn’t I believe you?”
“What man is going to believe that his sister is stealing from her employer?”
“I might have, you didn’t even give me a chance,” John yelled as he paced inside their house. “You can’t keep things from me.”
“I know, I should have told you.”
“What else are you keeping from me? I’ve had a lot to believe you over and I’ve trusted you, but now you break that same trust by not telling me something really important.”
“I’ve had to trust you on things too you know.”
“I know, you have,” John said in a growl.
“I understand why you are mad, but don’t you see why I couldn’t tell you till I had proof?”
“I do,” He sighed as his anger began to fade.” We both have had to trust each other it just feels like you purposely broke my trust by not telling me.”
Anna walked up and put her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry if it feels that way.”
John sighed and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry I yelled, I’m just angry. Not even really mad at you but at the situation.”
“I know and I’m sorry I had to be the one to do it, I know you love your sister.”
“I do and now I have to go tomorrow and sit through a hearing with her and it’s just a lot.”
Anna wrapped her arms around him tighter wanting to take it all away but knew there was no possibility of that. Anna wanted to tell him about the affair his mother was having but thought he couldn’t take it right now. So she kept it to herself, planning to verify the information before she told John, she just hoped it wasn’t a mistake.
***
The next morning John and Anna walked into the Asheville municipal building and waited outside the appropriate courtroom. There was a worried silence that permeated everything and John did not have much to say.
Melissa crept into the building looking like she’d just stepped out of a business fashion catalog. Her dark salt and pepper hair was pulled back into a severe bun that made her look years older. Her green eyes flashed venom at Anna as she saw her standing with John.
“Get her out of here!” Melissa hissed “This is all her fault.”
“No, this is May’s fault.” John said stepping between them “Anna was just trying to do the right thing.”
“She was trying to get back at us, I don’t even know how she suspected anything but this is revenge pure and simple.”
“Revenge for what mother?” John asked raising an eyebrow.
“You know Anna thinks we never liked her.”
“You don’t like me!”
“How dare you say that? We have tried to be nice to you.”
“Nice!” Anna screamed as she jumped toward Melissa “you have been awful since day one.”
“Stop both of you,” John said pulling them apart “This is not going to help anyone.”
Melissa and Anna stepped back and took a breath as May’s case was called. They all filed in and listened as May was released on bail. John and Melissa stayed in to handle bail but Anna needed air. She stepped outside the courtroom and sat on a bench resting her head in her hands. This would never end.
“I hope you’re happy now.” A voice said from feet away.
Anna lifted her head and saw Melissa standing over her. “How can I be happy when this is so screwed up?”
“Well now you have one of us out of the way, for the time being, you just have to get rid of me as well.”
“Why can’t we just get along Melissa? “
“Because you are a worthless, immoral lowlife who has no right to be married to my son.”
Anna shook her head, mentally tired. She was sick of this song and dance and wanted to get away from it. “Listen, if anyone around here is immoral it’s you, so stop calling me names.”
Melissa grabbed her arm and jerked it hard “What is that supposed to mean?”
Anna pulled her arm free and glared at Melissa “I heard that you might not have been as faithful as you let on, so don’t talk to me about immorality.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your friend Tom.”
Melissa went white as a sheet as she jerked back. A range of emotions filtered over her face and Anna knew she had been right.
“You shut your mouth,” Melissa screamed advancing on Anna.
“For God’s sake, this is enough, take May and go home, we are done here.” John roared.
“This isn’t over,” Melissa said as she snarled and turned away wrapping an arm around May.
“That’s what I was worried about,” Anna said under her breath as she hugged John and watched them walk out of sight.