Lawyer Up
Chapter 45: Lawyer Up
“Oh, my darling, baby girl.”
Ira’s mother looked hopeless, pained, and distressed as she held her daughter’s hand in support while she recounted to her and her father for the first time those dark days of her freshman year of college.
She left no stone unturned and shared a little bit of her true feelings about the entire situation, wanting to spare them from the infinite amount of worry they were already expressing. It was the most difficult conversation she had ever had with them. Astoundingly, though, she was able to do this with only silent tears falling rather than being breathless from sobbing like she was last night.
Tawan leaned her back against the wall across from them, arms crossed over her chest and face blank as she watched and heard everything all over again. The only time her eyes were never not on Ira through the whole recount was when she mentioned Lai getting physical with her. She had to close them to control the rage that threatened to shoot from her eyes like fire.
It took every ounce of her self restraint to focus on leading Ira out of the venue last night rather than seeking Lai out to tear both of her arms clean off her shoulders.
As they weaved through quiet halls, she plastered on a strained smile that she left no time for someone to notice or stop them while casting quick glances at Ira. Her head was down and her arms were gripping Tawan to her side from around her waist so she could tuck her face near her chest as she guided her with her arm around her shoulders. They had stayed by the bathrooms for a few minutes to give Ira time to release her tears before Tawan removed her suit jacket to put on her before silently wiping and cleaning her face for her.
She quickly sent a text message to Mali and Meena that they had to head home, making up an excuse about one of their parents not feeling well.
Ira held onto Tawan’s hand as if she thought she would slip away and Tawan tried to not notice that she was shaky. She was glad that the parking garage was also accessible away from where there was still a crowd of people at the designated entrance. They were able to sneak by and into the back seat of their SUV unnoticed, and Tawan, never letting her hand go, instructed their driver to head straight to their home.
When she took her seat next to Ira, she looked to her and saw that she was looking down at her lap at their threaded fingers.
Tawan squeezed her hand, wanting to get her attention, but Ira’s shoulders just shook some so she hesitated before scooting closer to her. As soon as Tawan untangled their hands so she could open her arm to her, Ira buried the side of her face into the spot over her heart. She pressed her face there and silently cried trying to rid herself of her worst fears to remind herself she made it out.
Tawan pressed her tongue into the roof of her mouth, her eyes starting to pool as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders to hold her close. She pressed kisses into her hair occasionally and would whisper things to her like how she would always protect her and things would okay and she was so brave. Tawan was lost as to how to traverse this best because it was starting to feel like she was alone because Ira was so isolated traversing her own difficulties.
There were a million and one things that they should probably do, but the first thing they were going to do was file the injunction with Ira’s mother. This had reached levels of danger that neither one of them wanted to risk for their family.
When they got home, Tawan quickly settled any last minute affairs with their driver then ushered them inside. She was starting to get concerned by how much Ira was clinging to her as if she thought she would disappear or feared there would be nothing to protect her. It was late in the night, so added with all the events from earlier, it was easy for them to kick their shoes off at the front entrance then head to their bedroom to call it a night.
Tawan did not even argue when Ira laid them down in bed with their makeup and clothes still on.
Now, they were here at Ira’s parents in her mother’s home office constructing their injunction request by pouring over very detail so that it was concrete. Ira woke up that morning having forgotten about last night for just a moment. As her eyes adjusted to the morning sun that peeked through their curtains, she reached over to hold Tawan’s hand that was holding her close over her stomach.
The pain from the swelling and bruises on her arm brought her back to this frightful and unfair reality. She winced at the state of her arm, guessing it was not broken since she could still move it. Her eyes shut on their own and she tried not to cry again as she held her wife's hand in a death grip.
Behind her, Tawan had been awake for most of the night and that early morning just staring at the back of her head and kissing it. She was very sad thinking about how Ira would have to wake up soon to address this, and it made her squeeze her closer to her as if to lull her into the deepest slumber safely away from this to keep her together. There was also the tears that threatened to break the dam she had built rather hastily just now so that she did not worry her.
Tawan was desperate to figure this out for Ira.
“What else can we do, dear?” Ira’s father asked quietly, looking to his wife as he stood in front of them. He had been silently sitting next to his daughter on the other side the whole time she spoke, his eyes drilling holes into the ground as he kept his hand on her back.
Ira’s mother, still staring at their daughter, swallowed. “Let me think. I’ll have it all figured out in a few hours,” she replied in a similar tone.
Tawan stood from the wall, arms still crossed, and made her way over to them. She felt the all too telling signs of a headache coming on as the emotions and crying since last night paired with a lack of sleep hit her. Her bare face was still somehow enchantingly beautiful even with the darkness under her eyes. Ira gave no one a chance to see how distraught she was because she applied a little concealer and lipgloss to try to brace herself to attempt to alleviate some of her parents soon to be worries.
“Tawan?” Ira’s father said, cutting her off her path and gently grabbing her shoulder.
Tawan tore her eyes from her wife and looked to him. “Sir?” She asked, looking to his hand and raising her eyebrow, sensing something now.
He looked back to his daughter somberly then to her seriously. “We need to speak. Check on her then meet me in the backyard,” he instructed, nodding his head for her to go.
“O-okay,” Tawan nodded, tilting her head curiously.
Ira’s father nodded at her then headed towards his destination. He was becoming overwhelmed by everything he had just heard and he was desperate to add as many layers of protection as he could for what he felt Ira needed.
Tawan wiped under her nose, the pit of her stomach foreboding as she let the guilt of Ira getting hurt rest on her shoulders again. It was only because she felt she had let her in-laws down in protecting her family as she had promised to them.
“Hey?” Tawan smiled tightly, sitting next to Ira and grabbing her hand. “I’ll be right back. I need to talk to your dad about something.”
Ira only nodded at her, a very small and tight smile being the best thing she could muster up as for a response. She was finding it hard to look at her wife thinking about how she almost had to break Lai’s arm to save her from her literal and figurative grasp. It made Ira feel guilty that she could have ruined all of Tawan’s hard work in one single moment because she did not do something like file this injunction until now.
It did not matter that Tawan would always assure her that nothing ever came before her or their children and meant it with every fiber of her being.
Tawan, never breaking eye contact despite Ira unable to look at her long enough, raised their joint hands to her lips. She could see that this was starting to make her emotional again so she kissed her hand then placed it back in her lap before standing.
Ira’s mother looked up to her and nodded, letting her know so many things but the main one being thank you. Tawan swallowed hard and nodded back her, hoping she would never have to thank her for something like this ever again.
She exited the office and closed the door behind her before heading to the backyard where her father-in-law asked to meet. As she approached the back sliding glass door, she saw him pacing around his backyard with his hands behind his back. The light flashing off of something in his hand turned out to be a flask, and he would bring it around to take a swig before returning his hands back behind his back.
If he was drinking then he was really going through it.
“Sir?” Tawan asked as she tentatively approached him.
Ira’s father looked to her mid-pace, huffed, then shook his head as if he was trying to erase something. He pulled his flask around and took another drink, wincing some, then reached it out to her. Tawan looked at him then it a few times, for some reason feeling like this was a test, then tentatively reached out for the flask.
She was in desperate need of taking the edge off but she was also afraid of how her drinking at a time like this would look to her father-in-law even if he was the one offering.
He pulled the flask back just a bit from her. “Thank you for being there for my daughter,” he said thickly, maintaining eye contact.
Tawan’s jaw trembled and she nodded. “Always,” she whispered, smiling tightly and sniffing.
He took a moment then nodded before passing her the flask and watched her as she took a huge drink. She started coughing at how strong it was and it made him laugh out loud, genuinely, as he thought for sure such a thing would not be possible for a while considering what he just learned. He walked up to Tawan, who was doubled over coughing some, and patted her back as his amusement came down.
Tawan stood straight, wiping her arm under her nose, then stuck her tongue out in disgust as she looked down the opening of the flask.
“What is this?” She asked, waving the flask near her scrunched up nose.
“My special stuff,” he chuckled and took it from her. He took a big drink and she tried to not gag.
Tawan waited for a moment as things settled. “What did you want to talk to me about?” She asked a little nervously, stuffing her hands in her pockets.
He licked his lips as he stared down at the ground for a moment. “I knew something was wrong,” he reminisced quietly, mostly to himself.
Tawan stared at him, thinking she knew what he meant but not wanting to interrupt his train of thought. She noticed how quiet he was when Ira told them everything and she could not help but to wonder if he thought along the same lines as her. How she wanted to break Lai’s arm last night and figure out a way to time travel to stop her ten years ago. Tawan’s heart broke at the made up scenario in her head of how broken she would be if Star was in a similar situation in the future.
“She told us that she slipped on a curb and fell on her arm. I never had a reason to not believe anything she told us,” he continued, looking off in the distance. “I can see clearly now what I didn’t see back then…those were fingerprints on her skin.”
He choked up on the last few words and Tawan looked down as he cleared his throat and took another drink from his flask. She could only imagine what else Ira hid under her wrist brace back then because her forearm right now had very distinct bruises of a hand along with her arm being swollen. Nothing seemed broken and Ira wanted to only monitor it for now instead of seeking out medical attention.
That may have to change if her mother suggests that she go to the hospital to get checked out for formal documentation unless they are able to do a home visit from a doctor.
“I wish I got there sooner,” Tawan apologized quietly, eyes still down. Her arms were crossed under her chest like she was trying to warm herself up.
“I wish you didn’t have to,” he countered and looked to her sincerely.
Tawan looked up at him and they shared a tight smile before they looked away from each other.
She knew he was right, that her having to slam and hem Lai up on a wall should have never had to have happened the same as her spraining Ira’s wrist ten years ago never should have happened. It was unfortunate for them that they were unable to control other peoples actions and how they impacted their loved ones. But her father-in-law never blamed her and knew she did the best she could within what she was able to do.
And he knew that Tawan would be there every step of the way and would never let anything else happen to his daughter as long as she was around.
“I want her to have personal security,” he told her then looked back to her seriously.
Tawan could not help the gut punch she felt at his words.
It was not because she was egotistical or narcissistic about someone else protecting Ira, it was because she realized that she could not do it by herself. She had to release control by depending and relying and leaning on others, especially professionals, because her wife’s safety would always be her top priority. Despite her misgivings, she agreed with him that Ira needed protection as they went after Lai and things got ugly.
On top of that, Ira would need protection beyond even just Lai as she got more popular. In this case, it was best to be proactive.
“I agree,” Tawan replied quietly, clearing her throat and nodding tightly. “I’ll convince her if she pushes back.”
“Thank you,” he said, clearing his own throat. “I want to pay for it, too.”
“Sir-,”
“Tawan, please,” he smiled softly, raising his hand at her. “She is my daughter and you have provided for her and my grandchildren in ways that rival mines. Let me do this one thing for my daughter. Please.”
Tawan closed her mouth and let out an exhale through her nose as she looked at his raised hand. She chewed the inside of her bottom lip as she mulled over his request and resigned to him only as a mother to a daughter. There was also the conversation she had with her own father when Ira was away for work in Paris about letting parents help their children no matter if they are a child or an adult.
Besides, the purpose of family was to be there for each other with love and support and especially through difficult times.
“Okay,” she nodded softly and looked to him. “Just let me know what you need me to do.”
“Thank you,” he nodded and smiled more, playing with the top of his flask. “I trust you and her to make the selection, so just send me the bill. Whatever it takes.”
“Yes, sir,” she nodded obediently, taking a moment to think. “I may know where to start. We ran a story on bodyguards in the entertainment industry last year so we have a few contacts we can reach out to. I’ll get started on it right away.”
He nodded and looked like a weight fell from his shoulders. “Thank you, Tawan. You are the best daughter a father-in-law could ever ask for,” he told her thickly as he grabbed her shoulders.
Tawan swallowed hard and smiled as her left eye welled. “Thank you, Dad,” she responded, her watery smile growing wider.
Ira’s father pulled her into a hug and she rested her head against his chest as he patted her back in comfort for the both of them.
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“I didn’t want to create a scandal for you and Dad,” Ira cried softly and sniffled, pressing her tissues to her nose. Her and her mother were still seated on her office couch, her mother holding and caressing her hand in her lap.
Ira’s mother shook her head at her and scooted closer. “You can always come to us no matter what, my darling girl. You are more important to us than anything in this world. Do you hear me?” She croaked, pressing the back of her tongue into her throat.
Ira’s face trembled and she turned away from her feeling like a disappointment for keeping this from them. Her mother could sense her thoughts and gently grabbed her chin to turn her back to her. She waited, her heart pained at how small she looked, smaller than the earliest memory she has of her, and waited for her to open her eyes. Ira cried and opened her eyes as her body shook at her mother who gave her nothing but strength.
“How could I let this happen twice?” Ira sobbed, pressing her tissues to her mouth.
“You didn’t let anything happen. You are not responsible for other peoples actions,” her mother reminded her gently but firmly, squeezing her hand for emphasis.
“Mom, w-what if she did this to someone else? What if my silence hurt someone else or worse?” She insisted, throwing her arm out.
“You are a survivor, Ira,” her mother stated, grabbing her chin again to make her look at her. “You are no ones victim and it is not your fault if she hurt other people, it is all on her. By coming out and telling your story, you are inspiring someone else. Maybe even another victim of hers if they are out there.”
“Mom, you don’t understand,” Ira wept, trying to catch her breath. “Y-you didn’t see the look in her eyes. I thought something really bad was going to happen. I-if Tawan had not come…,”
Her mother’s eyes roamed all over her face, her mouth slightly agape and eyes widening as she started to absorb what she was telling her. It was tormenting to see the look in her eyes, the sort of wild desperation for escape and safety that she knew from experience in court. Never in million years would she had thought she would have to walk her daughter through this process like she has so many other clients before her.
It was painfully ironic that the reason she stayed in this profession after the birth of her only child, her reminder of the need for people like her to defend those who were unable to help themselves, was in need of her services and expertise. It was a difficult journey for her and her husband to conceive and birth Ira, so this absolutely shattered her world and everything she thought she knew. She never imagined it would lead to this, that she would have to coach her own daughter about how things could play out in court and how the public will react both positively and negatively.
There would always be that group of people who would side with someone like Lai for whatever reason, no matter how guilty she would be proven to be in court.
Ira's mother could see the pain, the shame, the embarrassment, the fear. It broke her heart that she was now seeing the hopelessness that her daughter had been masking so well behind the other emotions. Ira had so many thoughts rushing through her head in that moment with Lai, especially desperation and survival, and the more she thought about it, the more she was taken back to that deep fear of something really horrible, unimaginable, and unthinkable happening.
Lai was unpredictable and the darkness that could consume her eyes and cloud face bordered on what she could only describe as the face of destruction and death.
“Oh, my baby,” her mother shuddered, pulling her in for a hug.
Ira fell into her embrace and buried her face into her chest as she wrapped her arms around her waist. She clenched her eyes shut in hopes that her tears would just stay inside her eyes because she was so tired of always bursting into tears. Instead, she focused on her mother pressing kisses into her head and running her fingers through her hair.
She held her close and could not help but to think about her being a toddler again after scraping her knee.
“You are safe and we all love you. We will protect you and you will come out of this stronger than ever,” she promised, kissing her hair and crying to herself.
“I’m so tired, Mom,” Ira cried, breathless as her body shook silently.
Ira’s mother pulled back and grabbed her face gently. “Then let us carry some of this with you,” she smiled watery, looking her in her eyes.
Ira closed her eyes and cried some more before opening them again to her to see nothing but the unconditional love she had for her.
Though she wished this had never happened, she was reminded that she always had her parents love and support. She would need so much of it in the coming days as things had the potential to become public before she may be ready to share. No matter what, she had committed to herself to do this to protect both herself but most importantly her family.
Her mother pulled her in for another hug and she collapsed into her warmth as the future looked so cold.
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“Thank you for agreeing to the personal security,” Ira’s mother said appreciatively.
Tawan tore her eyes away from Ira and her father having a moment to her mother-in-law who was smiling at her. She smiled back to her and nodded as the older woman reached up to grab her face to make her look at her. It did not take much to see how Tawan was also affected by all of this and she could only imagine how isolated she must feel from her wife right now.
Ira was having a difficult and hard time traversing this, and Tawan felt helpless amd useless as she watched her.
“You are a great daughter-in-law but an even better daughter,” Ira’s mother told her, choking up some and patting her cheeks. “Thank you for always taking care of her and our grandchildren.”
“I’m sorry,” Tawan apologized thickly, shuddering and swallowing hard. “I wish none of this ever happened.”
“We all do,” she agreed and patted her cheeks again. “But this is none of our faults. It is all Lai’s and she will be dealt with in accordance to the law if I have the last word.”
Tawan’s eyes casted over to Ira again just as her father gently grabbed her face to make her look at him as he said something to her. She nodded and even from there Tawan could see that she was crying while still trying to keep her tears at bay. He kissed her forehead a few times then pulled her into a strong hug, pressing his chin on top of her head and rocking her some.
Tawan closed her eyes and looked away back to her mother-in-law who was still watching them.
“I’ll talk to her about at the very least a bodyguard tomorrow once she has rested some,” Tawan promised, waiting for her to look back.
Ira’s mother nodded then patted her cheeks again. “I will give you the details of the injunction tomorrow. A few people owe me favors so I will speed this up as fast as I can on an emergency basis,” she informed, dropping her hands to grab her arm.
Tawan nodded along as she quickly told her about the next steps while leading them over to their spouses.
She grabbed her hand and squeezed it in a comforting, motherly way before she went over to Ira to give her a strong hug. Tawan watched as Ira melted into it and held her as close to her as she could before her father stepped in and hugged them both to himself. He pressed kisses to their heads and squeezed them close as if he was trying to hold his family together.
They released Ira and then pushed her to go as they could see she needed to go home and rest.
Ira went to stand beside Tawan, who watched her and battled with whether or not to refrain from hovering over her so much lest she get irritated. Her body visibly sighed when Ira reached down to grab her hand, and Tawan squeezed her’s and she squeezed back hoping she could feel how much she loved and truly appreciated her because she could not articulate much right now.
“Ready?” Tawan asked gently, watching her face.
Ira looked over to her and nodded, giving her the best smile she could despite her puffy and red eyes. Tawan raised her hand and kissed it, staring into her eyes to convey all of her love and commitment to her. For the first time since last night, even if it was brief, Ira could look back into her eyes and not feel shame.
It made her emotional but she did not want to show it right now because her wife would for sure confuse it for something else.
“Let’s go home,” Ira said, throat raw, then sniffed before smiling a little more.
Tawan smiled against her hand before pressing another kiss to it and turning to lead them out. She vowed that she would do whatever it takes to make Ira feel better again. Ira knew she would never be able to thank her enough for standing by her and sticking beside her, but she also knew she never would have to because of how committed they were to each other and how they loved each other so infinitely.
Internally, Ira took the deepest breath of preparation knowing that tomorrow would be the start of her most difficult and challenging journey of her life. It was why that no matter what, Tawan vowed to help get Ira through this.