Chapter 6: Gregory Collins

Carol swallows a thump while her heart rate increases.

"Mr. Collins, what seems to be the problem?" Carol asks venturing into the room.

"You're my problem."

"If it's not a medical issue I will not be able to serve you."

"Why are you keeping my daughter from me?"

Carol studies him closely before exhaling softly.

"We both know what kind of man you are. Besides from my understanding, you did something to her. She won't tell me what it is but I know it's something devious."

Gregory gets up and wraps his hand around her throat and slams her against the wall. "Whatever she told you I did is a lie. I would never harm a child. You're the real monster." Gregory says while digging his nails into her skin.

"I never said you you did but now you're incriminating yourself."

Carol places her forearm on his throat and right hand on his face and shoves him away. Stumbling back Gregory looks Carol in her blue orbs gritting his teeth.

"You need to leave. If you return you will be arrested."

Soon blood is trickling down both sides of her neck.

"We both know that won't be necessary, considering what's in your bloodline."

Gregory walks out of the room leaving Carol with her thoughts.

After regaining her composure she leaves the room and heads to the nurse's station to get some alcohol pads. She then goes to the employee restroom near her office to clean her wound. She looks in the mirror and tears some blur her vision. She turns on the faucet goes into a corner and slides down the wall sobbing.

At Amory Lotus High School Ms. Gromlin has her first period class working on a math assignment. Ms. Gromlin is wearing a vanilla long-sleeve cotton dress with black pointed-toe slingbacks. Around her neck is a pearl necklace. As she scours the classroom she sees Kimberly's hand raised.

"Yes, Kimberly." Ms. Gromlin says from her desk.

"May I go to the restroom?"

"Yes, you may."

Kimberly gets up and runs out of the classroom. Kimberly runs down the hallway and turns right where she comes to the girl's restroom. She enters and goes to the last stall which is the largest one. Feeling the liquid leave her body Kimberly sighs relieved with a smile. When she finishes she wipes herself and flushes the toilet. She exits the stall and heads to the sink nearest to the door. As she washes her hands Lucille and Candis enter the restroom.

Candis shuts the door while Lucille goes and stands behind her. When Kimberly sees her reflection an annoyed expression takes hold of her robust face. Soon Candis appears beside Lucille. Before Kimberly can react Lucille grabs her head and slams it into the mirror. Now dazed Kimberly falls back to the ground. She soon feels kicks to her sides as well as the blood running down her face. They then drag her to the last stall and place her head inside the toilet.

Lucille flushes the toilet as the contents of the water splash against her face. Candis then pulls her head out and slings her against the wall. She then draws her arm back and strikes Kimberly across her face three times.

"If you ever disrespect me again I will kill you myself."

She then expectorates on Kimberly and leaves with Lucille.

Twenty minutes pass and Ms. Gromlin becomes worried. Deena raises her hand.

"Yes, Deena?"

"Ms. Gromlin can I go check on Kimberly?"

"Please and thank you, Deena."

Deena gets up and leaves the classroom. When she reaches the girl's bathroom Deena looks around.

"Hey Kimberly it's Deena I'm here to see if you're okay."

Upon arriving at the restroom she walks to the last stall where she discovers Kimberly.

"Kimberly!"

Deena rushes to her side. She uses her right fist to turn Kimberly's head toward her. She starts rousing the copper head and she slowly opens her eyes.

"Thank you, God," Deena says tearfully looking up at the ceiling.

"Who did this to you?"

"Lucille and Candis."

Kimberly then feels a pounding headache thrash on the left side of her head.

"Those girls need to get a life. Come on let's get you cleaned up."

Deena helps Kimberly to her feet. They walk to the first sink and turn on the faucet. Deena wets six paper towels and lathers them with soap.

"What are you going to do?" Deena asks cleaning Kimberly's right cheek.

"Beat their asses." Kimberly winces as Deena nears the left side of her mouth.

"This battle is not yours to fight it's God's. Let him handle them."

Deena then throws the paper towel away and starts to clean her mouth.

"No disrespect to God but he's gonna have to pity my worthless soul. I can't let those bitches get away with jumping me."

Deena carefully and thoroughly cleans around Kimberly's mouth.

"I can't stop you from exacting revenge but please give it some thought."

Deena throws away the paper towel. She grabs another one and follows the same routine and begins cleaning Kimberly's nose.

"I'm sorry Dee but I'm not one of those cheek turners. I knock out teeth and bang heads against walls."

Kimberly places her left hand on the left side of her head.

"There's no need to apologize. You are who you are."

Deena finishes cleaning Kimberly's mouth and throws the paper towel away.

Kimberly leans forward and assesses her wounds closely as Deena walks to the neighboring sink.

"All because she bumped into me. They both will be sorry." Kimberly says running her hand across her mouth and nose.

The two adolescents wash and dry their hands.

"Let's go to the nurse's office. She can get those disinfected. But first, we're going to tell Ms. Gromlin."

The two leave the restroom and head back to their classroom. When they get there Ms. Gromlin gets up and rushes over to them. She looks at Kimberly's face shocked and furious.

"Ms. Gromlin I was going to take Kimberly to the nurse's office but I wanted to inform you first."

"That's fine." Ms. Gromlin says trying to control her anger at Kimberly's bruises.3

"Don't worry guys we're still doing the same assignment," Alvin says getting their attention.

"Thank you for the update Alvin," Deena says smiling at him.

"Thank you, Alvin," Kimberly says looking him in the eyes.

Alvin couldn't quite place it but a feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. Ms. Gromlin retreats to her desk to write Kimberly a pass to the nurse's office. Meanwhile, whispers are heard among their classmates.

"Keep this classroom silent!" Ms. Gromlin shouts looking throughout the classroom.

She walks over to Kimberly and hands her the note.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Kimberly. Justice will be served."

"Don't worry Ms. Gromlin, it most certainly will."

Deena and Kimberly then leave the classroom.

"Who do you think did it?" Alvin whispers leaning slightly towards Danny.

"I don't know and I don't care," Danny says nonchalantly focusing on his paper.

"Alvin, Danny no talking." Ms. Gromlin scolds while returning to her desk. Kimberly and Deena are walking down the hallway in silence. Kimberly is wearing a grimace while Deena's expression is soft and nurturing.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Kimberly. Some people are just miserable with their own lives and it's unfortunate."

"Well, they'll be far more miserable once I'm through."

They then arrive at the nurse's office.

The blue-painted walls are decorated with pictures of beaches and informational posters about health. In the first room are eight brown cushion chairs on opposite sides of the room. In the next room is a bed with a white strip of paper covering a teal leather mattress. Diagonal to the bed are two beige chairs with wood grain armrests. On the opposite side is a sink with a gray countertop. Above the sink is a white cabinet with glass windows. Inside are cotton swabs, boxes of blue latex gloves, boxes of alcohol pads, and a plastic cup of tongue sticks.

Next to the sink is a portable blood pressure machine and a white trashcan. In the middle of the two rooms is an office. The walls are painted yellow with white baseboards. In the center of the office is a Cherry wood desk with a nameplate that says, Nurse Olivia Knox. In front of the desk are two brown cushion chairs with wood grain armrests. There are two large pot plants on both sides of the desk. Soon Olivia comes out of her office and into the waiting area. Olivia is in her early fifties with a plump frame.

She has fair skin and short white hair that is styled in a small pompadour. Her eyes are gray and full of life. Her thin lips are covered in red lipstick. She is wearing a short-sleeve white knee-length dress, white stockings and white shoes. Around her neck is a red stethoscope and on her feet are red and white tennis shoes. When she sees Deena and Kimberly she smiles and walks over to them.

"Good morning girls." Nurse Knox says warmly looking between them.

"Good morning Nurse Knox, how are you?" Deena asks looking into her gray eyes.

"I'm doing wonderful Deena, what brings you two by this morning?"

"I need to get some bruises disinfected."

"Okay come with me."

The two get up and follow her to the back room. Kimberly goes to the bed and hoists herself on top of it.

"If you don't mind telling me, how did you get those bruises?" Nurse Knox asks going to the cabinet.

"I was just jumped by two female students in the girl's restroom."

Nurse Knox grabs some blue gloves and several alcohol packets. When she returns she sits on a gray leather backless chair and slides over to Kimberly.

Kimberly says looking at Olivia as she opens a packet.

"That's no way to treat your fellow student. Well, it's a good thing you came to me. Any later and these cuts would have been severely infected."

Nurse Knox says applying the pad to Kimberly's nose.

"It isn't."

Nurse Knox removes the pad and applies another to her nose.

"Do you have an inkling of why they would want to hurt you?" Nurse Knox asks placing the packet and pads a few feet from Kimberly.

"They're jealous, miserable, and have nothing better to do," Kimberly says annoyed as Nurse Knox applies new pads to her mouth.

"I know all about being bullied by the upscale girls. Except in my case I ended up getting with their boyfriends in my freshmen and junior year of high school." Nurse Kox revealed placing the pad with other used pads.

"Did you get revenge?" Kimberly asks as Nurse Knox applies a new pad to her mouth.

"That was my revenge. I didn't have to hurt them physically to get even. Egotistical pain hurts far more than any physical infliction." Nurse Knox says coolly removing the pad.

"With some people egotistical pain just isn't enough."

Nurse Knox gathers the packets and pads slides across the room to the trashcan and discards them. She removes her gloves and goes to the sink to wash her hands.

"That can be true but sometimes the victim isn't always the one who administers that pain." Nurse Knox says seriously looking back at Kimberly while rinsing her hands.

"No disrespect but I've already heard it from my friend Deena."

Nurse Knox grabs some beige paper towels and dries her hands.

"Then you should heed her advice." Nurse Knox says going to throw the paper towels away.

"I won't make any promises."

"As far as I'm concerned you're all done. I'll write you a note so you can return to class."

Kimberly and Deena then go to the waiting area.

"How do you think Danny will react when he learns you were attacked by Lucille?" Deena asks.

"I haven't known him long but something is telling me he won't care. At least you and Alvin do and that's what's most important to me." Kimberly says relieved making Deena smile.

Moments later Nurse Knox returns with Kimberly's note and hands it to her.

"Be careful and watch your back, Kimberly."

"Oh, I will," Kimberly says clenching her right fist.

"Thank you for your help, Nurse Knox," Deena says appreciatively.

"You're welcome."

The two teens leave and begin their trek back to class. When they return they see Ms. Gromlin at the board going over some science questions. Kimberly goes and sets her pass on Ms. Gromlin's desk and returns to her desk. Deena goes and turns in her slave narrative. Kimberly finishes the remainder of her narrative and turns it in. When they return to their seats Alvin passes them notes on what Ms. Gromlin had been discussing. Kimberly looks it over and smiles at Alvin.

"Thank you so much, Al," Kimberly whispers winking at him before jotting down her notes.

"You're welcome."

Darwin is at his office going over a potential case when a knock comes on his door.

"Come on in," Darwin says not taking his eyes off his document.

When the door opens Samantha Van Buren walks in. She is wearing a beige blazer with black lapels, a black blouse, black slacks, and kitten heels. She has fair skin with long straight black hair that is styled in a side part. Her eyebrows are thin yet with a noticeable thickness. Her eyes are as brown as a chocolate bar. On her top eyelids rests black eye shadow with black eyeliner on her neighboring lower ones. She is carrying a black briefcase in her left hand. Her nails have white French tips.

"Hey stranger, it's been ten years," Samantha says elatedly in a New Hampshire accent.

Darwin looks up at her and instantly gets up and goes to hug her.

"Hey, Sam it has been ten years which equates to far too long!" Darwin says elatedly rubbing her back.

"It has but it's better later than never," Samantha says as they separate.

"That's true. Let me get that briefcase from you. Please have a seat."

Darwin takes her briefcase leads her to the visitor's chair and sets the briefcase in the neighboring chair.

Darwin goes and sits behind his desk and closes the folder on his desk.

"So how have you been?"

"I've been good, well professionally anyway. I've been enjoying the perks of being a district attorney for Maine, Maryland, New York, and now for California." Samantha says proudly crossing her legs.

"I remember when you were a litigator. You were so nervous but eventually, you found your strength and you became a prosecutor and later a defense attorney. Now here you are a district attorney. You have come a long way."

Darwin opens his left drawer grabs a water bottle and hands it to Samantha who opens it and takes a much-deserved sip. When she finishes she sighs in a refreshed tone replacing the lid and sits on Darwin's desk.

"Yes, and I have you to thank for that. Had you not given me the support and encouragement I wouldn't be here. I also miss us." Samantha laments placing her hand on Darwin's.

"What we had was beautiful but you had dreams bigger than me." Samantha removes her hand.

"Yeah, and I wouldn't mind reigniting what we once shared."

Darwin lifts his left hand revealing his ring finger.

"Oh, you're married?! I'm so sorry. I must look pathetic." Samantha says embarrassed looking away.

"You're not pathetic, I'm not happily married. My wife is a real pain." Darwin confesses getting Samantha's attention.

"Who did you marry anyway?"

"Chasity Lansing."

Samantha's face turns to that of disgust.

"It would be just my luck if I ran into her," Samantha says sarcastically leaning back.

"Yeah, but I did get a beautiful daughter out of it so I won't complain." Darwin says picking up a framed picture and handing it to Samantha.

"She's really beautiful. She looks just like you." Samantha says looking up at Darwin.

"Thank you and that's what everyone says. She's also very talented. She has this singing voice that makes you want to love harder or feel bad for your evildoing." Darwin says making Samantha chuckle while handing him the picture.

"Is that right? Well, I'm sure her voice has made you rethink your marriage to Chasity." Samantha says as Darwin places his picture back on his desk.

"It most certainly has. I want a divorce." Darwin says making Samantha smile.

"Well don't let me be the catalyst."

"You won't be. Her verbal, mental, and physical tyranny is about to end."

A soft expression overcomes Samantha's face.

"I'm so sorry Darwin. I had no idea you were going through so much turmoil. I wish I could have been here to support you." Samantha says regretfully.

"I wouldn't have done anything but hold you back. I am however glad you were able to go on to a successful legal career. I guess that's the only thing I live for besides my daughter Deena." Darwin says looking down at his desk.

"Sometimes children can be someone's savior from themselves," Samantha says getting Darwin's attention.

"I do believe God sent Deena to save me from what I was about to do to Chasity."

A serious expression then takes hold of Samantha's face.

"Well, I'm here now so you won't have to worry about things being rough anymore," Samantha says softly placing her hand back on his.

"Thank you, Sam."

"You're welcome."

"How did you know I worked here?"

"Well, a good friend of mine in Arizona told me you moved here eight years ago. She told me you got her off on some trumped murder charges back in July 1959."

Darwin then purses his lips.

"I remember that case. It had made national news and the country was in an uproar. My career was almost ruined but thanks to the tampered evidence it was saved" Darwin says relieved.

"Yes and now you have a private office and it's lovely."

"Thank you, what brings you here this morning?"

"I need your help."

Darwin quickly leans forward in his chair. "What's going on?"

"There's a man named Gregory Collins who was released from the Ella Mona County Prison ten years ago. A woman he was involved with bore him a daughter but she refuses to let him see her. Not only that this woman is the daughter of Hogan Harris. Her mother was Governor Valerie Bradshaw. She was the governor of California, New York, and Maryland before her death in June 1955. But knowing Hogan he mended fractured relationships with his enemies before his death in August 1953. With that being said his only child Carol Bradshaw assumed Hogan's role. I'm sure she would exercise her power if backed into a corner. I want to make sure that he is found and apprehended before harm is inflicted. In doing so I was hoping you would defend him if this reaches a California courtroom." "Hogan Harris was the real deal and so was his wife. I'm sure their daughter has had a run-in with him at some point. Now what she did to him upon seeing him is unclear. But I haven't gotten any word of his whereabouts so we'll have to play the waiting game. Before I can make a decision I will need to see his record."

Samantha grabs her briefcase and opens it. She hands Darwin a dark brown folder. He opens it and reads the document. His eyes widen in anger.

"I'm sorry Sam there's no way I can defend him. I'm surprised he was released. It'll be hell if my wife discovers this. She will prosecute his very existence."

"I understand. Well either way he will be imprisoned again."

They are interrupted by the telephone. After the second ring, Darwin answers.

"This is Darwin Tansworth attorney at law."

"Good morning this is Carol Bradshaw calling you from Kingthorn Hospital in the emergency department. A man by the name of Gregory Collins was a recent patient. During his duration here I was attacked and I told him to leave."

"I'm so sorry ma'am. I have one of the best district attorneys here in my office now. I'll have her come over immediately."

"Thank you so much."

Darwin hangs up and looks over at Samantha.

"That was Carol Bradshaw. She just told me that Gregory Collins was there and that he attacked her." Darwin says handing Samantha his file.

"Okay, I'll head over there now," Samantha says placing the file in her briefcase and grabbing her water bottle.

When she opens the door she sees Chasity. She is wearing an ice-cold expression.