Justice For Juniper (Tatienne Richard) novel Chapter 184

Three Months Later Part II

They entered the courtroom and immediately moved to sit behind the prosecutor’s bench.

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“She did not like you walking away from her. She’s quite upset.”

“She can kiss my oversized ass.”

“Your ass is perfectly sized,” Phineas commented as they settled in. He leaned sideways, “remember when we came to Denise’s sentencing and I got to read my victim impact statement.”

“You lied all the way through it. Telling the judge, you feared for your life because of her driving a car at yours.” She elbowed him knowing he offered no remorse.

“I didn’t lie. She is a scary woman. I hope she dies in prison.”

“Phineas!” Juniper shook her head at him. “Do not wish such things on her parents.”

Denise was currently serving five years in a women’s penitentiary for various episodes of assaults with deadly weapons. Her parents were slowly pulling away from their circle of friends as they tried to balance the mental health needs of their daughter who was deteriorating while she was in prison, but Juniper knew that her parents were filling in the gap their absence was leaving in the other’s lives.

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Her eyes moved to the door which opened at the far side of the room and Kyst was escorted into the courtroom by two guards who were armed. His eyes found her immediately and the wide smile which pulled his cheeks made her nearly laugh out loud. Idiot. Did he not notice on which side of the courtroom she was

sitting?

“What a jackass,” Adil commented from the other side of her. “I want to beat him into the ground.”

“Pretty sure our father–in–law made that happen at least once already,” Phineas smirked as he looked at Kyst who was at least thirty pounds lighter and his hair was scraggly and in need of a cut. “He looks like he should.”

They quieted down as the judge entered the room and began the session. Eight different women were wanting to give victim impact statements, but Juniper’s was being saved for last. She struggled to keep a dry eye as each woman, including the one who fashioned a weapon using her father’s 3D printer, each outlined how their lives were irrevocably changed due to Kyst’s actions. Juniper wiped a tear from her eyes with the handkerchief Phineas pressed into her hand.

“That fucker is staring over his shoulder at Juniper instead of listening to what he’s done to these women,” Beni grumbled furiously.

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“Let him look.” Phineas commented. “I can’t wait for him to see our baby girl’s belly.”

“Finally, we’ll call Juniper Aguado–Perez to the stand to read her statement.”

“Juni?” Kyst looked surprised as he gave his lawyer an annoyed glance.

She almost laughed as she realized the lawyer hadn’t told him. She rose to her feet and made her way to the podium. As she moved her shirt tightened over her rounded belly and his hiss and his gasp made her spine stiffen but she kept moving. Standing at the podium she adjusted the microphone and cleared her throat.

“To those who don’t know who I am, my name is Juniper Aguado–Perez, formerly Juniper Kennedy. Some of you may know but perhaps you don’t, I was married to Kyst Kennedy when he committed these atrocities. I was asked to come here today and tell the court how all of this has impacted me. I first found out my husband was having an affair with my boss’s wife almost six months ago now. I lost my baby that night, a baby we were trying for over a period of months and months.” She read off her paper, “over the next several days, the private investigator gave me information about all the different affairs Kyst was engaged in. We later learned that he was contacting women who were his clients and exchanging sexual favors for accounts. I didn’t understand and I don’t understand now. I

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knew Kyst since I was a preteen girl. We were friends and then we were boyfriend and girlfriend and then we were married.” She lifted her eyes and met Kyst’s. “You swore to me you would be my only instead you sold yourself on the internet, in the boardroom, in hotel rooms and in coffee shops to women who were willing to give their money to you because you are so good at love bombing. I know the term now. Six months of therapy has taught me you were manipulating me to not question your actions and behaviors through the use of sexual acts, service like cooking meals, and patronizing behavior. Trust is hard for me now, but I have very patient partners. I spent weeks worried that some obscure sexual disease was going to pop up. I was worried about every pimple, ache, or pain. I’m pregnant now.” The room jumped when Kyst slammed his fist on the table angrily. “One of my first questions to my obstetrician was whether there was any kind of STD which would affect my baby. I knew the answer rationally but emotionally, it has lingered. I didn’t lose money the way these other women did. I can’t quantify in dollars and cents the pain and the trauma I experienced the way they did. I feel terrible guilt because I was so inept at reading a man I knew my whole life that he was able to cause them all such pain. I don’t trust myself or my judgement but I’m learning. I will rebuild my life. I will lean into my supportive partners. I will accept the love freely offered to me without reservation. Kyst, you might have cracked me, but

you didn’t break me. I hate you for what you did but I’m not going to let that hate define me. I’m going to love. I’m going to move on. I am moving on.” She took a breath, “while I will

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