I learned that a charge for Simple Assault was not so simple.
The morning after the arrest I trudged downstairs with Ava and sat down at the dining room table with my parents, who looked like they had barely gotten any sleep. My dad was still in the same outfit that he had picked me up at the county jail in.
The explained to me the charge that were being pressed against me- simple assault.
"Any word on how Kelsey is?" I asked.
My mom spoke, "She has a broken nose and a concussion. She's stable though."
"Okay." I said, "So what, I'm going to have to see her in court?"
"Possibly. It depends on what kind of deal can be worked out." my mom said.
"Look, she had it coming to her. She said some awful things about April." I said.
"Jo, if I were a girl- of course I can't do it because I'm a man, I would've done the same thing." my dad said, to my surprise. "But unfortunately, consequences have to be faced. But believe me- your mom and I- we are on your side."
I was extremely relieved to hear that. "Thank you." I said, "I just couldn't control myself."
"Which is something that has to be worked on. And I do think that anger management classes will be part of your sentence." my mom said.
I looked at Ava. She was looking at my parents, taking in everything they were saying.
"So does this mean I need to get a lawyer?" I said.
"We've got one already. One of my best friends growing up, Adam Goldman, is a lawyer. And a good one too." my dad said.
"Okay. Good." I said, and then asked the sentence I was dreading the answer to the most, "Am I going to get jail time for this?"
"Listen to me. We are going to do every damn thing in our power to not have you get jail time. The maximum is 6 months for this. But that's not going to happen." my dad said. "After talking to Adam, he thinks that you will just need to pay a fine and go to anger management courses. And possibly be on probation."
Jail for 6 months. There was no way in hell that could happen. The thought of that almost shrunk me down to my knees.
"And what about how this charge could affect my future?" I asked.
"It can be expunged." my mom said, "Adam will talk to you more about that."
"This isn't a felony." my dad said, "It's a misdemeanor charge."
"Why the hell am I even being charged? Couldn't Kelsey just have let it go and realized she had it coming to her?" I asked.
"It's because of the injuries she sustained." my dad said.
My mom looked at me, "I set you up an emergency appointment with Heidi. It's at noon- she agreed to see you on her day off."
"Why, I'm not having any kind of emergency." I said.
"I think it'll be good for you." Ava said, and looked at me.
"Okay. I'll go." I nodded.
Ava sat on my bed as I got dressed to go see Heidi.
"You're not going to go to jail." she said.
"I better not. There's no reason for me to." I said.
"I wonder why Kelsey hated April so much." Ava wondered, "She didn't say why?"
"From context clues, I'm assuming April might've done something with someone she was dating. But who knows. I'm actually really curious as to why." I said.
After I got dressed I looked at my phone for a moment. I looked at the Facebook app, and saw I had a message from someone I wasn't friends with. I opened it up, and saw it was, to my surprise, from Francesca- the server who I had spoken to that night. She was asking me if I was okay.
I messaged her back that I was- and I also asked the question Ava just did. Why did Kelsey hate April so much?
She messaged me back asking for my number, and if she could call me- that it was a lot over message. I sent her my number.
She called a few moments later. I put her on speaker and Ava and I sat on my bed, the phone between us.
"Hi, babe. How are you?" Francesca's voice came over the phone.
"I'm doing okay. I just wanted to let you know you're on speaker. I'm here with my girlfriend, Ava." I said.
"Hi, Ava!" Francesca's voice came through, "So, you want to know the tea on why Kelsey did not like your sister?"
"Yes." I said, "We definitely do."
"Okay, so I just want to start off by saying- April was my best friend at work. I do not like Kelsey. I would tolerate her at work to be professional, but April is my girl." Francesca started, "So basically, Kelsey was hooking up with this bartender that works at the Salt Rim, Ryan. This was at the beginning of the summer, back in June. When April started working there, she started hooking up with him."
I looked at Ava. She was looking at me, wide eyed. "You do know that April had a boyfriend, I am assuming?" I asked Francesca.
"Kenny? Oh yeah. I know him. But honestly, April wasn't all that happy with him. And I'm not excusing her cheating at all. But I think she thought that there was something going on with him and her best friend- Candace." Francesca said.
"Holy fuck." Ava mouthed to me.
"Well, her intuition was right. Those two live together now." I said.
"Get the fuck out of here!" Francesca exclaimed, "She really thought that he liked her. She's a smart one, that April. I'll tell you this though- her and Ryan were like two peas in a pod. They are so alike- and all they would do at work was goof around together. She looked really happy with him."
"Does Ryan still work at The Salt Rim?" I asked.
"He does, part time. He was devastated about April. Still is, honestly. I used to joke all the time the two of them were going to get married. You should've seen them together." Francesca chuckled.
"And I am assuming that Kelsey really didn't like that." I said.
"You betcha. She was beyond jealous. And went out of her way to be really rude to April. But April didn't give a single fuck."
"Sounds like April." Ava chuckled.
I then heard a knock at my door that was closed.
"Francesca, thank you for reaching out to me." I said, "I do have to get going, but don't be a stranger, okay?"
"You as well. Update me on what's going on, okay?" Francesca said, "Bye, babe."
"Come in!" I said to whomever was at the door.
To my surprise, Katie was the one who opened the door. She ran over and gave me a hug.
"Josephine, you are one crazy fucker but I would've done the same." she said as I hugged her back. She then let go of me and gave Ava a quick hug.
"What are you doing here?" I asked her, "Not that I am not happy to see you at all."
"Right when mom called me this morning and told me that your crazy ass got arrested last night it just didn't feel right of me to stay at school." Katie said, sitting down on my floor.
"Well, I appreciate it." I said.
"And let me tell you- I can help you with one thing. Picking you out a great outfit for court." Katie chuckled.
"Hopefully my future outfit won't be an orange jumpsuit." I said.
I saw Ava swallow hard when I said that. I put my hand on her knee, "I'm just kidding." I said.
"I know." she said, and gave me a weak smile. She put her hand on mine and squeezed it, but I could tell- she seemed off. And that concerned me more than anything.