Baby Love(70)

"And you did nothing," I hissed as if that is what I was led to believe.

"That's a lie!" he shouted, startling Preston from her play.

She started to fuss so I went over to pick her up.

My heart was pounding. I sat back down with her in my lap. She put her thumb in her mouth and leaned back against me watching Trey.

"Let's keep our voices down Trey. No need to upset the baby," I said calmly. "Go on."

"If Gina told you that I did nothing then she is lying," he said calmly, smiling to act as if everything was okay for Preston's benefit.

"I promptly lifted her hand from my crotch and asked her what the hell she thought she was doing. Her response was that she dreamed of doing both Tristan and I together - in bed I mean."

"Yes, I gathered that much Trey," I replied sweetly, bestowing a smile back to him.

"Why haven't you told Tristan?"

"I don't know. I'm conflicted. What if she tells him she was just kidding? What if she tells him I made it up? That could do irreparable damage to Tristan and my relationship. Of course since Gina saw the whole thing and saw fit to tell you her version of it then I suppose she would be no help in validating it with Tristan."

I needed to come clean with Trey about Gina's involvement or he would dislike her that much more than he did.

"Gina didn't say anything to me about her fondling your junk," I stated, picking up another slice of pizza as I balanced Preston on my lap.

"What?"

"Hey you are the one that jumped to that conclusion. The only thing that Gina told me was that Libby was all over you and that you didn't reciprocate. So I will thank you very much to not make a snap judgment about my BFF."

Trey started to say something more but his Blackberry chimed. He pulled it from his pocket to answer. I finished my slice of pizza as Trey took his call to the study.

I took Preston into the kitchen and got her settled into her high chair for dinner. I fed her some pureed carrots and squash. She seemed to love all of the orange veggies. I got her sippy cup out that I was encouraging her to use as I weaned her off of breast milk. I poured some of my pumped milk into it and set it on the tray of her high chair.

Trey came into the kitchen just as I was helping her use the cup to drink. He had a serious look on his face. I hoped it was not bad news.

"That was the deputy D.A. giving us a courtesy call. Your moth---Maggie has been extradited back to Georgia. She will be transported to the jail here tomorrow."

"What does that mean for us?" I asked.

"It means that she will be arraigned, make her pleading against the charges, get legal representation and the criminal litigation process starts for her here."

"Will she be able to get out on bond?"

The thought of Maggie being out amongst the general population in the city where we lived was frightening for me.

"That's what I was discussing with the Deputy D.A. just now. Nothing is for certain but she will be considered a major flight risk so they are going to go very high with her bond if she is granted one at all. Please don't worry baby."

"That's easy to say Trey but up until this minute I hadn't really thought about her coming back other than in the abstract. It's real now. We know that she had assistance from at least one person in the area, maybe more. She has always been resourceful that way. At least you will be here with us. Now is the time I want that 'over-protectiveness' to kick in counselor."

I smiled at him for reinforcement. His face remained serious.

"I have to go to Baton Rouge this week baby."

"Why and for how long?"

"I have to make an oral argument and present briefs in a class action suit Harmon and I are handling in front of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. We are trying to consolidate cases that are pending in another district court and lump them together under one federal jurisdiction. It may be a couple of days."

Then I recalled what this was about. This was the case that had to go in front of the panel of seven federal judges one having a name similar to mine. I had meant to ask Trey about that numerous times but had always seemed to get side-tracked.

"I want to go with you," I blurted.

"What? Baby if you don't want to be alone why don't you have Gina come stay here with you while I'm gone, okay?"

"It’s not that Trey. It's about one of the federal judges that sits on that judicial panel. I remember seeing his name when I was working at the firm the day Preston was taken. I meant to ask you about him then but with all that's happened it slipped my mind. His name is mine only backwards."

Trey's confusion was apparent.

"His name is Preston James Tylar. His C.V. states that he was appointed as a federal judge in 1990 - the same year that I was born. He serves as an appellate court judge in Baton Rouge when not serving on the JPML."

"Tylar I am impressed with your knowledge of this particular judge but I still don't understand why you want to go with me."

"I know it sounds bizarre Trey, but something hit me when I saw his name that day at the firm when I was entering the data in Harmon's court calendar. I can't describe it but I just know that I have to see him."

"Tylar I have no issue taking you with me but I'm not sure how much you will be able to see. These hearings are similar to state Supreme Court arguments where you get so many minutes to state your case and pitch your argument. Literally when the red light in the front by the judges illuminates it means to shut up and go back to your seat."