Innocent

“You are hereby awarded the bequeathed sum of twenty-thousand dollars. This matter is settled. Court is now adjourned.”

Judge Nazaree smacked her gavel against its base with a resounding crack that echoed throughout the courtroom. The shouting and arguing of the late Jordan Taylor’s family was drowned out when his Cadence turned her beautiful, tear-streaked face towards him. He beamed and held out his arms as she flew into them, sobbing uncontrollably. For a few moments he just held her tight and let her react. It had been a hard six years on her, on them, fighting for what should have been given freely.

Four years of criminal court, just to prove she wasn’t her late husband’s killer, that he’d died of natural causes. Of course she wasn’t! Someone as sweet and gentle as her wouldn’t, couldn’t hurt anyone! It was two years into that trial that he’d had the good fortune to meet her and he knew even then what took the jury another two years to figure out: that she was innocent.

Unfortunately, the Taylor family hadn’t been…pleased with the decision to say the least. They’d dragged her through a civil suit as well to try to keep the money Jordan had left her in his will. The whole process long, they’d been horrible to her. Death threats from them, haunting letters forged in her late husband’s hand, the harassment had been endless. Countless times he’d tried to encourage her to counter-sue but each time, she refused. ‘They’re just hurting,’ she’d said even as she cried so many times because of it.

“Shh, shh. It’s over,” he soothed, rubbing her back. “It’s over now, Cadence.”

“I know,” she sniffed. “I know. It’s just…now what? What do I do? Where do I go? I-I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to live in this town. I don’t want to…I don’t want…”

“Hey, hey, hey, hush. Shh.” He cupped her face in his hands. “It’s okay. We’ll leave. We’ll go somewhere. I know you’ve always wanted to go to the beach, we can live on the coast. Away from all this. You and me. How does that sound?”

Cadence sniffed twice and nodded, a smile playing at her lips. “I love you, Sam,” she whispered, throwing her arms around his neck. He picked her up and spun her, grinning at the adorable squeak and giggle she gave as he did so.

The two of them. He was looking forward to a life with her. And it would happen far sooner than he knew she was expecting. His grin widened, thinking about the small box hidden inside his jacket. He set her carefully back on her feet and took her hand in his, leaving the lawyers to work out the specifics of obtaining her hard-won funds.

“It’s just now lunch, where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere.”

He looked at her, breathing deeply in the glow of the mid-afternoon sun, and basked in her beauty once again. Her striking green, almond-shaped eyes set into porcelain skin, contrasting against her dark, mahogany-colored hair. Her petite frame and soft features often reminded him of the forest nymphs he’d read about as a child.

“How about Mario’s? I’m kind of in the mood for pizza and they’ve got those fried mushrooms you love so much.”

“Sounds great, let’s go!”

A short while later, the pair were being seated in the center of the busy pizzeria and he tugged his collar nervously. The box was burning a hole in his pocket but he hadn’t planned on having such a large audience. They gave their order to their waitress after she’d brought them their drinks and she scurried off, leaving them to their own devices momentarily.

“Now, you’re sure you’re ready for this, right? You’re ready to move on? With me?”

He’d asked the question time and again during the course of their growing relationship and she was always quick to ease his mind. Not this time though. He worriedly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb as she looked away and sighed.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready. I loved Jordan. Still do in my heart. He was my first. But it’s also been six years. I’ve grieved. And I’ve accepted it. And I love you too. I don’t want to stay stagnant and I don’t think Jordan would have wanted that either. I want to be with you but I also don’t want to forget him and I just…I’m rambling again, aren’t I?”

“Yes, but that’s okay. I like it when you ramble, it’s cute.” He chuckled as her worried expression morphed into a huffy pout. “Listen, Cadence, I never want you to forget Jordan. He is a part of you, a very important one. And now, I would like to be a part of you, too. But only if you think you’re ready for me to be.”

“You’ve been by my side through almost all of this. There aren’t a lot of guys who would do that. If not you, then who? If not now, then when? So…yes. I am ready.”

He sighed, smiling and feeling lighter than he had in a while. He’d been fearful that, when the trials were all completed, she would rethink their relationship. That she’d just needed someone to lean on while that was happening.

“In that case, Cadence Prescott-Taylor, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

He pulled the small, black box from his jacket and got up from his chair to kneel at her side. He opened it to reveal a simple, sterling silver band set with a beautiful blue sapphire stone, flanked by two small, white sapphire ones. He heard the people around him gasp as silence fell around them. He felt staring eyes almost piercing his back as he anxiously waited for her answer. Tears glistened in her emerald eyes and her lower lip quivered.

“Sam,” she whispered. “I’d love to.”

He swept her into his arms and spun her around to the delighted cheers of the surrounding patrons, ending in his chagrin when her foot caught one of their drinks and sent it flying. It was laughed off and the manager even offered their meal on the house in celebration.

Months passed like days and before he realized it, they were moved across country, living on the coast and going to the beach as often as they could just like he’d promised her, and planning a simple, beachside wedding. Nothing big or fancy as it would just be them, the Justice of the Peace, and a few family members on his side.

The day finally came and his gentle bride had never looked more radiant in his eyes. Her days in the sun had kissed her pale skin, darkening it ever so slightly and causing it to stand out in stark contrast to her light blue, satin gown, her dark hair let down in loose waves. She had been adamant about not wearing a white gown. ‘I’ve had my day in white,’ she’d said with a sad smile touching her lips. He was quick to reassure her that he didn’t care, that if she’d wanted to wear white, she should wear it. In the end, he couldn’t argue with the result even if he wanted to. The shimmery gown she chose hugged her form and seemed to almost change colors in the light with every step she took closer to him. His Cadence looked ethereal.

He was so happy to have arrived at this moment. There was no stopping the tears that pricked his eyes and his grin widened at the beaming smile on her face, her own tears cascading down her cheeks. They’ been through so much together and somehow, they’d made it to the other side. He couldn’t wait to see where life took them next and could already hear tiny feet pattering across their hardwood floors. He grasped her hands in his, spoke his vows with every ounce of honesty he had, and received her words of love with a soaring rush of joy. ‘I do’s’ said, rings exchanged, they took their first steps as Mr. and Mrs. Wood and he couldn’t be more thrilled.

His family, having decided amongst themselves that the two needed time with each other to enjoy their first ‘official’ night together, parted for their hotel, leaving he and his bride to make their way to their own room. He swept her into his arms at the door, chuckling at her surprised yelp, and carried his new wife across the threshold.

"You didn’t have to do that, you know,” she giggled as he set her gently on the bed.

He smirked. “I know,” he replied with a wink.

As her giggles died down, all of the sudden, Cadence began fidgeting and biting her lip. A nervous energy surrounded his new wife and he grew worried. It was, after all, her second wedding night, and although they had been together numerous times, this night should have been special for her. Instead, it could be bringing up painful memories of when it was. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands into his and staring into her piercing green eyes that kept averting his gaze.

“Cadence.” He waited until she was looking at him. “If you’re not up for this, that’s fine, sweetheart. I don’t need a special ‘wedding night’ because every night we spend together is special to me. It’s alright if you don’t want to do this here, tonight.”

“N-no…that-that’s not it. I do, I…umm…I just…”

He watched, curiosity overtaking him, as her cheeks flamed red and she huffed in embarrassed frustration. Instead of continuing, she stood up and stomped over to her suitcase. He got a tantalizing view of her rear end as she bent over, rummaging through it for a few moments. Straightening, she held a smaller bag in her hands, shifting anxiously from foot to foot, cheeks even brighter than before.

“I’ve been…doing some research,” she mumbled, looking everywhere but at him. “On…on ‘spicing it up’. In the bedroom? And…well, I didn’t know what all to get, so…here.”

She threw the bag at him. He fumbled with it before zipping it open. What he held had his own cheeks turning red as he was forced to swallow hard. Inside was a random assortment of fuzzy handcuffs, blindfolds, soft whips, scarves, and other light bondage supplies. While he was not entirely uncomfortable with the idea of experimenting, their interactions thus far had been innocent and fun. He would have been happy if it stayed like that. The shock that his new wife would even consider this had him frozen. At the same time, she seemed to be absolutely mortified and he had no intention of discouraging her. He nodded and watched delighted surprise wash over her.

“Care to show me what you’ve learned?” He asked in what he hoped was a playfully seductive tone.

Her blush deepened. She nodded and took a pair of the handcuffs out. He allowed her to attach him to the bedposts on either side and had to admit, he was getting a little excited at what the night would bring. She put on a pair of black gloves and pulled a scar between her fingers.

“There’s something called…auto…erotic…asphyxiation? I think? Would you be okay with that?”

He blinked. But he trusted her implicitly. “Whatever you like.”

She wrapped it around his throat, the soft fabric tugging slightly at his scruff. He gave her a nod and she pulled it tighter. Tighter. Tighter. Too tight. He struggled for breath as his airways closed off and watcher her shyness turn dark, malicious. Her green eyes turned red as she licked her lips. She reached under her pillow and withdrew a small, black book. Flipping through to the last page, he saw list after list of crossed-off names. The last name, Sam Wood, and just above his, Jordan Taylor.

“I still…love you…Ca..den…”