Chapter One
“With all due respect, Mrs. Anderson, attempting to level any sort of punishment at those four women just comes across as victim blaming. These women were already wounded, and emotionally manipulated into believing that they finally belonged to something by a cold, calculated sociopath who really only cared about her bottom line. They have all agreed to cooperate fully with federal prosecutors, and are also willing to cooperate in the case your office is building against Mrs. Johnson. Now, if you choose to attempt to make an example of these four women with NO previous criminal history whatsoever, I will personally see to it that this becomes the type of PR nightmare for your office that will stick with you until both of us are long gone, and that, Mrs. Anderson, is a PROMISE.”
Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Marian Anderson had gone up against Ashlyn Rush several times before.
And lost.
EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
“Jesus Christ, Ashlyn, fine then. They talk, they walk.” Mrs. Anderson exclaimed.
“Thank you, Mrs. Anderson, for seeing it my way,” Ashlyn said.
“You really didn’t give me a choice but to see it your way Ashlyn,” Mrs. Anderson said, exasperated. “You never do.”
“Very true,” Ashlyn exclaimed. “Now, if that’s all, I’ll be taking my leave now. Tell Mr. Anderson Ashlyn Rush sends her best regards.”
* * *
Outside the office, Jasmine Walker, Briana “Bree” Daniels, Mia Gallo, and Chelsea Crowe waited with bated breath.
“We are so effed,” Jasmine said. “Anderson be out here trying to nail everybody to the wall off of nothing.”
“I think we can relax, Jasmine,” Chelsea told her. “Ashlyn was recommended by someone I trust, and going off the retainer I paid, I honestly feel like we are going to be fine.”
“Going to be fine” was a MASSIVE understatement.
“I hope so, because I’m DEFINITELY going to be somebody’s bitch in jail if this doesn’t work out,” Mia said. “The freshest of fresh meat on the yard. To a big ol’ chick named Beulah, probably. The resident hair braider of D Block. Hopefully they put me in the same block as Bree’s swole ass. If I’m gonna be someone’s bitch, might as well be someone I know.”
The four women all snickered audibly at Mia.
“I got you, Mia,” Bree said.
Just then, Ashlyn walked out of Mrs. Anderson’s office.
“Everything is going to be fine, ladies,” Ashlyn said. “As long as you cooperate with them Anderson isn’t going to do anything other than what I told her to do, which is to let you ladies live, heal, and rebuild without these asinine charges hanging over your heads. Now, if you ladies don’t need anything else from me, I’ll be taking my leave now. Chelsea, you have my number. If you need anything, do not hesitate to call.”
“Thank you so much, Ashlyn,” Chelsea said.
Ashlyn smiled, walked towards the exit.
The four women all breathed a collective sigh of relief.
“SHIT!” Jasmine said. “She is NOT one for the BS, is she?”
“Absolutely not,” Chelsea responded.
“Honest question though you guys,” Mia said. “What exactly are we supposed to do now? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I am quite happy to NOT have to lay on my back anymore and be crushed by DJ Triflin’s fat, sweaty ass, fake beard rubbing off on my forehead and stuff, but where do we go from here?”
“Who says we can’t keep doing what we were doing, without all of that?” Chelsea said. “We regroup, and keep doing what we were doing. Content. But first, and I mean this with all due respect, I need you ladies to come down to Emerge Healing Center with me tomorrow and get situated with them. It has done wonders for me so far, and I think you all will benefit from it too.”
“If Chelsea says that’s the move, then that’s the move,” Bree said.
“I usually don’t like telling people my business, but you came through so far for us Chelsea, so I trust your word,” Jasmine said.
“I’m in,” Mia said. “I’ll definitely take whatever help I can get. Put me on the OOOHHWEEE pills so I can forget DJ Triflin.”
The four women again snickered, almost in unison.
“Well ladies, it’s settled then. We work on ourselves.” Chelsea said.
“Then, we rebuild.”
