Chapter Ten: Busted

Veronica quickly slid back up to the front seat and the gentleman joined her. She was straightening out her dress and trying to look as calm as she could. Her heart was racing as she watched the female officer shut off  the car, slam the door shut and walk over to them. 

"Relax." He told her. Sure she thought, easy for him to say. She nodded anyways and tried to take his advice. 

"Officer." The man greeted her once she reached the car. The woman just nodded hear head in Veronica's direction.

"Whats going on here?" Officer Jill asked. 

"Oh officer, we were just leaving. Heading home." Veronica fibbed. 

"Really?" The other woman inquired even though she could see through Veronica's BS.

"Yes. We got a little carried away after leaving the club, but we can save it until we get home. So if you could just let us be on our way." Veronica said. She could tell the officer wasn't buying any of this, but it was worth a shot. 

"Right, How rude of me. Here I am standing in your way of you getting your rocks off." Jill replied sarcastically. 

"Have you been drinking?" The officer asked both of them.

"No Ma'am." They answered in unison. For once, Veronica wasn't lying. And she was grateful for not drinking before she left home.

The driver finally spoke up.

"Miss we haven't done anything wrong. We weren't engaging in any type of sexual activity here. Can't you let us be?" He said. The officer scoffed and directed her attention his way. 

"No paying for sex is totally legal correct?" She spat at him. He frowned. 

"Out of the car Miss." Jill said. 

Veronica nearly dropped the lipstick in her hand. Her eyeballs popped open in shock. Out of the car? She thought. Shit this can't be good. She looked at the man in the drivers seat, her eyes pleading for help. She thought about cranking up the car and putting her foot over his and taking off. But it would be pretty hard to have a high speed chase when you weren't the driver. 

"Okay." Veronica said nervously. Her hands shook as she reached for the door handle and slowly pulled it open. 

"Hands where I can see them!" The Officer instructed as Veronica exited the car. 

"Yes Ma'am." Veronica said. 

Veronica now stood in front of the officer. She turned away not meeting the woman's glare. 

"So how much did he pay you?" The Officer asked. 

"Excuse me?" Veronica asked. She had almost forgot about the two twenties and ten dollar bill that was in her clutch on the floor. She then realized what the woman was implying. She turned to face her. 

"Ma'am you are mistaken. I am not a prostitute." Veronica explained. In her head it made so much sense, but not to an outsider, especially a cop. 

"You could have fooled me. Nice dress." Jill said with a nod to Veronica's wardrobe. 

"This is just a misunderstanding. It isn't what it looks like." Veronica pleaded. She had to make the woman understand, she needed to. The Officer shook her head.

"You are being placed under arrest for soliciting sex." Officer Jill said and then began reading Veronica her rights. 

This night was not going the way Veronica hoped. She planned on going out, getting wasted and taking home a much nicer looking guy then the last. So far she hadn't succeed in any of that and would now be spending the night in jail. 

"Please Miss. You have this all wrong." Veronica begged. 

"My kids. They need me. I have to go home." Veronica said.

"Ha! And is that where you were headed? Home? After you finished blowing me off of course?" The gentleman threw at her. Veronica's eyes expressed confusion.

"Wha?.." She said in confusion. 

"Drop the act lady. I'm a cop." The man said. He flashed her his badge and motioned for Jill to put Veronica inside the car. Jill nodded and lead Veronica to the back seat.

"Watch your head." She told her. 

"And you doubted this would work." Drew told his partner. 

"That I did, gotta say I'm pleasantly surprised." Jill remarked. 

"Well I hope you know now not to doubt me anymore." He said.

"That I do." She replied. Jill looked over to Veronica, she felt a small pang of regret. She hated taking a mother from her kids. 

"Maybe we should give her a warning. She has children." Officer Jill said. She knew she would get grief for letting her emotions cloud her judgement. But she didn't care. So what if she had a heart? 

"Jill." Drew warned. 

"We proved your idea works. We will have no problem picking up another I'm sure." Jill tried to reason with him. Drew shot her a firm look that said there was no going back.

"Get in your car Jill and book her. Now." He said sternly. 

"Okay." Jill replied. She looked back sadly at the woman as she turned to get in the car. 

Jail? 
I can't go to jail!
What about Jeremy? Malcolm? 
Oh no.. For once in Veronica's life her concern was not all about her. She worried for her boys. Sure she wasn't much of a presence at home, but she made sure they were okay. Food was in the fridge, lights were on. What would happen now? She worried.

"Cheer up. You get one phone call, and you better make it worth it." Jill said as she started the car. Veronica laughed sadly. Cheer up? Yeah right She thought.

"Who the hell is that?" Daniel complained. He was sleeping rather peacefully and wasn't too thrilled about being waken up. He sighed and went to answer the phone before it disturbed Nina too. 

_____________________________Present Time________________________________________

Jeremy rushed to his Uncle's apartment as fast as he could. It was the third time that he got an uneasy feeling from his Uncle's phone call. He was grateful that Lauren and him had finished their project or he'd feel extra guilty for running out on her again. She was understanding though. In his hast to get to his Uncle's place, he had forgotten his book bag but it hadn't hit him yet.

As he walked through the door, He was greeted with a worried Aunt Nina, a cheerful and oblivious Malcolm, and his Uncle sitting with his back turned to him. He didn't need to see the man's face. His posture said enough. Something had happened. Something bad.  

Nina looked up and saw Jeremy coming their way. She gave him a small sad smile before scooping Malcolm up. He dropped his toy, but Jeremy picked it up.

"Here ya go Champ." Jeremy said and ruffled his hair a bit. Malcolm took the toy and laughed. 

"What's going on?" Jeremy asked looking back and forth between his Uncle and Aunt. Daniel cleared his throat. Nina took the hint plus she felt inappropriately dressed being in front of Jeremy. She walked towards the nursery with Malcolm in her arms. 

"What is it?" Jeremy asked. He was growing more concerned by their odd behavior. Daniel rose from the couch and stood to meet his nephew. He looked the younger man in his eye with sad eyes. Why did he always have to break the bad news to him? He exhaled. 

"Jeremy take a seat." Daniel suggested. Jeremy shook his head. 

"No. Tell me what's going on." Jeremy demanded. 

"Jeremy sit." Daniel told him once more. 

"Tell me." Jeremy insisted. "I'm not a kid I can handle it." He said. 

"Alright." Daniel said sadly. He informed Jeremy that he received a phone call from the Bridgeport police department concerning his mother. She was arrested for prostitution and would at least have to spend the night in jail. 

"You're kidding me right?" Was Jeremy's response. He couldn't believe it. 

"I wish I were kid. Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you. I would have helped you." Daniel wondered. He wanted to be there for his nephews. He wanted them to be able to turn to them in times of trouble. Maybe it was his fault. Maybe he was too blind to see what they were going through. He was mentally blaming himself. He felt as if he could have done more. 

"Why?" Jeremy asked as his voice began to crack with emotion. He could feel the tears forming in his eyes and his shoulder slumped over. He was tired. Tired of his mother and her crap. And tired of having to hold it all on his shoulders. He felt as if the pressure was finally too much and he wanted to collapse. Daniel gripped his arms to make sure he didn't.

"I'm sorry kid." Daniel apologized. "I should have been there for you. I should have seen what was right there all along." He said. Jeremy shook his head. As he did a tear escaped.

"It's not your fault. It's hers. I hate her!" Jeremy screamed. 

"It's going to be okay." Daniel said. He wasn't sure how to comfort him. What could he say really? His mother was an alcoholic junkie and she was now behind bars. Was it really going to be okay? He didn't know but he would do what he could to make it so. 

Nina changed and put Malcolm in his pajamas. She gently sat him in the crib. The crib that her child was suppose to be in, but she was fine with sharing. She thought of it as Malcolm keeping it warm for them. 

"Get some sleep handsome." She said softly to him. The toddler placed his hand around hers as she touched his cheek. She smiled. 

"Night night." She whispered. He laid down and his little eyelids began to close. Nina slipped a blanket over him and turned off the lights. She turned to see her husband consoling Jeremy. She sighed sadly. It was going to be a long night. 

**Two updates in one week! Fridays made up for last Sundays. And today, which is technically Sunday my time, makes up for Sunday. I won't be home to publish it so I decided to get it out of the way before I go to bed. I hope you enjoy. It'll be back on it's Sunday schedule next week!