Hayley sat there in a jail cell, thinking of what she could have done wrong to be in jail. She was trying to go to the Bahamas for a vacation when she got held up at the airport by security who looked at her passport and took her to a holding cell. She knew she hadn’t broken any laws so she didn’t understand why she was put in jail. She had no family. Her friends were off living their lives. She was stuck in jail. She sat on the bed and hugged her knees to her chest and rested her forehead on her knees. She heard voices and figured that it was other prisoners in the neighboring cells.

        “Mrs. Carter?” the guard asked. Hayley looked up and saw her ex-husband, Nick, standing there with the guard. She and Nick had been married for five years. She left him and filed for a divorce because she saw pictures of him with other women. It has been five years since the divorce.

        “Oh god, not him,” Hayley said.

        “He’s the only next of kin you have,” the guard said.

        “He’s my ex-husband!” Hayley said.

        “Husband, Hayley, the divorce never went through,” Nick said.

        “What!” Hayley said.

        “You signed the papers, but I didn’t, I burnt them,” Nick said.

        “Oh great, just find someone else to get me out of here, I don’t want him,” Hayley said.

        “It’s me or you can stay here until your trial,” Nick said.

        “What trial, I didn’t do anything!” Hayley cried.

        “Calm down, Hayley, the guys and I are trying to fix it, the cops are willing to release you into my custody,” Nick said.

        “Forget it,” Hayley said.

        “Hayley, it’s the only way you can get out of here,” Nick said.

        “Go to hell!” Hayley said angrily.

        “Your choice, goodbye,” Nick said. He walked out. Hayley sat there and rested her forehead on her knees. She heard commotion and someone was put in the cell beside hers.

        “Hey pretty thing, it is nice to be next to you,” a guy said. She figured he was drunk. She ran to the bars and yelled for the guard. He came up to her cell.

        “I want out of here, get my husband back here, I want out, I changed my mind,” Hayley said.

He went to call Nick. Hayley stood there and waited. He came back with Nick and let Hayley out and after getting everything settled, Hayley walked out with Nick to his car.

        “What made you change your mind?” Nick asked.

        “That drunk in the next cell, called me pretty thing, said it was nice to be next to me in the cell, I had to get out of there,” Hayley said.

        “You have to stay with me, Hayley, if you take off while in my custody, you will be locked up for life and there won’t be anything me or the guys can do to get you out,” Nick said.

        “I understand, I’ll do anything to stay out of that jail cell,” Hayley said. She got into Nick’s car. He got in and headed to his house. She walked in and looked around.

        “I’ll call Brian and Leighanne and they can get your stuff,” Nick said. Hayley nodded and sat down on the couch.  He sat down beside her.

        “Hayley, I swear to you that I didn’t have anything to do with this, I would never want you in jail or feel like you are a prisoner,” Nick said.

        “I know, Nicky, I know,” Hayley said.

        “I’ve always liked it when you called me Nicky, it’s good to hear you call me that again, don’t stop,” Nick said. Hayley looked at him and nodded.

        “Did you ever find out why I was in jail?” Hayley asked.

        “The police chief is suppose to call and let me know, they wouldn’t tell me anything,” Nick said. Hayley nodded. Nick called Brian and Leighanne and told them what was going on and hung up and sat down.

        “They will get your stuff, they said they have a key to your house,” Nick said.

        “Thanks, Nicky,” Hayley said.

        “You’re welcome,” Nick said. Hayley walked over to the window.

        “Why did you burn the papers?” Hayley asked.

        “I don’t know now, I didn’t want to give you what you wanted,” Nick said.

        “Nick, it’s for the best,” Hayley said.

        “You don’t know what that means, Hayley, you are the one who left me, after five years of marriage, you left, we have been married ten years, five years of that together, you can’t know what it means to love someone so much that you are willing to give your life for them, but you didn’t care what I thought, you up and left me like I meant nothing to you,” Nick said.

        “Nick, you know why I left,” Hayley said.

        “It doesn’t matter anymore, I’ve moved on, I’m enjoying my life, but you are still my wife and it is my duty to make sure nothing happens to you,” Nick said. He went upstairs.  Brian and Leighanne came in with her stuff.

        “Where are you staying?” Brian asked. Hayley shrugged. Nick came downstairs.

        “First bedroom on the left,” Nick said. Brian and Leighanne went upstairs. Hayley followed. She sat down on the bed.

        “You okay?” Leighanne asked. Hayley shook her head.

        “I was arrested for something I didn’t do and I don’t know what it is and now I have to stay here with Nick or I will go to jail until the trial, they won’t tell me what I did, I know I never broke any laws,” Hayley said.

        “We know you didn’t,” Leighanne said. Nick came in.

        “The chief called, apparently you fit the description of a bank robber,” Nick said.

        “What!” Hayley said.

        “Yeah, and I said why would she rob a bank if she’s married to me, he is looking into it,” Nick said. Hayley shook her head.

        “I can’t believe this, why would I rob a bank, I had no problems with money,” Hayley said.

        “We know,” Leighanne said.

Chapter 2

A week later, Hayley had to go to court. The guys, Leighanne, and Kristin sat behind her. Nick’s lawyer, Sam, sat beside her. The judge came in and sat down.

        “Hayley Carter, please stand,” the judge said. Hayley stood up with Sam.

        “What is your plea?” the judge asked.

        “Not guilty,” Hayley said.

        “Please be seated,” the judge said. Hayley and Sam sat down.

        “Mrs. Carter, you are accused of robbing the First National Bank of Tampa, and you plead not guilty,” the judge said.

        “Yes, your honor, I am not guilty,” Hayley said.

        “My client has repeatedly denied robbing a bank, she has no prior record, sir, she is married to a Backstreet Boy, any money she has comes from her husband, she does not have a reason to rob a bank, your honor, my client is completely innocent,” Sam said.

        “Well, I have looked at the videotape at the bank at the time of the robbery and I believe she is innocent, the charges against Hayley Carter are dropped, you are free to go, Mrs. Carter,” the judge said. Hayley stood up.

        “Thank you, your honor,” Hayley said. The judge went to his chambers. Hayley turned and hugged Leighanne and Kristin. Brian, Howie, AJ, and Kevin hugged her. She shook Sam’s hand. They all left the courthouse. Nick and Hayley walked into his house.

        “I guess I can go now,” Hayley said.

        “Not so fast,” Nick said.

        “What,” Hayley said looking at him.

        “We need to talk about our marriage,” Nick said.

        “What about it,” Hayley said.

        “We need to fix things,” Nick said.

        “There is nothing to fix, Nick, I’ve moved on,” Hayley said.

        “Really,” Nick said.

        “Yes, I have,” Hayley said.

        “So you can really walk away from our marriage without looking back,” Nick said.

        “Did it before,” Hayley said.

        “Why do you hate me,” Nick said.

        “I don’t,” Hayley said.

        “You must hate me to throw me away like yesterday’s garbage,” Nick said.

        “I DON’T HATE YOU! I STILL LOVE YOU! I ALWAYS WILL AND I CAN NEVER STOP LOVING YOU!” Hayley yelled. She turned away and covered her face and started to cry.

        “I still love you, too,” Nick said. He went over to her and kissed her hungrily.

        “I never want to be away from you ever again,” Hayley said.

        “Good, I’m never letting you go again,” Nick said.

        “After all these years, we are still holding on, to each other and our marriage,” Hayley said.

        “Yeah, I will hold onto you forever,” Nick said. They stood there holding each other, knowing they would never be apart again.

THE END!