Chapter 36: Hearts Breaking Even

Pauline was on the doorstep of the Sambora house. It wasn't late at night but she couldn't keep it to herself for anymore. She was at her house when she remembered the fight she had with Jesse about it. He was right. Richie must know, he has to know. She couldn't wait until the meeting. She must tell him now. She nneds to put away that weight of her showlders.

Richie opened the door and said suprised. "Angel, what are you doing here at this hour?" "I need to talk to you. Can i come in?" "Yeah, sure." Richie answered and took a step back to let her in. He closed the door behind him and said "Is everything okay?" Pauline turned and looked at him. "No. I need to tell you something."

Richie looked at her puzzled and answered. "Have a sit." He knew that she wouldn't be there if it wasn't something important. Pauline took a deep breath and started. "Is about Heather." "What about her?" Richie asked a little annoying this time.

"When we were at her house one night i was thirsty and went to the kitchen to drink some water. When i went there i heard her talking with someone." "Who?" "Peter. You know him?" Pauline asked. "Conitnue, i'll explain later." "Okay. I don't know how to say it right now." "Just say it. I will not be suprised."

"She wanted to poisoned you so she will get Ava's full castody. I also hear, she's a drug deeler." she finally told him. "She wanted to poison me? Why she didn't?" "Because when she was ready to put the poison in your Coke i walked in and took the drinks instead of her." Pauline explained.

"I can't belive what she did! That woman is crazy." "I know that. I didn't want to tell you at first. But the court is in a few days and i can't keep it anymore." "Angel, i'm sorry that we got you in this shit. I'm sorry that you hear all this bullshit. I really i'm sorry." "It's okay, Richie. I should have told you sooner." she answered to him.

"I'm glad that you told me. Does anyone know about it?" "No, you're the only one." she told Richie. She knew she had told Jesse bit that what he wanted. Jesse wanted to tell Richie and she did. "Look, i'm not sure if i will take full castody of Ava. So, if i have no choise i want you to tell the judges. You can do that?" Richie hoped and begged.

"I can do that. I think you'll get Ava back and she'll be behind bars for a long time." Richie shaked his head as he answered. "I hope that too Angel. I hope that too." "Okay, then. I have to go now. We have long few days until the court." Pauline said and stood up from the couch.

"Yeah, you better go before is get too late. I don't want you to drive back home late at night." Richie answered and walked Pauline to the door. She turned back and looked at him with the stink eye. "What? I'm a parents, is in my nature." "I know. I already have two telling me to be careful on the road." "So, you don't mind one more right?" Richie asked. "Not, i guess. Take care King. Goodnight." she told him and walked away.

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Pauline was in front of the mirron fixing her hear when her mother walked in. "Pauline are you ready, we must leave now." her mother said. Pauline looked at her and answered "Yes, i'm ready. Let's go." checking herself one more time on the mirror she left the room with her mother.

Mother and daughter walked down the stairs and meet the other two members of the Timson family on the car. On the route to the court Pauline has a lot of time to think about what she was going to say. She had talk with Richie's lawyer about it but it was diferent. She will face the judges as long as Heather, who had no idea what Pauline heard that night.

Pauline's father parked the car in the court's parking lot and walked out of the car. There they found Richie and the guys with their families. "Goodmorning. How are you doing?" Pauline asked with a smile, and tried to forget why they all are here. "We're good for now. We're the next." Jon answered her first. Pauline looked at Richie who wasn't at his best.

"Richie are you alright?" "Me? Yeah, i'm fine. I just can't wait to see Ava." "Oh yeah. She can't wait either. Don't worry everything is going to be alright." Pauline said trying to make him believe it, but also she must believe it too.

Just only a few minutes later they were sitting in their seats. Jesse was sitting next to Pauline. He knew that when her turn come to testify,she will need him. From the right door of the room Ava walked in. her face lighted up when she saw her fatrher and all the people she loved, Alex was also there.

The judges came in and said why they were there. Richie was the first one who testified. Next was his mother and after her was Jon. Pauline knew that when Jon will say his last word the judge will call her name. She looked next to her at Jesse. She took his hand in hers. Jesse looked at her and smiled. "You can do this." he whispered. "I know." she whispered back to him.

Jon walked back to his seat. The judge looked down to his papers and said "I'm calling to testify Miss Pauline Timson." Pauline took a deep breath and let Jesse's hand. Armed with the truth she was ready to face it.

She sut in a chair, she was ready to answer the questions. "Tell us Miss Timson how did you met Miss Sambora?" "Ava and i met last year in school and we became friends." Pauline answered.

"What do you have to say that you're a fan of the band that Mr Sambora is in it." "Nothing. This has nothing to do with why we are here. And i bet you want an answer in your question. Mr Sambora is a very good father, maybe one of the best i've ever met, so trying to get his daughter away from him will not work. Being a fan of his band doesn't mean that i will suport him with everything he says. But in this case Mr Sambora is the only one who must have the full castody of Ava." Pauline replied.

The croud start whispering, Pauline's answer wasn't the one that they exepted. Heather was starting to feel nervous. If Pauline will keep up answering like that, she will never see Ava again.

"We hear later that Miss Sambora invited you to spend the weekend with her mother in Los Angeles. While you were there you saw anything that is worth to be mentionted?" "No, everything was fine." Pauline simply answerd. She knew that if she say want she wants to answer she will give up the biggest weapon they had.

"I don't have another question for Miss Timson." Pauline stood up from the chair and winked at Richie, who nodded his head. Pauline took her seat next to Jesse again. "I'm very proud of you, Paul." he whispered. "Thank you." she answerded back and smiled.

They were outside ta the yard, waiting for the judges desision. "Why is that taking so long?" Richie finally said. "Rich man relax. We're here for 15 minutes only." Jon answered and tried to calm him down. "Yeah, Richie Jon is right. You must calm down. Is obvious who will get Ava back home." David said and touched his friend to his showlder. "Thank you guys for being here." "Hey, we couldn't leave you alone to this." Tico added.

That time Stephanie informed them that the judges were ready to announce their desision. For one more time they sut on their seats and waited for the answer. "We all agreed that the full castody of Ava Elizabeth Sambora will belong to Heather Deen Locklear." the judge said.

The whole room was silence. the only one who was happy about it was Heather. It was very obvious that no one was happy about their desision. Richie couldn't believe that he lost the castody of his daughter. He will never see her again in his whole life. He stood up from the chair and looked at Ava with 'i'm sorry' look. This time Pauline's voise came from behind loud and clear.

"Wait! I want to add something!" she said and walked to where the judges were. "I'm sorry Miss Timson but we have already took our desision." "I bet you'll change your mind if i told you a dirty little secret about Heather." Pauline answered to the judge.

"Objection!" Heather's lawyer yell.

"Please Miss Timson continue." the judge let Pauline go on.

"Mrs Locklear tried to poisoned Mr Sambora. While we were there one night i hear her talking with a guy about it. And from what i know drug deelres can't take a full castody, doesn't she. I know is hard to believe but why should i lie about it?" Pauline explained while Heather was looking down to her feet the all time Pauline was talking.

"Is that true Mrs Locklear?" the judge asked. All the eyes turned to Heather, who couldn't give them an answer.

"I'll take that as a yes. Mr Sambora you can take your daughter home with you." the judge said. Ava run to her father's hug. They were hugging so tight while heather was taking away.

Pauline looked back to her seat and saw that Jesse wasn't there. She walked out of the court and found him sitting on a bench. "How could you say it Paul? You promised me that we will never talk about it." Jesse said when he saw her coming.

"What did you exept from me Jesse to do? To let Heather take Ava?" Pauline answered to him, pissed. She couldn't believe that Jesse was pissed about it. "So, you just stood up and drop that bomb in front of everyone?" Jesse slapped back, he was really pissed.

"I talked first with Richie." Pauline answered. "Oh so you told him? After that fight we had, you just tolod him." "Jesse i didn't have any choise. I wanted to tell someone." Pauline said trying to ignore her raising temper.

"You told me Paul, remember?" "Yes, Jesse i rembered telling you. But Richie had the right to know. It was about his life. You saw how happy they all are? Everyone exept you. And i don't understand why you are so pissed. You were the one who wanted to tell Richie in the first place."

"I'm so pissed, Paul because you didn't said anything to me about it. And when the judge said that Ava will go with Heather i felt so fucking bad because i knew that you didn't say on one about that night." Jesse answered to her with agressive viose.

"Jesse i did this to safe the relationship Richie and Ava have." Pauline said and touched his knee. Jesse put away her hand. "You saved their relationship but you destroied ours." he said and walked away.

These words were like knivies all over Pauline's body. She couldn't understand why he acted like that. She thought that she was making the right thing. But from what it seems, she was wrong. She watched Jesse crossing the road and felt like an ass. She should have told him.