And the day of Ramses's trial came up on Milan faster than she thought it would.

Valerie had insisted she and Nicoletta spent the night at her house to prepare for the day. Her husband, Luca, was out of town on a business trip which she admitted made her lonely.

The ladies spent all night primping and rehearsing certain questions the plaintiff may ask her while on the stand.

Shit, the plaintiff was the whole state of Illinois.

Milan had her work cut out for her for sure.

Nicoletta and Valerie did her best to explain all legal jargon to her as well. They went over the facts of the case over and over and over again. By the time they stopped it was almost 2AM. Milan was ready for someone to give her a law degree at that point.

I do like to argue... and what Dolph say?

It was now the morning of the trial and Milan had been up since 5AM. Her nerves were in tatters.

A soft knock came from the door and Milan quickly turned her head to see Valerie peeking in. When Valerie saw Milan was sitting up in bed, she hurriedly tiptoed in and shut the door behind her.

"Good morning, sunshiiine." Valerie whispered to Milan in a sing song voice as she walked over to the bedside. Milan was able to give her a small smile although she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"How are we feeling? Prepared?" Valerie continued on.

Not in the least.

Milan wanted to immediately reply, but she held that in.

"Nervous." Was her answer instead. Valerie nodded as she took that in, sitting on the edge of Milan's bed. The light brown woman looked ethereal in the early morning light, her bonnet was pink satin and the band was bedazzled.

The rhinestones on it reminded Milan of something she'd find out of a corner beauty store.

Valerie may not be so bougie after all.

She thought in her head as the two looked out of the window of the room together. The windows were large and spanned from floor to ceiling. It was amazing to see the Chicago city from this view.

"I would be nervous too," Valerie finally responded to Milan's confession. This caused Milan to look in her direction, Valerie had yet to turn her way though. "I came in here to remind you, you are not the one on trial today. When we first met, you had put a lot of pressure on yourself to get him out. I want to let you know, you cannot get him out. Whatever happens today...it's not on you."

After she finished speaking, that is when Valerie turned to Milan and they shared a look that almost moved Milan to tears.

Valerie's words were harsh. Milan did not know wether to be deeply offended or deeply relieved.

Visiting Ramses in prison and rekindling so much fire for him that had cooled since the separation made Milan put a lot of pressure on herself. Everything she'd been doing since Nicoletta first contacted her revolved around supporting him on the outside the best way she could.

It really had begun to feel like if he didn't get let go after this, she failed.

She failed him.

And Milan was all too well accustomed to losing things at this point in her life.

Sniffing quickly, Milan looked back towards the window. The room was being painted a soft mix of baby pink and orange due to lighting outside. The sky looked like the sweetest champagne.

Before she knew it, Valerie had scooted closer and was now pulling her into a tight embrace. Milan was still wordless, so she returned it back the best way she could. The women held it for moment before letting go. Valerie kept her soft smile as she stood up from the bed.

"The car will be ready at 11. Breakfast has already been set out, but I'll have someone bring it up so you can prepare in private. Nicki's a late sleeper. She'll just meet us at the court house." Valerie explained how today's events would go before the trial. It was at 1PM.

Milan thanked her for her hospitality and Valerie spent her time reassuring it was all nothing as she walked towards the door and left the room.

Then once again, Milan was left with her thoughts.

Nicoletta had explained that Ramses's best case scenario was to be convicted of second degree murder. They would play on Ramses's and Milan's past history of being childhood friends, her parents death, and their growing love story as reasons that caused him to explode on Chrisanto and ultimately kill him.

They would be painting the murder as an unintentional crime of passion.

His best sentencing prospect would be 4 years. And that was with an act of God.

Milan had all reason to be nervous.

She slid out from underneath her bed's covers and walked into the ensuite bathroom. She got in the shower and let the warm mist of the water cleanse her mind as it cleansed her body. For a moment, everything was still.

When she got out, that's when her mind began its incessant chatter. Putting on her robe after drying off, Milan looked in the mirror and thought about the dressing advice Nicoletta had given her for the day.

"It's best for you to dress conservatively. Very feminine, but clean. No loud colors. Anywhere. Pearls over diamonds. Understated is best."

Nicoletta made it very clear that Ramses was going into this with a reputation. He was a thug in the eyes of the state. No, he hadn't had a history on record, but everyone in Chicago knew his name held weight. You were stupid not to.

That man had a loose screw in him. Same screw that landed us in court today.

Milan was support to add to his character. She was going before the state, a judge, and twelve jurors who knew or would know Ramses not as Ramses, but as Pharoah.

A man who ruled the heavens and the Earth of Chicago's south side.

How the hell a knee length skirt was going to soften that reputation... Milan left that up to Nicoletta, the professional.

Thinking it best to wear her natural hair, Milan had washed and blowdried her hair thoroughly the night before. As she stood in the mirror, she lightly pressed against her large curlers that were under her bonnet. One thing her mother did before she died was show Milan how to curl and keep a fresh flat ironing.

She went to the closet in her room and pulled her outfit out from the closet. It was already ironed fresh for today. She had chosen to wear a warm camel colored skirt suit. She put on a tight cream colored body suit before proceeding to lift the body hugging skirt up her legs, hips, and thighs.

Milan had to mention she was even putting on pantyhose for the occasion and she hadn't worn real nude tights since she was still attending Sunday School.

Shrugging on her blazer, Milan straightened herself out and pulled the jacket down to her hips where it was supposed to fall. Glancing at her phone, she saw she had thirty minutes before the car was downstairs to take them to the courthouse.

Walking into the bathroom, Milan decided to skip a full beat and it best to just look fresh for the judge and jury. She applied tinted moisturizer to her face to give herself a sheer coverage base. Then, she proceeded to softly blush her face with cream blush. Milan also chose a more understated lash as she applied them to her lash line.

Doing a soft eyebrow clean up and grabbing her lipgloss was the finishing touch to her face. Milan then proceeded to take her bonnet off and take her curlers out of her head finally. Brushing her side bang forward first so it'd fall correctly, Milan blew a kiss at herself in the mirror.

She was serving cunt for sure... but in a baptist church first lady way.

Not having time to do much else primping, Milan made sure to throw all her essentials in her purse before walking over and sliding into her matching colored heels for the day. As she click clacked her way through the halls and downstairs, Milan felt like a school principal.

She was almost to the door when one of Valerie's staff ran up to her holding a styrofoam takeout box of food. "Hi, Val told us to box your breakfast up so you could take it to go. She's waiting for you in the car!"

Milan gladly accepted the food and thanked the worker before walking outside to the waiting car. As she stepped out of the house's front door, the car's door opened for her. Valerie was smiling gesturing for her to hurry and get in.

Doing just that, Milan put her purse in the car, then the food and got in herself.

With a huff, Milan closed the car door behind her and looked towards Valerie.

"We're set to go, Brian. Thank you!" Valerie called to the driver in the front seat of the vehicle. The man smiled warmly in the rearview mirror before smoothly pulling off from the driveway of Valerie's home.

Milan took this chance to put her breakfast plate on her lap and open it up. The smell of eggs and bacon immediately wafting through the car. Milan's mood brightened three levels.

"I'm happy to see you're in better spirits." Valerie commented with humor from her side of the car. Milan rolled her eyes playfully and began to dig in with the plastic utensils that were waiting in the box for her.

The meal contained cheese scrambled eggs, two pieces of bacon, toast, and a cup full of chopped strawberries. Milan was more than happy.

Valerie and Milan rode to the courthouse in comfortable silence as Milan ate on the way.

***

When they arrived to the courthouse, there was a plethora of police cars already stationed out front.

Nicoletta was in front of a large staircase that lead to the entrance of the building. There were groups of officers sporadically grouped around the perimeter as well. When Milan and Valerie got out of the car, Milan quickly walked up to Nicoletta, assuming there was some sort of security emergency going on.

As she walked by, Milan took note of how many male officers turned her way checking her out. She locked gazes with one green-eyed officer who had the audacity to wink at her while she strutted past. She resisted every urge in her body to sneer.

It was something about the dirty gaze of a man in uniform. It made her absolutely feral and annoyed.

"Is everything okay?" Milan immediately asked Nicoletta. Nicki's aura was different today. She did not have the down-to-earth girlish nature. She meant business with her hand on her hip and phone at her ear.

She was wearing a dark gray pantsuit that was tailored to her slight frame with the utmost perfection. Her hair was very lavishly curled which did wonders for her sharp features. Milan's favorite part of the outfit though were her pointed toe heels that looked like they could slice someone's calf open.

"Yes. This is common procedure when well-known gang members are on trial. We've had incidences of rival gangs doing drive bys as the defendant enters the building." Nicoletta rattled off without even looking at Milan. She was intently scanning the crowd for someone.

Milan simply nodded. She was more appalled than surprised at the answer.

Valerie looped her arm through Milan's and gave her a smile as they stood waiting with Nicoletta. Milan couldn't help to feel very much on display. Here she was with these women who'd touched more money than she'd ever made in her entire life... dressed in clothes that she would never wear without being under such circumstances... and surrounded by over fifty officers because of hanging threat of violence.

It was way past the time for the cameras to come out if this was all some elaborate prank.

Everything felt so surreal.

An all black armored truck then pulled up to the curb of the courthouse building. This is when Nicoletta finally looked like she took a breath and immediately got instep towards it. An officer walked up and opened the back door of the car. That's when Milan laid eyes on why Nicoletta looked so stoic.

The car was carrying Ramses. He was dressed like the last time she saw him. His tan jail jumpsuit and the white slip on shoes they gave him. He slipped out of the car and as soon as his feet touched the concrete, the officers closest to him began to cuff him.

Milan could see Nicoletta's mouth moving, but she could not hear the words she was saying to him. As soon as the cuffs were secure, they allowed Ramses to turn towards the building. It was like he sensed her presence because Ramses's eyes found Milan in mere seconds.

It felt like he'd stolen all the breath from her chest as they looked upon each other. Officers on both sides of Nicoletta and Ramses as they walked together now inside the house. Milan wracked her head for something to say.

Should I say something sweet? Something hopeful?

Her mind was blank.

As the group of people began to approach to pass them, Ramses smiled at her. "You are so fine," He boldly flirted with her, looking her up and down. Out of the peripheral of her eye, Milan saw Valerie cover her mouth and snicker. Milan felt her face heat.

"Wait fa' my mama, will you?" He threw one last sentence behind him before he was ushered up the second flight of stairs towards the doors.

"I will!" Milan answered a little too fast. This caused Ramses to smirk for a couple of seconds before he had to look away to continue walking.

All Milan could do was roll her eyes and smile to herself as she looked towards the car he came out of again.

"I may be a married woman, but he'd have me climbing under the jail to get him out too." Valerie girlishly whispered to Milan as they waited. Milan playfully elbowed her in response as she tried to keep a straight face. This only made Valerie giggle louder.

A few seconds later, Milan saw another person get out from the car Ramses was in. She now was glad she waited to see what he was talking about when he told her to wait for his mom. Because there Miss Yvonne came from the car dressed like a new widow in a elegant black dress, lacy veil and shawl to match.

Milan walked towards the woman, taking Valerie along with her. "Good afternoon, Miss Yvonne. You look beautiful." She greeted her as soon as she was in ear shot. "This is my friend Valerie, she is good friends with Nicoletta, his lawyer."

Yvonne smiled her hello at Valerie, taking Milan's other arm as they began to walk towards the stairs together. "Good morning, sweet girl. Thank you for being at his side today... you don't know how much I appreciate it."

Milan smiled and nodded, rubbing Yvonne's shoulder.

"Miss Yvonne, your style would be all the rage in Paris. My stylist, Annalise, would swoon if she saw you." Valerie sweetly complimented the woman. Yvonne looked over at Valerie while they were walking and gave her a quick once over.

"You look like you carry pretty pennies. You wouldn't be talking about Annalise Trebek, would you? That tall pasty girl that be on E! News sometimes?" Yvonne asked Valerie with giddy surprise.

The women walked through the doors of the courthouse finally and were surrounded by white marble flooring and eggshell colored walls. Portraits of judges decorated the walls.

Valerie laughed a little at Yvonne's reaction, but she proceeded to nod. "Yes, that would be her."

Yvonne gasped and let go of Milan's arm to touch Valerie's shoulder. "You must send her a picture of me. This was inspired by her brief show on the Georgian era funeral fashions!"

"Funeral?" Both Milan and Valerie repeated back to the older woman.

She looked back at them like the occasion was obvious.

"My son, is going against the state for murder. I have been mourning his freedom ever since he first called me from the jail."

Miss Yvonne's words hung in the air heavily. The girlish giggles of before were gone. Milan's face had cooled from Ramses's fleeting flirting.

Young V. The State of Illinois would leave the women in Ramses's life forever changed.