“Burn those who burned me!” Chapter 131

**Chapter 3: Take the fall.**

Josie could hardly believe her ears, Vanessa drunkenly murdered someone by hitting them, and the family was comforting her like SHE was the victim.

*“It’s not your fault Ness! That person was probably J-Walking!”*

Jamie tried to comfort her as he continued to rub her back.

*“Don’t worry Ness! I’ll get right on it and see if the authorities know anything! We’ll protect you!”*

Christian vowed as he immediately pulled out his phone and called his assistant to find out the details.

Vanessa began to panic,

*“What if I was caught on a CCTV!!! I can’t go to jail!!! I can’t go to jail!!”*

Josie watched her mother ran over and grabbed her hands.

*“Mother would never allow her baby to go to jail!!! You’re going to be fine!!!”*

Josie was shocked, over the years, this family would literally throw FITS at her over the most minute mistakes, but somehow, Vanessa murder’s someone from driving drunk and everything was okay. They might as well had blamed the victim.

An hour later, the family received devastating news. Turns out, the victim was hit directly at the crosswalk because Vanessa sped through the light. The entire thing was caught on the CCTV, and the victim’s family did not want to settle. The CCTV was also able to grab the license plate, but it didn’t catch the driver.

*“Franklin, what’s the penalty for vehicular homicide?”*

Christian asked his assistant sounding exhausted.

*“Four years max sir. If the family doesn’t want to settle, she’ll more than likely have to do the full four. Minimum is eighteen months.”*

Laura began to panic.

*“My baby can’t do four years!!!!! She can’t do 30 days!!! She won’t make it in prison!!!!”*

Harold looked exasperated, he wasn’t sure what to do. He knew it was only a matter of time before the cops came to pick up Vanessa.

*“Harold!!! Nessie can’t go to jail for this!! It’ll ruin her!!! Do something!!!”*

*“I’m thinking!!!”*

Suddenly, Harold looked up at Josie as if he had an epiphany. Running to the stairs, he grabbed Josie’s hands.

*“Josie!! Y-You have to go to take the fall for your sister!”*

WHAT!!! Josie could hardly believe her ears! She knew this family didn’t care much for her, but she never expected them to think THIS LOW. Suddenly, Laura ran over.

*“Yes!! Josie!! You can do this for your sister! Please!”*

Josie was shocked.

*“You want me to go to jail…for something I didn’t do?”*

Laura tried to clean it up.

*“It would only be for a little while! 18 months at best!”*

*“But Christian’s assistant said the max is four years.”*

Suddenly, Christian stepped in.

*“Yeah but Josie, you won’t get that much time. You’ve never been in trouble.”*

Laura frantically looked at Josie again.

*“See!! You’ll be out in no time! Josie…please….Nessie can’t go to jail! It’ll ruin her!!!”*

Ruin her….

*“Mom…what about me? Something like this could ruin me too?”*

Before Laura could answer, Harold, now irritated barked at Josie.

*“Look!!! We don’t have time for this!!! The police have her license plate, that means the cops will be here soon!!! Do this and I’ll pay for your grandmother’s treatment!”*

Josie could hardly believe her ears, how could he be so cruel as to dangle her nana’s health.

*“So what’s it going to be Josie? Either you take this fall, or let your grandmother die.”*

Josie’s eyes watered up. What choice did she have. Without the proper treatment, her grandmother would die. Through silent tears, Josie nodded in agreement.

*“Oh! Wonderful!!!”*

Laura ran over and hugged Vanessa tight.

*“Thank you mommy!! Thank you daddy!!! Thank you brothers!!!”*

She thanked all of them but not Josie. Finally, after they all celebrated Vanessa not going to jail, did she realize she hadn’t thanked Josie.

*“Oh Josie! Thanks for doing this! And don’t worry, I heard prison isn’t all that bad.”*

Josie stared at her sister in disgust, just a few moments ago she was having a panic attack, now prison wasn’t that bad. Harold became irritate,

*“Josie! Your sister just thanked you! Tell her you’re welcome!”*

But Josie didn’t listen, for the first time in five years…she didn’t listen. Instead, with a dead expression, she turned to her father.

*“I’m going to jail because your daughter is a drunk driving murder….I think that’s enough.”*

She turned and walked away before Harold could say anything. There was slight guilt in his heart. Had he really just traded one daughter for the other. Just as he was about to go after Josie, Vanessa grabbed his hand.

*“Oh daddy, I’m sure she’s going to be fine.”*

Harold turned to his daughter and smiled. Later than evening the cops came and arrested Josie. Per her father and brother, she decided to plead guilty rather than go to trial hoping she would only get the minimum. But Josie didn’t get the minimum, the family of the victim was outraged and expressed their disdain at the hearing. To make an example out her, the judge gave Josie the max. Four years.

Josie’s entire face paled, she has never even been suspended from school and now she would have to do four years!!! In a panic, she turned to her family, he father immediately jumped up.

*“Just do the time!!! It’s only four years! Look, I’ll begin your grandmother’s treatment as soon as they take you in.”*

There it was again, the dangling of her grandmother. Tears started the fall down Josie’s face, all her plans, her future, her dreams…gone. She dug into her picket and pulled out a piece of paper handing it to her father.

*“What’s this?”*

*“It’s a list of three things I need guaranteed since I’m doing this.”*

Puzzled, Harold opened the list. There were things Josie demanded: that they visit her every month, put money on her books, and of course, the most important thing…take care of her grandmother.

Harold eagerly shook his head.

*“Don’t worry Josie! I’ll make sure to follow this!”*

But that turned out to be a lie.

On Josie’s first night in the tombs, she was immediately bullied. The three cellmates in her cell; told her if she didn’t buy them certain products; they would beat her up.

*“A little rich bitch like you should be able to afford it.”*

Is what the ringleader Tammy said. Commissary was purchased every Sunday. That morning. Josie quickly ran up to the counter to place her order; she’d already informed her family of the day. But when the clerk went to charge her account, she learned there was no money.

*“What!!! No!! That has to be a mistake!! Check it again!!!”*

Josie began to panic! How could her account be empty!!!

*“Look girl, there is no mistake. Ain’t no money on your account. Call you family if you have too.”*

Josie frantically ran over to payphone to call her father, but when the voice recording came through; it informed her the receiver WOULD NOT accept the charges. Josie’s face turned ashen. She hadn’t even been there a week, and already he’d reneged. That night, the cellmates beat Josie so bad she ended up in the infirmary.

Years of this abuse went on, and not once did her account ever get filled, not once did her family ever visit, and she was sure they didn’t take care of her grandmother.

That theory was confirmed the one time Vanessa came to visit.

*“Oh wow!! You look so different sister!”*

Josie had already been in prison for over three years. She was no longer the person she was when she first went in. Vanessa, however, looked vibrant and beautiful. Wearing the latest fashion, she smiled brightly. Josie didn’t say a word.

*“Oh! Are you sick? Well…anyway, I just came to tell you…your nana died. Like two weeks ago. She was sick or something. Anyway…her ashes are still at the hospital! I told them to leave them there so you can hold a service for her when you get out. Wasn’t that nice of me!”*

Josie’s entire world went dark…everything she did was for her grandmother!!! She never even got the chance to say goodbye!!! And now…she was dead. Josie couldn’t even respond. She just stood up and left, leaving Vanessa smiling smugly.

After her release, she would make sure that smile never formed on her lips again.