Page 30 of Jolene's Justice

“You’re free, man.”

Finch collapsed on the porch steps, his legs giving out and the phone slipping from his hand. The buzzing persisted, drowning out all other sounds. Dizziness hit him hard, making his head spin. He shook his head, and the world around him slowly came back into focus as the ringing in his ears dissipated. Distantly, he heard Alan’s voice. In a stupor, he clumsily reached for his fallen phone.

“Finch? You still there?”

“I-I’m here,” he sputtered. “It’s done?” He still couldn’t wrap his brain around the truth.

“Yeah, man. It’s done. She can’t come after you for anything more now. You’re a free man.”

Finch struggled to regain his equilibrium, hunched over with his head nearly between his knees. “Free.” The word rang through his head like a bell. Could it be true? Was he finally free of her?

“The judge said it was an open and shut case. Between your witness statements and the evidence presented, it was a slam dunk. She didn’t have a leg to stand on.”

“Are you sure?” He needed the reassurance. He’d wanted for so many years to be free of her. It took seeing Jolene’s disappointment and hurt for him to truly do what was necessary and fight back. It had taken most of the year, but if what Alan was telling him was true, it was worth it.

Alan’s tone softened. The man knew exactly what this meant to Finch. He’d been by his side throughout the whole battle. Finch could never repay him for the help and support he’d shown him. “Yeah, man. Absolutely sure. She’s gone from your life. Go out and celebrate. Better yet, go out and win that saucy redhead back.”

Finch snorted. Winning Jolene’s affection again was his greatest desire. But first, he needed to give her the whole story. He hoped she’d meant what she’d said and would be willing to listen. This time spent in Georgia with her had a positive impact on his progress. With each passing day, their friendship was becoming more solid. But he wanted more than friendship.

“I’ll do my best,” he promised Alan.

“That’s all I need to hear. I’ll email you the final documents. If you have any questions or need anything else, don’t hesitate to call.”

Finch ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t thank you enough. What you’ve done . . . You’ve managed to do the impossible. I just . . . thank you.” There weren’t adequate words to express his gratitude.

“Just doing my job.”

“Maybe. But it means everything to me.”

“I know, man. Now go out and live your life.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Sitting in a stupor, he gazed out at the row of tulips, their petals swaying in the gentle breeze. As he replayed the news in his mind, it slowly began to sink in.

The sound of the screen door slamming startled him. Jolene stepped out onto the porch. “Oh, you finished. I was just bringing you . . .” She paused when she glanced at him. He wondered what his expression was truly conveying. Shock? Confusion? Hope? It was the last one he felt deep in his soul. He had hope now. The nightmare he’d lived with for fifteen years was finally over. “Are . . . are you okay?”

He got unsteadily to his feet and smiled. “I feel like celebrating. Let’s do something fun tonight.”

Jolene tipped her head, confusion marring her brow. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Any exciting things to do around here?”

“Well, the Firefly Festival is happening this week. It’s usually fun. At least it was when I was little.”

“Let’s do it.” He felt a sudden bout of nervousness that she would turn him down as he bent down to pick up his tools.

Jolene narrowed her eyes, carefully studying him. “You’re acting different. Are you sure you’re okay?”

He pulled his ever-present bag of gummy worms out of his pocket and offered it to Jolene, who declined before biting his own in half. “I’m great. I just got some news I’ve been waiting a really long time to hear. I’ll tell you about it later.” He grinned as he popped the other half of the snack into his mouth, savoring the sweet taste before putting the bag back into his pocket. Guiding her with a hand on her back, he held the screen door open for her and led her back inside the house. “Go get ready. I’ll take a quick shower. We can leave in fifteen minutes. How does that sound?”

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling of apprehension in his gut that she might reject his proposal. He wanted to do this with her. He was bursting with happiness now that he was free. Celebrating with her was the only thing he wanted to do.

Her eyes still held a hint of suspicion, but a small smile gave him hope. “Sure. Sounds good.”

Her smile held him transfixed, and he couldn’t look away. He longed to hold on to every smile she gave him, as they had become rare occurrences lately. He wanted to make sure to cherish every one he received.

She playfully jostled him out of his preoccupation with a little push. “Don’t dawdle,” she reprimanded with a grin. He saluted her with a smirk, then dashed up the stairs.

******

---