by Becky Durfee
He hung up the phone and walked away.
Jenny felt more sadness than she expected to as she pulled her car up to the airport drop-off. She’d become quite attached to Rod over the past week, and she didn’t like the idea of him living on the other side of the country. As she got out of the driver’s seat and popped her trunk, she met Rod behind the car, where his expression showed he had similar feelings.
“Well, thank you so much for an amazing time,” Rod said. “This was definitely one of the best weeks of my life.” He flashed her a sincere smile.
“I had a great time, too. Thank you so much for all of your help. I don’t know what I would have done without you here.”
A small, awkward pause followed. “Well,” Rod said. “Give me a hug.” Jenny obliged, during which time he said into her ear, “Take care of that grandchild of mine, you hear me?”
Releasing her hug, Jenny smiled and said, “I will.” As Rod reached into the trunk to grab his suitcase, Jenny posed, “You know, I was thinking…”
Rod paused and looked at her.
“It just seems to me that calling you Rod is a little too formal. I know I said that I was going to reserve the term Dad for the man who raised me, but you are my father.” She was nervous as she shrugged and said, “So I was thinking maybe I could call you Pop?”
The smile gracing Rod’s face spoke volumes. “I would love it if you called me Pop. Nothing would make me happier.”
Relaxing, Jenny returned the smile.
Rod pointed to her belly. “And this little one can call me Grandpop.”
“She sure can,” Jenny replied.
Rod laughed and shook his head. “You two, I swear. You make a great couple, you know that?”
With another smile, Jenny closed the trunk of her car. “Well, safe travels,” she said. “Give me a call and let me know you made it home safely.”
“Will do,” he replied. With one last hug Rod pulled up the handle of his suitcase and disappeared into the airport. Jenny watched until she couldn’t see him anymore, and then got back into her car. Blinking away tears, she turned the key and headed back home.
Chapter 22
Jenny’s phone rang as she drove home from the airport. She didn’t look at the caller. “Hello?”
“Hey. It’s Greg. I wanted to talk to you for a minute about the terms of the divorce.”
Instantly Jenny was so nervous she wanted to vomit. With a wince that she didn’t allow to reflect in her voice she said, “Okay.”
“I was thinking we could be amicable about it and just split everything down the middle. That way we don’t have to get lawyers involved.”
Jenny paused before speaking, trying to make sure she worded her response appropriately. “Well, my concern there is that the majority of the money was given to me, by Elanor. She intended for me to have it so I could use it to help people.”
“But we had a marriage,” Greg countered. “There is no yours and mine. Everything was ours, and I think splitting it down the middle is fair.”
Disgust ravaged Jenny. She desperately wanted to go back in time and undo her entire relationship with Greg. “Okay, give me a little time to think about this,” Jenny said.
“Well, the offer won’t be on the table that long,” Greg said. “Under the circumstances I think I’m being pretty generous. You left me, after all, and are pregnant with another man’s child. A lot of men in my shoes would be going after you for more than half.”
Gripping the steering wheel with all her might, Jenny kept her tone pleasant. “I’ll get back to you.” She hung up the phone and threw it on her passenger seat, muttering curse words under her breath. Somehow that man always had the ability to ruin her mood.
Jenny knocked gently on the door to the stairs. “Come in,” she heard Zack say.
Zack was lounging on his couch watching television when she came down. “Hey,” he said, extending his arms as an invitation for Jenny to join him.
She curled up next to him, nestling her head in his shoulder. She drank in the familiarity of his scent. “I finally know what happened,” she declared. “In Brian’s mind, that is.”
“Oh yeah?” Zack lifted his head with curiosity.
“Yup. It turns out he meant to do it.”
“Huh,” he replied, laying his head back down. “What do you know?”
“This whole thing has me so confused,” Jenny admitted. “I mean, if you think about it, Brian went to Aaron’s house that day with a plan to kill him. Now granted,” she continued. “If Aaron had shown a different side of himself, I don’t think Brian would have gone through with it. But either way, isn’t that murder one? If a guy goes to someone else’s house with the intent to kill him, that’s the textbook definition of first degree murder, isn’t it?”
“That it is,” Zack said solemnly.
“But,” she added, “I really don’t think Brian is a danger to society. If he ended up buying the house next door to us, I wouldn’t fear for my life or anything. He targeted Aaron specifically because of all of the horrible things Aaron had done. If Aaron hadn’t been such a jackass, Brian would most likely be a functioning member of society.”
“Agreed.”
Jenny let out a sigh. “I have no idea how this trial is going to turn out. Although, Darlene promised to keep me posted; she plans to be there…but that means she’s going to be exposed to the stuff that was written in Patricia’s journal.” She shook her head. “No mother should have to hear that kind of stuff about her daughter.”
“Well, maybe seeing her face in the crowd will be a nice support for Brian.”
“Hopefully,” Jenny said. “I’m sure that’s Darlene’s intent.” Feeling as if she’d had just about enough of this topic, she declared, “I want to change the subject.”
“Okay,” Zack agreed. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Well, I don’t really want to talk about this either, but Greg called me when I was on my way home just now.”
“And what did he have to say?”
“He suggested we split our assets down the middle. He called it an amicable solution.”
“Of course he would. That lands him tens of millions of dollars.”
“Arrrgggh!” Jenny grunted with frustration. “The man makes me crazy. The thing is, part of me wants to take the offer, just to be safe. I don’t want to get bickering lawyers involved who end up taking a bunch of money for themselves, only to turn around and lose the case too. And Greg already alluded to the fact that I’m the one who left him and am now pregnant with your child. I think he dangled that little carrot to let me know he’s not afraid to go there, although I never doubted for a minute that he would be.
“But there’s another side of me,” Jenny continued, “that doesn’t want Greg to get a damn cent of this money and is willing to fight for it. I know I sound greedy, but it’s less about me wanting the money and more about me wanting him not to have it. Well, I do want the money, but it’s so I can use it to help people. Greg just wants the money for the sake of acquiring expensive things. He’s going to be obnoxiously selfish with it, and that’s not what Elanor wanted done with her inheritance.” Jenny grunted again. “I wish I never got involved with that man.”
“Okay, first of all, do you realize that if you never got involved with Greg you would have never bought Elanor’s old house? You would have never helped her, you wouldn’t have met me, and you wouldn’t have our incredibly handsome son in your belly.”
“Beautiful daughter.”
Zack patted her back. “I’m going to let that comment go because I know you’re upset. But I do hope you see how instrumental Greg has been in your life. You’ve changed a bunch just since I’ve met you, and a lot of that has been because of him. Granted, you’ve been inspired to grow because he’s an asshole, but it’s still growth. A lot of bad experiences can ultimately have a positive impact on your life, as long as you learn from them.”
Jenny remained quiet. For a goofy guy, Z
ack really did have a lot of intelligent things to say.
“I mean, look at my father,” Zack continued. “He’s pretty much a prick all around, but he’s taught me how not to be with my kid. I think I will be a much better father because I had him in my life, showing me all the things I shouldn’t be doing.”
With every sentence Zack spoke, Jenny felt her nerves calm a notch.
“And another thing. Elanor gave you the money for two reasons. She did want you to help people, but she also wanted you to be happy. From what you’ve told me, it sounded like she wanted you to have the freedom to leave Greg if that’s what you chose to do. I personally think she’d be pleased with your decision to leave him, no matter what the financial cost.”
Jenny grunted in acknowledgment.
“And,” Zack said exaggeratedly, “even if Greg does get half of the money, you still have plenty left over. It’s not like you’re living a highfalutin lifestyle. You live in a three-bedroom ranch and you drive a Honda.”
“There’s something funny about hearing you say highfalutin.”
“Hey,” he replied. “I have an expansive vocabulary. But like I was saying, if properly invested that money can last you a lifetime, even if it is cut in half.”
“So I guess you’re saying I should let it go?”
Zack hugged her in tighter. “What I’m saying is you shouldn’t let Greg get to you. The way I see it, Elanor would rather see you give up some cash and have inner peace instead of fighting tooth and nail and making yourself miserable.”
Jenny thought about Elanor’s willingness to walk away from her father’s fortune so she could be with her boyfriend. “You’re right,” Jenny said with a stress-relieving exhale. “If I just cut Greg a check I can get him the hell out of my life. When I put it that way, it sounds like a bargain, actually.”
“That’s how I look at it,” Zack said.
“Okay,” Jenny said with renewed vigor. “I don’t want to talk about this topic anymore either.”
“Alrighty, then, what do you want to talk about now?”
Jenny flipped over so she was lying on top of Zack. “I don’t think I want to talk about anything.”
“I like the way you think,” Zack said with a smile.
“So how’s he doing?” Jenny asked over the phone.
“He’s been heavily sedated, mostly,” Amanda replied. “They’re keeping him in a medically induced coma until the crack can get out of his system. Apparently that’s a pretty harsh process if you’re awake through it.”
“I can imagine,” Jenny declared.
“Once he’s awake and through the detox process, they’re going to put him in a facility that has a holistic approach to sobriety—counseling, exercise, therapy—that kind of thing. Then he’ll be placed in an outpatient setting, which he may need for the rest of his life. Something tells me the urge to use will always be there for him, and meetings like Narcotics Anonymous will be a necessity.”
“It sounds like it’s all planned out for him,” Jenny noted. “That’s great.”
“It’s a relief, that’s for sure. And thank you for all of your help; you’ve been a real life saver.”
Jenny still felt funny accepting compliments like that. “Oh, it’s no problem.” Trying to divert the attention off of herself, she added, “Zack is still trying to get the house ready for sale. He’s fixed the immediate damage that John did that day, but there were other structural things going on with the house that need attention. He wants it to be sound before it gets listed.”
“That sounds fabulous. How much do I owe him for his trouble?” Amanda offered.
“Oh, nothing,” Jenny said with a laugh. “It’ll be good for him. It’ll keep his construction skills sharp.”
“Well, I can’t tell you how grateful I am for all of this. I’ll make sure the profit from the sale of the house goes into an account for John so he can have a little nest egg when he gets out.”
“Does he know a trade?” Jenny posed. “Will he be employable after all of this is over?”
“Maybe not right away,” Amanda replied. “But he can use the money from the sale of his house to go to school. As long as he’s clean and putting in effort, I don’t mind if he stays here for a while.”
“He seemed like he was smart,” Jenny noted. “He can probably get a degree rather easily.”
“I’m sure of it, as long as he can keep his act together.” Amanda replied. Her voice carried an easy-going happiness that Jenny hadn’t heard from her before. The notion made her smile.
“Well, I hope it all goes smoothly for you and John,” Jenny said sincerely, admittedly a little frightened by the grandiose plans Amanda had for the future. A slip-up wouldn’t be unreasonable considering how long John had been immersed in that lifestyle. Jenny hoped her skepticism proved to be unfounded.
After the two women concluded their phone call, Jenny went back to her typical worry about the trial. Last she’d heard from Darlene, the prosecutor kept directing the jury’s attention to the fact that the murder had happened at Aaron’s house, meaning Brian had sought his father out. If Aaron was as much of a monster as the journal had made him out to be, Brian would never have gone anywhere near him unless his plan had been to kill him all along. There was also the issue of the not-one-but-three stab wounds, which implied the attack had been more anger-filled than defensive. These same notions had crossed Jenny’s mind more than once, making it difficult for her to focus on anything else while the trial was still going on. She found herself cleaning the same places in her house over and over again, desperate to occupy herself. At times like this she wished she had a nine-to-five job to distract her.
Eventually Jenny’s phone did ring, and the call was from Darlene. She answered quickly. “Anything new?”
“Well,” Darlene said with a nerve-riddled voice, “the prosecution and the defense just gave their closing arguments. Now the jury has gone to deliberate.”
“What’s your feeling on it?” Jenny asked anxiously.
“I don’t know,” Darlene replied. “It could go either way.”
Jenny could hear a lot of commotion in the background. She wiped her hand down her face before asking, “Any idea how long the deliberation will last?”
“None whatsoever,” Darlene stated flatly. “And that’s the hard part.”
The answer ended up being three days. Jenny received a text from Darlene while Zack was out fixing up John’s house. Turn on your TV, the text said.
Jenny scrambled to the television, fumbling nervously with the remote until it slipped to the floor. “Dammit, not now!” she shouted at her own hands. Eventually she was able to turn to a local channel, which had indeed interrupted its regular programming for the verdict of the trial.
Calling Zack on her phone, Jenny sat on the sofa and leaned forward onto her elbows, somehow feeling that being closer to the television would help speed things up. When Zack answered his phone, she said, “Put John’s TV on channel seven.”
“John put his foot through his TV, remember?”
“Shit,” Jenny said. “I’d forgotten. They’re about to announce the verdict on live TV.”
“I’m on my way home,” Zack said quickly. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Jenny hung up the phone and focused on the screen. The bailiff walked a piece of paper over to the judge, who in turn unfolded it and read it. Turning to the jury, the judge asked, “Have you reached a unanimous verdict?”
“Yes, your honor,” the jury foreman said.
After what took, in Jenny’s opinion, much too long, the judge then said, “What do you find?”
Time seemed to stand still for Jenny. Her whole body shook as if her own life was on the line. She only hoped the jury was able to come to a just and fair conclusion that would do the most good for everyone involved.
Clearing his throat, the jury foreman began. “For count one, murder in the first degree, we, the jury, find the defendant, Brain Matthew Morris, not guilty.”
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br /> Jenny’s head sunk between her knees as a wave of relief washed over her. She knew there were still several more counts to go, but at least he had most likely been spared the death penalty.
She rocked back and forth as she sat on the couch, wishing time would speed up.
“On count two, murder in the second degree,” the foreman continued. “We, the jury, find the defendant, Brain Matthew Morris, not guilty.”
Jenny covered her face with her shaky hands. “My God,” she whispered as tears formed in her eyes. She stood up and began to pace nervously. “Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God,” she mumbled, wondering if Brian might actually be free as soon as this afternoon.
“On count three, voluntary manslaughter, we, the jury, find the defendant, Brain Matthew Morris, guilty.”
Jenny stopped in her tracks as chills erupted all over her body. Voluntary manslaughter. What did that mean in terms of a sentence? She desperately wished she was more versed in the law.
She hardly heard anything that followed in the courtroom. Soon the broadcaster from the local station appeared on the screen and said, “As you’ve just heard, Brian Morris has been found guilty of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of his father, Aaron Morris. Here in the newsroom we have legal correspondent and retired judge, the honorable Harold Atkinson. Thank you for joining us, your honor.”
The retired judge interlaced his fingers on the desk. “It’s a pleasure to be here.”
“So what does this guilty verdict mean in terms of a sentence for Brian Morris?”
Jenny’s eyes were glued to the screen. Brian’s whole life hung in the balance.
“Well, here in Tennessee, a conviction of voluntary manslaughter usually comes with a three to six year jail sentence. Considering he’s already spent the better part of a year in a correctional facility, they’re likely to subtract that amount of time from his sentence. With good behavior it stands to be shortened a little as well.”