Chapter 17: Jason

Di's okay. The thought went around like a carousel in his head as he watched her sob into Michelle's shoulder. Di's okay.

Dorothy Willard looked like a grandmother but carried herself like a drill sergeant. There was a steel core under her floral veneer that Lola Crabtree was getting to know first hand.

"I don't care what you think Mizz Crabtree. The law is perfectly clear in this case. My associate is at the courthouse right now filing an emergency motion in family court to stop this illegal action and return Di to her foster home."

"You can't do that!" Lola was red faced and sputtering. "I'm her case worker and responsible for her safety. You can't put her back in that rapist's home!"

Dorothy's eyebrows raised at her last remark. "I'm so glad you said that Mizz Crabtree. It will make the slander suit go so much faster now that I have your statement recorded." She waved the thick black pen with a blinking red light she'd been holding.

"You can't record me without my permission," Lola exclaimed.

"You obviously don't know our wiretapping laws either. North Carolina is a one-party consent state, Mizz Crabtree. I suggest you shut up and leave before you give me even more rope to hang you with." Dorothy waited with her lips pursed until Lola pulled the female deputy over to whisper in her ear.

"Wow," Jason whispered to himself. "That was awesome."

"Cunt," Dorothy muttered at Lola before turning her smile to him. "Now we wait."

"How long until we can take Di home?"

"If Judge Hocksler's usual clerk is in today, then Jeremy will be here in a few minutes. If not, it may be a while. Of course, if that bitch tells the deputy to release Di we could leave immediately. I'd still like to get her official statement today for the lawsuit, but that can wait until we get her some food and let her calm down a bit."

Di came out of the room with the nurse and Michelle. She hesitated a moment before going to Jason, but when she got there he gave her a gentle hug.

"Thank you," she whispered in his neck. The scent of her soothed him like nothing else could.

"It's gonna be okay," he said as he let her go. "This is Dorothy Willard. She's your attorney."

"Di, I'm so sorry for the trouble today." Dorothy shook Di's hand in both of hers. "After we're free to go I'd like to talk to you about what happened."

Di nodded while Michelle rubbed her back, but didn't say anything else. The nurse crossed her arms with a look of confusion on her face.

Lola's conversation with the deputy didn't appear to be going well. She kept making emphatic gestures at Di, but the deputy kept shaking her head. When a young man in a suit came running up waving a sheaf of papers, Lola threw her hands in the air and shook her head.

"Mizz Willard, here's the signed order," he panted.

"Thank you, Jeremy," she sang to her associate, then turned to Lola. "Here's your copy for your records. We'll be going now."

"See you in court," Jason said to Lola as he followed behind the rest. Her sour expression didn't change before he looked away.

When they got out of the hospital, Jason caught up with Di and took her hand in his. Their fingers entwined and she looked up with a weak smile. He fought the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her hard. The best he could do was to send his feelings through their clasped hands. She nodded like she understood.

"How about pizza?" Michelle offered. "I'm starved."

"We can deliver it to my office if you want," Dorothy suggested. "I'm good with anything but furry fish and bell peppers."

"Di?" Michelle asked. Jason caught Michelle's glance at their clasped hands, but relaxed as she suppressed a smile.

"Sure," Di whispered and tightened her grip on Jason's hand as if to prevent him from pulling away.

"Thanks," Jason said as he nodded to his sister. "We'll meet you guys there."

The rest of the group continued to their own cars while Jason led Di to his old truck. Jason opened the door for her and offered his hand for her to climb in. Before she did that, she put her arms around his neck and hugged him properly. He relished the feel of her again, kissing her hair and humming the satisfaction he felt.

"I knew you'd come," she whispered.

"I'll always come for you," he whispered back and she gasped.

When she pulled back to look at him, there were tears in her eyes. "Don't tease me, Jason. I can't take it right now."

"I don't know how it happened," he said as the emotions lifted him. He was going to tell her how he felt but her fingers stopped his lips.

"Wait," she said. "If you say anythin' else and I have to leave you, it'll kill me."

"Dorothy had some ideas about that," he said as a secretive smile escaped.

Dorothy's law office was in a converted house on a side street near the courthouse. It still looked like a quaint mountain cabin, but the front yard had been graveled to serve as a parking lot. A small wooden sign near the road announced her practice.

Jason pulled in and parked next to his sister's minivan. Michelle was sitting on the back bumper and waved as he pulled by. Jason got out and took Di's hand again when they came together at the back of the truck.