Chapter 17

"Then I won't have to testify?" asked Rhonda.

It was the following morning. The two women sat in the restaurant sharing toast and coffee.

"Not unless you want to. The police found enough evidence to put Eric and Mark away for a long, long time. Four of the other girls have agreed to testify. Individually they were afraid, but when they found out others would also come forward, they agreed."

"What if he made copies?" asked Rhonda, a worried expression on her face.

"He did, but thanks to a well written search warrant, they found the tapes in a safe deposit box in the bank downtown. They'll be used as evidence, then destroyed. They won't even need the tape of Lin Tai and me. Her parents and Twan Lee will never know."

"Then they really are going to put him away?"

"The District Attorney says Eric will get at least fifty to sixty years. Mark will get less but he's still going to do serious prison time. And the administration has asked no less than three fraternities and two sororities to leave the campus."

"What about you... the other girls?" asked Rhonda.

"We've all talked about it. I think we're all going to transfer to other schools, get a fresh start. Right now I've got my eye on a nice little college in New Hampshire with a great music progam."

"Wendy, how can I ever thank you?"

"No need. We all got out from under this... at last. That's what counts."

Wendy looked out the window and spotted the person she was looking for walking toward the door.

"Speaking of thanking someone, have you talked with Paul?"

"I... I just couldn't face him after everything. I... I've hurt him so deeply, yet I owe him so much. I would like to thank him, somehow. Could you tell him for me?"

"Tell him yourself," said Wendy rising from the table and smiling as Paul joined them.

"Let's keep in touch," said Wendy, preparing to leave.

"You owe her more than you do me," he said. "If she hadn't stopped by my office and drilled some sense into this egghead..."

"Sorry about that," smiled Wendy.

"I'm not," he replied.

"See you kiddo, give my love to Tabitha," said Wendy, as she hugged Rhonda and walked away.

"She's a very special person," mused Rhonda, still ashamed to face him.

"That she is. She explained everything. I knew that was an act that night at his apartment, the language and all. It just wasn't you. It was obvious you were making a statement that you wanted me out of your life. My mistake was in thinking that you were trying to get rid of me because you really loved the guy."

"And I made a huge mistake," she replied, looking him in the eyes for the first time. "I should have trusted you, trusted your strength, your love."

"Yes, that was your first mistake."

"My FIRST mistake?"

"Yes, the other was thinking that my career, ANY career could be as important as what we felt for each other."

Her eyes dropped.She tried to fight back the tears.

"I'm sorry I let it all get away from us."

"And there's your THIRD mistake, thinking that any woman who would do for me what you have, who would sacrifice what you have, would in ANY way be unworthy of my love."

She looked up.

"You... you mean... ?"

"I want us together, Rhonda."

"But what about... ?"

"I've resigned my position here at Wilton. I have an interview scheduled at North Carolina University next week."

"Why there?"

"Oh, because I have an old friend who just happens to be chairman of the philosophy department... and because they have an excellent forestry program."

"Paul, are you sure? After all that I did to you?"

"Did FOR me?" he corrected. "Absolutely!"

He took her hand.

"It will mean a longer trip each week to see Jane."

"We'll visit her together, no matter what it takes," she said, hope returning to her eyes.

"And Tabitha is going to have to get use to having the "old guy" around," he said, grinning.

"She loves you already. She just wishes you could appreciate rap music and skateboarding," said Rhonda smiling impishly.

"That may take some work," he smiled back," but maybe she can teach an old dog some new tricks."

He took her hand in his.

"Marry me Rhonda."

"Yes, Paul, I'll marry you," she answered as they rose, he took her in his arms and they kissed deeply in front of the smiling patrons of the restaurant, uncaring as to who saw them together now.