Chapter Twenty - The Final Chapter
“Mr. Channing advised against putting you in a halfway house and arranged for you to stay with a responsible person until you have proven you will honor the conditions of your early release,” Governor Miles explained.
“And I’ll take you there,” Bridget piped in.
To Vera’s questions, Bridget answered she knew nothing about the person that she would stay with but that it was “Mr. Channing’s friend.”
Vera enjoyed the scenery.
It was the first time in close to two years that she had seen the outside of gray walls or a courthouse.
She couldn’t stop thinking about Joan.
Bridget had not said much about Joan these last few weeks and it was driving Vera crazy.
Vera knew Joan recovered well from her surgery but Bridget kept her in the dark.
She assumed it meant Joan was with Ann and even though it broke her heart, she tried to be happy for her.
Beautiful and picturesque houses lined both sides of the street.
Most houses had two car garages and flowerbeds offering fragrant bouquets of seasonal flowers and colorful leaves.
The houses were well-kept with beautiful curtains peeking from large windows.
Vera remembered her own modest home, the home she had sold to pay for her lawyer fees.
A sadness overcame her. She was alone and hadn't much of anything left.
“Well, here it is,” Bridget said while turning into the driveway of a large, beautiful house with a spacious yard and stone walkway.
“I can’t believe a person living in a house like this would take in an ex-convict,” Vera laughed nervously.
“She just moved here recently,” Bridget said as she pressed the bell and reached for the doorknob, "she said she wanted to start anew."
As she opened the door, a dog came running to greet them.
“Ohhh, I love dogs,” Vera said while kneeling to hug it, “Mum would never let me have one.”
From the hall came a familiar voice, “She’s all yours. Welcome home, Vera.”