The next day, we headed out. I was determined to drive until we both got home. Unlike Marissa, Jenny had no problem driving my truck, so we drove in shifts, stopping only for gas and food.
We finally arrived at the house and Mom met us at the door. I carried my stuff inside and took it all to my room.
“Did you get everything straightened out?” my mother asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “And I’m never going back.”
The next several weeks were a blur. I bought a ring for Jenny and made the engagement official. My mother, Bob and Jenny planned our wedding and we were married within a month. Her parents came up from Florida where they had retired and the church was filled to overflowing.
I applied for the IT job at the hospital where Jenny worked and got hired. Fortunately, we worked the same shift so we were able to carpool to the hospital.
It took some time, but Bob and I eventually went through Marissa’s entire diary. I was able to give Bob some context on several of her entries and realized that Jenny and I were both used and played for fools by Marissa and her cohorts. Bob asked if he could keep the diary for his own research and I let him. I had no desire to have anything of hers in the house.
A few months later, Jenny and I were sharing lunch when she suggested we look for a house.
“Why?” I asked.
“Well,” she said. “We’re gonna need another bedroom for the baby.”
“Baby?” I asked.
“Yup,” she said. “You’re gonna be a daddy.” I whooped so loud that half of the floor could hear me. Jenny smiled as her face turned red.
“I love you,” she said. I looked into her eyes.
“I love you, too,” I said.
That Sunday at church, I sat at the bench overlooking the draw and stared at the scenery. Bob came up behind me.
“Everything okay, son?” he asked. I nodded my head.
“Yeah,” I said, looking at the beautiful, brightly-lit landscape. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
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