Chapter 9

The long day of being on a carnival ride, up and down and around, had made Jarrod exhausted by the time he got home. The family had already gathered for drinks when he came in the front door and he joined them in the living room. He smiled as he headed for a glass of scotch.

"Well, well," Nick said. "The look on your face says it was a good day."

"It was a very good day," Jarrod said. "My client is out of jail and on his way home to San Francisco, all charges dropped. Carol has been reunited with Joe and they couldn't be happier, both of them." He raised his glass. "I think this has turned out to be one of the happiest days of my career."

Everyone knew it might be happy, but also bittersweet. Nick gave his older brother a slap on the back. "You earned this one."

"I don't know about earning it," Jarrod said. "I really didn't do much of anything except get Carol back to Stockton, and I'm not sure I could have done that except for Sam Davison threatening to subpoena her. No. No, I didn't do the real work this time, but I did reap a lot of reward."

Victoria still recognized in his eyes, that the happiness was not there without a bit of pain. After dinner, when everyone gathered in the library and the men began to play pool, Jarrod begged off the first game. Victoria saw fatigue setting in as he headed for the door that looked out over the stable yard, lighting up a cigar, staring out at the darkness.

She joined him, saying, "I'm proud of you for doing all that you did for Carol and Joe."

"Oh, Mother, there's nothing for you to be proud of," Jarrod said. "I did my job as Arthur Martin's lawyer."

"And the Paysons' friend."

Jarrod nodded to that. "Yes, as their friend. And I really meant it when I said I was very, very happy to see them reunited."

Victoria hesitated, but said, "I know how I would feel if I were in your shoes, if I were helping someone come home from the dead when I know your father will never come home."

Jarrod put his arm around her, realizing she really was feeling some of that same regret and jealousy he had been feeling. "Don't, Mother. Any bitter feelings I might have had, I worked through hours ago. I know I can never get what I helped give Joe Payson today, but that's all right. At least I could help give it to him and Carol. That's gonna have to be enough, and it's all right that it is."

Victoria smiled. "Which is why I'm very proud of you."

Jarrod gave her a kiss on the forehead. "It's been a long road for me over the past few months," Jarrod said. "I know the road continues and probably always will, but I'm grateful to you and the rest of the family for helping me along. Whatever work I did today, whatever I did for Arthur Martin and Joe and Carol – it helped me get further down the road too. Don't worry, I'm fine."

XXXXXXX

Everything became more fine when Carol had the surgery on her leg. Her recovery was slow but with the exercises the surgeon had her do, she was able to take first steps without a cane within six weeks. Victoria and Audra had often made time to come help her with her exercises and they were there when the happy day of putting the cane aside came. She walked ten steps from Audra's arms to Victoria's, and laughter went all around the room when she did.

The steps were slow and halting at first, but Victoria and Audra kept helping her, and gradually they became more certain and strong. Within a few months, Carol could walk up the stairs to Jarrod's office unaided, and straight.

"Now, look at you!" Jarrod greeted her and Joe. "This is an unexpected pleasure! How are you both?"

"Pretty darned good," Joe said. "We've just come from the doctor, and we wanted you to be the first in town to know."

Jarrod expected a happy update on Carol's leg. He smiled. "Oh?"

Carol beamed. "I'm going to have a baby."

Jarrod's eyes got even bigger and bluer. He pulled Carol to him and kissed her on the forehead, under the bonnet that covered her scar. "That's wonderful! Congratulations, Carol!" He shook Joe's hand. "Congratulations, Papa!"

"We've already picked out names, and we wanted your permission," Carol said.

Now Jarrod was confused. "My permission?"

"And your family's," Carol said. "If it's a girl, we want her to be Audra Victoria. If it's a boy, we want Arthur Jarrod."

Jarrod beamed. "Of course, you have my permission, and I'm sure Mother and Audra and Arthur will approve too. But are you sure you don't want a Joseph Jr. or a little Carol running around?"

Joe shook his head. "With this first child, we want to honor the friends who got us here."

"We've never been happier, Jarrod," Carol said. "Every minute of every day is a gift I never thought I'd have."

"And I was certain I'd never have," Joe said.

"Life can turn in unexpected ways, can't it?" Jarrod said.

"Some of them joyous," Joe said.

Jarrod nodded. Yes, it still hurt, and yes, he still had jealousy, but only a little. He was not a fool. He knew how to appreciate the happiness of others. He knew it made his load a little lighter, and his life a little happier. "Indeed," he said. "Many of them are."

The End