Chapter 22
Abbey pulled her jacket tightly around her. The crisp November air chilled her to the bone. But the sun was shining and she had to get her fill of it. It had been such a long time since she had felt the sun on her face.
It had been a hectic month.
She had told the Director of Corrections about her encounters with the guards, including the attack in the stairwell. He investigated her story and found out that some of the guards had been giving her severe harassment, with the warden's approval and encouragement.
She was immediately transferred out of the State Prison to the county jail in Manchester.
The international uproar from the attacks and the harassment generated such enormous bad publicity for the Governor that he persuaded District Attorney Short to draw up papers shortening her actual imprisonment to time served and placed on probation for the remaining time. Judge Adams gladly issued the order.
Only one week ago, she had been released from jail and had immediately gone home.
The farm. Home at last.
Liz and Millie had opened the house up and stocked the cabinets.
As the Secret Service drove the car up the driveway, Abbey burst into tears upon seeing her home for the first time in a year and knowing that one of the worst parts of her life was finally over.
But Ellie still refused to see her. Abbey had briefly talked to her daughter on the phone and expressed her sympathy for Tom's death. But Ellie still wouldn't talk about what had happened during the trial.
Abbey shrugged. Ellie would come in time. Heavenly intervention had already produced one miracle. Maybe there would be another.
As Abbey walked up the hill toward the house, she saw a car parked in the driveway. Ellie's car. Her heart leapt at the hope that she had come home at last. But then Abbey realized that she probably only came because her sisters insisted.
Abbey entered the front door to find Ellie on the sofa in the living room.
"Elllie, I'm so glad you came." Her feelings were mixed. She didn't know how this was going to end.
"Hi, Mom."
Abbey heard the hesitancy in her voice.
"I'm sorry about Tom. Liz thought highly of him."
Ellie looked at her mother and the tears starting flowing.
Abbey walked over and brought her daughter into a tight hug.
"Shh. I know, Elllie. I understand."
After a few minutes, Ellie's sobs subsided. She pulled out of the embrace and looked directly at her mom.
"I had no idea what you've been through until I had to make the decision to turn off Tom's life support. I had to be so strong and I know now that you had to be the same when you helped to relieve Dad's pain. I love you, Mom and I've missed you so much. Can we start again? I need you so bad. Especially right now."
"Ellie, I'm always here for you. And I'll always be here. I love you. And your father did too."
As she hugged her daughter one more time, Abbey sent her eyes heavenward.
'Thank you Jed, for returning my family. I love you.'
