"Start from the beginning".
"You and I had lunch, and you swore to me that you wanted to protect me. And then I get home and there were some deliveries. Two, I had ordered. One I had not. It was an envelope from her, with the insurance papers that I called you about. And then an hour later, she sent a picture frame with a picture of you and I together in it, busted to pieces. The picture is from us having dinner that night in San Clemente, so she obviously had us followed. And then an hour later, she sent a wedding dress, covered in a red liquid with stab marks in it and a note that says it would be easier if I just let her have you. I'm done with this, Jonathan. I'm not kidding. I can't take it anymore".
"Jonathan, Jennifer explained everything to me. And I cannot press charges on the picture frame itself, but I can on the notes and the wedding dress, in the form of harassment. And if what she says is true about the insurance papers, that's fraud".
Jonathan came and sat down next to Jennifer and tried to comfort her.
"So, what are you going to do?"
"Max, has Fallon bothered you at all?"
"Not a bit, Mr. H."
He hesitated.
"Jonathan!"
"Darling, I don't want to ruin the rest of her life over something silly like this. And I'm afraid if I press charges, it will do just that. I want her to get help, but I'm not sure prison is the answer".
"Jonathan, she threatened me in a round about way. She sent a wedding dress with stab marks and blood on it, for God's sake. Wake up! She's becoming more and more unhinged".
"For what it's worth, I agree with her, Jonathan. This is getting scary".
"Can you just pick her up and talk to her, Herschel?"
Jennifer got up and headed to the bedroom and slammed the door.
"Jonathan, I can't force you to press charges. But I strongly advise that you do. I've never seen something like this end with the aggressor just backing off. I can go talk to her but if she denies it, my hands are tied. And if she's smart, she will".
"I just think she's misguided and has a mental issue, and could benefit more from mental help than prison".
"I can still press charges and then you can work that out with the DA".
"Let's do that".
"Ok. I'll draw up the paperwork. You and Jennifer will have to come to the station tomorrow to sign the papers".
"Thank you".
Herschel took everything with him as evidence, and then Jonathan walked him out.
"Max, give us a little bit before dinner, would you? I'm going to go try and talk to her".
"Got it, Mr. H."
Jennifer was laying on the bed, typing on her laptop when he went into the bedroom.
He came over and sat by her.
"Don't you dare touch me".
"Jennifer, just hear me out".
"Why? So, you can just dismiss me again?"
"I didn't dismiss you".
"Yes, you did. She's dangerous and after all she has put us through, she deserves to be in prison. And she's not going to stop, she's going to get worse and worse. And instead of respecting me enough to put her away where she can't hurt anyone else ever again, you want to be her hero and ride to her rescue. I'm not having it".
"I never said I wanted to be her hero. I said I wanted her to get the help that she needs".
"What about the help that we need getting her out of our lives?"
"Jennifer, she's misguided. I think she has a mental issue. She wouldn't do well in prison with that".
"That's not my problem, Jonathan! She is purposely doing and saying things intended to hurt me and make me think she is going to hurt me. Don't you see that?"
"I see where you might feel that way, but we have no indication that she's actually going to go through with these threats".
"Jonathan….she sent a wedding dress with blood on it and knife cuts in it. No indication that she'll go through with it-there's only one way to test that!"
"Calm down, Jennifer. There's no need to be hysterical".
"Do I seriously mean that little to you?"
"You know you mean everything to me".
"I thought I did".
She closed her laptop and got up and headed to the closet.
She began furiously packing a bag.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting the hell out of this town, as far away from Fallon O'Shea that I can get. If you won't protect me, I'll protect myself".
"And where are you going?"
"Back to San Diego".
She got her things all packed, and then started packing her computer and other items.
She handed him the check from her dad.
"Here, I'll buy the car from you. Take this as a down payment and let me know what the rest is".
"Jennifer, don't do this. Stay here with me, please?"
"My mind is made up, Jonathan".
"How can I protect you in San Diego?"
"Oh, so NOW you want to protect me?! That's cute, Jonathan. You've done a hell of a job protecting me so far!"
"Jennifer, that's not fair! You're the one that accepted the deliveries, not me".
"Are you serious? She didn't mark the packages "dangerous", Jonathan. I'm smarter than that, thank you very much".
"I'm not saying you're not smart, Jennifer. I'm saying that we all have to be a little more cautious".
"But not cautious enough to press charges, is that it?"
"It's not that simple, Jennifer. I don't think she has any malicious intent. I think she has misguided intentions".
"Well, when your wife is stabbed on your wedding day, I hope you realize that her misguided intentions are a lot more serious than that. And my condolences to your wife, because it won't be me".
She took her bags and headed to the car and loaded them.
Without another word to Jonathan, she got in the car and drove away.
Jonathan stood in the kitchen watching her.
"Go after her, Mr. H. She's scared. And she has every right to be scared".
"And say what? I already tried talking to her. Only thing that's left is to lie to her and I don't want to do that".
"Mr. H., if you don't mind me saying so, you're going to have to be the bad guy here and press charges. Otherwise, you're going to lose Miss Edwards forever, and she's the best thing that ever happened to our family. Nobody else would ever come close".
"I know, Max. I know. I'm just trying to live up to what I promised you and the judge".
"I respect that, Mr. H. If I may be frank, you've more than paid me back. And the judge would agree that this is more serious than your situation. And Miss Edwards wasn't part of that and doesn't deserve what this woman is putting her through".
He closed the door and walked to the bar and poured himself a scotch, which he then took to his bedroom.
He was sitting on the bed, wishing Jennifer would come back through the door, when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Jonathan, it's Owen. I was able to verify that Fallon O'Shea not only forged your signature on the insurance papers, she forged your signature on the credit card being used to pay for the policy. I contacted the company and informed them it was fraudulent and asked them to cancel the policy immediately, and I contacted the DA. She has done this to 4 other guys, Jonathan. You are just the latest. She's being picked up within the hour".
"Thanks Owen".
He hung up and called Jennifer's car phone.
She picked up on the third ring. He could tell she was crying.
"I don't….want to talk…."
"Then just listen, baby. I'm sorry, I love you, and I'm sorry. I just got off the phone with Owen. It's a long story, but the DA is pressing charges and she's going to be picked up within the hour. Please come back so we can work this out".
"You dismissed…..my feelings, Jonathan. I deserve better…"
"I know that. I promise, we will work it all out, just come home".
"I'm….too upset. And I'm out of gas".
"Pull over. Tell me where you are and I'll come to you".
"At the overlook".
"I'll be right there. Promise me you'll stay right there".
"I..promise".
"I love you. I'm on my way".
He hung up the phone and grabbed his keys.
"Max, we got a gas can?"
"In the garage".
"I'll be back later".
"Where you going?"
"To get Jennifer".
"Atta boy".
He grabbed the gas can and got in the car and headed to the gas station.
After leaving the gas station, he headed to the overlook.
He saw her, sitting in the sand, in front of the car.
He pulled up and grabbed a bag and got out and ran to her and sat next to her.
He wrapped his arms around her.
She kept crying.
"It's ok, baby. She's not going to hurt us anymore".
"I was…scared….I am…scared….but you….didn't believe me…."
"I do believe you".
He handed her the bottle of water from the gas station that he brought with him.
She took a few drinks and calmed down.
"Jennifer, can I tell you a story?"
She nodded.
"When I was 14, I was in a rough spot. I was being bullied at school because I lived in an orphanage. I didn't have a lot of friends and I was too old to be adopted. I was convinced that I was going to be homeless living on the streets when I turned 18, because they kick you out of the orphanage on your birthday if you aren't adopted. So, I fell in with a bad crowd, in an effort to appear cool. And one day, we went to a gas station to get some drinks. Unbeknownst to me, two of the guys in the group decided to rob the place. I was given about a 4-second notice that I was the lookout. They left me, holding the bag. I was arrested, taken to the police station, and charged with armed robbery. I was facing 40 years in prison. I was scared, and I was more alone that I ever thought possible. And I was given one phone call. I called Max. He showed up, and tried to bail me out, but they wouldn't let me bail out till I had my first court appearance the next morning. So, he promised me he would be there, and that it would be ok. And then, Max called the orphanage and told the nuns that I was with him and he was sick and needed me to take care of him. And then, true to his word, he showed up the next morning. And in court, he stood up and told the judge that sending me to prison wasn't a good idea, that I was a kid, and I needed guidance, and that he would give it to me. I was shocked, and incredibly grateful. He and I had only known each other for a couple of months. If he hadn't done that for me, I would have gotten the maximum sentence. The judge only dropped the charges because Max convinced him that I was duped by the others and that he would take full responsibility for me. I tried my hardest to convince him to help the others out, and he wouldn't. And he was right, but I didn't know that then. They all got the maximum sentence-40 years. Had Max not shown me more kindness than I deserved, I would have ended up in prison right next to them. And I promised myself and the judge that I would pay it forward, and I have. Now, as far as Fallon is concerned, I want her to get the proper medical treatment. Baby, she won't get that in prison. After you left the room, I told Herschel that I wanted her to get help for this obsession. He agreed to relay that to the DA. After you left the house, Owen called. She forged my name on the policy, and on the credit card she opened to pay for the policy. He said I'm the 5th guy she's done this to, so the DA is pressing charges. It's not that I didn't believe you, or didn't want to protect you. I just wanted to show her kindness and grace like Max showed me, and make sure she got the help she desperately needs".
"She threatened to kill me, Jonathan".
"I realize that. That's the clue that says she needs help".
"We were supposed to grow old together".
"And we will. If she doesn't leave us alone, you and I will move to Switzerland".
"That's not funny".
"I'm serious. I'm sorry, Jennifer. I handled this all wrong".
"I was so looking forward to the party tomorrow night".
"We can still go".
"Susan isn't going to let us in her house now that we had Fallon arrested".
"Well, I tell you what-let's just go over there and talk to her".
"I'm a mess".
"You're beautiful".
He helped her up and pulled her into a hug.
"I love you, more than anything. Nobody is going to stab you on our wedding day, and I promise, I'll go to the station right now and press charges if you want me to".
She nodded.
"Ok, let's go".
"I was an idiot. I ran out of gas".
"I brought some. And you're not an idiot. You're the most intelligent, beautiful, sexiest woman in the whole world, with the biggest, most caring heart of anyone I've ever known. And I love you the most".
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, honey".
"It's alright. I deserved it".
He filled her tank with gas, and then she followed him to the gas station where they filled it the rest of the way.
"I called Herschel on the way over here. He said I can't come do the charges tonight, I have to come tomorrow. And I called Susan and she said to come on over".
They drove to Susan's house and parked.
He took her hand and led her up the walkway.
He rang the doorbell.
"Ok, here goes nothing".