Never Again - Part III

Ed made a plea deal with the district attorney for a six-month term in the county jail and three years' probation.

Eva went over to the house while Ed was in court and used the spare key he had hidden under a dead plant to get inside and collect Janelle's clothes and her few belongings. Ed had broken or burned most of everything that had been Janelle's so there wasn't that much left to get. She just shook her head in disbelief.

Janelle was in a rehabilitation hospital learning to do simple things again like holding a pencil and writing. She walked slowly and had a slight drag to her left foot that she was told might go away as her brain healed, but she more than likely was going to walk that way for the rest of her life. She wasn't completely disabled, but it would take her some time to get back to being able to do things she used to. She often cried and feared the day Ed would be released.

Eva took Janelle home to her house. The one she had shared with Ed was up for rent since Ed was in jail and could no longer pay the rent. He had been fired after he made the deal to go to jail and would have nowhere to go once released. Janelle feared that most of all. She knew he would try to move in with her so she filed for divorce but Ed refused to sign the papers when her attorney took them to him in jail.

"We'll deal with that when he gets out. Don't worry so much," Eva told Janelle. "There will be a restraining order against him so if he shows up his probation will be revoked and he'll go back to jail; this time he'll have to finish out the sentence for three more years."

"He won't care," Janelle said slowly, trying to think of the words she wanted. "Just paper," she added.

Eva ruffed Janelle's hair. "We have six months to figure out how we're going to stop him then and by that time, you'll be well enough to fight back."

Janelle took her cousin's hand and held it to her heart. "I love you cousin."

Eva smiled. "Don't worry so much."

Ed was released from jail and as predicted, showed up on Eva's doorstep. "I want to talk to my wife," he said angrily.

Eva stood at the door with the chain in place. "Not going to happen Ed. And she isn't your wife anymore. The judge granted the divorce without your signature and he made you responsible for her hospital bills."

"I am well aware of that. I was notified. Ain't going to happen. She is my wife and I don't give a good goddamn what any judge says. You got that!" he said angrily.

"Go away Ed. There's an order against you. You aren't to come near either one of us."

"Where is my wife?" he said separating each word slowly as if she didn't understand him.

"Go to hell, Ed," Eva said and shut the door and locked the dead bolt she had installed. She called his probation agent about the violation and he said he'd talk to Ed. She hung up and shook her head. "Talk to him? What good will that do?"

Janelle came out of the bedroom where she had been hiding. "I'm sorry Eva. I told you he'd come back."

To be Continued...