Ever since theJersey Shorereality show went off the air, Jerseyans have sorely missed sitting in judgment of their own.
Until now.
“Get Tonuto outta here!” a woman yells, cracking the silence, and that’s all it takes. The crowd goeswild.
“Tonuto’s a crook! He’s not even Irish!”
“Corporate motherfuckin’ breaaaaad!”
“Let the nice girl sell her pot!”and“I have Crohn’s, too!”
Just then, Julian bursts onstage, fez askew and shirt half-unbuttoned. I can’t tell if he’s been fighting or making out. My eyebrows rise higher as he drags Jackie Lombardi with him. “I found this one trying to get away!”
A fight then… I think?
Lombardi doesn’t even look mad about being forced onstage. Her cheeks are flushed, eyes sparkling with excitement at the hundreds of angry picnickers demanding justice. She reallydoeslove violence.
Council-friend Shar stands, eyeing Tonuto and Lombardi warily, and reaches for the mic. I hand it to her, hoping beyond hope for a miracle, that the town’s support and my evidence is enough.
She clears her throat, authority dripping from her steely gaze. “Under the Council’s Code of Ethics, Mike Tonuto’s involvement in the targeted attacks against Ms. Wyeth’s dispensary and Sammy DiFiore’s shoppresents an inexcusable conflict of interest. Furthermore, Zoning Commissioner Lombardi’s personal stake in JM Enterprises LLC renders the zoning decision against Ms. Wyeth’s dispensary illegitimate. Council-friends, I move to overturn the zoning commission’s ruling and put Mike Tonuto and Jackie Lombardi on immediate suspension pending the outcome of athoroughinvestigation.”
“I second!” Min jumps to her feet.
“All those in favor, say aye!” Shar calls.
And to my great astonishment, every Council-friend does. Everyone except Tonuto, who’s shouting “Nay! Nay!” as Lil Dom drags him offstage like a very belligerent horse.
“Congratulations, Ms. Wyeth,” Chair-friend Chester says, reaching for a gavel to slam that isn’t there. “You’re officially in business.” He air-gavels, anyway.
Wild cheering erupts across the lawn, interrupted only when Julian bellows, “Permission to approach the bench!”
“That’s not how that works,” Council-friend Shar says, then turns to Chester. “Does he know that’s not how this works?”
“I have one last piece of information that everyone in Sparrow Nook needs to hear.” Julian strides over to me, grabbing both of my hands. I am utterly speechless.
“Nomi Wyeth, I love you with my whole heart. And because of you, I’ve learned that I love this town, my batshit family, being a doctor, and oddly enough, civic service, too. I’m coming for that seat, District Five!” He points at Tonuto’s empty spot and turns back to me. “Most of all, I’ve learned that I don’t want any other future than you.”
“But… what about Philly Gen?” I search his eyes.
“I turned them down weeks ago. I’m a family man now. A family practice man, at least, and more, if you’ll have me.” Julian drops to one knee, and my eyes flare wide. “Nomi Wyeth, will you marry me?”
The crowd gasps.
“Julian!” An incredulous laugh bursts out of me. “God, no! It’s been, like, a month and a half.”
Julian’s beatific smile turns naughty, and my blood heats in response as he stands, looming over me, then sweeps me off my feet and into his arms, princess-style.
“Fine. I’ll ask again next week.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Two months later…
NOMI
I’ve always loved the sounds of a busy, bustling café. People chatting, soft trills of laughter, chairs squeaking across floors as friends joining late take their seats, happy to be there at last, asking to hit that joint because their mom’sreallybeen on their ass lately.
“You can smoke that on the partaking patio out back,” I call as I wipe down the bar, sliding crumbs of Eve’s delectable edibles off my counter and into my waiting palm. “Only treats and beverages inside.”
