Page 68 of Echoes of a Southern Song

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jinnie

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THE COURTROOM IS STILL buzzing with whispered shocks and scattered gasps as the bailiff hauls Sam out, still yelling like he has a leg to stand on. The door slams behind him. It’s like someone finally lets the air back into the room. I’m afraid to move in case this all evaporates into some weird fever dream.

I blink at the empty witness stand, then at the judge, who’s still scribbling something down with a calmness that feels entirely out of place considering what just happened. My supposed marriage? Not even real. The annulment trial? Technically pointless. My lawyer? Smirking like he just won the Super Bowl.

Jack rushes to me, ignoring the rules about staying behind the little wall. He pulls me into his arms without asking. I practically melt into him.

“You’re free,” he says into my ear. “It’s over. You’re free, Jinnie.”

“I know,” I whisper back. “I just... it hasn’t sunk in yet. I can’t believe that just happened. I’m in disbelief.”

My brain is still trying to catch up with the fact that I’m not just divorced. I was never married. The marriage was null and void from day one because Sam never got around to divorcing someone else. Someone else. A whole other wife. I don’t even want to know what her story is.

But I have a feeling she was someone who had something Sam wanted. I hope whoever she is, she finds out who he really is and gets back anything he might have taken from her.

Aggie swoops in next, wrapping me in a fierce hug. She holds on longer than usual and then pulls back to grip my shoulders.

“I knew that man was trash,” she says, glaring in the direction Sam was taken. “But this? This takes the cake.”

“Thank you,” I tell her, my voice a little shaky. “For everything. For testifying. For standing up there and telling the truth.”

“Damn right I did,” she says. “Would’ve told worse if they’d let me.”

I laugh, my body feeling lighter than it has in weeks. Then I turn to my lawyer, who’s still chuckling under his breath and gathering his files like he just had a great time playing courtroom bingo.

“Hey,” I say, stepping closer. “I don’t even know what to say. That was incredible. When did you find out about the other woman?”

“Early this morning.” He grins. “I didn’t want to tell you before Sam testified. I wanted to make sure your testimony was honest and not jaded with anger.”

“I’m not angry. I’m relieved. I’m happy. Thank you. You are definitely worth all those extra shifts I had to put in to pay you.”

He gives me a wink. “Pleasure’s all mine. Honestly? That was the most fun I’ve had in a courtroom in years.”

“That’s slightly terrifying,” I say, and everyone bursts out laughing.

Jack laces his fingers through mine and pulls me gently toward the door. “Come on. You’re free. You need food. Something celebratory. Maybe something that doesn’t come in a takeout box.”

I let him tug me along, still slightly dazed but not resisting. We pass through the courthouse lobby, down the steps, and out into the sunshine. It’s bright—brighter than it should be after all that. It feels like the light has changed somehow, like I’ve stepped into a new version of my life.

I truly did feel like a two-hundred-pound weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

“What are you in the mood for?” Jack asks Aunt Aggie.

“I’ll take you guys back to the house to get your truck,” Aggie says. “You two go celebrate. I’ve got a date with a supplier trying to jack up the prices on me. We’re going to have a heart-to-heart. I’m all fired up now.”

I laugh. “I feel sorry for him.”

“He should be,” Aggie says with a smirk. “Now, let’s get moving. You’ve got a celebration to get to, and I’ve got a supplier to put in his place.”

We pile into Aggie’s car, the atmosphere buzzing with relief and a newfound lightness. Jack sits close to me in the backseat, his hand still gripping mine like he’s afraid I might float away if he lets go. I lean in to him, letting the warmth of his presence steady me. It’s over. It’s really over.

When we pull up to Aggie’s house, Jack hops out first and opens my door with a grin.

“All right, you two,” Aggie says from the driver’s seat. “Go have fun. And Jinnie, don’t forget to breathe. You’ve earned this.”