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“I am, of course, hoping you’ll give us your blessing sir.” Wes added with a smile, extending his hand.
Jo’s mom beamed up at him then hugged Jo. Mr. Ross shook Wes' hand and then smiled at Jo.
“I like his manners.” He said causing Jo to giggle.
Jo’s parents removed themselves from her bedside and let Wes in.
“Did you just propose to me while I’m in a hospital bed, smelling funky, in front of everyone that I love?”
“I did.” Wes said planting a small kiss on her lips.
Jo smiled up at him tenderly.
“Jo.” Wes said quietly.
“You’re leaving me hanging baby?” Jo looked confused then gave him a brilliant smile.
“Oh… yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Good answer.” He said leaning down for another kiss.
Epilogue
Wes was able to bring Jo home to his house after she stayed one more day in the hospital. Her tox screen showed she had not received the drug that had been in the syringe, which had been a lethal dose of pure cocaine. He and Andy followed behind the private ambulance that Andy had procured for her. Her mom had wanted to ride with her so Wes, wanting to stay on her parents' good side, gave in, having to be satisfied with driving his Porsche behind the large white van.
Wes had told Jo about his deal with the FBI and with her only having one more day to get her story out; she dictated her story to Wes. She alluded to her kidnapping at the end of the powerful expose. Her thought was that she could pull an entirely new article from her ordeal. So she decided to make it a ‘to be continued’ news piece. She did tell the FBI agents absolutely everything they needed to know.
Jo sold her article to a National newspaper and as Wes predicted Summit’s government officials scrambled to clear their names and distance themselves from those that had been fingered. A secondary effect was that any building that had been constructed using monies from any of the individuals that had been exposed or those on the list of shell companies were inspected for possible faulty construction or inferior materials.
A Nursing home had to be evacuated when the inspector found large cracks in the foundation due to inferior cement, and when a network news station picked up her story she was interviewed on television.
Henry had skipped town and no one knew where he was and the owner of the paper asked Jo to return to her old job, but Jo told him that she was going to wait before taking anything at this time.
As weeks passed Jo's body continued to heal, but she still would awaken with terrifying nightmares. She began to visit a therapist that Wes had used when he was lost, who was helping her sort through her memories. The one memory she was pretty sure was not a hallucination was that Nick had been ordered to kill her, and because she was still alive, she surmised that he couldn't go through with it. He had not surfaced yet, and Jo had mixed feeling about wanting him to be caught. In a strange, weird way he had spared her life.
Jo received a large check for her article and even more money from the exclusive television interview. A reputable publishing house called her and said they’d like her to write a book about everything including the kidnapping. They advanced her a very generous check and all Jo’s monetary concerns were left in the past.
One of the first things Jo did when she received some money was set up Annie, Trip, and their baby in a small one bedroom apartment. Then Wes ended up buying the building, as an investment he told Jo, and he offered the job of building manager to Trip so that they moved into a two bedroom apartment that was completely paid for as part of the work agreement. None of the other Cardboard Corner occupants wanted to leave their little lot, but Jo continued to stop by with food, blankets, and a few other comforts that would not hurt their sense of pride.
Jo and Wes were married two months to the day that Jo had been kidnapped. It was a very small ceremony and when the festivities ended Wes carried his bride over the threshold of his condo.
“So my little bride. What adventure do you see us partaking in next?’ Wes was smiling. He already knew the answer.
Jo pulled him down for a kiss. “Parenthood.” She said softly.
