Page 24 of Paroled on Love

"I had to protect my girl, didn't I?" He laughed.

She looked at him and shook her head, "After all this, you call me your girl?"

He smiled confidently now, "You can't deny it Leah, I see it in your eyes. You love me too." He said.

"Oh God yes, I love you!" She smiled suddenly and threw her arms around his neck and hung on. "Why do you think I left with him…"

One of the cops came up to them, "You two lovebirds can ride with Sam. He'll take you to your truck. Oh, and miss, we'll need a statement from you too."

"You'll get one," she promised. "Thank you."

As they rode in the cop car, Jeremiah put his arm around her and held her close.

She didn't complain.

"So ma'am, you want to make a statement down at the precinct?"

"Yeah, we'll come on down there when we get his truck."

"Good. Get that squared away."

They pulled over by his truck and after they both thanked them, Jeremiah and Leah got in the truck.

But before he could start it up, she grabbed him for a sultry kiss. "I thought sure he'd kill you back at the barn."

"God intervenes at times."

She laughed, "He sure does."

They kissed for a long while, then he drove her to the police station, she made a statement and they went home.

His parents were glad to see them both and they took the rest of the day off to rest and relax. But Jeremiah didn't turn lose of her all day. He kept her at his side all the time.

The last day of her probation, Jeremiah came to stand in front of her in the barn. "Looks like you'll be moving on. Got any plans?"

"No, not yet."

"Good, because I do. First we'll get engaged, and then after a short while, we'll get married. What do you think of those plans?"

"Jeremiah?" She came up to him close now. She shook her head. "You're the sweetest person I've known in my life. And I don't deserve you. But…. I do love you!" She said, staring at him with a smile.

"That's all I wanted to hear." He produced a little black box and got down on one knee.

"Leah, will you marry me, because I'll be lost without you, now!"

"Yes, oh yes," she cried. She jumped into his arms and kissed him for all he was worth.

Leah finished her probation with the Douglas's and Frank found her a job, working on another farm. He gave her the garage apartment and her and Jeremiah were together every time he came home from school.

That Christmas, they made plans to marry the following summer.

Leah's folks never did come around. But she made Jeremiah's family hers too and she never looked backwards again. She'd found confidence in herself and forgiveness in her heart for her folks. Only they'd never realize it, until they could at least meet her on her own terms. She loved them, but she lived with the knowledge that it could be one sided for the rest of her life. Still, she had Jeremiah, and his family and they brought her so much love and understanding, she couldn't ask for more.

"It's their loss," Jeremiah told her.

"Yeah, but at least I feel better about it all. I told the preacher how I felt and he said I had really made progress, that by forgiving I had set myself free to love and be loved." Leah smiled. "They say forgiving makes you happy and free, and they are right. I've never been happier in my life."

She kissed him hard and long and they snuggled.

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