Jonna's Fantastical Sexcapades

29. New Place

Jonna carefully navigated her way down the courthouse steps. She smiled widely when she locked eyes with Laney, who looked to be waiting patiently on the last step. 

"They granted it?"

"With the evidence I had, yeah. Permanent injunction against that asshole," Jonna said, meeting lips quickly with Laney. "Now, let's get the hell outta here before he comes downstairs."

They rushed to the car, Jonna checking behind them at the marble and glass courthouse. Though the bailiffs had promised to stall Shane so she could get to her car, a fear lingered at the possibility of seeing him ever again. Lengthy discussions with a therapist was helping, but the feeling of helplessness was still with her. The therapist said it might fade with time. Fade, but not necessarily leave.

On the drive to Jonna's apartment, Laney grabbed her hand and squeezed reassuringly. She remained quiet, eyes on the road. But, the simple gesture filled Jonna with love and hope, and she squeezed back, releasing a long and deep sigh.

At her request, Laney dropped Jonna off at her office.

"I'll be back after my afternoon class is over," Laney told her as Jonna unbuckled and exited the car.

Jonna needed to pick up her laptop, but also needed time to work. Truthfully, she wanted to test if she could be in her office alone successfully. The last few weeks, Laney, Ola, or Jayden had accompanied Jonna to her office. Though she had insisted against it, she was happy for the company.

Today, she surveyed her office, tapering down memories of Shane throwing her against the wall or his gravelly voice barking at her. She was in here for her laptop. That was it. Nothing was going to happen.

As she sat at her desk, opening the laptop, clicking through her emails and course dashboard, nothing did indeed happen. Her shoulders relaxed and she stopped peeking at the door every five minutes.

Jonna lost herself down the rabbit hole of old emails. She scanned the subject lines, deleting them in batches. Soon, she noticed illicit and familiar subject lines, like:

"Hey there" 

Or

"What are you doing tonight?"

Jonna laughed aloud, cringing slightly when it echoed in the empty office. She had found Zachary to be uber-charming. Upon a second read, his come ons were predictable, almost juvenile.

Without hesitation, she deleted his emails, too. When her inbox was empty, she sat back and considered Zachary for a few more moments. She realized that though he had been less spectacular than she'd originally banked on, he had been what she needed at that time. Her destructive relationship with Shane had ended and she needed a change. Zachary wasn't the best form of change, but he was a catalyst.

The adventure of meeting Zachary had led to something better. 

With the laptop tucked underarm, Jonna walked quickly from the office to the parking lot. The driver side window of a blue sedan lowered, revealing Laney in pink sunglasses, sipping on a pink drink. At that moment, Jonna couldn't help but think:

All that shit was kinda worth it.

~*~

The next morning, Ola and Jayden woke Jonna with coffee and a bagel. They had been bringing her breakfast in bed since the incident with Shane.

"You guys really have to stop this."

"Today is our last chance, anyway," Jayden countered.

Jonna playfully punched at him, which Ola fully endorsed. Jonna then ordered them both out of her room so she could get dressed.

"With that attitude, I'm definitely converting this to a home gym," Ola said.

An hour later, Laney arrived with more coffee and pastries.

"Oh my goodness, thank you!" Jonna took a small sip and deftly handed Ola the pastries behind her back. She clasped her hands together, ignoring Laney's frown. "Let's get me moved out."

~*~

Jayden hadn't arrived with the moving truck yet, but Jonna suggested unloading the few boxes they could from her SUV.

They placed boxes in the kitchen, hallway, bedroom, and bathroom. Laney remarked on the carpet, noting the wood flooring in the living room.

"I just love it, too."

She set down another box on the marble kitchen countertop, admiring the chrome finishings on the cabinets.

From atop a tour of boxes near the dining room window, her phone buzzed. Jonna was going to ignore it, until it buzzed twice more.

"Can you check if that's Jayden calling?"

Laney was propped against the dining room wall sipping from a mauve water bottle. She nodded and picked up the phone.

With a smirk, she said, "Zachary text you."

Jonna rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Persistent bastard. Block his number, please."

A slow smile lit up Laney's face. "What about one dinner?"

Jonna leans back against the countertop, considering. "Okay, maybe dinner. But it would but a one-time thing, right?"

Laney waltzed to the door, throwing over her shoulder, "Of course. It's just dinner."

Jonna laughed, heading to the car to retrieve another box.