«What's the meaning of this?!» exclaimed Samuel. «Joanne, we couldn't get a hold of you for days, you didn't show up at your sister's wedding, I traveled here to look for you... and I found you with a boy while the whole town is devastated by an earthquake.»
As the man talked counting on his fingers the main points of his speech, Joanne realized she had risked not to see him anymore, so she stepped forward and hugged him. «I missed you so much, Dad» she heartedly said.
It was enough to calm him down. He hugged her back. «Are you okay, baby girl?» he sighed. «I was worried to death.»
Joanne took a step back and looked at him. «It's a very long story» she said. «But I'm okay. We are okay.» She pointed at Eddie, who had rushed to redress and put a fresh gauze on his wound.
He nodded and introduced himself to Joanne's father. «Nice to meet you, Mr Mulligan» he said, looking very nervous in Joanne's eyes. He approached Samuel and held out his hand. «I'm Edward Munson.»
The other man ignored his hand and glared at him. «Munson?» He instantly recognized that name and a look of shock deformed his face. «You are the wanted man! The serial killer who worships the devil!»
He grabbed his daughter to protect her and moved back. «Stay away from us!» he threatened him. «I'll call the police.»
Joanne freed herself from him. «No, Dad, listen to me!» she firmly exclaimed, placing herself between him and Eddie. «Eddie is innocent! He didn't kill anyone!»
«Move, Joanne» urged her father without listening and trying to push her away. «He's dangerous!»
«No!» she screamed. «I'm not moving and you'll listen up!» Her tone made Samuel focus on her, so she went on speaking from the heart. «I beg you. Trust me and listen.»
Joanne had no idea of how she could make up a story like that on the spot. Eddie looked very astonished too. She told her father that Eddie was abducted and held hostage by the real serial killer, who thought that, as long as they believed Eddie was the culprit, he was free to kill again. The young man had tried to escape by boat on the lake and bumped into Jason and Patrick by chance, then the killer had murdered the latter and reclaimed Eddie. He had tortured him - the wounds on his neck and abdomen proved it - and Joanne - because of her strong feelings for Eddie - had followed "trails of clues" and found his hideout at Lover's Lake. The killer had caught them in the act of escaping, Eddie had brutally fought him to protect Joanne and then the earthquake had come, swallowed the man and permanently saved the two victims.
«Can you see it now, Dad?» insisted Joanne when she finished talking. «Eddie is not the person they claim he is. Hellfire is a school club where they play completely harmless board games, that's it. The real villains in this story are ignorance, superstition and the mysterious and late serial killer.»
Samuel didn't look like he bought it. «I would like to believe you, Joanne» he said, rubbing his exhausted face with his hands. «But what you're telling me is insane.»
And it's even more plausible than the truth, she thought.
«Dad, please.» She put her hand on Eddie's, who was sitting by her side on the couch. «Become Eddie's defense attorney. You are the only lawyer in the world who can give him a chance of acquittal.»
The man stared at those joined hands, at their fingers intertwined, at the firm looks of the young loving couple ready to face a situation much bigger than them, no matter what.
«Are you really sure?» The girl nodded and squeezed Eddie's hand. Samuel sighed. «Alright, then.»
Joanne jumped up and enthusiastically hugged him. «Thank you thank you thank you!»
YOU ARE READING
An unambiguous sign of true love (Eddie Munson)
Fanfiction"'Cause that was as unambiguous a sign of true love as these cynical eyes have ever seen." -Eddie Munson, "Stranger Things", season 4, episode 7 Will Eddie Munson ever get such a sign for himself? Joanne Mulligan is a model student who has feelings...
