Liberty kids: Henri meets Jolene

Chapter twenty one

Jolene was shaking and crying hysterically into her hands as she hid in the corner of Lafayette's house.

Henri and Lafayette were in raged that horrible man who caused Jolene so much pain was here raining free around Philadelphia. Lafayette was pacing back and forth, raging.

"This is absolutely an outrage! That crook is roaming around here in this town, free, after what he did to Jolene's parents and to her. He has no right to not face the consequences for his actions! I must tell general Washington and get him thrown into jail at once!"

"Oui!," Henri agreed, his arms wrapped around the shaking Jolene to comfort her, but his face was red with anger.

"There's no he can get away with this! Jolene needs justice! Why, I'll go out there and deal with him myself, teach him a lesson he'll never forget!"
Henri got up and was about to storm outside after Richard but Lafayette held him back.
"I wouldn't do that. I don't want him to hurt you, and I feel like I know what this man is capable of."

"I have to leave ," Jolene said in a shaking voice.
"I have to leave from Philadelphia. It probably won't be long before he finds me. I have to get away from here. I'm must  go pack now!"

Jolene rushed out the back door and to her horse Sport.
"Jolene, wait!"
Henri and Lafayette chased after her. Jolene jumped on her horse and rode as fast out of town as she could and into the woods, where her home was.
"Quick, let's follow her!"
Lafayette and Henri went after her on Lafayette's horse.

When she arrived at her home, Jolene rushed into the cabin and began to frantically pack supplies into her traveling sack. Henri and Lafayette came in and saw her shoving stuff into the sack, panicking at the same time.  Mignon sat in the corner, watching with concern.

Lafayette went over and held her shoulder.
"Douce fille, you must calm yourself down."
"Calm down?! How could I, with Richard being near where I live. If I go out in town again, he'll catch me and make me his servant again. I'm afraid he'll do something much worse to me this time."
Jolene started to sob and Lafayette wrapped her in his arm, trying to calm her down in soothing French.
"Calme-toi, Mon amour. Calme toi. Je suis juste ici."

"Oh, Gilbert, I'm so scared," Jolene wailed into Lafayette's chest.
"You don't have to. As long as I'm here with here, you'll be okay."
"With me, too," Henri piped in, embracing Jolene.
"I'll make sure he'll think twice before coming near you."
After a moment, Jolene said,
"I don't know where I'll go after I leave from here."
"Where you'll be going is with me," Lafayette replied.

Jolene looked up.
"What do you mean, Gilbert?"
"I want to take you in, as my daughter. I know you're very alone and in need of a family. I just can't let you roam around by yourself anymore, looking behind your back in paranoia. I was fond and cared about you the moment  you were born, as much as if you were a child of my own. Now I want you to be my own."

Jolene shook her head.
"No, Gilbert, I possibly can't. All who I need to look after me is myself."

Lafayette became slightly stern with her.
"Jolene, I won't take no for an answer. I've let you live by yourself long enough. I must not let anything els bad to happed to you. I know deep in my heart they'd wanted to let me take you in."

"Come on, Jolene," Henri pleaded.
"You can't turn this down. Gilbert will be much of a good father for you. Heck, I would do anything to be in your position for him to be my dad. Just say yes, please."

Jolene paused, reflecting on how she is going to respond. It is true that she saw Lafayette much like a father figure to her in her life, and had been a huge part of her parents's life, not to mention being a dear friend of her father's.
It was also true that she was tired of being alone, and yearned to have a family of her own once again. And it would definitely true that she was horribly afraid of Richard finding her, and she knew she couldn't be on her own if that happened.

Right then and there, Jolene started to feel a ton of love and gratitude from Lafayette. She realize that he needed her, and that she needed him.
At that moment, Jolene made her decision.
"Oui. I'll be your daughter, Gilbert. Just hold me, please!"
Jolene threw herself into her new father's arm, sobbing. Lafayette hugged her back, smiling but with tears streaming down his eyes.
"I'll always protect you, Jolene. I promised to your father up in heaven that I'll always take care of you and will never let anything els hurt you, ever again."

Jolene felt the warmth that radiated from Lafayette's kindness, and after a long time of six years, she finally felt the love and comfort of a family that she always yearned to have.

Henri watched the touching scene, and was more than happy for Jolene at that moment. He knew that she was in good hands now, as Lafayette made a devoting father. Henri also made sure to himself that he'll always be there and protect Jolene, no matter what's happens, and he was very much going to stick to that promise.