by Rue Volley
“Spill it.” I said as I closed the door behind him.
Josh took his hand down from over his eyes and stared at him.
“Why are you all quiet and shit?” Josh asked him.
Johnathan glanced at him and then back to me.
“You are making me nervous.” I said.
Johnathan sighed and pulled out a letter. He held it in his hand and then looked at me. The letter looked like it had been wadded up and unfolded again.
I reached out and took it from him, and he let me have it.
I opened it up and started to read.
Dear Johnathan
I know it has been five years since we last spent time together, I can’t explain all the reasons why I never wanted any contact… maybe I was scared, because I love you.
I looked at Johnathan and smiled.
“This is from Brooke.” I said.
He nodded and looked at the letter in my hand. I looked back at the whiter than white paper and continued to read.
I will tell you that not a day has gone by since that night that I have not thought of you and how your skin felt…
“Oh my.” I said as I lowered the letter and looked at him.
“Wanna just tell me? I mean I think I am about to read some personal stuff.” I asked him.
Josh leaned up and grinned.
“Give it to me.” He said.
I looked at him and rolled my eyes.
“Just settle down.” I said.
Theo stood up and took the letter from me and started to read it as he paced.
He suddenly stopped and looked at Johnathan.
“Oh dear.” He said as he folded the letter and held it out to Johnathan, who took it and stared at it in his hand.
“Right?” Johnathan asked him.
Theo took a long drink from his tea like it contained alcohol and Josh stood up and crossed his arms on his chest.
“Okay d bag… enough of the crap, give it up.” Josh said.
Johnathan looked at him and back at the letter.
“Brooke has died.” He said.
I sucked in my breath and looked at him.
“Oh god… Johnathan, I am so sorry.” I said.
Josh uncrossed his arms and looked at him.
“Was it you?” Josh asked him.
Johnathan looked at him and crinkled his eyebrows.
“No ass… it was not. She was in an accident. This letter also contains a P.S from her parents, just letting me know what happened… kinda,” he said.
“So what ‘kinda’ happened?” Josh asked him.
I looked at Johnathan’s face and tried to understand, I mean Johnathan cared for Brooke a great deal and we all thought that they would be together, we really did.
Five years ago they seemed happy, very happy and then Brooke left and Johnathan didn’t want to talk about it at all. In fact, he kind of took a trip. One that kept him gone for half a year and then when he did return he never talked about her and Josh left him alone, much to my surprise. I did too, because Johnathan is a talker and to have him not talk means that he doesn’t want too, and I can respect that.
We all stood there while Johnathan took a breath and clutched the letter in his hand. I looked at it and stepped towards him.
“If you want, we can walk… just talk or whatever.” I said.
Johnathan looked up at me and his eyes looked weird. The whole dying part of the equation was hitting him like a brick wall. I bit my lip and glanced at Theo, who at this point had stopped pacing and stood there like he was hurt too.
“Listen, I liked Brooke a lot… she was nice.” I said.
Johnathan looked at Theo and then back at me.
“Her parents want me to travel to them, overseas. They have things that Brooke wanted me to have.” He said.
“So she was in London?” I asked him.
He nodded and looked at Josh.
Josh cracked his neck by rolling his head around on his shoulders, which grosses me out by the way.
“Fine… I will go with you.” Josh said.
I had to grin, just had too. Josh has been riding Jonathan’s ass for so long that you would think that he hated him, but in the end they love each other too. Josh would never ever say that, but I know he cares. Johnathan cleared his throat and looked at me.
“Will you come?” he asked me.
I looked at Theo.
“Oh…umm, well… Gracie..” I started to say.
Theo stepped up and smiled.
“Gracie will be just fine, right here with me.” He said.
I looked at Josh and then at Johnathan, who looked more like a child just hoping that his parents would say ‘yes’, then my friend asking me a favor.
I sighed and pushed my hair over my ear.
“Okay… okay.” I said.
Johnathan pulled out three tickets and looked at us. I grinned; he must have known that we would not deny him… I mean come on, how could we? Josh laughed and looked at Theo and held up his finger.
“Make sure that she eats.” He said.
“Oh please.” Theo said as he turned and walked into the kitchen.
“I am serious… you know how she refuses to do things.” Josh said.
I touched Josh’s arm and smiled at him.
“Theo knows how to handle Gracie.” I said.
Josh sighed and looked at Johnathan.
“Why fly? I mean we could portal.” Josh said.
“I just... we are flying.” Johnathan said.
“Well, how the hell am I supposed to get my blades through the airport?” Josh asked him.
“You won’t need them… Jonah and Lily are there, they will meet us.” Johnathan said.
I smiled. It had been over two years since Jonah and Lily had been home. They decided to travel, which I don’t blame them. In all truth, they had taken Lizzy back to London, her true home and she asked them to accompany her. I guess she felt like the demons still haunted her and Jonah felt obligated to make her safe. I don’t blame him, but we do miss him… well… Theo most of all. He doesn’t talk about it much, like he did in the beginning… but like most things, memories dull over time but not heartache. I looked at Josh and grinned.
“Road trip.” I said as I bolted towards the stairs and ran up them. Josh watched me and looked back at Johnathan.
“We better not need my blades dude… that is all I am going to say.”
“Trust me.” Johnathan said.
“Uh huh… yea.” Josh said as he turned and looked at the staircase before running up them and down the hallway.
Theo and Johnathan stood there, silence between them. Johnathan cleared his throat.
“Thank you.” He said.
Theo nodded.
“I would assume that you will talk before landing?” Theo asked him.
Johnathan looked at the stairs and back at him.
“Sure…” he said.
I stepped into our room, my parents’ old one and looked around. I had moved some things from my old room into this one, but I left some things behind, for Gracie. Like the stars and planets on the ceiling. So many nights I had laid there on my old bed, with her lying next to me asking what was what and I was more than happy to tell her. Gracie, not unlike myself, wanted to know everything… but like Josh, got bored quickly and moves onto the next thingy. She does call everything ‘thingys’ and I won’t lie… I love that. I just wish that Sara was here to see her, but I guess in the greater scope of things, she already knows Gracie, as she does everyone… since she is the creator… which still freaks me out a little. I mean Sara, the creator… loving dances, and dresses and using words like ‘Omg’ and ‘girlie’. I grinned when Josh stepped into the room and looked at me.
“I want you to be very aware of where we are going.” He said.
I sighed and looked at the dresser with a thousand pictures on it.
“I know.” I said as I bit my lip, settling my gaze on a picture of the three of us. Me, Josh and Gracie�
� smiling.
“London is a hot bed for rogues and…”
I looked at him and smiled.
“Really? I mean I do know.” I said.
Josh walked to the closet and started to pull clothes out of it. We both looked when Gracie cleared her little throat and I smiled at her.
“Where ya goin'?” she asked.
I looked at Josh and back at her. I walked to her and leaned down, staring at her perfect little face.
“Johnathan asked for us to take a trip with him, it won’t be long.” I said.
“To see Brooke?” she asked.
I stood up and looked at Josh, he shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, yes… kinda, we have to go and get some things that Brooke wants Johnathan to have.”
Gracie smiled and looked at Josh.
“Johnathan gave her lots of kisses.” She said.
“Uh huh.” I said as I looked at Josh and he grinned, still pulling clothes out of the closet. Josh must have blabbed, to our five-year-old… perfect.
“Johnathan and Brooke were good friends.” I said.
“He humped her.” Gracie said and I caught a laugh in my throat and shook my head.
Josh smiled and looked at me and then at her.
“You don’t have to repeat everything.” He said.
Gracie giggled and ran back into her room and I crossed my arms and stared him down.
“What?” Josh asked me.
“Some things need to have a filter on them.” I said.
“Oh come on.” Josh said as he laughed and pulled out a bag.
“She is five.” I said.
“Uh huh… like that counts Rue, she is a protector.” He said.
“Well… just, oh I don’t know.” I said.
Josh smiled and walked up to me.
He placed his hand on my face and I looked down.
“We got time for some freaky before we leave.” He whispered.
“No freaky…” I said.
He leaned into my ear and let his breath tickle it. I hunched my shoulders and he kissed it.
“Seriously, we have to go.” I said.
Josh stood up and placed his hands on my waist and pulled me to him. I grinned and looked at his face, which looked just as pretty as the first day I met him... so long ago.
“I want to make your heart skip a few beats.” He said.
My heart fluttered in my chest as usual and he smiled and looked at my boobies. I looked at his neck, noticing his heart beat making his vein pulsate.
“I… uhhh… no.” I said.
Josh let me go and grinned.
“I will get you on the plane.” He said.
“Uh huh.” I said, feeling like a sixteen year old again as he stared me down.
I ducked him, just knowing that if I stood there any longer I would throw him on the bed and hit the ‘not good’ part of this conversation. There was so much that can be said for want… much more for need. I need Josh, like air and water and he knows because he feels the same for me. The fact that we are the sword and shield of the creator…makes our bond so intense and so understandable. Not to say that we wouldn’t want each other anyway… but I am certain that it doesn’t help. On top of that, we are twenty-one forever, and that in itself is crazy. I wouldn’t know how I would feel older, I mean that will never come… but 21 is a crazy age, one that has your hormones jacked and everything seems to be more intense. Josh turned and grinned at me as I pulled the dresser drawer open and started to pull things out of it.
“How long?” I asked.
He looked at the bed, where he had thrown some things.
“Oh, I could go forever.” He said with his wicked grin.
I grinned at him, knowing that he was still talking about the "humping” as he had obviously mentioned to Gracie.
“No… no, not that… this trip.” I said as I giggled.
Josh walked to the bed and started to shove things into a bag.
“Well… it is Johnathan; he can make anything seem like years.” He said.
I laughed and hit him with a pair of my jeans in the back and he turned and smiled at me.
“I don’t know baby… maybe a week.” He said.
“Huh.” I said as I looked back in the drawer and then let my eyes wander to the top of our dresser. So many pictures… of happiness, stared back at me.
Gracie, at one, when she decided to start talking.
Gracie, at two…when she decided to start reading.
Gracie at three, when she wanted a kitty… that we still cannot find by the way… I think she hid him out in the forest… but we cannot be sure.
My eyes settled on a group photo…of all of us, including Johnathan and Brooke. They looked happy in the photo and I stared at the two of them for a moment… Johnathan, with his arm around her waist and Brooke grinning, like she had won the lottery. I touched the frame and Josh cleared his throat.
“I liked her.” He said.
I looked at him and had a small but painful grin on my face.
“Yea… I did too, but I feel bad for Johnathan.” I said.
“Yea… well, we should go.” He said.
I watched Josh walk out, carrying a black bag and looked back at the photo of all of us on that sunny day. I couldn’t imagine losing my mate… can’t even consider the loneliness that would come with it. I picked up the photo and stared at Brooke’s face and a flash of memory came back. I saw her at the desk at the library; nose in a book… glasses on, and sighed. She was a pretty girl, and Johnathan deserves happiness. My heart ached for him, as I thought about how I would feel if I lost my mate. Omg, no way. I couldn’t imagine a day without Josh, or any of them for that matter. Gracie, most of all. She stole my heart the moment I saw her and I knew she was inside of me… which is a story all by itself, that I may write down someday… but that day was Jonathan’s day, and we were to travel with him to end this chapter and hopefully give him some peace.
I finished packing up whatever I could and walked past Gracie’s room… my old one. She lay on the bed staring at the stars and planets on the ceiling and I smiled. She looked at me and sat up smiling.
“Come here baby.” I said.
She jumped off the bed and did a jump at me and I caught her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I walked down stairs with her and stopped at the foot of the stairs. Gracie leaned up and touched my face.
“I love you Mommy.” She whispered.
I grinned, I don’t care how many times she says it… it feels great every single time.
“I love you too Boo bear.” I said.
She giggled and Josh stepped up and she lunged from me to him.
“Now listen… no flashy thingy.” Josh said.
Gracie grinned and nodded.
“No playing with the mirrors.” He added.
“Oh.” She said as her grin faded.
“No.” Josh said as he jiggled her.
“And eat.” He added.
Gracie smiled and touched his lips. He stood there and stared at her face like she was the only thing he could see.
“Okay?” he asked her as he raised his eyebrows.
“Uh huh.” Gracie said as she traced his lips with her fingers and he sighed.
Watching him with her always makes me feel all warm inside. There he was, probably the fiercest warrior I had ever seen, or the world had ever known, and she melts him every time… with one little look, one touch to his face.
Josh grinned and she hugged him tight around the neck.
“Listen to Theo… he is on point.” He said to her.
She nodded and I looked at Theo and grinned.
“On point.” Gracie said as she pointed at Theo who smiled at her.
“Yes dear… now let’s eat something.”
Josh sat her down and she reached out to Theo’s hand and he took it and leaned down, kissing the back of it.
“I will ask that you listen.” He said to her.
She twisted her foot a
nd grinned at him.
Theo smiled and stood back up and looked at the two of us.
“Johnathan is in the car, be safe.” He said.
Josh nodded to him and glanced at Gracie.
“Be weary.” He said.
Theo nodded and I hugged him and looked around the room. Once again ready to venture out and see the world… in all its glory and menace.
“Let’s roll.” I said as I walked to the door and out into the sunlight. I looked up and watched the birds swoop overhead… three of them and grinned when I saw Jonathan’s black car sitting in our driveway. Josh stepped up behind me and leaned in.
“Wanna make out in the backseat?” he whispered.
I smiled and shook my head ‘no’ as we walked down the steps. He lifted me up and then placed me back down at the bottom of the steps and I laughed.
Felt like a deja vu… uh oh.
***
We had driven for an hour, and I had placed my earplugs in and was contently jamming to yet another amazing band, this one utilizing drums and a flute that sounded like whoever was playing it was possessed with the cool bug and I looked over and saw Johnathan and Josh in the front seat, Josh’s hands moving as he spoke and Johnathan hunching his shoulders. Whatever the conversation consisted of, you could bet that Josh was using the word ‘ass’ or ‘idiot’ and I pulled one plug out and looked at the back of Josh’s head.
“Tell me why.” Josh said as he paused.
Johnathan glanced in the rearview and our eyes met, he looked tired and I suddenly felt the need to break it up.
“I am hungry.” I said.
Josh looked back at me and grinned.
“I got something...”
“Shut up.” I said as I swiped at his head and he ducked me.
“Johnathan, stop at the next place you see… we have time right?” I asked him.
Johnathan grinned and winked at me. The silent ‘thank you for saving me from talking to your boy look’ he has given me on a few different occasions. The truth was that Josh does care about Johnathan, but he cannot stop messing with him, although Johnathan asks for it most days. So, I guess I shouldn’t worry… it seemed like Johnathan loved to verbally joust with Josh, but that day was different, and I once again felt protective of him. He does have human in him, by the way… unlike us.