Jett laughed. “Hey, I said it wasn’t anything bad. Relax will ya?”
“I will as soon as you tell me.”
“Okay, okay…” Jett said. “He’s conscious.”
“What?” Daniella shrieked. “When? Since when?”
“Early this morning. I called down there to check up on him and they told me he was awake and talkative.”
“That’s incredible news…” she began. “Have you been to see him yet?”
“No,” he replied. “I thought we could go by after we visit the cemetery, if that’s okay with you.”
“Uh! Of course it is! Oh my God, that’s such good news…”
Daniella meant it. Suffice it to say, concern over what Jett planned to do about Kane, especially without Owen’s help, clouded her mind. Owen in any conscious condition meant they had a chance. Relief didn’t do an adequate job to explain the emotion she experienced when Jett told her about it.
And so, just after Daniella got off from work, she drove to Jett’s folks’ house. They all piled in David’s car and headed over to the cemetery. For the first half of the twenty-minute drive, much of the conversation revolved around the topic of Owen and his miraculous recovery. In spite of that exciting news, soon the focus turned towards the immediate future.
Daniella sensed Jett’s growing discomfort as the minutes passed. And, she wasn’t alone. Jo noticed it as well but like a good mom, she tried to put a positive face on and lighten the mood, if only a little. Within minutes, Jett’s folks shared some hilarious stories about the kinds of trouble the brothers often found themselves in when they were young. As his parents recounted some of their misdeeds, Jett dismissed half of them, and as for the rest he claimed he didn’t remember the details.
“You were a little bad boy, weren’t you?” Jo asked.
“No,” he insisted. “It was all Wyatt’s doing…”
“Hah!” Jo scoffed. “Poor Wyatt got himself mixed up in any scheme Jett concocted.”
She laughed for several seconds as Jett waived his hand at her in a dismissive gesture. As her laughter subsided, a soft, sad smile broke across her face.
“He loved you so much, Jett.” She said as she reached and placed her hand on his leg.
Jett nodded. “I know he did. I loved him too. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone.”
As Jett spoke, Daniella noticed tears start to pool in Jo’s eyes. With a sniffle, she attempted to stifle them before they started to flow in earnest. Daniella moved forward to embrace her but Jo interrupted her.
“No, I… I’m alright.” She said as she pulled a tissue from her purse. “Thank you sweetie.”
“Are you sure?” Daniella asked.
“Yes, I’ve cried my share of tears over all of this.” Jo replied. “I’ll probably never stop completely but I suppose that’s what happens in situations of sudden loss.”
Daniella smiled as she spoke and rubbed her on the arm.
“Coming up,” David interrupted. “Next turn on the right.”
Jo turned back around in her seat and faced forward. A couple of minutes later, David drove the vehicle near the gravesite and parked. Daniella had no siblings of her own. She often wondered what it might be like to have a brother or sister. It didn’t matter so much if they might be older or younger than her, it was more about the relationship. Sure, her friends fought with their siblings all the time growing up and sometimes even more as adults. Still, an unspoken bond existed in every one of the relationships.
Jett opened the door and as he did, David said, “Do you want us to come with you or do you want a minute alone first?”
“You must have read my mind, Pop.” Jett replied. “If you don’t mind, I would like to have some time to myself first.”
“No problem,” David replied as he reached over and took Jo’s hand. “Just wave for us when you are ready and we’ll come over.”
“Will do.” Jett replied. He stepped out of the car and looked at Daniella. “You ready?”
“Yeah…” she nodded.
Hand in hand, Daniella and Jett started to walk towards the tombstone after David pointed it out to them. As they crossed the vast expanse of freshly mowed grass, Daniella squeezed Jett’s hand.
“How are you?” She asked.
“Oh, you know…” he said. “About as good as could be expected.”
Daniella nodded as they continued.
“There it is…” he said as he gestured to a stone about twenty feet ahead of them.
A few seconds later, they stopped and looked down at the burial plot. Jett remained silent as they stood together and held hands. She wasn’t sure what to do until she noticed drops of wetness splash against the flat marble stone on the ground in front of her. They didn’t come from the clouds but rather from Jett’s cheeks. Daniella felt a lump collect in her throat as she wrapped her arms around him. Emotion swelled in his body as the stark reality of the moment hit home for him at last.
“Fuck!” Jett exclaimed as the grief took hold. He broke free from Daniella’s grasp and dropped to his knees in line with the tombstone. Tears came to Daniella’s eyes as she knelt down and put her arm around his shoulder.
“I did this to him,” he said. “It’s my fault.”
“Jett, no… it isn’t.” She pleaded. “You couldn’t have known. There was no way. Wyatt is a victim of circumstances.”
Jett didn’t turn to face her but continued to stare straight ahead. “Should’ve been me…” he mumbled. “It’s all my fault…”
“Jett, please, stop saying that…” she begged. Daniella pulled Jett close as sadness overwhelmed him.
For several minutes, Daniella continued to hold Jett as he wept. When the initial surge passed, he seemed to regain his awareness a bit. As he pulled away from her, he shook his head in disbelief.
“Why?” He began. “Why did this have to happen to him?”
Daniella rubbed his back and considered a response of some kind. But nothing seemed appropriate in the moment. Even so, she felt the need to say something… anything… to help alleviate his pain. She started to open her mouth and offer the first words that came to mind but as she did a sudden interruption distracted her.
“Boy,” A familiar voice said from behind. “The question ain’t why did this have to happen. The question is what are you gonna do about it?”
Daniella’s heart skipped a beat as she spun in place and looked back in the direction of the sound.
“Owen!” She shrieked. “Jett! Look!”
In the midst of his stupor, Jett turned back to see the old bear shifter within a few yards of them. Daniella kissed Jett on the cheek, jumped to her feet, and started to run towards him. Jett stood as she did and began to walk in Owen’s direction as well.
Daniella crashed into him and nearly knocked him down in the process.
“Whoa!” Owen said as he braced himself upon her impact. “Easy now… I just got out of the hospital, you know?”
She broke free of him and said, “But… how? I don’t understand. How are you here right now?”
Before he could reply, Jett walked towards him. “Owen,” he began. “Man, am I glad to see you.”
Owen winked at him. “I imagine that you are son.”
In the distance, Daniella saw Billy’s patrol car parked. He stood next to Jett’s parents’ car and chatted with them.
Daniella looked him up and down. “So… are you all better? What’s going on?”
“I’m well enough.” He replied.
“Good,” Jett began. “You had us worried there for a while.”
A glimmer came to Owen’s eyes followed by a smile filled with swagger. “You didn’t really think I’d check out like that, did ya son?”
“I hoped not but it looked bleak when you were in the coma.”
He finished shaking Jett’s hand and as he did, he pulled him close. “You ready to take that motherfucker down for what he’s done here?”
Jett’s eyes widened at the impl
ication. “Hell, yes.”
“Good because it’s him or us.” Owen said as he nodded in the direction of Wyatt’s grave. “If we both aren’t careful, we’ll wind up right there next to him.”
A few minutes later Billy, David, and Jo made their way over.
“I imagine this caught you two by surprise.” Billy said as they approached.
“It did,” Jett nodded. “But for once in a good way.”
“Well,” Billy began. “Now that he’s better, you need to figure out what to do next. And you need to figure it out quick.”
“I know,” Jett replied. “Believe me.”
***
Several hours later, Jett and Daniella arrived back her apartment. David and Jo took Owen in for the night. They lived closer to the hospital anyway so if something happened to go wrong, they’d be able to get him there in minutes. Before they left his folks’ house, Jett and Owen spent thirty minutes or so and talked on the front porch. They didn’t invite anyone else out to talk, Daniella included. As much as she wanted to be involved, and in some ways felt as if she should be, Daniella resisted the urge to insert herself into the conversation. But after they arrived back at her place, her curiosity got the better of her.
“So what did you and Owen talk about earlier?” She asked.
He shrugged. “I really can’t say.”
“What?” She replied in an incredulous tone. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not something we’re discussing with anyone. That’s all.”
Daniella scoffed. “No, Jett. This is bullshit… You’re not keeping me in the dark. Not after all this time.”
“Look Daniella,” he began. “I’m not going to mince words. You can’t come with us to Fesser’s Grove so what we talked about isn’t of any importance to you.”
Daniella shook her head. To her, it sounded like Jett told her she couldn’t go with him. That wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.
“Um, excuse me?” She replied. “What did you just say? Tell me I didn’t hear that correctly.”
“You did.” He replied with zero emotion or hesitation. “You aren’t going.”
“Well, if that’s what you think, you are out of your mind, Jett. Nothing could stop me.”
“I can. And I will.” He said as he stood up. “Fesser’s Grove is no place for you. You have to understand. Kane… his men… they are bad people. That’s all there is to it. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to you.”
“Well I don’t care, Jett!” Daniella exclaimed. “What about me? What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and wait to hear whether or not you’ve been killed?”
He dismissed her concern with a casual wave of his hand. “That’s not going to happen.”
“How the hell can you be so sure?” She demanded.
“Because Owen and I have a plan.”
“That plan better include me.” She said as she placed her hands on her hips.
“It doesn’t and it won’t…” he replied. “I’m sorry Daniella but that’s the way it has to be.”
“The hell it does!” She screamed as she threw her arms in the air.
Jett closed the distance between them. “Daniella, you have no clue what you are talking about. I do. I am one of them. This is no place for you… your kind.”
“My kind?” She said. “What do you mean by that? A woman?”
“No,” Jett said as he shook his head. “I mean, humans…”
“What?” Daniella replied.
“Look,” he began as he looked into her eyes. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. More than I can ever begin to express but this is not your battle. This world I’m part of doesn’t involve you and doesn’t concern you.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “So what the hell are you saying, Jett? That you don’t want me involved with you because I’m a human?” She choked. “Because that’s what it sounds like… and feels like.”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying… not at all.” He replied. “All I’m telling you is that this is a part of my life that doesn’t require your involvement and that it’s best if you stay here in Pine Hill… where it’s safe.”
Daniella shook her head. “That’s really interesting Jett because I don’t have ‘parts of my life that don’t require your involvement’…” She said. “You are my life. What’s all this shit about me staying safe? Cut the crap, Jett…”
“That’s not what I meant, Daniella. You know that.” He replied. “You aren’t listening to what I’m trying to tell you.”
Anger seethed in her veins as she looked at him. She couldn’t believe he was serious but by the look on his face, he made his mind up long before their conversation started. Daniella felt a sudden rush of lightheadedness and in fact, she thought she would faint or possibly even vomit.
“I’m going to be sick…” she said as she turned around and headed towards the bathroom. Once inside, she slammed the door behind her, locked it, and dropped to her knees.
“Uh… oh… oh no…” she groaned as she knelt over the toilet.
“Daniella,” Jett said as he knocked on the door. “Open up!”
“No!” She barked. “Leave me alone. You asshole!”
No sooner did she finish cursing him out than she began to throw up. It was awful. She was a jumble of nervous energy. The pressure was too much to withstand. After she finished, she flushed the toilet and collapsed against the wall.
“Daniella…” Jett said as he knocked softly on the door. “Please, open up.”
Sweat beaded on her upper lip and forehead. “Jett…” she gasped. “Please, just leave me alone for a few minutes. Please…”
Moments later, his grip loosened on the knob and afterward she heard his footsteps move away from the door and back down the hall. For several minutes, she remained still and tried to collect her thoughts. It was no use. She was so angry with him. How could he do this to her? Why would he do this to her? Fifteen minutes later after brushing her teeth and gargling with mouthwash, Daniella came out of the bathroom. Jett sat on the floor in the hallway as she walked up to him.
“Are you okay?” He asked as he looked up at her.
“A little better, yeah…” she replied as she rubbed her stomach.
“I’m sorry.” Jett replied. “I didn’t mean to upset you but I’m not changing my mind about any of this. I hope you understand.”
Daniella nodded and then stepped over him as she walked towards her bedroom.
“Hey,” he said as she passed by. “Where are you going?”
She disappeared into her room. After a bit of commotion and a loud thud, Daniella reappeared in the doorway to her room. In her arms, she held blankets and a pillow.
“Oh I understand, Jett…” she said as she walked towards him.
She dropped the pillows and blankets on top of his head. “I understand you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.”
“Wait…” he replied as he pulled the fabric away from his face. “The couch? What?”
“You heard what I said.” She replied as she turned away from him and walked back towards her bedroom. She grabbed onto the doorknob and looked back at him. “And we aren’t done with this conversation. Not by a long shot.”
***
Jett stood up from the floor and marched in her direction. Daniella hurried to close the door before he reached her but he managed to block her at the last instant. She leaned her body against it as Jett applied pressure from the other side.
“Daniella…” he began as she grunted and tried to slam the door closed on him. “Why are you acting like this?”
“You know why, Jett!” she yelled. “Now, go to the couch. I don’t want to talk to you right now.”
“No…” he replied. “That’s not going to happen. Let me in.”
“No, Jett!” she said as she banged against the door with her shoulder. Daniella felt her strength start to slip away from her as the moments ticked by. Jett was much too strong for her to f
end off for much longer.
“I’m coming in,” he warned as he leaned into the door. As he did, she lost her balance a bit and before she realized it, he burst through the door and sent her crashing to the ground in the process.
“God damn it, Jett!” Daniella said as she landed on the ground butt first. “I told you I didn’t want you coming in here. Now, leave!”
“I’m not going anywhere, Daniella…” he said. “Not until we talk about this.”
As he spoke, Jett approached and attempted to help her stand. Indignant, she swatted at as his hand as he drew closer.
“No!” she exclaimed. “I don’t need your help.”
Jett raised his hands in mock surrender as she slowly got to her feet on her own.
“You’re a real jerk. You know that?” she said as she stood.
“Well, if caring about what happens to you makes me a jerk, then I guess I am.” He replied. With that, he closed the distance between them and deftly wrapped his arms around her midsection.
“Hey…” she said as she struggled to break free. “What are you… doing? I’m really pissed at you right now.”
“Are you?” he asked as he looked into her eyes.
“Yes!” she said as turned her head and averted his gaze. “I am!”
“Well you know,” he began. “They say that you really shouldn’t go to bed angry.”
“Who?” she said with anger as she snapped her head back in his direction. “Who says that?”
Jett shrugged as a sly smile came to his face. “Really smart people who know about those sorts of things.”
“No you don’t…” she warned. “Don’t.”
“What?” he asked as he pulled her close. “Don’t what? Is it so wrong to want to be close to you?”
Daniella quickly brought her arms to her chest, crossed them, and looked up to the ceiling.
“That’s not what I mean,” she protested. “And you know it.”
Jett fell silent for a moment and then nuzzled his mouth towards her exposed neck. Chills ran down her spine as he moved close and hovered above her milky flesh.
“What…” he began as he kissed her. “Did you… mean… then?” he continued. With every pause, he kissed her and with each tender show of affection, her defenses weakened.
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