by Jean Kelso
Sean’s father and Jenn’s father had become rivals while the pair of them were in school together. He learned all about it as he got older. The fight for territory for buying and selling their merchandise was a blind spot to Jenn, but it was not so much for Sean. Having older brothers that partook in the business, brought Sean into the loop. Once Sean got involved, he did everything he could to prevent Jenn from knowing about it. And to do so, as time went, he withdrew himself from her life, little by little with hopes that she would not notice what was happening right in her own neighborhood. With the exception of hanging with her on their pre-planned nights, Sean began to distance himself.
He found a black knap sack in her closet, looked like the one she may have used for yoga, and started to load the bag with the listed items as he found them. The list consisted of personal items like clothing, undergarments, running shoes, personal hygiene products, and lastly a locket. It was described to be a thin silver chain with a heart shaped silver decal pendant on the end which framed a blazing blue diamond. He went over to her dresser and on top sat a black marble jewelry box. He opened the box and sitting right inside sat the locket. He grabbed it and left the room. Once he packed everything in the bag, an idea occurred to him. He thought that if he wasn’t allowed to mention anything to her, maybe a visual hint maybe suffice to get her mind moving. When Sean was looking over the photos on her mantle beside the TV, he noticed an old photo that shocked him. It was a picture of him, Jenn and her mother about a week before her mother passed. He remembered that day well. That day was an unforgettable day for him. It was the first day of spring, and they had their first barbecue of the season. They had flown kites and rode bikes together while Jenn’s parents watched over them. It was also the day he finally realized he was in love Jenn. He never told her, she was still too young, as was he. He was not ready to ruin the friendship they had at a young age. He grabbed the photo and jammed it into the bag. He let himself out of the house and locked it up tight.
Sean returned to his home later than he expected. Jake was sitting on the couch drinking a beer. Once Jake noticed him, he chugged the beer down and got up, jacket in hand. Jake kept his head down, as he walked out.
“See ya, Jake.” Sean yelled after him. That was strange he thought, usually Jake was more talkative. Sean set the bag down by the hallway and went to retrieve a beer for himself. He needed to calm his nerves before he went in to see Jenn.
Sean
Two beers and a roast beef sandwich later, Sean was feeling much calmer and ready to deal with Jenn. He put his mask on, grabbed the bag and walked down to her room. He stood there for a moment, listened. It was too quiet; maybe she was sleeping. He unlocked the door, opened it and started to walk in. The room was dark, but he could make out the lump on the bed. The lump would be Jenn curled up under the blankets. He could hear her soft breaths coming in and out slowly. He quietly advanced further into the room with the bag and started to put the items in place. He put the clothing in the dresser drawers and set the photograph on the night stand along with the locket. He glanced down at what should have been her beautiful face and gasped. She was sporting a blackened eye, she had dry blood around her nose and her lip was split. Shit, what the hell!
Jenn seemed to wake when he got closer to the bed, she peeked up at him and started yelling. “Please, no more.” Then she tried to cover her face with her hands.
“Oh, Christ, Jenn, I am not going to hurt you. Shit!” Sean reached out to touch her, but saw her flinch so he backed off. “Did the other man do this? Please, tell me what happened.” He tried to plead with his eyes. He had never seen her hurt like this before, not once in all the years he had known her. Seeing the injuries made him ache inside.
“He… he….” She stuttered. After taking a few breaths, she spoke again. “He touched me, he grabbed me and….” The tears started to run down her cheeks. “He pulled me down on the bed.” She sobbed louder. “I tried to fight him, and I hit him. He got mad.”
“For fuck sakes, he was told to leave you alone, god damn it!” Sean was pissed. He stood and started to pace the room. Clenching his fists, gritting his teeth, angry that he trusted Jake with her. What the hell was he even thinking? He knew Jake was a total prick and rough with the ladies. Why couldn’t his brother listen to him for at least once in his fucked up life.
He didn’t know how he could let his father even consider causing any harm to sweet innocent Jenn. To allow him to use her as a pawn, a toy. He began to internally fight with himself. He needed to fix this right away. “Jenn.” He looked into her eyes, pleading with her. He reached over to the photo and grabbed it. He handed it to her and watched for her reaction. “Here, I brought this from your house. It looked like a special picture, so I thought you’d like it.”
“You were in my home again?” She screeched out, then looked down at the picture and seemed to go into a daze.
Watching her eyes flicker from person to person in the frame, the emotions spread across her face. An ache formed in his chest.
“Want to talk about it?” Sean probed. Getting her to talk was something he remembered being good at years ago. He needed to grab at at least one memory so he could empathize, attempt to earn some trust from her.
She seemed to be debating amongst her thoughts. Trying to decide whether to talk or not, he wasn’t sure. He heard a little sigh come from her.
“Well the little girl is me, of course, and that beautiful woman there is my mom. She’s no longer with us, and the devilish handsome young man was my savior, Sean. He was my world, my rock. He disappeared once we got older, and I miss him very much.” She looked up from the photo to him with tears in her eyes.
Sean’s heart sank. He didn’t realize how much hurt he had caused her when he distanced himself from her. Back then, he had known it was for the best. The look of sadness in her eyes now, he knew he was going to be a dead man. He couldn’t do this job as his father wanted any more. He couldn’t do this job, any job, period. “Jenn, I’m sorry you are hurting. I am very sorry that that man hurt you. I’m sorry that your mother is gone. I am also very, very sorry that your friend has not been there for you, protecting you from what you are going through now.” He wasn’t sure if he just wrote his own death certificate, or if Jenn would understand, or if she would even let him explain after he did what he was struggling to do next. Or if she would just flat out hate him.
“You don’t know about my life, the hurts, or the pain I have been through. What exactly are you apologizing for? For taking me unwillingly from my home? Drugging me and holding me captive in this room? You personally have not physically hurt me, so which are you sorry for?” She looked down at the picture once again.
He watched her tracing her fingers over the faces, stopping on his.
“Sean?” She mumbled.
He watched her gracefully handle the photo, a tear run down her cheek, she had mumbled his name. Has she figured him out yet? Is now the time to reveal himself and beg for forgiveness? Can he save them both from the massive mess they were going to be in? “Jenn,” He questioned her, “Have you figured out why you are here yet?” He backed away to give her space. If she was going to flip out, he did not want to be in the range of emotional, swinging arms.
She looked up at him with what looked like recognition. “Would it have anything to do with my mother’s death?” She appeared calm, sitting up in the bed facing him.
He was surprised she was so calm. He figured she would have reacted differently. “Partly.” He told her, “But there’s more.” He had to be honest. He couldn’t let it go on any more. He heard a slight growling sound and saw her put her hand to her stomach. Shit, he never thought to feed her, she must be starving. He grimaced at his own stupidity.
“Hungry?” He asked, “I could make you a sandwich if you like.” He stood away from the dresser and began to head towards the door.
“Please.” She responded softly.
Sean was only gone about ten minutes and return
ed with a turkey sandwich, with lettuce and mayo, just the way he remembered she liked it, and a glass of milk for her. He handed it all to her and perched against the dresser again, and watched her. She ate every bite, and drank the entire glass of milk. Damn, she sure was hungry, he thought. “Better?”
“Much, thank you. It smelled and tasted delicious.” She told him. “I need to use the bathroom again.” She spoke sheepishly. She got up from the bed, and started to walk towards the door.
He allowed her her privacy this time without question, and they returned to the room. He gave her space, not too much, but enough.
She sat on the side of the bed as he stood in the doorway. “Will you take that mask off for me?” She asked, raising her eyebrows at him.
“Are you sure you want me to do that?” He asked her with a nervous grit he was sure she could have noticed. He knew she must have figured it out. Bringing the picture was a good idea. “If I do that, you have to promise not to freak out.”
“Please just take it off, I need to know.” She twisted her hands together in her lap.
Sean took a deep breath, slowly reached up and peeled the mask off, all the while he tried to keep his eyes on her. He was ready for anything, any reaction she would throw at him. Distance was safe.
The mask came off, and he heard Jenn gasp. The hurt, the pain, the anger all flashed over her face.
“Sean! Why?” She shot off the bed and rushed him. Stopping in front of him, she lean into him and started to sob. “Why, why, why…” Her body was trembling as she weakly slapped his chest and cried.
Sean could feel prickles of tears form in his own eyes, the hurt he had caused this woman, his sweet, beautiful Jenn. He could feel each sob she produced, every tremble her body made. He reached his arms around her and took it all in. He didn’t stop her from hitting him, he knew he deserved that and much, much more. He wanted to comfort her. “Shh Jenn, I am sorry, I am so, so sorry.”
Jenn slipped through his arms and dropped to the floor in front of him. Sobbing and shaking.
Sean reached down, picked Jenn up and cradled her to his chest. He carried her over to the bed, and sat down, comforting her. Sure, he had regrets in his life, but this one was the biggest. How was he going to make this up to her? He sure had a lot of explaining to do, and then he had to get them both out of his father’s domain. He needed to get them both to safety and soon. “Oh Jenn, I never meant for any of this to happen. If I could take it all back, I would.” He started with his explanation while rocking her back and forth, rubbing her back, trying to calm her. “I am sorry Jake hurt you. I am sorry I hurt you those few years ago. I never meant to leave you alone. I hoped you would find someone, a friend of sorts. I loved you so much, I always did, but I didn’t want you to get caught up in all this shit.” Damn it was hard to get it all out, to express his feelings, to expose himself to her.
He heard her hiccup and sniffle, her sobs began to slow and she shook less. He continued, at least she was listening. “My father is a very dangerous man, and he is out for revenge. You see, you are a key part in his pathetic game he considers revenge.” He blew out a deep breath. The more he talked, the lighter his chest began to feel. He had been holding all his father’s shit in for so long, and he was done. No more.
“Revenge” She whispered softly, looking up at him. “Revenge for what? I didn’t do anything to your father.”
She was biting her lip so hard he noticed that the split in it had started to bleed again. He wanted to kill his brother for hurting her. The anger he held for him was undeniable.
“The revenge is against your father, Jenn.” He looked deep into her eyes, those beautiful blue eyes he would never forget. He moved one hand up her body and began to stroke her soft auburn hair. “Your father killed one of my father’s men, and the way my father fixes things is with revenge. Please don’t tell me you don’t remember?” He raised his eyebrows in question. “I brought that photo in hopes that you would remember. Your mother, her death, do you remember?”
After a quick look of thought she responded. “My mother was murdered, I saw it happen.”
“I know.” He sighed. “Your father stole from mine, and the price paid was the death of your mother.” He said sadly and a tear spilled from his eye.
“Your father had my mother killed?” She shrilled. She sat up fast and moved from his lap. “All these years, I thought it was just a robbery gone wrong. You mean to say, my mother’s death is my father’s fault?” She was getting angry now, her voice rising
“I am sorry Jenn, but yes. I didn’t want to believe it, but my father has old crappy video footage of proof for back then and for even now. I have never seen it myself, but it has been mentioned. Your father recently murdered his right hand man, and now my father wants revenge again.” He stood from the bed, breathing deeply in frustration and started to pace the room. “He usually would want you dead, you know ‘eye for an eye’. But when a file is started, sometimes he likes to play a game of sorts then the end game is left up to him. Once I learned who the mark was, and what the whole situation was, I couldn’t let anything happen to you. I never wanted to hurt you, Jenn. As I said, my father is a very dangerous man. He made me take this job, but I knew I couldn’t complete it like he wanted.” He let out a deep breath, a relief of getting that mouthful out.
She began pacing the room. “I need to leave. Let me out of here.” She demanded.
“I can’t just let you leave. He will hunt you down, and that will be a worse fate than where we are now. His game is in play, and I don’t know all his plans.” He went to the door to prevent her from running. “And especially now that you know, you are not safe out there, not alone. If you will trust me, I will keep you safe.” He stood in the doorway, bracing in the frame hoping she didn’t charge at him.
She laughed. “You will keep me safe?” Her voice started to rise. “The shit that has already happened so far. Look at me! Your own brother did this. One I had never met I might add. Like, what the fuck Sean. Ahhh…..” She yelled.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I truly am, Jenn, like I said my father is a very dangerous man, a very controlling one at that. He always told me that he held my life in his hands. He made me weak. But no more.” He sighed. “If I had let either of my brother’s take on this job, lord only knows what would have happened to you. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.” He shoved his hands through his thick dusty blonde hair, frustrated. “I am going to do everything in my power now to keep you from my father. You don’t deserve this. It was your father’s mistake, so he should pay, not you. Not my sweet little Jenn.” He realized his slip of calling her sweet and little immediately, he just hope she didn’t call him on it.
“How are you going to do that?” She questioned him. “You just told me if I run, he’ll find me.”
“I will not let you run alone. With me by your side, I will do my best to protect you. Plus, I was the one watching you the past few weeks. I am pretty sure there are none of his other men staking you out. But you need to know that once we run, both of our lives are on the line.” He shifted his jaw back and forth a couple times. “Can you handle that?”
“Up until you disappeared on me Sean, you were my absolute everything. Things are different now. You are different. I don’t know how much I can trust you, especially with my life.”
He walked over to her, reached out to her and grabbed for her hands. He was thankful she let him hold them. “Please, let me prove myself. Let me be that man again. I want to be that man again.” He begged.
“Okay, I will try.” She agreed with a little nod.
That made Sean breathe easier. Knowing that she was willing, made him get a move on. He had no idea what was going on in her head, but he was sure she would let him know when they had more time. He moved over to the dresser, picked up the knapsack from the floor and began to repack Jenn’s belongings. He grabbed the locket off the dresser top and admired it a moment before he put it in the bag. Lastly, he to
ok the photo from the bed and put it in the bag as well. The only thing he left out was a pair of running shoes, a pair of dark blue jeans and shirt for her to put on. “Get dressed, we need to get out of here.” He told her zipping up the bag.
Everything was moving fast now that she had agreed to try. He turned away so she could dress.
Sean had the bag hung over his shoulder and headed out of the room once he noticed Jenn was ready. He went to his own room with Jenn traveling right behind. He grabbed a bag of his own and packed some clothes, a stash of cash and personal hygiene items. When she was not looking, he reached further in a dresser drawer and pulled out his gun and some extra ammo and quickly shoved it in his bag. He needed something else for protection besides his fists. He grabbed his keys, cell phone and wallet, reached for her hand and they both jogged down the hall, and out of the house.
Once in the car, buckled in, both of them breathing heavily, Jenn spoke, “Where are we going?” She looked over at him.
“As far away from here as we can, I have some cash, and I’ll stop and take some money out before we leave town. I promise you, Jenn, I will do everything I can to keep you safe.” He looked over at her and smiled. He put the car in gear, put his foot down hard on the pedal and sped off.
Jenn
They stopped at the nearest bank machine, and they both secured as much cash as they could.
“I have cash at my house.” Jenn stated. “Stop by there. The more we have, the better, right?”
Sean drove them there, and Jenn ran in. With a quick look over, she didn’t notice anything out of place, but she knew that her space had been invaded, and it still hurt her. She tried to shake the hurt feelings, she would get over it in time.
She gathered up all her change off of the counter and a large stash of cash she had in the back of her freezer. She left hoping it wasn’t going to be the last time she saw her humble home and returned to the car. She buckled her seat belt back up, and they drove off.