Chapter 24

© Copyright 2007 by Elizabeth Delayne



Holding Trisha’s hand, Jason walked with her along the edge of the clearing, listening to the sounds of nature that had been such a balm to his soul for so long. The threat of his father was gone. It seemed so sudden. So much had changed.

Nicole. His father. The threat. Dusty.

Trisha.

And yet, even with the changes things felt settled. Right.

They’d taken his father to jail. After years of hiding behind his craft, behind even his daughter, Joe Rossi was finally paying for his crime.

If being swallowed by madness was payment enough.

Jason drew in a deep breath and tried to push away the underlying anger. It was still too soon, the experience of having both Trisha and Nicole threatened, too fresh.

But he’d gone to the jail, looked his father in they eye ... and let himself feel the pity. All the things he’d wanted to say, everything he’d thought was necessary to lay at his feet—the blame for Stan’s death, Nicole’s life, all the threats, illegal actions. None of it mattered.

Not anymore.

Not enough to say it and put it between them. It was possible his father would never know him. But maybe with time, with the right drugs, Joe Rossi would learn he’d lost more than his wife.

And if he could learn that ... maybe.

Maybe.

But he’d come home and helped prepare a meal. The three of them in the kitchen, then the four as Gabriel arrived.

And after dinner he took a walk with Trisha, and enjoyed the freedom.

He owned his own home and acres of land around it. He had a family. He had a future.

“He got her to laugh.”

Jason looked down at Trisha. “What?”

“You’re not listening to me.”

“Still working things through.”

“But you’re not stepping away,” she pointed out, squeezing his hand, “not this time.”

He shook his head. “No, I did that enough. For too long.”

She smiled.

“So who ... what was it about laughing?”

“Gabriel. Nicole was sullen, a little lost all day. Then Gabriel got here and he knew just what to do.”

“I suppose he did.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“With what?”

“Gabriel and Nicole?”

Jason looked back toward the house, pictured the two of them in the kitchen laughing over homemade ravioli. He just couldn’t picture anything more.

He didn’t want to.

“I don’t know,” he said at last. “I guess its better than the anger that I had to deal with between them before.”

“You’re not going to fight with Gabriel over this, are you?”

“Probably,” but Jason smiled. “There just enough Italian in me to make it necessary.”

“Just enough, being all Italian.”

“Highly diluted now.”

“Until you and Nicole get in a roue.”

“Some things are classic. Italian brothers and sisters, at least from our neighborhood, are supposed to yell at each other.”

Trisha laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked along.

“I’m going to miss her when she moves out.”

Jason frowned. “She’s not going anywhere.”

“She won’t stay once we’re married. Unless you can talk into her something different. I’ve been trying, but she thinks we’ll need our own space. She think’s you’ll want it.”

“I suppose there will be an apartment in town opening up when you get married.”

“There will be.”

“Then there’s nothing to worry about,” Jason said, wondering if he could be so calm when it came time to make the transition.

It was odd ... after so long, he wanted his sister underfoot.

At least for a little while longer.



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