“I was with Caleb. We were at Manda’s grave.” I pull my head back to see Caleb standing with his arms crossed over his chest, wearing a pissed-off expression, but there is no mistaking the lingering redness in his eyes.
“I’ve been calling you for hours,” I say to him.
“Our phones were in the car. I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” I say without hesitation.
“I had no idea, or you know I would have been here.”
“I don’t care about any of that. Thank you for taking her with you. I owe you for this,” I laugh, squeezing Jesse tight enough to make her wince.
“Brett, you’re bleeding!” She wiggles out of my grasp, and backs up to examine my arm.
“Gorgeous, I’m fine. It’s just a cut from the broken glass.”
“Are you sure it’s not a bullet?” she says as the worry creeps back across her face.
“I’m positive. See,” I roll up my sleeves, showing off a pretty nasty slice across my forearm, “I’m okay. I’ll get it looked at tomorrow.” I look up to find Kara has joined us. She’s tucked under Caleb’s arm and reaching forward holding one of Jesse’s hands.
“Excuse me, Sharp?” Eli walks up behind me. “I’m really happy you found Jesse, but Sarah is still asking for you. The door is open now, but she still has the gun.”
“Fuck her,” I say without an ounce of guilt. She may not have had Jesse in there with her, but I’m positive that was the point of her breaking in today.
“Brett! You don’t mean that,” Jesse scolds.
“Yes, I do. I just spent the last few hours thinking you were either dead or dying. Jesse, I can’t do this anymore. She broke into your home…with a gun. Who the hell knows what would have happened if you had been there.”
“I wasn’t in there Brett. I was never in any danger. You can’t hold it against her that you were scared.”
“Yes, I fucking can. She could have told me you weren’t in there. She could have not shot at me. She could have had a discussion like a normal rational person that didn’t involve a gun and breaking and entering.”
“See this is your problem. You keep waiting for her to be a normal, rational person. You’ve waited for years for something to change with her. Maybe she isn’t the person who needs to change.”
I close my eyes and let Jesse’s words sink in. She’s right. I loved Sarah once. I do care if she dies, I just wish it wasn’t always so fucking dramatic with her.
“Can you get someone to take them back to my apartment?” I ask Eli before turning to Caleb. “I need you here. This might get…interesting.”
“I’m here,” he nods, walking back towards his truck to presumably get his gun.
“I’m not leaving,” Jesse says beside me.
“Yes, you are. I already died once tonight when I thought you were in there. Gorgeous, I don’t want you anywhere near her.”
“I’m not leaving,” she repeats. “I’ll stay back here, out of the way. I also don’t want you near her. You need to talk to her, but she already shot at you once. You aren’t the only one who died tonight. Can you talk to her from around the corner?”
I didn’t even think how she must have felt when she heard the shot fired then watched me fall back. All I could think about was the fact that she was alive. It never even registered to me why she was so frightened.
“Yeah babe, I can do that. I’ve got my vest in the car. I’ll wear it if that will make you feel better.”
“Much better,” she sighs, leaning her head into my chest. “I know I just encouraged you to do this, but now I’m kind of scared.”
“Jesse, look at me. This is getting finished tonight. The fog vanished last night. It’s nothing but you, me, and clear skies from here on out.” Then I say my famous words from all those years ago, but this time I actually believe them. “Just hang on, it’s all going to be okay.”
Brett
“SARAH.” I call from around the corner.
I managed to secure Jesse a bulletproof vest and placed her a good distance away. I didn’t want her anywhere near this. There are two officers flanking the door, if Sarah decides to come out, she won’t make it very far. The last thing I really want is for Sarah to get hurt in all of this. Somewhere inside, she is still the hell on wheels, hilarious woman I met twelve years ago. But before this can get any further I do what I should have done years ago-I start talking.
“Sarah! Please talk to me.”
“Why are you doing this to me, Brett?” she asks defeated.
“What am I doing to you? Because from where I’m standing you are doing this all to yourself. Please put the gun down. Let’s figure this out.”
“You love me, Brett. You’ve just forgotten it.”
“Do you love me?” I ask, but I don’t care about her answer. Not anymore. But she needs to say it. Admit it to herself.