Just Breathe (22 page)

I look thoughtful at him and smile, “I love you with all of my heart and I truly can’t live without you, that’s why.”

He starts, “But you don’t realize…”

We hear the door creak open and my parent’s faces peek around the corner.

My dad says, “Well, hello Jack, welcome back.”

They come in and stand next to me. Jack gives me a worried look and all I can do is shake my head. I know I’ve made a bad situation, even worse.

My mom starts fussing, “Jack, we didn’t know who to contact, do you have a number where we can reach your parents?”

He shakes his head uneasy, “No, my parents died in a car accident, a long time ago.”

My mom continues probing, “Well then honey, who can we call?”

He shakes his head and meets my eyes while he speaks, “Um… my aunt lives in Los Angeles.”

I am suddenly confused and I half listen as he gives them her name and phone number. I get up and cross the room to look out the window.
Jack has someone on land, what does this mean? Does this mean he is like me and Amber’s story was not completely true?
I am even more confused than ever now.

I turn to look at him and his clouded eyes meet mine, he looks very worried. My mom says she is going to call his aunt and leaves.

My dad tries to make small talk, “Well I’m glad you will be alright, Jack.” He is obviously very uncomfortable with the situation.

I tell him, “Dad, why don’t you go and get a cup of coffee.”

He nods looking thankful for the out and says, “That’s a great idea Ever, call me if you need me.”

“Sure dad.”

I sit back down next to the bed staring at Jack and ask, “You have family on land?” He looks out toward the window obviously avoiding my gaze.

He answers, “Ever, my aunt is on land, yes, no one in the sea knows about her though, not even Amber.”

I just stare at him, he turns to meet my gaze. “She was born in the sea, but when she was a baby my grandmother gave her to a family on land. She was born during a war in the sea and my grandmother didn’t want anything to happen to her. Seamus was creating more of these laws restricting us, so she committed her to live on land.”

I ask, “Is that where you lived before coming to Pahrump?”

He nods, “Well, I check in with her regularly and she helps me out if I need anything.”

I ask curiously, “Does she know about the sea and everything?”

“Yes, she is fully aware of all the history but she tries to live her life here on land, as normal as possible. She has no desire to live in the sea.” I have so many questions. This just adds to everything else I still have unanswered.

“Are you like me then, because you have family on land?”

He shakes his head, “No, fully from the sea, my grandmother got her to the land just before Seamus developed the barrier over the city.”

I just sit there thinking, not knowing what to say. We hear a knock on the door and my mom walks in with a nurse.

The nurse looks at me then at Jack and she says, “I hear our patient is awake.”

She gives me a look that tells me I need to leave. I squeeze his hand and lean over to kiss him, “I’m going to go and get a bite to eat, I’ll be right back.”

He nods and winks, “Don’t go too far.”

I grin and turn to my mom. She puts her arm through mine and guides me out of the room.
Great, here it comes. I knew I was going to have to face them at some point.

She tells me, “I got a hold of Jack’s aunt, she is on her way.” Nodding I look straight ahead.

She asks, “Where did your father go?”

I absently reply, “To get coffee…” She steers me in the direction of the cafeteria. We join my dad after my mom gets coffee for herself and a juice and granola bar for me. I am really not hungry now.

As soon as she sits, she lays into me, “Ever, where have you been? Do you realize what you’ve put us through? We have been so worried and here you are doing crazy stunts with a boy you just met. Did he force you into this?”

I look down at the table through her whole rant.

She continues, “You could have been killed jumping from a cliff. Do you have a death wish? Are you turning on us, now that you’re eighteen? Don’t you intend to finish school?”

I look up at my dad and he is looking down at the table too, like he’s embarrassed. I glance at my mom and meet her eyes. This is when she breaks down and starts crying. Now I feel completely horrible.

I grab her hand and explain, “Mom, I just needed to get away. Of course I don’t have a death wish.

Tears start down my cheeks too, “Yes, I intend to finish school. Please don’t blame Jack. This was completely my…decision.”

She looks at me through teary eyes and my dad puts his arm around her giving me a disappointed, but I forgive you look. She cries into my dad’s shoulder. I wait but nothing more is said. I really thought that was going to be a lot worse.

I get up and tell them, “I’m going to go and check on Jack.”

My mom looks up still breathing erratically, “Ever, when we get home there are going to be rules. You may be eighteen, but you still live with us and you’re just not ready to… we aren’t ready… to let you go.”

I nod as a tear rolls down my cheek.  defeated. Of course there will be more to come, that couldn’t be the end of it, not with my luck.

When I walk into Jack’s room he is sleeping, so I sit in the chair next to him to think. I have no idea where to go from here. We are finally reunited but things have changed and I’ve learned so much. There are still so many questions. If I go back to the sea, I will betray my parents. But I’m breaking all the rules by not staying in the sea after making my choice. I look over at Jack and my heart fills with love. This boy lying next to me is all that matters. I decide that I can’t bear to be without him, so if he decides to go back, then I will have to brave it and follow him.

Suddenly electricity shoots up my arm. My eyes meet his. He is staring at me holding onto my wrist.

I smile at him and he asks, “What were you so deep in thought about?” I feel like my eyes cloud over now, even though I don’t have that trait, caught.

I stammer, ‘Well, trying to decide where to go from here.”

He raises his eyebrows still cheerful, “What are the choices?”

I decide not to go there, it might end in an argument, so instead I say playfully, “Well I was thinking I could go here.” And I lean over and kiss his hand.

“Or here...” I lean over and kiss his arm.

“Or how about here...” I lean closer and kiss his cheek.

“Or better yet here…” I lean in and kiss his lips.

His hand comes around the back of my head before I can pull away and he kisses me hungrily. I kiss him back and electricity shoots to my toes.

When we part he tells me, “You can kiss me any of those places, any time.” I chuckle and realize he obviously doesn’t want to discuss anything right now either.

We hear the door creak and turn to see a tiny woman step into the room. Her wide beautiful smile that can only be a Tanner’s, catches my attention first. She is older than I was expecting, maybe in her late eighties. Her gray hair is piled on top of her head in a bun but she seems much stronger than an almost ninety year old.

Jack greets her, “Hi Aunt Meredith, I would like you to meet, Ever Harding.”

She walks toward me and takes me into her arms in a huge hug. I notice she is actually stronger than someone her age should be.

She releases me and holds me at arms length, “You are every bit as beautiful as Jack described you.” I smile shyly as a blush spreads through my face and glance at Jack.

He jokes, “Meredith, you just witnessed a first.  “Ever is never at a loss for words.”

I shake my head and offer my hand, “Well, it is very nice to meet you…um… Aunt Meredith.”

She laughs and shakes my hand. The door opens again as my parents walk in. Making the introductions, I can tell they are more at ease while talking to Meredith. The nurse walks in about twenty minutes later and ushers everyone out except Meredith.

My parents corner me while we are out in the hall.

My mom says “Ever, we were thinking about heading home now.” I nod because I know what’s coming.

She continues, “We want you to come home with us.”

“Well, mom I want to come home with you but I will need to go and get the jeep.” Hoping maybe this will help stall my exit. It doesn’t work.

She tells me, “We can drive you to get it.” I concede, not knowing what else to say.

“Let me say good-bye to Jack.”

“Alright we will be in the waiting room at the front of the hospital.” They are obviously not going anywhere without me.

I walk slowly back into Jack’s room and he asks, “What’s wrong?”

“My parents are waiting for me to leave with them to go back home, I don’t think I can get out of this one.”

He looks at Meredith and I see an understanding pass between them. He tells me, “Ever, you need to go back home with them.”

I panic, what am I hearing, he wants me to go. He can see the panic in my eyes so he assures me, “They are letting me out of here today. I will be over tomorrow once I get my car and get settled at Meredith’s.”

I relax a little but I remember the Erebus. I start, “But the Erebus, what if they take you away again?”

He shakes his head, “They won’t, they never wanted me, I think they got who they wanted, Amber.” I’m shocked at this, I have to sit down.

He grabs my hand and tells me, “The whole thing was so that they could get Amber, they need her to get into the city.”

I’m lost… I say, “So the whole thing was a trap and I lead her right to them.”

He looks down, “You could never have known and she didn’t know.”

I jump up with renewed energy, “Then we have to go and find her, will they hurt her, I feel horrible, I should have seen this.” My emotions are doing somersaults. I feel Meredith’s hands on my shoulders and she gently pushes me back down into the chair. Jack grabs my hand again, the electricity seems to do the opposite this time and begins to calm me.

He explains, “We will go and find her in time, right now you need to go home with your parents. I will be over tomorrow and we will make a plan.”

All I can do is stare unseeing, I suddenly feel disconnected from everything. Meredith takes my hand and pulls me out of the chair. Jack sits up, on the edge of the bed and wraps his arms around me.

He whispers in my ear, “I love you Ever Harding, with everything that I am.” And he kisses me quickly. I stare into his amazing eyes and realize he is my, everything. I will do anything for this man. The next thing I know, Meredith is leading me to the waiting room where my parents are waiting for me.

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