The Unknowns

Chapter 11 Making and Keeping Promises

I didn’t dream that night. It was the most peaceful sleep I had had in a very long time. I awoke with Josh still sound asleep and his arm still wrapped around my waist. We had both fallen asleep in the closet without meaning too, this made me smile.

“Hey” I said as I nudged his shoulder trying to wake him up. “Oh hey, I didn’t realize… sorry I never got you back to your cot.” He said as he removed his arm away and began to stand up. “It doesn’t matter, I slept really well.” I said as I took his hand. He helped me up and we walked out of the closet together.

“Do you have the time?” I asked. “Yeah hold on” He reached into his pocket and retrieved his watch. “It’s three pm.” He said. “Whoa, my hours are really messed up.” “Yeah this kind of thing will do that to you.” Josh walked back to his cot and sat down.

“Hey, I should probably go be with my family, I need to spend time with them before they leave tonight.” “Of course, I need to go check up on my parents as well. I’ll see you later Grace.” “Josh?” “Yeah?” “I just wanted to say thanks, I really needed the comfort last night.” “Anytime,” he said winking at me. “Looks like I’ll be around you a lot more than usual so you won’t be able to get rid of me. I’ll be around to bother you for who knows how long.” He laughed and pulled me in for a long tight hug, almost taking my breath away. “You never bother me Josh.”

I smiled and walked back up stairs to meet my sisters and parents sitting in chairs. They seemed like they were talking intensely. “Sorry I took forever, I was sleeping,” I didn’t really feel like telling them about Josh, even though I would most likely end up telling Kelsey eventually. “That’s fine Grace, did you sleep well?” I tried as hard as I could not to blush, “Yeah I slept fine. So what’s the plan for tonight?” I asked changing the subject before my face lit up any more.

“Well we should be leaving around eight O’clock tonight, but here’s the thing Grace, we will most likely be gone for about two days, maybe more. And only one other couple have decided to join us.” My father said. “And who will they be?” I asked beginning to grow more concerned. “She’s not going to like it.” Ramona mumbled. “What? Who are they!?”

“Josh’s parents have agreed to come along. They thought it would be right, considering-“ I cut my mother off “Are you serious!? Now Josh’s parents are in danger too! You guys can’t be serious!” “Grace Marie! Listen to your mother!” My father shouted. “Sweet heart, we are doing this for you. They want to help; they didn’t want us going with someone we might not be able to trust. They were worried that if we go with other people that they might leave us or only try to protect themselves. Please just try to understand.”

I felt horrible inside, I knew my mother and father were right, I wouldn’t want them going with any one else. “I’m sorry mom, I’m just scared for the two of you, and now bringing Josh’s parents with you scares me even more.” “I know Grace, believe me, your mother and I are just as worried, we don’t want anything to go wrong for your sake,” my father said as he looked at my sisters and I.

“Just be careful out there okay, if you don’t find anything now, you can find one of them some other time.” Kelsey added. “We’ll be careful, I promise.” My mother grabbed my father’s hand and squeezed it tightly. 

***

Eight O’clock came around much faster than any of us had expected. When it came time the nine of us joined together upstairs; my parents, my sisters and I, Josh and his older brother Brett, and their parents. We all stood around together and said our goodbyes.

I hugged my mother and father and told them how much I loved them and told them to be safe. “We will honey, and we love you so much. And we couldn’t be more blessed to call you our daughter.” They embraced me for a second time and I began to cry. “Grace, don’t cry! We’ll be back soon!” my mother and father then greeted my two older sisters. My father took Kelsey’s face in his hands and said, “Kelsey, be strong okay? Everything is going to be all right. Keep an eye on Grace.” He kissed her forehead lightly and my mother whispered something into her ear that was too soft for me to hear.

“Ramona, you need to look out for both of your sisters. Keep them safe and protect them by any means possible. We love you and are so proud of the women you are turning out to be.” They hugged Ramona tightly and my mother kissed her cheek softly.

My father greeted Josh with a firm handshake and pulled him in for a hug. “Keep her out of trouble will you?” Josh blushed and nodded his head. My mother greeted him as well with a long hug. “Protect her Josh. And keep yourself safe.” “Yes ma’am.” He said. The long embraces continued as we all went around the room say goodbye to each other.

I glanced over to see Josh’s parents hug his older brother Brett whom I had known very well but I had never seen the young man cry before in his life. He had always come off as so strong and intelligent that I would have never imagined that he could even produce tears. My heart went out to him because I could only imagine how hard this was going to be for him.

At the last moment both of our parents explained that they would be making a phone call once a day to us to make sure that we are doing all right. “We love you all so very much. Protect each other, keep each other safe, and we will see you all very soon.” Our parents left without another word down the stairs. The only one’s who followed were Ramona and Brett. I stood and watched my parents leave with out being able to process another thought.

“You shouldn’t make promises you know you won’t be able to keep.” Ramona said to my mother. “Ramona, you know we had to, other wise your sister’s wouldn’t have let us leave. And who knows? We might be able to come back,” my mother paused and my father chimed in, “Even though the odds of that are very slim, we will try our best. Keep them safe Ramona. We love you.”

And our parents were off in search of the unknowns, knowing that they had made a promise to each of us they knew they wouldn’t be able to keep.