Deja Vu: The Healer

Chapter 39: Family Back Together

WILLIAM

I got Kara situated in the backseat of my car, and placed some extra sweatpants under her head for a pillow before I strapped her in.

Jeremy got in the front seat and downed the rest of my coke and donuts with a moaning exclamation. I wasn't going to complain. It was probably the first real food he's had in years.

I sat in the driver's and started the car back to the pack.

The drive was oddly quiet for the first few minutes back to the main road so I gave a hesitant glance to him. "Jer? What happened? How'd you get down there?"

His features solidified as he stared to the road in front of us.

When he was quiet too long, I figured he was too traumatized to answer right now and let it go.

But after the silence continued for another minute, he spoke. "We didn't fall in." His eyes stared at every tree passing the window. "Things are so green," he said momentarily stunned. "Colors are all so vivid."

"How long were you down there?" I asked delicately. Was it the full eight years?

"Not sure. I had at least twenty-nine full moon shifts that I can remember."

"Twenty-nine," I repeated in a whisper feeling his pain. Then I flipped the blinker to start the drive up the great hill to the lake. "You've been missing for eight years."

He looked over with wide eyes and then gave a harsh exhale. "I was afraid it was quite some time."

"What happened in all those years?"

His eyes closed. "Can we not talk about this right now? I haven't seen the world in so long. I just want to get back to mom. Maybe visit Faith's grave."

I nodded to the sudden change. "We've taken flowers to Faith every May since you've been gone."

His eyes opened and he looked to me, a slight glossiness to them. "You kept giving her birthday flowers?"

I stared back to the road, not willing to get choked up about his girl. My eyes drifted to the rear view and checked over Kara. How would I feel if I only had her a few months and she died in something as normal as rogue attacks? "Yeah. I couldn't bear to see her grave empty knowing you would have bunches all over."

He smiled. "I thought about her every day. It's what kept me sane, I think. Even though she's gone, I still love her." He twisted in his seat and examined Kara. "Keep her close, okay? I think she's going to be in real danger here soon."

"What do you know Jer?"

He ignored the question. "She's a treasure and you can't let her go."

"I won't," I promised.

"You're lucky to have her. She really loves you. She didn't say much, but I could tell with how she said your name to me down in the cavern."

I smiled sentimentally. "It's been good."

"She has..." he gaped, turning back my way quickly. "Wait! The absolute submission? She has the second mark!"

"Huh?" I turned momentarily and back to the road.

He marveled. "You two did the absolute submission? You have children? I have nieces? Nephews?"

"No," my eyes widened to the road. "No kids. We... we actually just met."

His face tilted in question, though no words came. I knew what he was getting at though. Most always families are quite built, and years had passed before a couple might even start to consider that ceremony.