"Come on Gracie!" John B. called to me from outside on the patio. I looked around confused as to how I was waking up on the couch in the living room of Tannyhill.
"Hey there Princess!" JJ says as he walks past me runs to hug John B.
"What the hell?" I say.
"Gracie!" I turn and see Kie and Pope walking into the living room and Kie gives me a hug and then they follow JJ outside as well. I feel lost as I look around and see Wheezie running around in the yard taking pictures and I run to her.
"Wheezie!" I shout as I drop to my knees and hug her. I had longed for a hug from my little sister since the day of the storm and it felt so good to finally get one.
"Hey, what about us?" Sarah shouts as she walks into the yard followed by Rafe.
"Stop!" I shout at him and he stops in disbelief.
"What?" He says in a confused voice.
"Gracie, it's okay" John B. says as he comes to my side to reassure me.
"What's going on John B?" I ask.
"Your dad is taking us on a sunset sail on the Druthers!" He says and takes my hand and starts leading us onto my family's boat.
"It's okay, Gracie" John B. says as I see my dad wave from the captain's nest up top of the boat. And it does feel okay, it's as if nothing happened, it's better than before. My family and my friends are getting along and John B and I are safe. As we set sail out into the ocean I feel safe for the first time in forever.
Everything is peaceful, until the sky goes from a golden pink to a dark grey. The water is then choppy and what once were smooth blue waves are now dark and tall and rocking the boat from side to side. Its as if I was back in that night in the storm with John B. A large wave knocks me off my feet and tumble to the edge of the boat and grasp onto the handrail, the only thing keeping me from falling into the water.
"John B!" I shout but just before he can grab my hand it slips and I fall into the ocean. The water is cold as ice and I can't get a deep breath as the waves keep crashing on top of me. My arms and legs grow weaker and weaker until I can barely keep my head above the water and just before I slip under I see the Druthers sailing off into the distance leaving me behind.
When I open my eyes again I stare back at the ceiling of the makeshift operating room. My chest feels as though a boulder fell on it and the spot where the bullet hit me now was a three inch long wound sewn up. John B. and the doctor are nowhere to be seen but then I hear his voice. The same voice was able to calm me in my dream state and now even in the craziest of times, he was my peace. I force myself off the table and grab onto the pole that holds my IV bag and use it as a support as I slowly walk to the french doors that concealed John B. I push open the door and both of them jump up.
"Woah you should not be up right now!" John B. says but I just wrap my arms around him and hold him as tight as possible even though the pain was excruciating. I feel him relax against me too and I can tell when he looks at me that he's been crying.
"You should lie down" The doctor says as John B. lets go of me.
"How much time do we have John B?" I ask, ignoring the doctor and hoping there's still time to get to the gold.
"It's over, it's okay Gracie," He says in a reassuring way.
"I am fine! We're getting that gold John B." I say even though I was still under the influence of the anesthesia, I could feel the pain from the bullet wound and I was scared for what would come when it wears off.
The doctor is letting us borrow his old Volvo to get to the marina and meet Terrance with the gold. John B. keeps checking on me to see if I'm okay and I keep assuring him I am even though my side would disagree.