Chapter 37
Homecoming
It's been a long afternoon. I've answered a million questions, and thankfully Jeffery is alive and in jail.
Turns out I was about three hours south of campus, three miles short of the Border of Mexico.
I am now ten minutes away from my family and Jake.
I've talked to Mama and Granny Betsy Jean on the phone already.
We mostly cried, but a few words managed to escape.
News quickly got out about my kidnapping, and Jake's Mom and Dad picked him up from football camp as soon as it was over.
My days got mixed up. The last day of football camp was today.
If I hadn't escaped when I did, I would’ve been in Benji's evil clutches by tonight.
Jake only had a few short hours to worry over me.
I wish our family and friends would have received the same luck.
I look like hell. I'm still muddy and in desperate need of a shower and I'm about to meet my boyfriend's parents for the first time.
Talk about a shit show. I'm just so glad to be alive and free from Benji's grasp, at least for now.
I really hope Jeffery will turn him in, or it'll be my word against his. I’ll try with all my might to have him implicated in the charges.
Maybe once Benji denies his involvement and turns his back on Jeffery, he'll decide to tell the truth.
My blood burns in my ears when I think about Benji.
So much chaos has ascended into my life since meeting him.
My family will be against me wanting to stay here in Texas, but that's what I'm going to do.
I won't run, and I won't leave Jake. Only time will tell if we're soulmates and will be together for the rest of our lives, but I owe it to the both of us to stay and figure it out.
He may not even want to be with me after this.
It seems I have a penchant for trouble. It has found me at every turn since becoming a resident of Texas.
We turn down the street of the school and my heart drops.
In seconds I'll see all my friends and family. They are the only ones that know I’m alive and rescued.
The cops didn't want to tip off the media.
My story has been covered all over the world apparently.
I don't want any of this new attention. I want to crawl under a hole and stay there until everyone forgets I'm the kidnapped girl.
As we pull up to the Fearless Five house and the cop car stops, I don't have time to think, let alone react.
Jake is opening up my door and pulling me close to him, mud and all.
The tiny part of my brain that was stupid enough to think he'd break up with me has happily bowed out.
His voice is hoarse. He's been crying. "I wouldn't believe you were okay until I touched you. Baby..."
He says nothing else but doesn't let me go.
I whisper, "I love you," but it's all I get out because I'm crying now. Jake rubs my back and whispers comforting things into my ear. I feel loved and protected again. My mama and granny have finally caught up to him now. He reluctantly transfers me into their arms, and we all begin sobbing. Thank God this is not on camera. I tell them how sorry I am and how I should’ve been more careful, but they disagree.
They tell me to hush, that none of this is my fault and that they won't leave me until Benji is behind bars. He should’ve never picked a Georgia family to terrorize. We won't go down without a fight.
I catch a glimpse of Jake's Mom and Dad as my family takes me in to get cleaned up.
I wave at them, and they smile at me. Jake told me everyone else was waiting for me in the game room.
They want to give me a little space until I'm ready to come out.
I long to see everyone, but I'm also grateful for the quiet time I'll be getting for the next hour.
Jake goes back to the game room after his dad makes him.
My granny laughs when we get back to his room.
Mama runs my shower water and granny picks out my clothes.
I blush crimson when she goes into his closet to get my outfit.
We can't hide the fact that we're living together.
They won't ask anything now because it’s not the time for questions, but best believe they will come.
Granny takes me into her arms and hugs me again. "My sweet girl, I'm so glad you're here. I worried so. And dear Lord, that beau of yours, he was sent straight from heaven. That one is a tall drink of water."
I giggle. "Jake is certainly that. I'm in love with him, Granny Betsy Jean."
She smiles a knowing smile. "I know. He appears to love you, too. You're being careful?"
I blush but nod. I'm so thankful Granny's not asking me about the kidnapping yet.
I will tell them everything, but I'm not ready right now.
Mama comes out, letting me know my shower is ready.
"Baby, it's ready. Let's get you cleaned up.
You've got more friends than you've ever had, and that boy, honey, is a sight for sore eyes.
You realize his Mama named him after a 1980's heartthrob, don't you? "
"What?"
"Yes, baby. We've never watched Sixteen Candles together?"
I shake my head. "No, not at all. I thought we had watched all of the popular 80's movies."
"Dani, I have failed you as a mother! Sixteen Candles is probably the best 80's movie ever made.
You see, this girl turns 16, and her entire family forgets her birthday because her bratty sister is getting married, and she's got a huge crush on this hot guy named Jake Ryan.
Let me tell you, he's just dreamy. I won't give too much away about the rest of the story, but we're watching this pronto. "
That sounds fantastic, actually. "Please, I've missed you both so much, and I need a movie night. Can Jake come? I want you all to love him as much as I do."
Mama turns serious. "Is he the one, Dani? Or the one for right now?"
"He's the one, or at least I hope so. I love him, Mama."
She smiles. "I knew it would happen for you one day. You know I get easily attached. He can come. I love you, baby."
I give them one massive bear hug before I become a blubbering mess again. I jump into my shower and turn the temperature to near scalding. I need to wash the dirt off of me. The physical soil that came with my mudslide and the emotional mess that's now a part of who I am.
I shower until the water turns cold, but still, I stay.
I'm shivering and crying, and I don't know what to do.
My mind says get out, but my body can't physically move.
What's wrong with me? Some girls are chained up and left for dead when kidnapped, but not me.
Sure, I had to say all the right things, and I was scared he would hurt me at any minute, but I had it easy.
I feel weak. I'm free, I'm fine, so why am I feeling so broken?
Jake comes in and swoops me out of the shower. He dries me off and then gets a clean towel and wraps me up, carrying me to the bed and just holds me. This is the most intimate moment that we have ever shared. He's pouring every ounce of love he feels for me into this future memory.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm so emotional."
"Don't you dare say you're sorry, baby? Your kidnapping was my fault. I taunted him about you. We were fools to think we could handle this ourselves."
I look up at him, startled by this new revelation.
He thinks this is his fault. I hurry off of his lap to get a better look into his soulful eyes.
"Jake, this is not your fault. This situation is not anyone's fault but Benji's.
It's not even Jeffery's. He used him, Jake, and now he'll spend time in prison.
He's not emotionally competent to go to prison.
He needs time in a hospital." I’m rambling a mile a minute.
“Benji had him kidnap me so that I would break up with you and be with him.
Benji thought that if he got me away from everybody for a while, he could brainwash me into loving him.
He makes me sick, and I want to throw up every time I think about him. "
Jake looks stunned. "That's why he had Jeffery kidnap you?"
"Yes, and Jeffery is in love with him. He manipulated him into kidnapping me. Jake, I'm still in shock. Being home feels like a dream. Please tell me this isn't a dream."
He pulls me back into his arms and only says one more thing. "This is real, baby, and you can't get any more real than the love that we share."
I hold onto him like there is no tomorrow. I feel like I can finally breathe. "I'm finally ready to tell everyone what happened. I only want to do it once. Can you make sure everybody is still here?"