Chapter 5 Jane
JANE
Jane stood in her father’s embrace, but over his shoulder, her eyes found Gabe’s.
He was watching her with an expression that made something in her chest both break and heal at the same time.
There was no pity in his eyes. Just understanding.
Just support. Just a silent promise that she was not alone in this.
“I must go get ready,” Gabe said, breaking the moment. He turned to Jane with understanding in his eyes. “I understand if you don’t want to come with us tonight.”
“I’m not cancelling anything,” Jane said firmly, surprising even herself with the conviction in her voice. She refused to let Pamela have that power over her. Refused to let that woman derail her evening. “I’m looking forward to it and will meet you as planned in the foyer in an hour.”
Gabe gave her an encouraging smile that reached his eyes, warming them. He nodded once, then turned and left, managing his crutches with the practiced ease he had developed over the past days.
The sound of the front door opening drew Jane’s attention. William Moore stepped inside, his distinguished silver hair catching the light from the chandelier. He was clearly there to fetch Julie for whatever plans they had made for the evening.
“I can cancel if you need me, sweetheart,” Julie said, her voice full of grandmother concern as she moved toward Jane. Her hand reached out to gently touch Jane’s arm.
“No, Gran. Please don’t interrupt your night for this.” Jane managed a small smile, though it felt strained on her face. She did not want anyone derailing their evening because of Pamela. Wouldn’t give that woman the satisfaction of disrupting their lives any more than she already had.
Julie looked torn, clearly wanting to stay, but William squeezed her hand and she reluctantly allowed him to lead her toward the door. She kept glancing back at Jane with worried expressions that made Jane’s chest tighten with guilt and gratitude in equal measure.
The moment they were gone, Jane turned on her father. “You knew about this?” The words came out sharper than she intended, hurt and confusion bleeding through.
Jack immediately took Jane’s arm, his grip gentle but firm. “Let’s talk in the office.” His voice was quiet but urgent. He glanced around the foyer, where guests might overhear, where this very private family matter could become gossip.
Once in the office with the door closed behind them, Jack ran a hand through his hair. He looked tired, Jane noticed. Tired and guilty, the lines around his eyes were deeper than they had been even a few days ago.
“Pamela called a few days ago,” Jack began, his voice heavy with the weight of the secret he had been carrying.
“And there just hasn’t been the right moment to speak to you about it.
” Jack paused, struggling with his next words.
Jane could see him working through what to say, how to explain.
Then he admitted quietly, “You’ve been so happy lately.
I probably subconsciously put off telling you because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you smile and laugh like you have been. ”
The admission made Jane’s throat tighten with emotion.
“I was also trying to research the disease,” Jack continued, his hands spreading helplessly. “Something in Pamela’s voice made me not trust her. I wanted to have information before I worried you. I wanted to know if this was even real or just another one of her manipulations.”
Jane felt her heart squeeze as she realized just how concerned her family had been about her. About her happiness. About her healing. They had been walking on eggshells for three years, afraid to upset her, afraid to break the fragile peace she had found in simply existing day to day.
She fought back the tears threatening to spill over. “It’s okay, Dad. I understand.” Her voice was thick with emotion she could not quite contain. “If the roles were reversed, I’d have done the same thing.”
They embraced, a father-daughter moment of understanding and forgiveness. Jack held Jane the way he used to when she was little and the world seemed scary, when his steady presence and strong arms could chase away a nightmare.
When they pulled apart, Jack asked carefully, “Are you sure you’re up to doing whatever it is you’re doing with Gabe tonight?” There was a hint of something in his tone. Fishing. Wondering about their relationship.
“It’s Gabe, Trinity, and Maddy,” Jane corrected with a small smile. “We’re going dress shopping and having junk food for dinner in St. Augustine.”
Then she turned the tables on him, watching his face carefully. “How did your date with Holly go?”
Jack stiffened slightly. It was subtle, but Jane noticed. Concern hit her immediately, a spike of worry for her father, who had finally seemed to be finding happiness again.
“It was great. Holly is always good company.” But his voice sounded off. Forced casual in a way that set off alarm bells in Jane’s mind.
“You should get going if you’re going to meet your party in an hour,” Jack said, clearly changing the subject. Clearly, closing down the conversation before Jane could ask more questions.
Jane stared at him for a long moment. She knew something was wrong. Could see it written in the tension of his shoulders, the guardedness in his eyes. But she didn’t push. She left the office quietly, her mind now spinning with worry about her father as well as her own situation.
Alone in her room, Jane sat on the edge of her bed and thought over what Pamela, whom she refused to call her mother, had said about a genetic disease.
A moment of panic ripped through her, sharp and breathtaking. She had heard of diseases like this. Knew they could have devastating effects on a person. Progressive. Debilitating. Life-altering.
Is that what her maternal grandmother had died of?
Jane tried to remember, to pull up memories from her childhood.
She realized with a start that she knew so little about Pamela’s family.
She had never met them. Pamela had never spoken of them.
It was as if that entire side of Jane’s heritage simply did not exist.
Jane glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised to see it was almost time to meet Gabe, Trinity, and Maddy. The hour had slipped by while she sat there spiraling with questions and fears.
She finished getting dressed quickly. Jeans, a warm burgundy sweater, and comfortable boots.
She tied her hair back in a ponytail and checked her reflection in the mirror.
She saw fear in her own eyes, but she took a deep breath and pushed it down.
Tonight was about dresses, junk food, and normal teenage fun with the girls.
Not about Pamela. Not about diseases. Not about fear.
Jane went to meet them in the lobby. They were already there waiting, and Trinity and Maddy were practically bouncing with excitement, their energy infectious.
Jane’s heart did a flip when she saw Gabe.
He was dressed in jeans and a dark blue shirt that brought out his eyes, making them seem even more intense than usual.
His bomber jacket was draped over his shoulders while he balanced on his crutches, and Jane felt warmth spread through her chest at the sight of him.
She couldn’t help but smile. All her problems seemed to fade in that moment, pushed back by the simple pleasure of his presence and the infectious innocence of the two teens.
“You were going to drive with that cast on?” Jane asked, gesturing to his injured leg with a teasing smile.
Gabe grinned sheepishly. “Okay, so I didn’t only invite you for the company.” He admitted it with such honesty that Jane laughed. “We need a driver.”
The girls giggled at his confession. Trinity rolled her eyes fondly at her father, clearly used to his straightforward admissions.
Jane took the keys that she knew were for Holly’s car. “Come on then. Let’s go before the stores close.”
They left the inn together, the girls chattering excitedly about the dresses they wanted to find. Gabe managed his crutches beside Jane, and she felt lighter than she had in hours. Maybe lighter than she had felt since Pamela had walked through those doors.
The drive to St. Augustine was filled with the girls’ excited planning. Trinity wanted something sparkly but not too sparkly. Maddy wanted something elegant but not too grown-up. Jane found herself smiling at their twelve-year-old logic, at their earnest deliberations over colors and styles.
By the time evening had fully settled over the historic streets of St. Augustine, Jane and Gabe were sitting on a bench at the Christmas fairgrounds.
They were eating hot dogs while bags of dresses and gifts were piled beside them.
The girls had found their perfect dresses after visiting what felt like every shop in the city, and now they were roaming around the fair having fun, riding the carousel, and looking at craft booths.
“I was dragged from dress shop to dress shop,” Gabe moaned dramatically. “And you were worse than the tweens.” There was a teasing accusation in his voice that made Jane laugh.
“That’s what you get for asking a woman to be your company supervising tweens and dress shopping,” Jane told him, enjoying his teasing. It felt good to laugh. Felt normal in a way nothing had felt normal in years.
The moment quieted and sobered. They fell into a comfortable silence, watching people walk by bundled in coats and scarves, listening to Christmas carols drifting from speakers hidden throughout the fairgrounds.
Gabe broke the silence, turning to her. “Are you okay?” His voice was gentle. Serious.
Jane was astounded by the question. Her family asked her that all the time. But this felt different. Deeper. It was a question from someone who understood what it really meant to ask. Who understood that “okay” could mean a thousand different things.