Chapter 31
As if things weren’t already screwed to hell already! What had Jasper been thinking? A new place to live?
Calm down, girl. His heart is in the right place. He just wants to take care of you.
Where had those thoughts come from because they certainly didn’t belong to her? Didn’t even sound remotely like her voice even if it was only in her head.
Trust him. He knows what he’s doing. And let’s face it… your head isn’t exactly in the right place right now to be going it alone.
“Shut up!” Savannah bellowed into the crisp evergreen-scented breeze.
“What? I didn’t say anything. What’s wrong?” Jasper’s arm wrapped around her waist.
“Not you,” she grumbled, jerking away only to stub her toe on something.
“Then who are you talking to?” His hand hovered at the small of her back but didn’t touch. She felt its warmth permeate through the flimsy tee-shirt material.
“Must be an animal nearby because I’m hearing voices in my head again… or I’m losing my mind.” At this point, she guessed the latter. Throughout her life she’d been able to converse telepathically with animals but the way her life was going, insanity was more probable.
The cry of a bird of prey pierced the air. An eagle, perhaps.
“Oh, there’s my fine friend. Must be her. Whatever she says, you should listen. Eagles are known for their courage, tenacity, and truth.”
Savannah sneered, “Now, you shut up, too!”
“At least let me help you up the porch steps.”
Jasper’s pleading tone sliced her heart. She wasn’t being fair to him at all. A part of her wanted to lash out at him, at everyone. But he hadn’t made her blind. Still… she refused to be looked upon as a damsel in distress.
Cut out the ‘woe-is-me’ crap, honey. We’re not intended to go through life alone. You need him and more importantly, he needs you. Suck it up and play nice before you scare him off. Although, I don’t believe you could get rid of him no matter how hard you tried.
Oh, and no. I will not shut up… ever.
Fantastic! She had a snippy eagle giving her advice. Who next? Some mother owl?
Trust me. You don’t want that one to start in. She’ll never shut up.
“Fine,” Savannah announced. “Help me inside, but after a steaming hot shower, we are going to set down some ground rules. For you and for your feathered friend.”
***
Whatever the eagle had said certainly had Savannah worked up, but at least some reason had gotten through. She’d taken a shower. Her stubbornness had forced Jasper to sit just outside the bathroom door. She refused his assistance. Too bad, the images flashed through his mind of the last time he’d watched her shower having a particularly painful effect. He’d been readjusting his crotch every couple minutes to keep his jewels from being chafed against the harsh denim. Of all the days to gocommando.
Somehow, she’d managed the shower just fine and dressed herself in the clothes he laid out on the vanity table for her. Now they both rocked back and forth in the rocking chairs on the back porch, completely silent. Uncomfortable silence.
“Would you like me to fix us some lunch?” He’d already asked twice but maybe three times was the charm. “The food was the reason you cited for having to leave the hospital.”
The only response he received was a low groan.
“Okay,” his voice faltered. What else could he say? It was obvious Savannah was in no mood to talk. Jasper had learned long ago to not press matters when a woman was pissed at you. Best to lay low and wait it out. He hoped she would be talking to him again by the time the baby was born.
Oh, yeah! The baby! We should definitely talk about the baby.
“Guess we should discuss…”
The rocking of Savannah’s chair quickened its pace.
“I won’t hold you responsible for the baby. You can leave whenever you want.” Her sharp tone punched into his chest.
“I am responsible, Savannah. But that’s not why I’m staying.”
He turned his chair to face her, but she continued staring straight ahead to nothingness. A single tear streamed down her cheek.
“I love you.” He placed his hand over her smaller one that clutched the arm of her chair with such ferocity he feared she’d break it in two. “I’m not here out of obligation. I’m not here as your guardian angel. I am here for the single reason that I love you. I love our child. Never in a million years would I have thought it possible to have love or a family. Now I’m blessed with both. If… you’ll have me. I would never force you into anything.” Now tears coursed down his face, getting caught in his week-long growth of a beard.
The silence that followed his declaration thundered in his ears. Savannah was motionless, expressionless beside him. She hadn’t even turned to face him. Jasper’s heart pulsed in his throat, waiting. He gave up expecting a response and turned his focus to the distant horizon that grew hazy, burnt orange outlining the mountains.
A lone owl screeched the moment the sun fell away. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky to obscure the twinkling blanket of inky blackness above them. Despite the usual winds that blanketed these mountains, the air stilled as if holding its breath waiting for Savannah to speak.
It was a shame she couldn’t witness this spectacular display. The universe outdid itself in its haunting beauty as the Milky Way galaxy sparkled.
He vowed to take care of her, whether she wanted it or not. Even if it meant doing so from a distance. Walking away for good was not an option. He prayed it wouldn’t come to that.
The obnoxious owl’s shrieks became louder. A shadow swooped down from the nearby tree line to land with a thud on the railing directly in front of Savannah. Its enormous eyes blinked, then it cocked its head to the side.
Whoo!
“What do you want?” Savannah bit out between clenched teeth.
The downy feathered animal hopped off the railing and onto Savannah’s lap. It peered up at her. She didn’t move a muscle. Under normal circumstances he would’ve shooed the creature away, but he was mesmerized by the scene unfolding before him. He had known of her ability to communicate with animals. It had been her gift that made her so good with the animals in the rodeo. Even the ferocious bull that everyone feared was placid whenever she was near.
He waited to see who would flinch first—Savannah or the owl.
The animal continued its evaluation, its eyes wide, only blinking after long intervals. As for Savannah, her expression contorted in odd mannerisms as if she were speaking but her lips did not open. Nothing broke the silence except the tapping of Savannah’s rocking chair against the deck in a slow, methodic rhythm.
Long moments passed where the owl and Savannah seemed to take turns speaking into each other’s minds. The owl would quirk its head to the side like it was listening intently.
What he wouldn’t give to know the words being spoken between them.
A good thirty minutes or more slipped by until Savannah nodded, the owl nodded then tilted its head to stare at him. Its scrutiny made him a bit uncomfortable. Once it turned back to Savannah, it blinked heavily, and soundlessly flew away in a flurry of soft brown feathers.
Still, both the forest and Savannah were silent until another screech from what he supposed was the same owl permeated the night. Only then did Savannah turn to him.
Tears shimmered in her eyes. Her lower lip trembled, but her chin jutted out with determination. She opened her mouth, but words failed to form. Seeing her this way broke his heart.
Finally, words spoken so softly his finely tuned hearing had trouble picking them up filled the space between them.
“I love you, too.”
Jasper reached across to pull her over her own chair and into his lap where they both sobbed while clinging to each other. Winged serpents could’ve flown down to forcibly rip them apart and would’ve failed. They were no longer two separate people, but one heart, one soul, one entity.