Chapter Thirty Three
July Fourteenth
Wolfgang
“When is Pat coming back?”
She set the hair brush down as Wolfie waited to use the bathroom.
He sighed, “Next week. Because of this situation, I have to help Jay find resources, but Patrick’s going to come up when I leave, to be with you. This weekend Sylvia will also come up to send us off next week.”
“How long will you be gone?”
She leaned her back to the counter.
“I don’t know, we leave the twenty third, I want to get it done fast, so I may offer to use the money to speed up the process.”
“What things are you looking for? I could help.”
“You’re not leaving the cabin, especially with me, until we leave. I was thinking of motherboards and processors, pieces like that I can take apart and use for our computer hardware back home.”
“What does Jay usually get on these trips?”
He didn’t know exactly what Jay looked for, he just knew that he was incharge of getting supplies and people, “People and supplies. Sometimes he can’t find what people are needing or things on the resource list, so he will get other things like clothing material, seeds, and other things we can use.”
“Hm.”
She turned to free up the bathroom. He leaned against the doorframe without budging. “What?”
She looked up at him.
“I’ve just been thinking about that time in your backyard with the pie.”
Her lips began to pull upward, “What do you mean?”
“I think you know.”
He stepped towards her.
“We’ll if you want to recreate that, the bathroom is not the place.”
She reached her lips up and kissed him on the cheek, “Take your night shower and meet me downstairs.”
She slinked past him.
Juniper
She hated the idea of Wolfie leaving. It felt like he was going to be leaving her for weeks, when in reality it would be a couple days. She had to go with it when they had to take this step to get back to the island. It was the least she could do for letting Wolfie bring her back with him. She was getting nervous at how close it was getting and she was ready to go back but had grown attached to the cabin, Patrick and Sylvia.
The bathroom door opened and closed, she looked up locking eyes with him over the hand railing in the glow of the lamp as he skipped the last step into the living room and paced towards her without anything to say.
“I have a blanket if you’re interested in stargazing. It’s a new moon making it dark out.”
She stood flattening her dress and grabbed the blanket.
Wolfie leaned in and kissed her, “I can hold this.”
He threw the blanket over his shoulder, and grabbed her hand.
Juniper had a thought, “I think we have done it more outside than inside.”
“Is that a problem?”
He opened the laundry door and locked it from the outside with the key Pat had given him.
“No, it just sounds like someone has a kink.”
“Hm, maybe.”
He softly spoke, guiding her into the backyard, stopping in a clear area next to the wood pile so if the chance Seth was outside this late, he wouldn’t see them. The blanket spread over the dirt and she knelt down in a corner. Wolfgang dropped down stretching out across the blanket on his back, his arm extended. Juniper crawled up to his arm, resting her head on him.
"I know we haven't talked about it, but I wanted to ask. Are you okay? About what you did?" She felt his chest rise and drop with a sigh. "I have more demons with the thought that I didn't get to you fast enough, I didn't protect you like I promised. I don't like that I did it, but the reason behind it is enough to be justified and I would do it again for you. Hell, I would do it for any girl. Guys like that shouldn't be able to walk this earth.”
He shifted his body, “All the women in my life are some of the strongest people I know. You, my mom, Amy, Brittanya’s mom. Every woman who's come to the island by herself, that takes a lot. Besides all that, you left the island to be with someone who abused you to protect others. So if I was to do it again knowing what I know now, I would have killed him the moment he hit international waters. Would have been a hell of a lot easier for Jay to just circle the ocean.”
“And I would have woken up feeling kidnapped not knowing who you were.”
She giggled.
“It didn’t take you too long to figure out who I was.”
“Did Ben figure out who you were?”
“I don’t think so.”
He kissed the top of her head and curled her into his chest.
July Sixteenth
Wolfgang
Jay ‘Hey we have landed. Our location is the McLellan airport in Sacramento, departure is Sunday, July Twenty Third nine AM. Please be here, I don’t want to have to answer to Amy why you didn’t make it, you know her and I are not on the best of terms despite your bribe. Let me know when you want to go out to go resourcing. Jay’
Wolfgang ‘I’m thinking of heading down there July eighteenth to help you out. What happened between you two was over fifteen years ago, she still hasn’t dropped it? Good thing my return is in your hands, I’ll confirm tomorrow if I will be coming down Tuesday. I ran into family up here and I want to make sure they will be here with June while I am gone.’
Jay ‘I don’t think she will ever forgive me. Sounds like a plan, let me know. Jay’
Marilyn ‘The last two months have dragged by, but I am glad to see you in a week. I hope you have had a nice time with Pat and Sylvia, I love the picture you sent me, their family is beautiful. I’m sad he doesn’t want to go, some things never change. Can you bring me just a handful of dirt from the cabin? I know I’m weird but I love you. Mom’
Wolfgang ‘Dirt?’
Brittanya ‘Whitney helped me move June’s stuff into your apartment. We also cleaned Max’s room. Gross. You boys are gross. We’re excited to see you back. B’
Wolfgang ‘Thank you Brittanya. I owe you.’
Brittanya ‘Just let us have her every now and then.’
July Eighteenth
Juniper
“You’re going to be okay while I’m gone right?”
Wolfgang stuffed his clean clothes in his backpack as June slouched on the bed with her hands in her lap, trying to stay positive.
Zeppelin nosed his way under her arm, “I think so, it was just easier being apart from you when I didn’t remember you.”
“Well Pat is here. Sylvia will be coming up in a few days, we can look forward to that.”
He stood, “I would leave my tablet so you could contact me but I need it to contact Jay while we are out.”
“What if something happens to you and I can’t find you and I don’t make it on the plane and I just have to live in the cabin with a weird neighbor? I just worry about that.”
Wolfie laughed, “I will find you. I’ll take Pat’s phone number just in case.”
“Do you think you could call every night to check in?”
She stood and stepped towards him. “It would just give me peace of mind. There’s too many things that could happen.”
He squared his hands against her shoulders, “Jay has been doing this for years, he’s never had problems.”
“Wolfie, we also don’t know if he’s ever,”
She dragged her finger across her throat making a choking noise, “now do we?”
He kissed her, “I’ll be safe for you, you stay safe for me and don’t leave, Pat will get you what you need.”
She sighed, “I know.”
Wolfgang grabbed his bag and the keychain with the bike and cabin. “I traveled almost three thousand miles to find you, slept in the streets and ate from trash cans until I convinced you that you knew who I was. I would kill for you.”
He pulled her chin up to him, “Again.”
He whispered, “I would hide away with you in a cabin with a bad neighbor and run into a long lost uncle. I’m not messing up now, my end game is you on that island.”
He stepped back, “I need to get going.”
Juniper followed him down the stairs trying to hold it together.
“Welp?”
Patrick set down his phone.
“I’m about to leave, do you mind if I call you at night to check in with Juniper when I am gone?”
“No, if I had thought about it, could a gotten both you burner phones, But I don’t mind.”
He stood up. “You off then?”
“Yeah, I gotta get going.”
He walked over to June and Wolfie, “Be safe then, I’ll take care of June.”
“Thank you Pat, I appreciate you coming up to be with her. I know my mom appreciates everything you’ve done.”
Pat hugged him.
Wolfie turned to her, engulfing her with his arms, “I love you. I will be back.”
“I love you too.”
She resisted letting go until he kissed her.
“Bye.”
He turned out the screen door and threw a leg over the motorcycle. She watched as he started it with a rumble, he backed the bike up with his feet and the engine grew louder as he accelerated down the dirt road. Juniper stood, chin trembling.
,“Come on kid.”
Pat wrapped his arm around her. “Let's get some of that homemade chili.”
She wiped her face, keeping her arms folded. “I know I look ridiculous and he’s only going to be gone for a few days.”
“I get it,”
he excused her, “I raised two girls, seen them express every emotion. You don’t gotta explain yourself to me.”
He lifted the pot of the chili that he started when he arrived an hour ago and scooped two bowls. “Come sit.”
he directed her to the table, and placed them across from each other.
June sat at the table, embarrassed with wet eye lashes, “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t gotta be sorry either.”
He closed the fridge and set a can of beer in front of her as well as himself. “This’ll help.”
“Thank you.”
She collected herself with a few breaths and then took a bite of chili. “It’s good, thank you.”
“Family recipe, you want a copy since you practically are?”
“Sure?”
“I’ll have Syl bring you a copy when she comes up on Thursday.”
June had a few questions to ask Pat and now that they were alone, she took her opportunity, “Why didn’t you turn us in?”
He swallowed his sip of beer, “The government doesn’t care about justice, they don’t care what he did to you and in their eyes, it was just murder. You should know the system isn’t great for the poor or women. They don’t see a rapist on his side and they don’t see the woman we know on this side.”
“I truly appreciate it, thank you.”
“Eh,”
He gruffed, “I also don’t want to deal with all that paperwork and the cops. That’s a big ol’ headache.”
“I’m sure I’m speaking for both of us when I say, we’re going to miss you Uncle Pat.”
June smiled at him seeing his eyes twinkle just right. Wolfgang had warned her about stardust and she was seeing it for herself now.
“You kids are quite al’ right.”
He looked down into his bowl. “You down for a game of scrabble after dinner?”
July Twenty First
Juniper
Juniper Jumped up for the fourth time that morning listening for motorcycle engines on the side porch. Sylvia had cut her off of coffee three cups ago. She looked towards the road. “It’s him!”
She squealed darting around the railing with Zeppelin barked following her. She stood next to his parking spot waiting for him to cut the engine. He slowly grinned at the sight of her and turned the engine off.
“Hey gorgeous.”
He leaned over keeping his bike balanced to kiss her.
“Welcome back.”
She stepped away letting him adjust his kickstand and Zeppelin jumped up on his leg to receive his hello.
“Hey there.”
Sylvia and Pat walked around from the side. “When you get settled, Pat and I would like to talk to you two.”
She smiled and pushed Uncle Patrick back to the side of the cabin.
His feet met the ground in front of her “I missed you.”
He kissed her again. “A lot!”
“I missed you too, you smell like a homeless man, again.”
“I told you, we slept on the plane. There’s no shower on the plane.”
He pulled her into his side, “let’s go shower, get some lunch. Maybe some dessert.”
His hand found her butt, giving it a squeeze.
He opened the screen and watched her walk in, “You go shower, I’ll make lunch.”
She suggested.
“Sounds good.”
Wolfgang
He bundled his clothes and grabbed Junipers from the floor, walking them downstairs to be washed, one last time before they left, “Hey.”
Sylvia looked up from the couch.
June’s eyes followed him and the bundle of clothes, “Thank you.”
He stuffed them in the washing machine and started it. “So,”
He padded around the couch and sat next to Juniper, “What's everyone been up to?”
“Okay Pat, will you go get it?”
Sylvia patted his knee for encouragement.
He groaned standing up, “The whole box?”
“Yes.”
She set down her book and shifted to the edge of the cushion.
Pat entered their bedroom momentarily before closing the door behind him with a large box under his arm. “Okay. This was Syl’s idea but I support it.”
He set the box down on the carpet in front of them.
They looked down looking at two full face helmets, “I talked to Syl about our trade and she was worried about your three hour ride back into Sacramento, figuring these would help you get to the airport safely.”
“Thank you.”
June looked across the room at Sylvia sincerely.
“Oh, there’s more in there, under the helmets, it’s more for your mom and Amy.”
Wolfgang picked up his helmet, seeing a small box with recipes on the side. Pat spoke, “That’s your grandmother's recipe box, figured your mom would like that. There’s a box of her and Amy’s trinkets in there, I never had the heart to toss and a photo album, we made copies of all the pictures. Just something I wanted to send back with you.”
“Wow, this is all great, thank you guys.”
Wolfie smiled at them both.
“Wolfgang, let's go look over the title for the car,”
Pat bobbed his head towards the back door.
The dirt crunched under their feet on the way to the workshop, the door opened and Wolfgang saw the paper on the hood of the car, “I need you to sign this, saying you sold it to me but I also wanted to give you this as well,”
he pulled a small box out of the interior pocket of his vest. “It was our mother’s and you can give it to Marilyn but in case you wanted to,”
He cleared his throat, “well propose with it, I didn’t want to ruin that for June. Son, don’t be stupid, girls can’t wait forever and Juniper is a pretty good girl.”
“That’s the plan.”
Wolfie smirked looking at the ring.
“I figured as much, seeing you come all the way back here for someone who wouldn’t remember who the hell you were.”