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chapter four
After Zac had gotten home after finding Jessie, his mother bombarded him with questions.
“Did you find her? Is she alright? WHERE IS SHE?”
“Mom, mom,” he said. “She’s fine.”
“Well then where is she?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t let me follow her.” He sighed.
“I’m tired. I’m going to bed.” He turned and trudged up the stairs to his room. He quickly changed clothes and climbed in bed. He just lay and thought until sleep overtook him.
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Jessica sat in her room, throwing everything she could in her suitcases. She couldn’t stay here anymore. It hurt too much. Every morning when she woke up, and every night, right before she fell asleep, she saw the little box in the paramedic’s hands. And his words: “I think it’s for you.” She felt tears welling up in her eyes. He was going to ask her to marry him! Marry him! She closed her suitcases. She had just about packed everything she owned. She wasn’t sure where she was going, but she was thinking someplace like Nebraska. Yeah, Nebraska. That was where she was going. Nebraska.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered quietly. “I can’t stay. It has to be this way.” She set her alarm for12:30 and quietly crawled into bed. She shut off the light, and cried softly until she fell asleep.
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At precisely 12:30 AM, Jessica’s alarm rang. She jumped out of bed and tied on her shoes. She looked around. It would take her a few trips to get all of this to her car. Well, she thought, here goes nothing.
About 10 minutes later, she had loaded all of her bags and boxes. She went back inside one more time. To say goodbye.
She went to her parents’ room first. She gently and carefully opened the door. She walked over to their bed and looked down at them. She felt tears threatening to fall. She leaned over and gently touched their hands.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Goodbye. I love you.” She turned, and moved on to Avery and Zoë’s room. She looked down at her little sisters, sleeping innocently in their beds. Poor Zoë probably didn’t even know what was going on. She smiled, seeing the picture from her birthday. She was in the middle, a huge smile plastered on her face, Zoë and Avery on either side of her, smiling at least as big. There was a similar one, except she was with Ike and Tay and Zac. She smiled bigger, reached over and grabbed the picture. She held to her heart.
“Bye guys,” she whispered. “I hope you don’t mind if I keep this. Love ya. I’ll be back someday, I promise.” She moved on to Mackie’s room. She smiled.
“Bye ‘lil bro. Love ya.” She had only two rooms left. Ike and Tay’s, and- and- Zac’s. She gulped, feeling the tears drip down her cheeks, and moved to Ike and Tay’s room. Jessie smiled down on her big brothers. They had always been there for her. She reached out and touched their hands. She had one room. She took a deep breath and opened Zac’s door. She reached down and gently caressed his hand. She let the tears drop.
“I love you Zac. Bye,” she whispered and turned to leave the room. But right before she was out the door, she heard a voice.
“Jessie?” It was Zac. She turned around. She must have woken him up.
“Where are you going?” She sighed and looked down at her hands.
“I don’t know. Anywhere but here. I can’t stay here anymore.”
“You mean you’re leaving? Home?” His voice sounded small and timid. Jessica nodded.
“Don’t leave,” he said, rushing over to her.
“You don’t have to.” She nodded, wiping away tears.
“Yes I do. I can’t stay here anymore. It hurts to much,” she paused, then shook her head.
“No, I can’t.” Zac looked down.
“Yes, you can. It’ll go away. It’ll stop!”
“No! It won’t! I can’t, I can’t!” Her words subsided to tears. And she fell into Zac’s arms.
“I love you Zac. Tell everybody I love them, okay?” He nodded.
“I love you Zac.”
“I love you too, Jessie.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.” Zac released her with reluctance, and she left for the door. He watched her pull away out of the window, until he couldn’t see her anymore. Then he climbed in bed and lay there crying until he fell asleep. His sister was gone. She was gone, and she wasn’t coming back. He could’ve stopped her, but he didn’t. His Jessie was gone. Gone, and not coming back.