compliance and just hung up the phone. She didn't have to say it, because I knew. Mack was in trouble, and I needed to get to him right away. As though they had heard my thoughts, Markus and Jake walked through the door as I ran to my room and started packing my things.
Jake, seeing the lunch I had prepared him scattered everywhere, started to panic. I barely heard a word he said as I flew from room to room, gathering the things I would need. When he finally grabbed my shoulders to stop me, I could barely see him. I was dizzy and ready to collapse.
“What the hell is going on? Are you hurt? What are you doing?” He barely finished one question to ask another. When he finally stopped, I crumbled to the floor, trying desperately to breath.
“Khallie, please, tell me what’s going on.” Jake’s eyes pleaded with mine.
“It’s Mack. Something’s happened.” My voice cracked at the weight of the words. I pushed Jake’s hands aside and pulled myself up off the ground. I didn’t have time to have a breakdown, and I didn’t have time to explain everything to Jake. I had to get to Mack. I had to make sure he was ok. Jake’s resolve dissipated. He just stood there as I continued to pack my things.
I knew what he was feeling. Mack had been like a father to him. Jake was actually Mack’s nephew, the last living relative that Mack had. When Jake’s parents were killed in a car accident, Mack had taken him in. With no other family left in the world, they grew to rely on each other.
Jake loved Mack, and losing him would just kill him. I knew what was going through his mind, and immediately I regretted telling him. He couldn’t come with. Not now. I knew why Mack was in danger. I had no doubt in my mind what had just happened. I couldn’t let Jake put himself there too. I stopped him just as he started towards his closet.
“Jake, no. You can’t come with me.”
“What? What the hell are you talking about? I have to come with, Khallie. You know that.” I sighed. This was going to be hard, but I couldn’t let him go.
“Jake, Mack & I…. We stumbled onto something big; something that has put Mack’s life in danger. I can’t; no, I won’t let you put yourself in that danger, too. Do you understand?”
Jake pushed past me reaching for his closet door. I closed my eyes. How could I convince him? I looked up at Markus, pleading with my eyes for him to help me out. Markus, quick as he was, got to the door before Jake.
“Please listen to her, Jake. She can take care of herself. You are just a little more vulnerable. I’m sure she will call for you when she feels it’s safe for you to come.” Surely I underestimated how much the two of them had bonded, because I couldn’t believe it when Jake stopped and turned around, clearly having just conceded defeat.
“I will call as soon as I get there, I promise.” I didn’t wait for him to respond. I needed to leave.
“You shouldn’t drive. It will take too long. I’ll call the airport.” He sounded brokenhearted. He was, I knew. But I couldn’t give in. I wasn’t sure how bad things were with Mack. I wasn’t going to put Jake in danger too.
I nodded my head, and Jake went back out to use the phone in the kitchen to book my flight. I gathered the rest of my things, while Markus stood and watched me.
“He is a good friend?” he finally asked.
“Yes, Markus. He is my best friend.” Tears started to run down my face. For the second time in months, I faced losing someone I loved. This just couldn’t be happening.
“I’ll take care of Jake. I can see he is quite upset. You won’t have to worry about him. I’m certain I can take his mind off of things.” I looked up at Markus. Only weeks before, I would’ve never trusted him alone with Jake; but now, I needed to trust him. I nodded at him and started grabbing my things, lugging them behind me as I headed for the hallway. Jake ran up to me to grab my bags, and help me carry them out to my
Jake, seeing the lunch I had prepared him scattered everywhere, started to panic. I barely heard a word he said as I flew from room to room, gathering the things I would need. When he finally grabbed my shoulders to stop me, I could barely see him. I was dizzy and ready to collapse.
“What the hell is going on? Are you hurt? What are you doing?” He barely finished one question to ask another. When he finally stopped, I crumbled to the floor, trying desperately to breath.
“Khallie, please, tell me what’s going on.” Jake’s eyes pleaded with mine.
“It’s Mack. Something’s happened.” My voice cracked at the weight of the words. I pushed Jake’s hands aside and pulled myself up off the ground. I didn’t have time to have a breakdown, and I didn’t have time to explain everything to Jake. I had to get to Mack. I had to make sure he was ok. Jake’s resolve dissipated. He just stood there as I continued to pack my things.
I knew what he was feeling. Mack had been like a father to him. Jake was actually Mack’s nephew, the last living relative that Mack had. When Jake’s parents were killed in a car accident, Mack had taken him in. With no other family left in the world, they grew to rely on each other.
Jake loved Mack, and losing him would just kill him. I knew what was going through his mind, and immediately I regretted telling him. He couldn’t come with. Not now. I knew why Mack was in danger. I had no doubt in my mind what had just happened. I couldn’t let Jake put himself there too. I stopped him just as he started towards his closet.
“Jake, no. You can’t come with me.”
“What? What the hell are you talking about? I have to come with, Khallie. You know that.” I sighed. This was going to be hard, but I couldn’t let him go.
“Jake, Mack & I…. We stumbled onto something big; something that has put Mack’s life in danger. I can’t; no, I won’t let you put yourself in that danger, too. Do you understand?”
Jake pushed past me reaching for his closet door. I closed my eyes. How could I convince him? I looked up at Markus, pleading with my eyes for him to help me out. Markus, quick as he was, got to the door before Jake.
“Please listen to her, Jake. She can take care of herself. You are just a little more vulnerable. I’m sure she will call for you when she feels it’s safe for you to come.” Surely I underestimated how much the two of them had bonded, because I couldn’t believe it when Jake stopped and turned around, clearly having just conceded defeat.
“I will call as soon as I get there, I promise.” I didn’t wait for him to respond. I needed to leave.
“You shouldn’t drive. It will take too long. I’ll call the airport.” He sounded brokenhearted. He was, I knew. But I couldn’t give in. I wasn’t sure how bad things were with Mack. I wasn’t going to put Jake in danger too.
I nodded my head, and Jake went back out to use the phone in the kitchen to book my flight. I gathered the rest of my things, while Markus stood and watched me.
“He is a good friend?” he finally asked.
“Yes, Markus. He is my best friend.” Tears started to run down my face. For the second time in months, I faced losing someone I loved. This just couldn’t be happening.
“I’ll take care of Jake. I can see he is quite upset. You won’t have to worry about him. I’m certain I can take his mind off of things.” I looked up at Markus. Only weeks before, I would’ve never trusted him alone with Jake; but now, I needed to trust him. I nodded at him and started grabbing my things, lugging them behind me as I headed for the hallway. Jake ran up to me to grab my bags, and help me carry them out to my
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