Page 5 of Revive

“What you doing, baby girl?” Jagger asks.

“I’ll be finished school next year, and as soon as I turn eighteen,” she points at the screen, the photo of Valletta, the capital city of Malta at sunset. “I’m going there.”

A small crease forms in between Jagger’s brows and Emerson instinctively rubs circles on his back in comfort.

“It’s a little bit early to be planning, isn’t it? What if you want to stay here? Or go to University first?”

“University,” she blanches. “I’m not going to go to University. Not until I’ve taken photos of the world.”

“You can’t do that after?” No matter how much time has passed, I still know my brother like the back of my hand, and my heart breaks for the man who just got his daughter back only to lose her to the world and have no way to stop her.

“I can. I just don’t want to.”

Jagger would never push her, or tell her she can’t go. Not when he holds so much guilt for the twelve years of her life he missed, but that doesn’t mean when the time comes, he’s going to give in so easily. The problem is, neither will she.

“I think you should just wait and see how the next two years plan out.” Letting Jagger know I have his back, I try to steer the conversation away from the inevitable argument. “You might not even want to travel, by the time you finish school.”

A loud knock dilutes the tension before it has a chance to erupt. I look at Jagger. “You expecting someone?”

“It’s probably my mum,” Dakota answers.

“I thought you were staying here tonight.” Ignoring me, Jagger heads to the door and Dakota grabs her bag from the kitchen bench and meets her parents.

“Are you ready? We need to go.” Sasha’s hurried voice travels through the house, and I bite the inside of my cheek at her irritated tone.

“Wait,” I call out a little too loudly. In two large steps I’m standing beside Jagger and staring at the woman who looks different, but her presence still suffocates me the same as always. “Hi.” My greeting is stilted and void of any affection, yet civil enough for our audience. “I have a gift for Dakota. Just let me get it from my suitcase.”

Giving me a slight nod, she drops her chin to her chest, hiding her face from me. It stings.

She steps back into the darkness. “I’m going to wait in the car.”

Speechless, I push back what just took place and retrieve Dakota’s present. Wrapped up neatly in a map of Rome, I hand her a photo book I had made specifically for her. “Open it at home,” I instruct. Filled with photos I purposefully kept hidden from her viewing tonight, I know these will seal the deal on her future plans, knowing I’ll be the mediator between her and Jagger when the time comes.

With a look of understanding, she stands on her tiptoes and kisses me on the cheek. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me too.”

“I love you.”

“Always, kid.”

Leaving Jagger and Dakota to their own goodbyes, Emerson’s eyes find mine, paired with an apologetic smile I don’t understand. Choosing to ignore her, I begin to clear the dining table. Minutes of sharing the same space as Sasha and I can’t ignore the fight or flight mode my body goes into. Eight months without saying a word to her, seeing her, or breathing the same air, and it all means nothing. I want to punch something. I want to scream and throw shit around like a mad man. I just want some fucking peace.

“Drix.” Jagger’s voice cuts through my internal rage. “Can we talk?”

Eyes watch me with caution and I feel even more out of place; unease taking over the usual sense of security I’ve felt in my own place, around my own family. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just grab a beer and sit back down. We want to tell you something.”

“Are you having a baby?”

“What?” Emerson shrieks, making me laugh. “Just sit down.”

Twisting the top off my beer, I sit in front of a fidgeting Jagger. “Spill it bro, worry isn’t a good look on you.”

Taking a quick swig of his drink, he looks from me to Emerson, and back again. “Em and I have been thinking of getting our own place together.”

“Okay,” I pause. “Not what I was expecting, but you know I have no issues with you here, and Em you’re more than welcome to live here too. Come and go whenever you please.”

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