Page 20 of Justice for JoElla

“Uh, yeah. Okay.” He pulled out his phone and she rattled off her number.

“Good deal. I’ll give you a call Friday afternoon so we can set a time and place. And thanks. I’m looking forward to it.”

JoElla could almost feel her hands shaking. “Me too.”What’s wrong with me? I can’t do this! I should say no!

But for some reason, she couldn’t.

Chapter 4

As soon asthe car door closed behind him, Brandon sat back in the seat and almost had a stroke. “What the hell was I thinking?” he whispered aloud to himself. He’d asked JoEllaTompkins out on a fucking date. That might not have been the smartest thing to do.

Then again, why not? She was a good looking woman, which was what he’d tried to convey in his failed attempt at being complimentary. God, foot in mouth up to kneecap on that one! Well, there was one thing for sure. He wouldn’t be sleeping with her because he had no place to take her to. He could just see Landon grinning at him the next morning over breakfast. Wouldn’t that be awkward?

But at least he knew what had gone on that had made JoElla so distant. That was pretty horrible. Well, she did bring some of that on herself, sleeping with her partner, a guy she knew was married. Of course, that was a target at which Brandon could throw no axes. He was no better, and he knew it. But it seemed JoElla was trying to do better.

He was too. If she was married, he was pretty sure she would’ve said. And he’d been honest about where he was in his marriage. Two more weeks and they’d have their final meeting. Then maybe he’d have enough money to get a place of his own. He loved Landon and Jerrica, Sim too, but theirs was a family home, and he wasn’t part of their family. Yeah, he kinda was, but not really.

That was something he had to do, and he knew how it would end, but it still had to be done. When he’d called the kids before, they’d refused to talk to him. They probably would again. But at least they’d know he was trying to stay in touch with them. Maria had been the keeper of the schedule and the warden of the household. He didn’t know what they were involved in anymore. William had been playing on the school chess team for years, and Elizabeth… From what he could tell, Elizabeth’s favorite pastime was trying to make all the other girls feel jealous or inferior, and she was a pro. If there was an Olympic team for that shit, she’d be a gold medalist. It was a shame to have to say that about his own daughter. The greatest shame was that he was, to a great extent, responsible for her behavior by underwriting it financially. Of course, Maria had encouraged the endeavors. Making the rest of the women around her feel inferior was her superpower too.

When he rolled up to the house, the lights were still on. He kept as quiet as he could as he unlocked the door and let himself in. He turned and was surprised to find Landon and Jerrica on the sofa, curled up together and watching TV. “Hey, little brother! You’ve been out for a while!”

“Yeah. Just wanted to drive around a bit and give you guys some time alone without me hanging around.”

“We don’t mind you hanging around,” Landon told him, and Jerrica turned to look at him and gave him a big smile. “You’re welcome to hang around anytime.”

That was it. He couldn’t stand it?himself?anymore. Brandon dropped into the nearest chair and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped in front of him. “I have something I need to say.”

Landon turned to him. “Uh, okay. Talk away.”

“I’m sorry I gave you so much shit for so long about your job. What I saw last night… You have my utmost respect. That was terrifying. I couldn’t believe you and Breckin would willingly go inside there, but you saved a lot of people. All of you did. You were doing a job I couldn’t do?”

“You meanwouldn’tdo,” Landon corrected.

“No, honestly, I don’t think I could do it. I just don’t have the fortitude. But you guys kept at it all night. So I’m sorry. I really am.”

“Apology accepted, although I told you that months ago.”

“Yeah, well, months ago I hadn’t seen you in action. I asked the commander this morning if he’d seen you. I didn’t want to leave until I knew you were both okay.”

“Oh. Well, thanks. I appreciate that.”

“And Jerrica?”

The blond turned her head and looked at him again. “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry I was so rude to you when we first met. That was wrong of me, and I really regret it. You make my brother very happy, you’ve created a nice home for the three of you, Sim is adorable and loved, and you’re a good person, not to mention a good nurse. I treated you like shit, and I’m sorry.”

Instead of trying to make him feel better, Jerrica glared at him. “And you sat by while your wife ridiculed and insulted me, and you said nothing.”

“You’re right. That’s exactly what I did. Mom and Dad did too, and I’m not saying that because I’m trying to blame them. We all did that, everybody except Liella, and god knows we’ve given her enough grief over the years. And I haven’t always been the kindest to Breckin too. I have every intention of apologizing to them both.”

Landon’s brow furrowed. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Humanity, I hope. I’d like to be human for a change instead of thinking of myself as a god. I don’t have the right to do that.”

“Then will you do something for me?” Jerrica asked.

“Name it.”

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