Page 50 of Dyana
I covered my mouth to hold back my laughter as we approached them.
“Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma,” Johnny babbled happily. When he noticed me over his Daddy’s shoulder, Johnny’s face brightened. “Dyna!” Isaac hung his head in defeat, and I couldn’t help the snicker that escaped as I knelt to cuddle Johnny.
“Good morning, my little sunbeam.” I looked at Isaac. “Trying to bribe your son with food? Shame on you,” I scolded playfully.
“It was worth a try,” Isaac sighed. “You guys headed to town for your date?”
“Just me and Dyana,” Jack replied. “Evan and Bryce will still be around.”
“Will you be back tonight or are you staying in town?”
“We’ll be back tonight,” Jack replied.
“I hope so,” I laughed. “I didn’t pack a change of clothes.” I hadn’t packed anything. Jack took care of it all, and when I asked him what I should bring, he said Myself and my weapons. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
We said goodbye to everyone and took off toward town. I hadn’t been back to town since we collected the chickens and was still uneasy about doing so. All of the guys had been back countless times since then without issue or seeing that car, but I still had a nagging feeling in my gut. I pushed the feeling aside. If Jack thought there was any danger, he wouldn’t have suggested our date.
“So what’s the plan for this date?”
“Well, I thought to start, we could do a little shopping.”
“Shopping? You mean looting?” I laughed. Shopping was no longer a thing in the apocalypse.
“You say toMAYto, I say toMAHto. I thought it would be fun to hit up the record store first, and then maybe check out Old Man Keller’s house. I bet you there are some treasures in there!”
Old Man Keller had been one of the wealthiest men in town and a notorious recluse. His family founded the town. He never married or had any children; therefore, he had no heirs. I knew several people who were just waiting for him to kick the bucket so his belongings would go to auction.
“I wouldn’t mind checking his house out. What if he’s still alive?”
“You mean he didn’t notice the world fell apart around him? He is just sitting in his house, wondering why the paperboy stopped delivering.” Jack laughed.
“I mean, maybe. Crazier things have happened. We don’t have any idea what’s in that house. He could have a food stockpile to last him decades for all we know.”
“Ok, so now we have to go there first,” Jack said, grabbing my hand and tugging me to walk faster.
“I am not running down the mountain to get there faster,” I laughed, pulling him back to a normal pace. “We have all the time in the world. His house isn’t going anywhere.”
We walked in comfortable silence for a bit before Jack spoke hesitantly. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Why were you so quick to believe I cheated on you?”
There was a vulnerability in his question that I understood on a deep level. I didn’t like to think about the past, or the pain, but the time had come to finally have the conversation we should have had all those years ago. Admittedly, it was my stubbornness that kept that from happening. Jack deserved answers, but I just wasn’t sure what they were anymore. Even then, IknewJack loved me. I was shattered when I found him kissing someone else, and I don’t know why I assumed the worst instead of letting him explain. I thought hard before giving him the best answer I could.
“Honestly, I saw the proof with my own eyes, or what I perceived the truth to be, and...” I trailed off, struggling to find the right words. “And I don’t know why I didn’t challenge that truth. It’s hard to look back and view it through the eyes of a hormonal teenager. Her reasons, however valid they were to her at the time, don’t hold water with me anymore. I’m sorry I can’t give you more clarity.”
“Do you believe me when I say that I didn’t want to kiss her? That I pulled away as soon as it happened?”
“I do.” The truth was, I did. He had no reason to lie to me now. It held no purpose in this world. In our lives.
“Then why don’t we chalk the whole thing up to being young and dumb and never talk about it again?” Jack suggested.
I stopped walking, pulling him to a stop as well. “I think that sounds like a perfect idea,” I replied. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him to seal the deal.
Jack kissed me back tenderly, and then we continued our hike. “I always knew we’d be together in the end. While I didn’t imagine it quite this way, I knew. Even in college, when you weren’t talking to me, I knew I’d get you back.”
“You did, did you? I’ll admit, I wasn’t as sure as you were. Especially in college. Seeing you surrounded by all those coeds, living your best life. It killed me and just proved I had made the right decision. I could barely bring myself to go on a date with a sweet guy, and you had women dangling off your biceps.”
