Ryann - Chapter 6

Ryann’s nerves were put to rest quickly, while Jenny’s never completely disappeared. She’d had a tiny family. It had been her mom, grandma and her. Surrounded by all these people and knowing that they were her blood, her family, was a bit disconcerting. She’d always wanted a large family. She’d wanted siblings and cousins to play with. She’d gotten her wish, just not how she’d thought it would be. She just couldn’t wrap her head around it all. It would be one thing if she’d found out five years ago. She would still have felt betrayed but at least her family wouldn’t have been torn apart. She cringed at the thought but then she would have had to go through it all. She had never met David or Jance and she still loved them. Just seeing their pictures and hearing stories about them, she had fallen in love with them. It hurt now. How much more would it have hurt had she known them? Had she actually been spared the pain? Was all the loss worth it? She didn’t know the answer. No one could really ever know how it might have been.  

Now she looked around and wondered if she’d been better off not knowing. It didn’t seem a fair thought. Most everyone here was welcoming her with open arms and sincere smiles. She couldn’t remember all of their names by any means. Yet a few had lingered. Jason was her favorite and treated her as though she had known him all her life. Aunt Marg was a peach. She had a cousin Mark who was hilarious. She was pretty sure his brother Jim was having a hard time not flirting with her. She had a great Uncle who liked to go off on tangents which were comical and made everybody work hard to suppress their grins. In all truth she liked everyone. She even liked the aunt that everyone kept apologizing for in advance. The only people she couldn’t handle were the two she should be closest to.

Her father made a point to say hello and then had kept his distance. She couldn’t decide if he was being respectful or cowardly. Luke kept his space as well. She was sure he had been warned to leave Ryann alone. She had caught him watching them a few times but rather than looking at Ryann with loathing, he had a neutral look on his face. At least he was behaving, that was something.

She heard the gate open and turned to see the new comer. She held her breath a moment longer than usual. She hadn’t expected this. Her grandmother was immediately greeted by several family members. Jenny was taken back by how familiar they all seemed to be with each other. Grandma looked up and their eyes met. Jenny registered the older woman’s surprise. She hadn’t known that Jenny would be there. Now the question was what to do. She was both terrified that her grandmother would come over to speak with her and worried that she wouldn’t. She waited with trepidation for a while. It wasn’t hard to tell that she would be speaking with her grandma soon. Though the woman did not bee-line it toward her, she was slowly and casually making her way.

She looked at Ryann. Ryann said nothing but Jenny could tell she was aware of the situation and was making sure not to make a big deal out of it. Jenny closed her eyes. What would she say to her? Was she ready to forgive her? No, she couldn’t. Still, she missed her. She wished she didn’t but with her only feet away she couldn’t deny it. She was jerked out of her thoughts by one of her cousin’s calling for grandma. Grandma looked reluctant but she turned and headed for the house. The cousin handed her the phone. She spoke on it briefly then called over for Blake.

They talked and then she quickly headed for the gate. Before Jenny knew what had happened grandma was gone. She wanted to inquire to where she was going but knew that by her own choice it had become none of her business. Ryann squeezed her shoulder as if sensing her turmoil.

“C’mon. Let’s get Jason and the crew engaged in some fun,” Ryann led her away from her thoughts. 

“What?” Ryann asked.

“Nothing, I didn’t say anything,” Jenny responded with a grin.

“You’re laughing at me for some reason,” Ryann pushed.

“I wouldn’t say laughing at you, it’s just funny.” Jenny teased.

“What is?”

“Well, the moment we set foot in your old stomping ground you changed.”

“I have not,” Ryann disagreed.

“Oh yes you have. You’re standing straighter with more authority. You’re trying to be intimidating.” Jenny grinned. “It’s kind of cute.”

Ryann shook her head. “You’re crazy. I’m not trying to do anything. I do suppose that I have taken a leader stance. I always used one, but if you recall, I am the leader. Hmm, I guess I’m funny that way.”

“Hey, don’t get defensive. I’m well aware that if you bark out orders to me I am still under obligation to follow them.” Jenny laughed and gave her shoulder a shove. “I just think its funny how you slipped back into that commando persona.”

“You make me sound as if I’m two faced,” Ryann gave her a wry look. “Is that what you think?”

“No,” Jenny answered annoyed, “Stop being so sensitive.”
            Ryann stopped short and looked at her. “Would you expect me to suddenly start barking out orders, chewing people out until they wished they had a gun?”

“Stop it,” she gave Ryann a dirty look in protest. She continued to walk on.

Ryann stepped up to her and kept pace. “I’m sorry I’m so touchy. I’m not sure why. I guess I’m actually a little nervous,” she admitted.

Jenny couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Okay, that’s just not like the Kodi that I know and sort of loved.”

“Ha, ha,” Ryann shrugged. “It’s just that I never used to care if they like me or not.”

Jenny couldn’t help but laugh now. “Is that why you’re nervous? You’re afraid that they won’t like you?”

“Watch it, McCarty. I can still take you.”

Jenny put her hand on her friends shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Your problem is that you took my attitude to be everyone’s attitude and that is not the case. I may have disliked you immensely but I was picked on more than the others. They actually have great respect for you. If truth be told, they like you more than they like me, at least some of them do.”

Ryann cocked her eyebrow in disbelief. “Right.”

“I’m serious, Ryann. They all look up to you. They want to be just like you. Some were almost…well, jealous of me.”

“Get out of here,” Ryann shoved her sideways.

“Sad isn’t it but true. They all wished that they had been the one to shoot you so they could be the teachers pet.” Jenny explained.

Ryann smiled and shook her head. “Even so, I’m not the same person I was then.”

Jenny nodded in agreement. “You’re right there. This could be a huge problem. What good are you now? You’ve gone all soft and mushy. You’re practically worthless as a team leader. You’ve gone from stone cold to pansied up. No one is going to follow your orders. They’ll just laugh in your face.”

Ryann stopped short. She spotted one of her girls nearby. “Lacy,” she called over, “come here.”

Lacy looked up and saw the two women. Recognizing them immediately she jogged over to join them. “Kodi, you’re back.”

“Yes,” Ryann gave the girl a warm smile. “I need a favor from you.”

The girl took a step back. She looked off her guard. “Okay,” she said slowly. She snapped out of it. “Yes, of course. What do you need?”

 Ryann chuckled to herself. “Good, I need you to stay with McCarty and make sure she completes her orders.”

“Yes, what orders would those be?”

Ryann looked over at Jenny slyly. “Well, McCarty is a bit out of practice”

“Ryann you wouldn’t.” Jenny’s mouth was set in amusement.

“I need you to run her through a drill.”

“Long drill or short drill?” Lacy asked.

“Come on Ryann,” Jenny beseeched her.

“Oh, definitely the long drill; depending on her performance maybe through twice. I’ll leave that up to you.”

“Oh,” Jenny groaned. She couldn’t help but be amused and she was already plotting out her revenge. She actually enjoyed these games she and Ryann played.

“Yes, Kodi,” Lacy barked out.

“Thanks, Lacy.” Ryann smiled. “Do you know where Doog is?”

“Yes, she’s over at course three.”

“Thanks, I’m heading over there now if anyone needs me.” She looked at Jenny. “Have fun,” she teased as she walked away.

Lacy and Jenny watched as Ryann headed for the tracks. “What did you do to her?”

Jenny laughed. “I didn’t do anything.”

“But she smiled and laughed.” Lacy made a hand gesture conveying confusion. “She practically asked me if I would do it, not ordered me… and she said thank you.”

Jenny patted Lacy on the back. “True not something that you’re used to.”

“Does Kodi have a twin sister?” she asked.

“No,” Jenny answered. “She’s a one of a kind.”

“But,” Lacy started just unable to comprehend and still in shock, “she was teasing you.”

“Yes,” she admitted with a grin, “and I can hardly wait to get her back.”

Lacy looked over at Jenny. “That almost sounded insubordinate.”

Jenny was highly amused, “Far from it.” She sighed reluctantly. “Let’s get to it. I have orders to follow.”

Ryann laughed al the way to course three. She figured she better enjoy it while it lasted. Jenny did some of her best thinking while she exercised and revenge would be on her mind. She spotted Doog sitting on a bench watching a group going through drills. She stood up to yell at one of the drillees but suddenly started to teeter. Ryann saw and ran to her side. She reached her just in time to stop her from hitting the ground hard.

“Doog?!” Ryann gently laid her the rest of the way on the ground.

“Oh, I can’t see…everything spinning”

The doctor happened to be there and he swooped down. Ryann had to step back out of the way. “It’s okay, sweetie. The doctor’s here.” She tried to reassure. “Let’s get her out of the sun.” The doctor agreed without looking up.  She ran over to the phone to call for a stretcher.

Doog blinked forcibly. “I think I’m okay now.”

“Well good but don’t move.” The doctor ordered her.

“Except I think I’m hearing things. I thought I heard Kodi.”

“You did.”

“She’s back? Who was with her?”

“No one.”

“Who caught me then?”

The doctor was taking her pulse. “That was Kodi.”
            It couldn’t have been, Doog thought, she had called her sweetie.

The stretcher arrived and Ryann forced herself to stay back out of the way. She followed them to Doog’s quarters. She wanted to go inside but the doctor ordered everyone to stay out while he examined her.

She leaned up against the wall and waited. Jenny ran up to her. “Hey, how’s Doog? I heard she fainted.”

“She did. The docs in with her now.”

Jenny studied her. “Are you all right?”

Ryann bit her lip. “I just have this strange feeling.”

“Like what?”

“Like I’m missing something really important.”
”Like an event.”

“No, like a clue or something.”

“Ryann, what are you talking about?”
”I don’t know.” She rubbed her face. “Will you go take over her post?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll check back later.”

            Ryann put her hand over her stomach. She felt ill but not as though she was physically sick. It was more the feeling she got when she had just done something very wrong. Something was nagging at her hard. It had to do with Doog but what? It wasn’t just worry. It was something else. Thinking about it now, this wasn’t the first time she had felt this nagging sensation. She had it before. When was the last time? Oh yeah, the big incident with Jenny, She remembered.

            “What are you doing?” Doog accused.

            “What do you mean?”

“I mean I just passed McCarty in the hall.”

“So.”

“So! What are you doing to that girl?” she asked angrily.

“She blew it big time! What, did you want me to let her off with a gentle slap on the wrist?”

“No but what you’re doing is wrong. It was more of Presley’s fault and you know it.”

“She has a mind of her own! She chose to act irresponsibly. She’s better than that and you and I both know it. This was unacceptable! She has to be held accountable for her actions!”

“That is not what you’re doing.” Doog got in her face. “I am not going to stand by and let you do this!”

“Do what?”

“Turn that girl into you!” Doog yelled. “You are an angry bitter woman, Ryann Kodi. You’re trying to make McCarty just like you. You know just how to play her and you pushed her to do this.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You are what is ridiculous! You try to be this unfeeling unemotional statue. Where is your heart, Ryann?” she put her hand on Kodi’s arm.

“Don’t touch me. Don’t call me Ryann! You are out of line!” she took two steps back.

“Oh poor, Ryann.”

“Stop it!”

Doog rushed Kodi and pinned her up against the wall. Normally Kodi would have retaliated but something paralyzed her, holding her there more than Doog’s force. Doog cupped her hands around Kodi’s shoulders and neck. “Where are you?” she asked as she looked into Kodi’s eyes. Doog moved her thumbs along her jaw. “Don’t teach that girl to hate just so you can have a companion in misery.”

Ryann rubbed her jaw with the back of her hand along where Doog had stroked. There was something there. There was something in that memory that should tell her something. She couldn’t fathom what. She thought back. Why had she hired Doog? That was a good question, why had she hired Doog? They had talked about it before and she couldn’t put her finger on it then either. Thinking on it now, Doog hadn’t the qualifications, they both knew that. Ryann tried to remember that day. There had just been something that drew her to the woman, not unlike with Jenny. Surely David didn’t have another sister out there, so what was it? She tried to place what she felt. Did she remind her of someone? Maybe- but who? A sibling perhaps. She ran through each and couldn’t place her to any of them. If she had to put it in words, Doog simply reminded her of home. She felt like home. Why?

The doctor stepped out and closed the door behind him. Ryann quickly stepped to.
”Is she okay? What’s wrong? Does she need to go to a hospital?” she rushed at him.

He began to answer and then stopped. “Kodi?”

“Yeah, what?” He was looking at her awful strangely. “What?”

He opened his mouth as if to speak and then closed it again.

She got it. He couldn’t believe it was her. There had actually been concern in her voice. “It’s okay, doc. It’s me. What’s going on?”

He looked at her as if he was doubtful that she was telling the truth but continued on. “She’s been having spells recently. This was the first time she passed out. She does need to go to a hospital and have a complete check up. Up until now she’s refused but this needs to be address now.”

“Don’t worry, doc. She’ll be going right now.” She grabbed her radio and signaled transportation. “I need a transport for Doog. Get it ready ASAP and get over here. She’s going to Valley Central Hospital.” She looked at the doctor for confirmation. “Good?”

“Yes, if you can get her to agree.”

She grinned. “Oh I will.”

Doog lay in her room on the sofa so she could prop herself up just a bit. It seemed to help her head. This was the worst she had felt so far. There was no more ignoring that something was wrong. The door opened and Ryann stepped in. Doog closed her eyes. “That was a quick trip.” She said slightly sarcastically.

“Yeah,” she drew out. “I got side tracked.” Ryann froze. She was fairly certain her heart stopped. “Lord, it can’t be,” she whispered. She took a step forward.

Doog opened her eyes for a quick glance at Kodi. She was surprised by what she saw. Kodi’s face was paste white and she looked like she was going to be sick. “You okay?” she asked closing her eyes again. Her eyelids were so heavy. Truth be told she wasn’t up for a round with Kodi. She didn’t feel so hot herself. The look on Kodi’s face distracted her from her pain and she set her sights on the woman. Something was very wrong. Kodi was walking towards her slowly and deliberately. She stopped at the edge of the couch and fell to her knees. Now Doog knew something was terribly wrong, only it wasn’t pain, necessarily, that she saw. It was closer to shock.

Ryann reached her hand out but stopped just short of touching Doog’s face. She didn’t feel as though she had the right to get closer. “I am so sorry.”

Doog was still not sure what was going on, but she could see the regret and the strong emotions in the woman’s face. “There you are,” she said more to herself. She had waited to see Ryann Kodi again and the woman had just appeared. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

Ryann’s whole body shook with the force of her emotions. “I am a blind fool.”

“What?” Doog asked confused. “What is wrong with you?”

“Kitty.” Ryan breathed the name.

Doog’s eyes shot open. Had she really just said what she thought she had said? Ryann’s face answered the question with a yes. “Oh.” Well, that made sense. Doog swallowed. “Hi, Ryann.”

Ryann’s head just dropped. “Oh , dear Lord.” She looked back up. “How? Why?” she stuttered. “What are you doing here?”

Doog smiled but it was a sad smile. “I came to be with you.” She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. There were so many emotions crossing Ryann’s face. Her eyes were filling up with tears. Doog reached out and touched her face. “I knew you were there somewhere.”

Ryann started sobbing. She hadn’t cried this hard when she had gone home. Her body shook violently and the tears pored like rain. She kept having to gasp for air. She grabbed onto Doog and buried her head between Doog and the sofa cushion. Doog was so shocked she didn’t know how to react. She reached her hand out and stroked Ryann’s hair. She decided not to say anything, just to let Ryann cry. The sobs started to subside but Ryann didn’t lift her head. Instead she just grasped tighter to Doog as she gained control. Finally she raised her head. She wiped at her eyes. Shaking her head she closed her eyes in pain. She finally looked at Doog again. “I knew that I had a lot to apologize and thank you for but I never imagined just how much.”

“It’s okay, Ryann.” She reached out and wiped a tear from Ryann’s cheek. She couldn’t help but feel satisfied at Ryann’s response. She had to admit that it was a fear to her that Ryann had forgotten her completely. She felt a tug at her shirt and looked down. The edge of her shirt was firmly grasped in Ryann’s hand. This seemed a bit odd to her. Was the woman afraid that she was going to run away? It hit her then that was exactly what she was afraid of. “I’m not exactly prepared to bolt through the door, Ryann.” She nodded to her hand.

Ryann glanced down, but instead of letting go, she gathered a bit more shirt and held tightly. “Kit,” she couldn’t seem to say more than the woman’s name.

The entire time Doog had been on this base, she had not been able to read one emotion on this woman’s face. By pure faith she hung on to the belief that she would get her friend back, for she had had no indication of such. Now she was looking into a face that held nothing back. Every thought and insecurity was written there. “I’m not going anywhere, Ryann.”

Ryann looked back down at her hand. “I can’t let go. I won’t.”

Doog reached out and cupped the woman’s face in her hands. “You act as though you just found me. I’ve been here the whole time.”

Ryann still did not let go, but she loosened her grip slightly.

There was a light tap on the door. Jenny stepped in. “How’s it going in here?” She surveyed the scene. “You alright, Ryann?”

Doog smiled at Jenny. “She just had a revelation.”

“Come again.”

“She just figured out who I am,” she explained.

Ryann whipped around to Jenny. “You knew?” It was very close to an accusation.

Jenny wasn’t sure how to proceed. “Doog mentioned that she had known you before but couldn’t explain. I didn’t push.”

The shock started to come in waves. “Wait wait,” she was so stunned. She looked intensely at Doog. “Kit, I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Are you serious?”

Ryann rubbed at her face her hands slid down over her mouth. She removed them, “Okay, okay.” Was she saying everything twice?” There were so many questions. “You changed your name?”

Doog could not do this. She could not answer all the questions that were forming in Ryann’s head. She had to do something. She did have one way of getting the focus off of her, but would it throw Ryann back into hiding? “I was never particularly fond of my name.”

“Kit.”

“I’m sorry, Ryann. What do you want me to say?”

“Why did you change your name?”

She was going to have to chance it. “I started a new life, I needed a new name.”

Ryann finally let go to run her hands threw her hair. She was floored. Her body began to shake again. What was going on? What this really happening? “Kit,” she was at a loss. She doubled over slightly. She felt sick.

“Ryann are you okay?” Jenny asked concerned. She wasn’t sure what was going on but it was big. She hadn’t seen Ryann this bad ever and she had seen her at her lowest. Something was really getting to her.

The radio crackled and a voice said they’d be there in five to pick up Doog. Ryann stood. “Okay, hospital first.” She jumped up and began to pace back and forth like a caged cat.

“You’re not going,” Doog stated firmly.

“The heck I’m not.” Jenny was thrown by the fierceness in Ryann’s reply. What was going on?

Doog had no other choice. She couldn’t handle Ryann’s questions and she knew she was moments away from the Spanish Inquisition. She had to get Ryann’s focus off her. “Look, we don’t have much time until they get here. I have something I’ve needed to tell you for a while now but couldn’t. You really need to know this…” she hesitated.

“What?” Ryann asked. She could tell it was serious.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jenny took a step forward. This was serious.

“I’m okay. What?” Ryann watched the emotions cross Doog’s face. She was obviously struggling over something. “Tell me, Kit.”

Doog felt a bit guilty for this but Ryann did need to know, she just wasn’t sure if this really was the time. “Not long ago I was at my desk thinking things over.” She took a deep breath both to give her the air to say what she had to say and because a slight pain had hit her. She didn’t quite know how to put this, so she just told the story and hoped that she didn’t cross any lines she shouldn’t. “I was about at my wits end. I was running everything through my mind. I couldn’t figure out how to get through to you and time was passing with no real improvement. So I decided to pull up the articles written about what happened.  I have read them before but I just had this feeling that I was missing something. Don’t get me wrong, I know that what you went through would shatter anyone. But having known the person that you were, I just felt like I was missing something.”

Ryann held her face as emotionless as she possibly could. It didn’t seem that anything had changed, Kit still knew her, could still see what no one else could see. Ryann felt so raw, she felt like her insides were bleeding. 

“So I thought maybe if I read the articles again,” Doog continued, “maybe I could find what I was missing.” She shifted in her seat to get a little more comfortable. She grabbed her ring on her right hand between her fingers and began to twirl it back and forth. This was harder than she thought it was going to be. “I found pictures but not the ones I was looking for.”

Ryann thought she knew what was coming next.  Somehow police photographs of the crime scene had been released on the net.  She had never looked at them herself but had remembered people talking about them. She hadn’t needed to see a picture. The images were burned into her eyes.

Doog caught Ryann’s eyes with her own. For that moment she was able to put everything that had happened between her and Ryann to the background and for just one moment she was the friend that Ryann had made her so very long ago. Her eyes shone of compassion and love and her voice was very tender. “These pictures, Ryann, they were very serious. I knew I had to go to the police so I asked you for leave.” 

Ryann remembered the incident. “This wasn’t very long ago, was it?” Doog had come to her fairly alarmed and upset. She hadn’t explained she just said that there something she had to do and she needed to do it right then. Ryann had never seen her like that and knew it was serious. She gave her permission without a question.

“No,” Doog cleared her throat. Which part did she say next? “These pictures, Ryann…”

Ryann thought she would help, “of the crime scene.”

Doog shook her head. “No, not exactly.” She knew she was running out of time and now that she had started she needed to get this out. “There were three pictures. One was of David and Jance playing in the living room. Jance was on David shoulders laughing.” She continued cautiously, “the next showed David fighting with someone and another man holding onto Jance. The image of the men with them was distorted but you could see David and Jance perfectly.” Ryann’s face was draining again, this time it was turning a light shade of green to boot. “The third picture had you in it. Your back was mostly to the camera. You could see part of your face, enough to register the look of terror. Your keys were grasped tightly in your left hand. David was kneeling on the floor.” Doog felt sick to her stomach. She’d cried for hours after she saw these pictures.

Her frustration with Ryann had caused her to grow angry and fed up but when she had looked at exactly what Ryann had gone through, the anger had evaporated. It had renewed her and she’d been able to be a friend again. She could never have survived what Ryann had survived. For a single moment she had been grateful for the stone wall Ryann had become because a lot of people would have given up completely and ended up taking their own lives. “I don’t know how aware you are of the investigation going on. I’m guessing you don’t know much about it.”  She was sure the Ryann did not know about the new change. Should she mention that? “I spoke with the detective in charge, which was very interesting, “she said slowly.

“What?” Ryann asked reading something there.

“You’re case has been handed over to a new detective. You’ve met him once before.” She didn’t go into detail. “I told him that I knew you, that I was a friend of the family and after talking for awhile I shared my information with him and he admitted to me that someone has been taunting the police, someone very smart. They’re no closer to finding whoever is responsible. But whoever they are, they’re still targeting you. These aren’t the first pictures discovered on the internet but they were the most recent.”

Ryann wasn’t moving. It wasn’t that she was retreating into her stonewall but she looked like a statue. The door opened. They were there to pick up Doog. Jenny pulled Ryann aside and let them through. Doog accepted their assistance as they pulled her up on to the stretcher. She kept her eyes on Ryann the whole time. She had accomplished her task. She had pushed the button that would briefly make Ryann forget her questions. Now she had new questions but not for Doog. She gave Jenny a look prompting her to watch Ryann. She didn’t speak again, she gave no goodbye for fear that it would break Ryann out of shock and make her put aside her new questions for the old. She closed her eyes and fought the temptation to cry. She was on her way to the hospital and once again out of Ryann’s life.

Jenny watched Ryann carefully. She could tell the Ryann was on the edge of passing out. Ryann looked up as a stretcher rounded the corner and took a step towards it. Her legs gave out from under her and she nearly fell. Jenny grabbed her and used the downward force to set her on the sofa. “Hold it, Ryann. You need to sit.”

“I need to go,” she insisted weakly.

“No, you need to rest before you pass out.”

Ryann shook her head.  “I’m fine,” she insisted. “I have to go after her.”

“She didn’t want you to go, Ryann. She’s going to be fine. She was more worried about you and so am I.”

“You don’t understand. You don’t understand who she is. I have…”

“I know exactly who she is, Ryann,” Jenny interrupted. “I’ve known her for quite some time now. I know who she is. I know how special she is just by having known her while I’ve been here. I don’t know your history but I do know her. Now stay put or you’re going to need a stretcher too.”

Ryann leaned over and buried her face in her knees. She wasn’t sure she even had the strength to stand. So much information was swarming in her mind and she wasn’t sure which to deal with first. “What do I do?”

Jenny was flabbergasted. She had never witnessed such an intense scene before. She had to admit she was very curious to know more about Ryann and Doog’s past. However, Doog must have felt that the information she had was a priority and Jenny agreed. Someone had murdered her brother and nephew and they were living it up. Something had to be done. “It would seem that your god is letting the murderer run fun and fancy free.” She couldn’t hide that anger and bitterness.

Ryann didn’t straighten but she turned her head so she could look at Jenny. She couldn’t explain why justice had not yet been served. “Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked,” she quoted scripture.

“You’re still going to hold on to that?”

“I let go once, Jenny. Would you really want me to go back to that?”

Jenny shook her head annoyed. “No but I want you to face reality.”

“Reality is that everything happens for reason,” Ryann insisted. “I believe that now more than I ever have in my life. I have to, just to get through the day, but even more so now.”

“How can you think that?”

“I have known Kit Ardoogsen since we were children. It doesn’t matter that she changed her name or her hair. She could have been standing a hundred feet off and I would know her just by the way she stands. I know her like I know my own family. She is my family. Now you explain to me why I didn’t figure out who she was until now.”

“You didn’t notice a lot of things, Ryann.” Jenny argued. “Did you ever think it was just because you didn’t want to recognize her?”

“We all know that if I had recognized her I would’ve pushed her away. I would never have hired her if I’d known who she was.” She thought about that. There were other circumstances surrounding their friendship that may have played a part in all this. She wouldn’t have reacted the same way to Kit as she had the rest of her family. She honestly didn’t know how she would have reacted. Though it was a good chance it wouldn’t have been a good reaction. “But I did recognize her enough to hire her. She had no credentials for this job. She had no training whatsoever as even an assistant of this sort, let alone the physical training. Something or I should say someone compelled me to hire her and kept her identity hidden from me. This was not a coincidence.”

“She was hiding from you, Ryann. She was here watching out for you when you had pushed everyone else away. You didn’t recognize her because neither of you wanted you to recognize her. You, so you could hide and her because she wanted to be here for you. I don’t see how god had anything to do with it.”

“And I don’t see how you could deny that God had anything to do with.” She took in a deep breath to try and stabilize herself. What now? She sat up and leaned back against the couch. What should I do, Lord? She asked. She remembered where she was. She had responsibilities. “We need to get a hold of Brooks Mayer. We’re going to need her to take over sooner than we thought.”

“I’ll call her now,” Jenny stood allowing the subject to change. “You stay put. If I have to put a post outside the door I will.”

“I’ll stay.”

Jenny made the appropriate calls. She hung up the phone with a sense of ending. This base had been her home for a while now. She hadn’t planned on being done with it so soon. Things had changed though. She thought for a moment about what Ryann had said about everything happening for a reason. She could not name the reason she had come to this base in the first place. It had never been anything she had wanted to do before. So why here why now? She couldn’t fathom having been guided here by a supernatural hand. How easy was it for a lost sister to come in contact with her brother’s wife in a remote site like this? So many things came together so strangely. She just couldn’t accept that it was a plan. All she knew right now was that her place was at Ryann’s side. Beyond that she had no idea what lay ahead of her.

            Ryann was thoughtful as she walked along the corridor. Ever since she had watched her family being murdered, she had relied upon a self defense mechanism that cut her off from the rest of the world.  She would retreat into a persona stronger and braver than she felt that she was.  But she had emerged from the persona a stronger woman and though she could handle the problems of life, she found that she couldn’t do it without retreating back to the persona in at least a small way.  As she walked into that precinct, no one had ever seen a stronger or straighter body stance in their lives.  She walked down the hall like a wartime general walks in front of his men.  She dug deep into her pain and her fear and dipped into her persona, her retreat, and found those parts that were useful in getting her through the hard times of life.  She wouldn’t retreat fully.  She would never do that to her family again, but she would pick and choose those parts that could be helpful to her. 

            She thought that she’d gotten past that dark hole.  But the information that Kit had relayed to her threatened to pull her back down.  How could there be pictures on the internet?  Who else had been there?  She had known that there had to be someone behind the plot against her family.  The police could never find a connection between her and the man that was killed but they’d never given up on finding it.  It hadn’t felt like a random act of violence.  She wanted more than anything to find the person responsible for this, to finally be able to put to rest everything that happened. 

            With Jenny on her heals, she made her way through the precinct to the office she had been directed to.  She hesitated a micro second at the door. With a sharp intake of breath, she stepped through. She stopped short when she saw the detective in charge of her case. Now she understood why Kit had found him interesting. She heard Jenny gasp slightly at her own recognition. Right off the bat Ryann noticed a change. His physical appearance was the same but he looked very different to her.  He looked up from his desk when she entered.  His face showed no recognition. She guessed he couldn’t say the same for her.  He looked over her stance and that seemed to remind him.  His eyes narrowed.  He was definitely surprised to see her. 

            “Kodi.  I wouldn’t have expected to see you.  What can I do for you?”

            She waited ten seconds before answering.  “I was informed that you have taken over my case.  I would like to be updated.” She heard the “Kodi” tone in her voice but couldn’t help it. Both the situation and the presence of a former opponent put her on edge. She couldn’t believe that Bryant Kacie was heading up her case.

            He looked even more confused now than before.  “I’m afraid there’s been a mistake. I’m only working on one case right now.”

            “I’m well aware of that.  It is my case that you’ve been working on.”

            He looked ready to argue with her but before he said anything he looked down at a picture sitting on his desk.  He picked it up and looked at it.  Then, in almost amazement, he looked back up at her.  “Kodi,” he said more to himself than to them. “You?  You’re Ryann Kodi?”

            She waited another ten seconds before answering.  “Yes.” They stood at a stare off, neither one willing to break eye contact. McCarty, who was standing close, gave her a small nudge.  Without skipping a beat Kodi continued.  “I was told that you found pictures on the internet.”

            He looked down at his desk.  He seemed to be deep in thought.  “You know, when I took this case on I requested to speak with you but was told you were unavailable.  I found it highly suspicious that you had up and disappeared.” He shook his head and chuckled.  “I stated as much and was met with quite a bit of resistance. I believe the captain told me to get my head out of my backside and do my job.” He nodded his head side to side.  “Not a single person even gave the smallest inkling that you might have something to do this but I didn’t buy it.”

            Kodi’s eyes narrowed.  She wasn’t about to stand there and let anyone, let alone him, accuse her of aiding in her family’s death.  She was about two steps from blowing up in his face.  Her dignity kept her silent.

            He looked straight into her eyes.  “Nope, I didn’t buy it for an instant, until now,” he finished, surprising her.  Bryant leaned back in his chair.  He shook his head and chuckled again.  “You are Ryann Kodi.  I would’ve never guessed it.”

            Kodi fought hard to hide her surprise.  Successfully she continued.  “So what can you tell me?”

            His expression changed from surprise to one of seriousness.  “Have a seat,” he instructed.  With hesitation but managing to get off the defensive a bit, Ryann did as instructed.  Jenny followed her lead. Ryann relaxed slightly and listened to what he had to say. With a sigh he slowly handed her a folder from his desk.  She could see his reluctance in letting her see them.  She took that as fair warning that she would not like what she saw.  Ryann put her fingers on the folder.  She felt her hand beginning to shake slightly.  She swallowed nervously.  She knew that if she didn’t do something quick she was going to have a panic attack and she hadn’t even seen what was inside the folder yet.  She took a deep breath and mustered up all the strength she had within her. Please, Lord.  Please help me get through this.  Slowly she opened the folder.  Her breath caught in her chest.  The world slowed around her; even her heartbeat had grown faint as though time had slowed too still to even get out a beat.  She needed only to close her eyes to see the pictures that lay in her hands.  The small glimpse of the pictures he handed her had brought back memories so vivid that she was afraid she would never rid them from her mind. 

            Jenny put a hand on her shoulder.  Kodi nodded, she pulled strength from her friend’s touch and got on with the business at hand.  She noticed at once that the pictures were taken from behind her.  She knew then that whoever else had been there must have come down from the small balcony of the sun room. She searched her memory but could not recall a single noise from behind or a glance in that direction from one of the men.  She closed her eyes and ran through the events of that night to the best of her memory.  Then she found it. There had been a short second, the smallest of a glance from the man who shot her son just before he had done it. He had looked up to get instruction.  Whoever and taken these pictures had given the OK to kill her husband and child.  She felt sick to her stomach.  How could she have missed that? 

            She looked at the detective sitting behind the desk.  He’d been her enemy.  In the very least he had been a thorn in her side.  Now, he was the man in charge of putting the past behind her.  “So what do you know, Kacie?”

            He grinned.  “You know, you could call me Bryant.”

            “I could call you detective Kacie if you would like.”

            He shook his head slowly.  “No, Kacie is fine.  Of course you don’t have to say it with quite the enthusiasm that you used on the battlefield.” He smiled at her then and without showing it, she couldn’t help noticing that he was a very attractive man with a rather sexy smile.

            She sat thoughtfully for a moment.  She wondered then how he had managed to be a detective and on her case. She had heard that he had resigned not long after their war game but not nearly long enough to become a detective, let alone get through the academy.  “Speaking of the battlefield, it hasn’t been that long since you left it.  Exactly what did you do to become a detective so quickly?”

            He smiled devilishly.  He felt the challenge.  The moment he had laid eyes on her, competitiveness had risen in both of them.  He felt that now but knew it was inappropriate.  He struggled to suppress the desired to challenge her.  “There’s only one way to become a detective this quickly after you’ve left the armed forces.  That’s to have been one before you entered the armed forces. Let’s just say that after I met you, I decided that the reason I left my job in the first place was unavoidable.”  He shrugged, “So I decided to move home and begged for my old job back. Jim and I go back a ways, He thought maybe a new perspective would help the case so he put me on it.”

            She contemplated his answer.  She couldn’t help but be curious.  “And why did you leave your job in the first place?”

            He cocked his eyebrow in response.  She knew full well that he didn’t think it was any of her business and he was correct.  He folded his arms in front of him and leaned back with a sly grin on his face.  He seemed to be contemplating whether to tell her the truth or not.  “Well, if you’re sure that you want to know,” he paused.  Not getting an interruption, he continued, “I resented having a woman as a superior.”

            Ryann was so surprised to have him admit the reason that she decided not to comment.  She snuck a glance at Jenny next to her.  She was biting her lip to hide her amusement.  For the first time since entering the building, Ryann let the persona go and completely relaxed.  She fought the urge to laugh, then unable to do so, she just let go and chuckled.

            “I’m glad that you find it amusing.”  Bryant said sternly but there was laughter in his eyes.  He looked down at the folder in front of him and his face became solemn again.  “I guess I’ve been avoiding this.  You asked what we’d found and I neglected to answer, the reason being that we haven’t been able to find anything.”  He sighed heavily.  “We know when he left the scene; he’s been posting these in reverse order.  We believe that first one there is the last picture he took before he exited the scene. He posts a new picture every so often but in no real order that we’ve been able to determine.  He posted three pictures on April 27. Those are the ones that Doog found.” It hit him then. He got a ‘well duh’ look on his face but continued without comment. “There’s something about that date that is significant to him but we have no idea what.  We know a few things about the camera that he must have used. If you notice, the pictures were snapped so quickly that if you were to put them together and flip them it would almost play as a movie.  We also know that in order for you to not have heard the camera clicking, that it must be a quiet brand. It was probably digital or maybe video and these are just stills. We also think that it possibly was on a stand. The pictures are consistently at the same angle.” 

            “Up until six months ago they were in perfect reverse order but he changed his pattern on,” he flip the page and looked for a date, “January 3.  He posted this one.”  He handed her a picture. 

            Kodi looked down at the picture reluctantly.  She was afraid she was going to see something rather unpleasant.  Instead she saw a picture that would be in her own photo album.  The picture was taken from a different angle, higher up the stairs that lead to the sun room but it caught them fairly well.  It was taken of the three of them just before she had left to go to the store.  She was kissing David goodbye and Jance was standing next to her with his arm around her leg.  “He was in the house before I left.” She stated. 

            Kacie nodded.  “One of them was.  That or they had a camera hidden.  It’s close enough to the incident that we can’t rule out a random attack.  I don’t believe it is but there is a possibility that you were chosen randomly that day and were only watched for the short period of time before the incident occurred.  However, the change of habit on specific dates indicates that this is not the case.  I’m waiting for a picture unrelated to this incident in order to prove this but I believe whoever is responsible knows either you or David. I’m guessing you. If it were David, I don’t believe he would bother to post the pictures.  He’s still trying to get your attention and he’s getting frustrated that it’s not working.”

            Kacie leaned forward in his chair.  “I don’t believe he’s done with you.  Eventually he’s going to become so angry and frustrated from lack of results that he’ll strike you again. I don’t think he’s known where you’ve been this little while and I think it’s making him mad.”  He leaned back again.  “Hopefully his frustration will have caused him to make a fatal error before this happens. Now that you’re back, we may see a lot more activity. I’m figuring he’s pleased to see you and eager to cause a reaction.”

            “Do you think he’s going to go after my family?” Kodi asked calmly, even though her heart began to thump. 

            He shook his head.  “No, when he comes at you again, it will be personal. Otherwise he would have attacked them to get you to come home sooner. This is between him and you. He wants you to know why he did this.  He wants you to know who he is.  I think he wants you to himself.  Do you know anyone from your past who might fit anywhere near this pattern?  Any sour breakups with boyfriends?  Or even crushes?”

            “You think it might be some poor fool who had a high school crush on me?” Kodi asked in doubt. 

            “We’re not dealing with someone quite right in the head, if you’ll excuse the expression.  We know that he’s smart.  We wouldn’t even know of his existence except that he chose to reveal it.  I believe that he planned this thoroughly from beginning to end and he planned it well.  I think that he receive the exact results that he wanted, including the death of the one man.”

            “Why do you believe that?” Kodi asked. 

            “We have no positive way to prove it but we have officers who swear that both men were hit.  Both men fell, the one got up and continued to run but the other lay dead on the ground.”

            “So?  What are you getting at?”

            “We believe that the man that got away was wearing a bulletproof jacket while the one that died was not.  Like I said, we can’t prove it but we do suspect it.”  He explained. 

            “So two men were needed but only one was trusted.” Kodi surmised. 

            “Exactly,” Bryant frowned slightly.  “I wish I had more.  I wish I could say that it was the police department the found the internet pictures but it wasn’t.”

            “No, it was Kit.  She’s the one that told me.  I will say this for you; you haven’t had the information on the site for long. You’ve worked quickly.”  She searched the memories from her past but could not think of a single person who might be responsible for any of this.  She’d had a semiserious relationship in high school, which had ended on fair terms. She had relationships off and on since and a few before then, but David had been the only real love of her life.  They had begun dating after high school.  For short periods during college they dated other people but neither had found anyone more than a friend.  “I can’t think of a single person who would be capable of this, none of the guys that I ever dated or even the girls that David had dated.  As far as I knew, I hadn’t started making enemies until after my husband and son were killed.” 

            Someone walked by the door and stop suddenly.  He stepped into the door frame.  “Ryann?”

            Ryann turned in her seat to see who was.  “Jim!” She stood up and walked over to him.  She approached him with arms open and he gave her a great big bear hug. 

            “Ryann Kodi, it is so good to have you home.” He looked up at Bryant sitting behind the desk.  “I guess you came to get the update on the case.” He looked at Bryant again.  “I hope he hasn’t given you any trouble,” He said with a slight threatening tone on the edge of it. 

            Ryann grinned.  “No, quite the opposite actually.  He’s been very informative.”

            Jim sighed sadly.  “I wish there was more to inform.” He looked down at Ryann.  He looked in her eyes and smiled brightly.  “There it is.  That’s what I’ve been waiting to see.  You have your father’s eyes you know, more so than the other two.  Sometimes I can look in your eyes and swear that I’m looking into your father’s eyes.”

            Ryann blushed slightly at the compliment.  Jim and her father had been best friends since their youth.  When her father had died Jim had watched over the family.  When her mother had started dating Walter, Jim felt that it was his personal responsibility to check Walter out. Walter had not only understood but had respected Jim for it. Jim grew to respect Walter as well.  The two had formed their own friendship.  Jim had always been a large part of her life.  “Thank you, Uncle Jim.”

            “I would actually like to talk to you alone for a moment if you don’t mind,” Jim stated. 

            Ryann okayed it with Jenny with a glance.  “I’ll meet you down in the parking lot in a few minutes.” Ryann and Jim left the room. 

            Jenny looked over at Bryant who was still watching Ryann walk down the hall.  He turned and looked at her.  “I see you’re still the first mate.”

            “I guess that you could say that.” She picked up the folder.  She hadn’t seen any of the pictures.  She had seen a few that were in the magazine, but they hadn’t been very detailed.  She opened the folder and stared down of the contents.  She fought the nausea that rose in her stomach. 

            Bryant noticed the color drain from her face.  “Did you know David?”

            “No, I never met him,” she answered.  She handed the folder back to Bryant.  She sat thoughtfully for a moment and then looked over at him.  “Out of curiosity, what is the web site?”

            He gritted his teeth.  Then he took a breath and answered her, “castigationofacourtesan.com.”

            “What the freak? He has a nice big thesaurus,” Jenny observed. 

            “Yes, and it shows us that he believes himself above her. Which actually suggests that he has self-esteem issues. Which isn’t surprising.”

            “Well, now I see why you believe it’s focused on Ryann and not David.” He didn’t respond.  She was too tired to get angry.  As much she would like to find whoever was responsible, she knew that they were doing everything that could be done.  Jenny stood and extended her hand.  “Thank you for your help.”

            He took her hand and shook it firmly.  “I wish that I could do more.”

           

            Ryann couldn’t help but feel a little nervous as she got ready.  She had run from her God, she had run from her family and she had equally run from the people of God.  This would be her first Sunday back. Jenny had agreed to come along but not for the church aspect of it.  She was still in follower mode and where Ryann went Jenny usually followed.  It had taken a few days to calm down after she’d found out about the website. Her mother hadn’t even approached her with the topic of church until she saw her relax.  Church hadn’t even been on Ryann’s mind, which made her feel a little ashamed.  All her life church had been many things to her.  It’d been a place to get to know her God.  It’d been a place of support.  It had been a place of refuge.  Then, when the going had gotten inconceivable, she had rejected all that the church of been to her.  She wasn’t sure how she was going to face all of those people. 

            She took a deep steadying breath as she looked in the mirror.  She had chosen to wear black dress slacks, a blue plaid blouse with a white undershirt.  It was simple but dressy enough for church.  She looked at a picture of herself from before that was sitting on the dresser.  As Jason had so delicately pointed out, she had not been overweight, nor had she been quite so fit.  She and David had worked out together a couple times a week but she really had very little muscle tone to mention.  She by no means looked like a professional body builder but she could easily model for weight machine commercials.  Likewise, Jenny was a similar creation.  The two of them could look quite intimidating standing together.  Yet even now she could see the softness had returned to her face.  The thought of being home made her smile and she could see in her smile that she truly was home again.  Now was time to make the final transition.  It was time to return to the family that she would spend eternity with. 

            They decided to just take one car.  Walter and Lorna sat in the front with the three children living under their roof in the backseat.  It reminded Ryann a lot of when she was growing up.  Jenny had been an only child, to the best of her knowledge at the time, so it was an odd experience crowding into the back seat. She could sense Ryann’s nervousness and wondered why.  After all, it was just church.  They would be lectured on some aspect of the Bible and then go home.  Yet as they walked into the building, she noticed that Ryann began to fidget slightly and chew her lip.  They entered the foyer and many heads turned to see who had come.  Suddenly Jenny understood Ryann’s nervousness.  How would they accept her? 

            The question was answered immediately.  As the people who knew her began to recognize her their faces lit up.  One by one they made their way over and greeted her with a hug or handshake.  Ryann relaxed completely.  The pastor soon came over and greeted Ryann with a handshake and a hug. He stepped back and gave her a looking over.  “It is good to have you home, Ryann.”  He glanced down at the bulletin in his hands.  “You know, we could probably fit in another song if you have that inkling to sing.” He smiled at her warmly.  “We have definitely missed your voice.”

            She blushed slightly but the red quickly faded.  “Not this time.  I would definitely have to practice first.”

            “Fair enough.  It will be enough to hear you down in the pews.” He squeezed her shoulder slightly.  “We’ll talk later.”

            They walked on to find their seats.  As they did Jenny turned to Ryann.  “You sing?”

            Ryann was amused by the disbelief she heard and Jenny’s voice.  “Yes, I sing.  I used to quite often actually.”

            As the church service began they stood to sing. Jenny made an extra effort to listen to Ryann.  By the time they’d finished the third song, she understood why the pastor had said that they’d missed Ryann’s voice. She also noticed the way that Ryann sang.  She would close her eyes and sway slightly with the music.  It struck Jenny then that Ryann was at home here.  She was not only comfortable but was a peace.  Jenny looked around her.  She noticed a few people that were like her, not really interested in being there.  Yet the majority had looks on their faces quite like Ryann’s.  Indeed, Ryann’s family, with the exception of Denver who wasn’t there, were all equally comfortable and happy to be there. 

            The pastor rose and began to speak on the book of Esther.  Normally Jenny would have blocked it out and daydreamed or something of the sort.  But she noticed that Ryann’s whole family was not only listening but they were entranced.  Many were even taking notes.  Curious to know what was so interesting, Jenny began to listen.  She found that it was more interesting than she would have first thought.  He spoke about a God who uses negative events in people’s lives for good purposes.  He spoke of how God not only uses strong faith but honors it as well. What struck her was the claim of God’s sovereign power in accord with his undying love.  The idea that God has power over everything, good and bad, was new to her.  She had heard that God created the world.  She knew that He had died on a cross, which was confusing if He were truly God.  But she had never given much thought to God’s ability.

            It confused her even more.  Why would anyone follow a God that had the power to stop bad things from happening, but chose not to—would even go as far as to say that He was responsible for the bad things that happen?  She supposed that in the context of Esther, she could understand.  God allowed Esther to be plucked out of her life and placed in a harem.  What a sorry existence that would’ve been.  She guessed that she could understand that God had not abandoned Esther, the proof being that she out of all of the women was chosen to be the queen.  But still, why would she risk her life?  Yet how could she not?  She couldn’t live with letting her people die while she sat in her mansion protected. 

            Faith.  Exactly what is it?  She looked down at the insert in her bulletin.  Ironically enough, it answered it. Hebrews 11: 1, 17-18, 32-34. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthath, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

            Jenny knew a little about some of the characters mentioned.  Her mother had told her Bible stories when she was younger.  She tried to put these passages in her own words.  What was faith?  The assurance of things hope for-- hope in God’s promises?  The conviction of things not seen-- trusting that God would do as he promised?  It wasn’t just trust though.  It was putting trust into action.  These people stepped out in faith.  They put their lives on the line with only the reassurance that God would do what was best for them.  They bet their lives on God fulfilling His promises. 

            Jenny thought about that for a long moment.  Could she trust that God loved her and would do what was best for her?  She looked at Ryann sitting next to her.  How did Ryann fit into this?  How had and would God use all her pain and suffering for His good purpose?  She didn’t see a way that it would be possible.  She remembered then her favorite Bible story as a child, Joseph and the coat of many colors.  She thought of all the horrible things that happened to him.  Time after time something bad happened and time after time God proved his love by being with Joseph.  He proved his plan by making Joseph one of the most powerful people in Egypt and saving his family, God’s people, through that plan.

              Yet, she recalled, even that didn’t last long.  Years later God’s people became slaves.  A voice rose in her mind as if arguing with her. And how did God use that? She thought of the answer.  He showed his might and power through Moses.  He showed his ability to control nature and his power over life and death. She seemed to recall that the Egyptians wanted them to leave so badly that they even paid them to do so.  God fought the war and the Hebrews got the bounty. As the congregation stood to sing another song, Jenny made a choice.  Believing in God came down to faith and she had none. 

            Ryann had not felt this good in a very long time.  She had forgotten what it felt like to be surrounded by God’s people, to sing His praises, to hear His word.  She was home at last.  She noticed several times throughout the sermon that Jenny was deep in thought.  She wondered what her friend was thinking and made a mental note to ask her later.  After the service everyone would gather together for snacks and conversation.  Ryann was again a little nervous but her family, that of the church and blood, soon put her nerves to rest.  She felt quite relaxed and at ease until she spotted someone in the background.  It couldn’t be him, could it?  She took a sideways step to get a better look. It was him. 

            He spotted her then and started walking towards them.  As he approached he did his famous elevator eyes, but not quite as disdainful as the first time. “You are looking fabulous today,” He observed.  “Though I do say I’ve seen you more dressed up, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you look more beautiful.”

            Ryann used every defense mechanism she had ever learned to stop herself from blushing.  “You look the same as always,” she countered. 

            Josey’s brows rose at the exchange.  “Hello, Mr. Kacie.”

            “Hello, Josey.  You’re looking quite well yourself today.” He glanced over at Teri who wasn’t far away.  “Indeed, I would say all of the sisters are quite beautiful today.” He smiled at Jenny, “Including the adopted one.”

            “Well aren’t you the smooth talker,” Jenny responded. 

            Bryant grinned and his eyes sparkled.  “I do try.”

            “I will say this,” Ryann said with almost a disinterested voice, “it is a slight improvement.”

            He turned and looked her full in the face.  “Ahh, that is true.  But I must say the improvements in you are quite satisfactory.”  He grinned, a childlike glee in his face.  “I need to talk to some people. It was truly nice to see you here today.  I hope to see you again in the near future.”  He nodded his goodbye and walked away. 

            “I’m surprised to see him here,” Ryann stated. 

            “Really?  He’s one of the deacons.”  Josey said. 

            Ryann thought about that.  “Interesting,” was all that she said. 

            “You do know that he’s been working on your case?” Josey asked.

            “Yes, he’s who I talked about it with.”

            “You didn’t like him?” She asked. “Except for a slight suspicion towards you, we all found him a bit charming.” Josey said with a grin.

            Ryann gave her an unimpressed look. “No, he was fine.”

            “Then why the tension?” she asked.

            “You are nosey, little one.”

            “It’s in my job description,” she countered.

            “Let’s just say that Mr. Kacie and I have met before and well, we didn’t see eye to eye.”

            Jenny laughed at that. “That’s the understatement of the year.” It gained her a dirty look.

            “Okay,” Josey said, “I obviously will have to grill Jenny later for the details.”

            Ryann grabbed her sister and put her in a head lock. “You are not so grown that I can’t turn you over my knee and spank you.”

            Josey giggled, not a bit frightened at Ryann’s threat. “Do remember that we are in a church and not your military playground. If you get too riley, then you’ll be hearing those same words from mother.”

            As if on cue, “Ryann, let your little sister go,” Lorna stated from half way across the room.

            Ryann did as instructed. “Behave,” she warned her.

            Josey’s grin did not reassure her.

            Ryann heard her name being called from behind. She turned to see two of her college friends coming up to greet her. “Hi, guys!” She hugged them both.

            “Hi, Ryann,” they said in unison.

            They talked for a while about events going on it their lives. Then one of them asked Ryann if she would like to go with them to their old club this coming Friday. Ryann looked at Jenny. “You feel up to it?”

            Jenny shrugged. “Why not?”

            Ryann nodded. “Yes, that would be great.”

            They looked at Josey. “You in?”

            “Always.”

            “Okay, we’ll meet you there at eight.”

            “It’s a deal.” Ryann said her goodbye’s and turned to Josey. “You’re a clubber are you?”

            “Oh, I go occasionally.” She knew what her sister was getting at. “Don’t look so worried, Ryann. They don’t serve alcohol to under age drinkers. Not that I would drink it anyway.”

            Ryann smiled. “It’ll be nice to go back to an old haunt.”

            Josey smiled devilishly. “Yes, I’ve heard about the olden days. I can hardly wait to see you in your element.”

            “Hmm, don’t count on a show.” Ryann warned.

            Josey looked at her questioningly. “Oh, really? We’ll see, we’ll see.”

            Ryann lightly hit Josey upside the head. “C’mon, squirt, let’s round up the folks and go home.”

            Jenny was quite curious to know about the olden day events that Josey was referring to. But Josey wouldn’t tell her anything unless she spoke up about Bryant, and Ryann had already threatened her life on the subject. So Jenny waited for the weekend with a bit of anticipation.

            Everyone was ready to go but Ryann had disappeared. Afraid she had changed her mind Jenny went looking for her. She found her on the phone in her room. “There’s no forwarding information at all? A billing address?” She made an irritated sighing sound. “Okay, thanks.” She put the phone down and grabbing a pen made a line through something listed on a sheet of paper. She shook her head.

            “You alright?”

“Yeah,” she threw the pen on the table. “Kit’s gone missing again.”

“Kit? Oh yeah, Doog. Again?”

“Yes, again.” She walked over to the window. “She left the hospital and disappeared. I’ve looked everywhere. I even had a buddy of mine check for credit card uses. She is no where to be found.”

“What are you thinking? Is she in trouble.”
            “No, but she will be when I find her.” She crossed her arms tightly. “I should have known that day. She didn’t tell me about David’s case just to inform me. She was distracting me.” She clinched her fists. “I should have gone with her.” She looked thoughtful. “I could report her as missing. It’s well past time. She hasn’t showed up for work. I could totally report it. As far as we know it could be serious.”
            Jenny was a bit confused. “But you don’t really think it is?”

“No, she’s just running.”

“Why?”

Ryann looked at her. “It’s a long story and not one I can really go into without talking to her first. What it comes down to is that we have a very in depth past and we need to talk about some stuff.”

“So you really knew her well.”

“Yeah, I said that.”

“But you didn’t act that.”

“I didn’t recognize her. She’s changed a lot since I knew her.” She sighed and looking up gave it to the Lord. Please watch over her and bring her back. “Speaking of that let’s keep this to ourselves for now.”

Jenny shrugged. “Okay.” She could see the point where Ryann was letting it go. “So now what?”

“We have a party to go to.”

“Okay, we’re ready.”
            “Great, let’s go.” She took one more glance at the pad. She had written down possible leads and scratched each out. She wasn’t done looking, but it would be in God’s hands to what she found.

            When Ryann walked into the club she got quite a shock. Almost every person she had gone to college with was standing in the room. Jesse, one of the girls from church, ran up to greet them. She laughed softly at Ryann’s surprise. “Oh, didn’t we tell you that this was sort of an unofficial college reunion?”

            Ryann looked over at her little sister. “No, no one mentioned that.” She had a pretty strong suspicion that someone had known. She grabbed her sister’s shoulder and led her to a table. “You are a pain.”

            “And you love it,” Josey replied.

            “Hmm, I suppose.”

            Jenny had to admit that she was enjoying herself. She liked being around Ryann’s friends. It was apparent how much they all liked and respected Ryann. It was a fun group. Still, it made Jenny more aware of the age difference between her and Ryann. She wondered if she and Ryann would have even been friends if they had known each other before. Ryann kept an eye on her the entire night, and somehow that reassured Jenny that the what if’s didn’t matter. She was Ryann’s friend now and nothing would change that.

            Suddenly a group of five girls approached Ryann. Ryann looked at them inquisitively but slowly the knowledge of why they were there crossed her face. “No! No way. I can’t. Do you know how long it has been?”

            Jesse laughed at her. “Are you saying that you’ve forgotten how?”

            Ryann thought about that. “No, I think I still remember.”

            “Then?”

            Ryann laughed bewildered. “We would have to dance to Britney. Do you know how old we are? Can we really respectfully dance to Britney?”

            That drew laughs from all of them, except Jenny who wasn’t sure what was going on. “You’re not afraid are you?” Josey asked amused.

            “Watch it, little one, or you’ll be up there next.”

            “I have. Some of the girls taught me a few of your moves last year. I was your unofficial stand in. It was quite sad. I wasn’t very good but at least I wasn’t a chicken about it.”

            Ryann gave her sister a stealthy look. “Fine.” She looked up at the girls. “I suppose I owe it to you for my absence from earlier festivities. Let’s go for it.”

            Jenny sat next to Josey and watched inquisitively. “I’m going to like this, aren’t I?”

            “Yes, this should be good,” Josey responded.

            Ryann took front and center on stage. Two of the girls stood behind her and the last three behind them, so that they spread out like a pyramid. Ryann called for everyone’s attention. Everyone turned and before she could say anything, they began cheering madly. She laughed and shook her head. This was either going to be the most fun she had had in a long time, or the most embarrassment she had had in a long time. The music began to play and the crowd quieted down. Ryann let her memory take over and the six of them danced as they had in college. How embarrassing was it to be her age and dancing to Britney. Embarrassing but fun. Ten of them had made up the dance together and it rivaled that of what was popular at the time. Ryann was a bit rusty but the moves came back to her quickly.

            The song ended and she stood before the cheering group trying to catch her breath. Dancing was a lot different than what she was used to. She was in shape but she wasn’t used to the constant and quick movements. She was about to step off the stage when the group began to chant. “Sing! Sing! Sing!”

            “Oh, no. No!” she shouted. “No way!”

            The group chanted louder. “Sing! Sing! Sing!”

            One of the DJ’s uncovered a karaoke screen at the bottom of the stage and handed her a headset microphone. She looked at the group behind her. They were already in formation. “I haven’t sung for a really long time.”

            “You hadn’t danced either and look how well that turned out. C’mon, Keller, buck up!” Jesse argued.

            The reference to Ryann’s maiden name brought back the past swiftly. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

            She turned and saw a familiar title appear on the screen. She smiled and looked up at the DJ. She almost expected to see one or both of her two best friends standing there instructing the DJ but he was alone. They were both noticeably absent from the festivities or they would be right up there with her. The DJ gave her the thumbs up signal. She focused on the song. This number consisted of both singing and dancing, hence the headset instead of a hand held. She would need both hands free. She hoped that she had enough air to both sing and dance. The music started and she quickly fell into step with the beat. When they were finished she was hot, sweaty, and, she decided, was having the most fun that she’d had in a long time. She pleaded that she needed a break and the crowd allowed her to step off the stage after forcing her to take a bow.

            She walked up to her table. Josey sat there with a pleased smirk on her face. Ryann tweaked her nose. Jenny’s look was both amused and impressed. Ryann sat down exhausted. “Next training that we’re going to do is dance aerobics or something of the sort. That wore me out.”

            Jenny laughed. “You’re up to it. I think it’s the emotional aspect that wore you out.”

            “Perhaps,” Ryann agreed, “but I’d like to see if you could do it.”

            Jenny didn’t respond to that. “I am impressed, Ryann. I would have never guessed it.” Ryann looked pleased at her comment. “I thoroughly enjoyed it.” She glanced at a table not far away. “I’m not the only one either.”

            Ryann followed Jenny’s glance. Without warning, her face turned bright red and she turned away. The most fun night had just turned into the most embarrassing. “What is he doing here?”

            Jenny laughed, quite amused by the reaction. “I’d say he was invited.”

            Ryann looked at Josey in question. Josey eyed her suspiciously. “He’s become good friends with some of the guys. They include him in everything.”

            Ryann nodded. “I think I’m going to make a little trip to the restroom.”

            Jenny waited until she had gone. She turned to Josey. “Josey, you’re good at getting your sister to do things.”

            “You mean I’m good at goading her into things.”

            “Yes,” Jenny agreed.

            “What do you want?” Josey asked.

            “Can you get her to dance with Bryant?”

            Josey thought for a moment. She spotted Ryann heading back this way. “Yes,” she replied.

            Ryann sat down. “What are you two up to?” She asked. Music started playing and people began gathering on the dance floor.

            Josey looked over at Ryan. “Truth or Dare, Ryann?”

            Ryann looked at her amused. “Truth.”

            Josey thought for a long moment. Her brow furrowed as a question rose in her mind. “What were you doing that day?” She asked, “That day when I had car trouble and had to go into your house to use the phone?”

            The color faded from Ryann’s face slightly. Ryann cleared her throat. “Dare,” she said softly.

            Josey closed her eyes and pushed away the emotions that threatened to rise. She had gotten her answer. She opened her eyes and looked at Ryann. “Okay, dare.” She nodded towards Bryant. “Three dances.”

            Ryann stared at her for a moment. She hadn’t expected the question. She searched to make sure that Josey was alright. The amusement of the dare had already replaced the wounded look. She looked over at Bryant. “You can’t think of anything better than that?”

            Josey shrugged. “Hey, if it’s too hard, we understand.”

            Ryann looked sharply at her. “What is that supposed to mean?”

            Jenny and Josey shared a glance. Ryann could feel the conspiracy. “I see.”

            Jenny smiled knowingly at her. “Thin line between love and hate,” she stated.

            Ryann gave her a dirty look. “Hardly the case here.”

            “Prove it,” Josey dared.

            Ryann stood in a huff and headed toward Bryant’s table. “At least one slow song,” Josey called after her. Ryan flashed her a dirty look.

            She stepped up to Bryant. “Sitting it out tonight?” she asked him.

            He looked over at her. A bright smile appeared on his face. “Oh, I’ve had a few offers but I respectfully declined.”

            “And why is that?”

            He looked down at his drink and then back up at her. “Well, perhaps I was just waiting for the right person to ask.”

            She cocked her right brow. What was he implying? “Well, I certainly don’t fit the bill for that but if you’ve changed your mind about just dancing with anyone, I’d be pleased to join you.”

            He smiled at the passive aggressive slam. It didn’t fit the situation. He looked over at her table. All eyes were on them. “What’s up? I feel a conspiracy.”

            “Hmm. Pretty thick in here isn’t it.”

            He looked at her inquisitively. “What’s going on?”

            “Truthfully?” He nodded for an answer. “Truth or Dare?”

            He snickered. “I see. Who gave the dare?”

            “Josey.”

            He nodded and took a sip of his drink. “Well, I’m not sure whether I should be grateful or insulted at being the butt end of a dare.”

            “Well, with Josey, you can usually take the more positive of the two.”

            His smile broadened. “I would have to agree with that. She’s a good kid.” He stood and put out his hand. “Any stipulations?”

            “One slow song.”

            He took her hand and started for the dance floor. “I like how she thinks.” He stopped and pulled her into a casual dancing position. “So, that was an impressive performance that you put on.”

            She blushed slightly. “Well peer pressure you know.”

            “I was impressed. I’m not sure that I’ll get the image of you out of my head for quite a while.”

            She looked down at her shoes. Why was she letting him get to her? She took a deep breath and looked back up at him. “I have my moments.”

            “That you do. I’ve seen some of them up close.” He gave her a little twirl and brought her back. “It’s not the first time that you’ve impressed me.” She saw a mischievous glint in his eyes. “At least I’m not taped to a chair for this one.”

            “Oh, I figured that you would be too furious to be impressed.” She countered.

            He grinned. “That was just a cover. Do you know why I really reacted like such a jerk those few days?”

            “Why?” she inquired.

            “Well, all my life my father told me that women were inferior. He taught me that they either needed to be protected, dominated, or used. I know, pretty stupid but when you hear it everyday for most of your life it’s easier to believe. I never had a good relationship with my father but continued to believe everything that he said. That is, until I met you.”

            “Hadn’t you ever been beaten by a woman before?” she asked.

            “Yes, that wasn’t what rocked my assumption. I walked into that room ready to dominate you and you wouldn’t have it. Then I tried to protect you and you wouldn’t have that. That left the using part of his theory. I looked at this beautiful, spit fire woman and I didn’t want to use you, not like that. What I really wanted was to get to know you better; which frankly annoyed me. I had a sneaking suspicion that my father was wrong about you and if he was wrong about you, then he was probably wrong about other women as well. It continued on from there. For the first time in my life I was doubting the “truths” that my father had taught me. I decided that it was just my attraction for you clouding my judgment so I set out to beat you and prove my theory wrong. Only you proved it right.”

            He twirled her again. He was pretty good at keeping to the beat of the music even when he wasn’t paying much attention. “I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I even dreamed about you. I decided not to renew my contract and go back home. It just got worse and worse. I was confused and lost. So I talked to a friend of mine and he told me again what he had tried to tell me a hundred times. Only then I was ready to listen.”

            “So basically what you are saying is that I drove you to God.”

            He nodded in agreement. “Pretty much.”

            “Well, I’m glad that I could be of service.”

            “Yes, me too.”

            The song changed and he switched tempos slightly. He looked earnestly into her eyes. “I wish that I could have met David. From everything I’ve seen and heard he was a good man. I think I really would have liked him.”

            Ryann pushed down the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”

            Bryant held her gaze. He leaned into her slightly. “You really are an amazing woman, Ryann Kodi.”

            Their faces were mere inches apart and suddenly the air felt very thin. Ryann wanted to pull away but she couldn’t move. He tipped his head to the side slightly. “Ryann, do you,” he paused. He straightened up and cleared his throat. “Do you know how to swing?” He asked.

            She was a little taken back by his question. Somehow she didn’t think it was what he was going to ask. “Yes, but it’s been a very long time.”

            “Do you remember how? You think you could try it?”

            She grimaced a little contemplating falling on her backside in front of the whole crowd. “Sure, I could try.”

            He left to go request a song. Ryann walked back to her table. Josey was grinning triumphantly. “You’re not done yet. Don’t worry, third times a charm.”

            Ryann’s eyes flashed. She wasn’t amused. “Watch it, little one.”

            Bryant walked up. “You ready?”

            “Yes.” She followed him to the middle of the dance floor. Everyone spread out and gave them some room. The song started and before she knew it, she was being swung, tossed, twirled, rocked, and lifted into the air. Bryant was good. Ryann hadn’t danced with someone this good since she had taken a class in college. David hadn’t really liked to dance fast. He would occasionally because she liked it, but it wasn’t his style. He liked the slow dances. He would take her hand in his, put it to his chest and hold her close. David liked control and order. He brought out the calm side of Ryann. She generally was not like that. She liked the fast paced dances. She was the type to sit out the window of the car and howl at the moon. It had been a wonder that the two had fallen in love. Opposites attract, they say.

            They danced through two songs. She was reluctant to quit but needed the rest. “That was fun.” She told him a little winded. “You’re pretty good,” she admitted.

            “You’re not bad yourself.” A slow song began to play. “One more?” he asked.

            “Sure.” The dance was significantly slower, even seductively so. She looked up at the DJ. Josey was walking away from him. Ryann was pretty sure who had requested the song. She was going to have to put the rugrat in her place.

            Bryant grabbed her hand and put it to his chest. He pulled her in close. Ryann stiffened but he just pulled her along with him. Slowly she began to relax. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

            “What?” she asked.

            “Relaxing in my arms,” he answered.

            She didn’t answer. She just leaned her head against his so that she wouldn’t have to look at him. They danced in silence for most of the song. He pulled back slightly before it ended. “You were the right one.”

            “The right one for what?” she asked in a whisper.

            “The right person for a dance.” He leaned into her then.

            Ryann’s heart beat was in her throat as he moved closer, then as his lips met hers, suddenly her heart stopped beating altogether. She froze initially but soon the warmth of his lips beckoned a response. She found herself kissing him back. Silence sounded out all around them. For that instant it was just the two of them alone in the room. Then Shania Twain’s voice filled the air. Ryann’s gut wrenched as Shania began to sing You’re Still The One.

            “Crap,” Josey said sharply under her breath when she heard the song. Jenny looked at her in surprise.

            Ryann stepped back quickly, a wounded look on her face. Bryant took a step toward her but she held him back with her outstretched hand. “I’m sorry,” she choked out.

            She turned and hurriedly walked toward the door. Josey called her name as she passed but she stuck her hand out and flashed her a major “leave me alone” look. “Great, that worked well.”

            “What just happened?” Jenny asked.

            “This was her and David’s song,” Josey explained. “Perhaps I should have specified which love songs to play.” She rubbed under her eyes with her right hand forefinger and thumb. This was not going to be pleasant. “I’d better go talk with her.”

            Jenny put out a hand to stop her from getting up. “I would wait a while if I were you.”

            Josey took heed of her caution. “Okay, you’re probably right. She looked rather steamed.”

            “To put it lightly.” About ten minutes later Jenny ventured out into the parking lot looking for Ryann. She found her sitting on the ground by the car, leaning against the wheel. “You alright?” she asked.

            Ryann looked up at her. “Fine,” she put her hand down and pushed herself up off the ground. Twisting around, she dusted the dirt off of her pants. “How are you?”

            Jenny wasn’t daunted. “It’s okay, you know.”

            “What is?”

            “Being attracted to another man.”

            Ryann shot her a dirty look, which in no mistaken terms told her to back off. She still wasn’t daunted. “It’s bound to happen sooner or later, even if it isn’t Bryant.”

            “Drop it, Jenny.”

            Jenny crossed her arms and braced herself. “No, I don’t think so.”

            “Don’t push it,” Ryann warned.

            “You know, I would stop but as many times as I’ve had to listen to you lecture me about Luke, it’s my turn. Now you listen.”

            Ryann sighed but didn’t object. “Fine, take your shot.”

            Jenny smiled gently. “You didn’t just cheat on David in there. I know it may feel that way but David is gone, Ryann. He’s not coming back. More over, he’d probably be relieved to see it.”

            “How do you figure that?” Ryann shot out.

            “I may have never met David but I think that I’ve gotten to know him through you, your family, and Jason has helped a lot as well. I think that I can say with some certainty that David would have hated what you did. He would have been the first one to track you down after you ran and tell you to get your act straight. I think he would have told you that you were not acting like the woman that he loved and married. He would have been glad to see that you finally have begun to move on.” She took a step towards Ryann. “You’re not a married woman anymore, Ryann. It’s okay to like someone. Maybe not Bryant, that’s fine, but you don’t have to reject the male race altogether. David wouldn’t expect it of you and no one else does either.” She reached out and wiped away the tear that was rolling down her friend’s cheek. “He’s gone, sweetie. It’s time to let him go.”

            Ryann sniffled and wiped at her eyes. She knew that Jenny was right but it was easier said than done. She laughed at her own defense. It was the same thing that Jenny said about Luke. “Okay, you’ve made your point.” Ryann gathered her emotions together. “Let’s go back inside.”

            Jenny nodded in agreement. “After you.”

            Ryann entered the building and scanned the area. Bryant was standing near the bar. He looked a little sick. She didn’t know whether to approach him or not. He spotted her and made the decision for her. He walked over to join them. Jenny went back to the table to give them a little privacy.

            “I’m sorry, Ryann,” he said softly when he had come to a stop.

            “It’s okay, Bryant. We got caught up in the moment, bygones.”

            He studied her for a moment before answering. “Sure, bygones.”

            Bryant left shortly after. After they had spoken he had walked to his table and downed his drink. He sat there quietly, brooding. When one of his friends came over, he said his goodbye’s, paid his bill, and left without a word to anyone else. Ryann watched him go and then turned her attention back to the party. They didn’t stay long after that. Ryann made the rounds and said goodbye to all of her friends. She rounded up her companions and headed out to the car.

            Josey jumped in the back seat and Jenny in the passenger seat. Ryann was driving her mom’s car. It was probably about time that she went to the house and got her own. She’d been to the house since it happened, but it was hard every time. “Who has the keys to my garage?” she asked Josey.

            “Dad. They’re on his key chain.”

            Walter would be asleep by now and was leaving early in the morning. He’d be home around six the next day. She glanced over at Jenny. “You want to drive me to the house and pick up my car?”

            Jenny blushed slightly, which nearly made Ryann lose control of the car. “What?” Ryann asked.

            “I can’t. I have a date.”

            Ryann was taken back. “Really?! With who?” She looked in her rear view mirror. Josey was grinning like the Cheshire cat. She knew who the mystery date was. That girl knew everything. She looked over at Jenny as the came to a stop at a light. “Come on, who?”

            Jenny blushed again. “Denver,” she answered.

            Ryann was so surprised that she missed the green light. Luckily there was no one behind her at that time of night. “Oh,” she waited for the next green light and drove on.

            “Is that okay?” Jenny asked cautiously.

            Ryann peered over at her. “I’m just surprised, is all.”

            “You sure, cause I’ll tell him that I changed my mind if it bothers you.”

            “Why would it bother me? It doesn’t bother me. I just didn’t see it coming.” She turned the corner onto their block. What was with her brother? Did he have some fascination with her friends? Not that she blamed him. Jenny was great. The two would actually fit well together, perhaps even better than he and Elizabeth, but they were both carrying a lot of baggage. She didn’t know how she was going to pick up the pieces with Beth; she didn’t want to deal with a spill out between Jenny and Denver.

            “I can see it bothers you. I know you, Ryann. I can tell. You’re bothered.” Jenny accused.

            “I’m not bothered. I’m concerned. There is a difference you know.” Ryann countered. She pulled into the drive and shut off the car. She looked in the back seat. “Out, rat.”

            “I take offense at that,” Josey stated as she opened the door.

            “Good, offending is in my job description. Now out,” she ordered.

            Josey gave her a smirk and followed orders. Ryann waited until the door was closed. “Have I missed something,” she asked.

            Jenny turned toward Ryann and leaned against the door. “We live under the same roof and we both enjoy talking about you. We’ve spent some time together.” She explained.

            “So why haven’t I heard anything about this?” Ryann asked. “Josey seemed to know.”

            “What doesn’t your baby sister know? She’s like a walking diary. She knows everything that’s going on in this house.” Ryann just looked at her and waited for an answer. Jenny shrugged. “I like him. He’s a nice guy.”

            “You don’t have to sell me on his qualities, Jenny. He’s my brother. How much do you like him? Is this serious?”

            “It’s a date, Ryann. We’re not getting married, at least not tomorrow.”

            “Very funny, McCarty.”

            “Oooh, you really are bugged about this, aren’t you?” She studied Ryann’s body language. Sometimes it was the best way to read Ryann. “You don’t think we fit together? Or are you afraid that I’ll break your brother’s heart?” She was beginning to feel a little offended.

            “Don’t even get defensive with me,” Ryann warned. “There is a reason that you haven’t mentioned this to me. I want to know why. When did he ask you?” She averted her eyes. “That long ago, huh?”

            “Look, Ryann, I just didn’t know how you would react. I didn’t want to make a big deal about it. It’s just a date.” Jenny could feel Ryann scrutinizing her. “What’s the problem, Ryann?”

            “You really like him, don’t you?”

            Jenny was held by Ryann’s gaze. She wanted to look away, but knew that was what Ryann was expecting. “He’s a great guy.”

            Ryann huffed. “My goodness. It was right under my nose and I didn’t even see it. You’ve fallen for my brother.”

            “No one has done any falling,” Jenny argued. “It is a date, Ryann. Just one single date. That is all.”

            Ryann grabbed Jenny’s chin in her hand. “Do you remember who you are talking to? Huh? I know you, Jenny. Moreover, I know about you. I know about your baggage, my dear, and this is not a little thing.”

            Jenny pulled out of her hand. “Okay, fine. I’m not trying to pull one over on you. I don’t know what it is, Ryann. Maybe it’s because he’s your brother. I don’t know, but I trust him. That’s a new feeling for me. I just wanted to try it out. It’s just a date.” She attested.

            Ryann thought about Jenny’s argument. “I’m worried. I won’t lie to you.”

            “Why?”

            Ryann leaned back hard against the seat. “Déjà vu,” she explained. “Denver’s ex-wife was one of my best friends. We were good friends before even high school and even better friends in college. She is one of my favorite people in this world and I’m terrified to see her again. When I last saw her, she was married to my brother. Now they’re not only divorced, she has remarried. I don’t know how to deal with that.” She turned to Jenny. “I never want to have that barrier between us.” She ran her hands up and down the wheel. “You rescued me, Jenny. I was on a downward spiral. Even Kit was at her wit’s end. She was losing me and if you hadn’t come along I would have hit the bottom hard. I almost did anyway.”

            “Ryann,” Jenny said softly. “I’m not about to let a man, not even your brother come between us. You rescued me too, if you don’t remember.”

            Ryann reached out and patted Jenny’s cheek. “Just be careful. You both have a lot of baggage. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

            “Warning heard and heeded. Don’t worry.”

            Ryann couldn’t help but worry. She had a bad feeling that something was going to go wrong. It had been building up for a while now. If truth be known, she would love for the two to fall in love and get married. Then Jenny would have no choice but be a part of their family. She sometimes worried that Jenny would get scared off and run from them as she had from her own family. She looked at her friend. Oh, David, you would absolutely adore her.