Hello everyone,
Let me know what you think of this chapter. It was definitely a challenge to write but hopefully you'll enjoy it. If you're new to reading this series, it'd be good to read Good Grief to get the background story of the characters. Special thanks to honeybree for editing and great feedback.
"Cece, I never thought I'd see you again. I'm glad to see you still have the necklace I gave you..."
"Sean?" Sienna whispered hoarsely.
"I'm so sorry to do this to you". Sean looked behind his back and said, "I have to go but I will see you again, I promise."
He reached over and slipped off the necklace and key around her neck. He started to walk away but Jason stood up and got in his face.
"Sean? As in... Sienna's dead brother Sean?"
"Yes."
"What the fuck?! And you're just going to up and leave her again?"
Sean anxiously looked around and said, "I'm sorry but I have to go."
When Sean turned to look back at him, his face ran into Jason's heavy fist. Sienna gasped and Sean face sprang back up quickly as if he didn't just get punched.
"You fucking selfish prick." Jason spat.
Sean smiled as he wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth. He looked at Jason straight in the eye and smirked.
"Not bad." Sean lightly said almost in admiration.
While Jason stood there confused, Sean walked away but stopped at Sienna and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you Cece, I'll explain everything soon enough."
And just like that he was gone.
Sienna quietly watched Sean disappear from her life again... like the ghost he was. There was a dull ache in the pit of her stomach. She could barely breathe at the discovery... almost hyperventilating.
Sean was alive.
Sienna couldn't even fathom the how or the why but he was alive. Deep sense of gratitude washed over her. She looked up at the diamond speckled sky surrounded by the black night and thanked God for the miracle. It was so quiet; there was a magnificent glow in the heavens.
Who was that silently weeping so close to her?
Sienna realized it was her.
Tears fell from her face without any control of where they landed. All those feelings she worked through with Sean's death, all the grief and pain she experienced... was for nothing? Where the fuck has he been? Why did he leave her again?
Angry, confused and hurt; Sienna was completely and utterly alone.
She felt hollow like a steel drum ready to explode with a sound at any moment...
But then, Sienna smelled a clean earthy scent while silky hair caressed her cheek.
She wasn't alone.
Sienna hadn't even realized it but she had been hugging Jason. She hugged him so hard, clinging to him. He would surely bruise. He smelled like fresh clean air after a heavy rainstorm.
Carefully, he gathered her in his arms and her small head nestled in the crook of his arm. Sienna was still in a daze but let herself drown in Jason. He held her so close; he almost carried her since she had no strength.
When they arrived back to the hotel, they didn't talk about what happened because they didn't know what to say. It was such a bizarre miraculous encounter; they almost thought it hadn't really happened.
Sienna sat on the couch and looked straight ahead into the empty space. Jason held her and pulled her on his lap. He dug his heavy hand in her brown hair and forced her to look at him.
"It's ok." Jason whispered as he looked at her intently.
Silence.
Sienna looked away in a daze.
"It's ok."
Silence.
Sienna felt the confusing emotions take hold of her.
Sean was alive.
But Sienna and her family buried him. Well, in actuality his remains were never discovered so they didn't really bury him. No, but he couldn't be alive. But there he was. Where did he go? Sienna wept over him for years. Maybe she just imagined it was him and they really had just gotten robbed. But if that were the case, why did the stranger want with the silver necklace and not something more valuable like her engagement ring?
Sienna's neck still burned from where he abruptly took the necklace. No, she could identify her brother anywhere. It was him; it was her baby brother Sean.
"It's ok."
With widened eyes, she slowly shook her head as she continued to stare at the wall.
"Baby, it's ok."
Sienna felt her protective shield crack and she let out a quiet shudder of deep emotion. As she silently whimpered, Jason made her lock eyes with him. Tears quickly pooled and fell down her mahogany cheeks. Jason hugged her tight as she wept.
"Baby, it will be ok." He whispered hoarsely as he rubbed her back tenderly.