Lovely Shadows (25 page)

“Don't even think about playing hero,” he warned me.

“Don't underestimate me,” I warned back. “I handle crazy well.”

He snickered. “You think I'm crazy?”

“Inexplicably.”

He raised the gun in the air and shot one round into the air. “You haven't even begun to see crazy.”

“Run, Laura, run!” Aidan shouted at her. She didn't flinch.

I took another step towards him. “I saw Aidan earlier today. He told me all about you.”

Andy paled. Even Laura looked confused.

“Jessa, what are you doing?” Aidan asked.

“Just playing along, honey, like you asked.”

“This is crazy,” he said, “Stop acting like this.”

“What are you talking about?” Andy's hand shook slightly, a sheen of sweat covering his forehead.

“I talk to Aidan all the time. He and I are pretty close, despite his being dead and all.”

“That's impossible. You're crazy.”

“Oh, am I? I bet I'm no more crazy than you. I mean, a sane person wouldn't run an innocent driver off the road, right?”

“Aidan wasn't supposed to die; she was.” He glanced at Laura. “You were supposed to be in that Jeep, not your brother. Other than Amber never shutting the fuck up about him, I had nothing against him. Why was he driving your Jeep, Laura? Huh? Or do you even remember that day?”

“Shut up, Andy. I swear to God...”

“Oh, that's right. You can talk to Aidan?” he asked, addressing me.

“Sure.”

“Then maybe he'd like to know what his sister was up to that day, why he had to take the Jeep and not his car.”

Laura, looking positively murderous, clenched her hands into fist at her sides. Aidan held out his hands as if to stop her if she decided to attack Andy.

“Well, humor me,” I said flatly. I was losing my nerve in light of so many truths being brought to light. Who was I supposed to trust: Laura, Andy, or Darren? Or none of them; maybe Aidan was all I had.

“Andy, please just shut up!” she begged.

“Princess Perfect here got knocked up. Instead of dealing with Mommy and Daddy, she had an abortion. When she got home, she parked the Jeep behind Aidan's car. He asked her to move it so he could leave but she tossed him the keys to the Jeep instead. She's been blaming herself ever since.”

“So its her fault Aidan died?”

“He wasn't supposed to die.” He thrust the gun at me. “I didn't care about him. I thought she was in the Jeep that night, not him. I found out later why it was him and not her on that road.”

“But there were two cars that night.”

He cocked his head. “How do you know so much? I killed the other guy too.”

“You what?” Laura shouted. “You killed two people in one night?”

“Of course; I couldn't leave witnesses.”

“But there wasn't a second obituary for that day,” I pointed out. I'd done enough research that I could name everyone who died within a two week span of Aidan's death.

“Hard to write an obituary about a man from out of state who now resides at the bottom of the river.”

Laura shook her head. “You are an unimaginable bastard.”

“You have no idea. And you know what's really sad? I'm gonna have to kill you both. Question is: Who dies first?”

“Me,” I volunteered quickly.

“No!” Aidan exclaimed.

“Get her out of here. Now.” I gestured at him.

Andy looked around. “Who are you talking to? There's no one here but us. No one to save you...”

“Aidan, get Laura and go!” I suddenly charged at Andy. I connected with him; he stumbled but didn't fall. The gun fell from his hand and bounced on the ground. I scrambled to retrieve it, my ballet flats slipping on the loose dirt and gravel. Andy grabbed my ankle and sent me sprawling. My face hit the ground; I felt a sharp stone cut my cheek. He scurried over me, reaching for the weapon.

I pushed myself to my feet and sprinted towards him. I threw myself against his back. He easily shrugged me off. I rolled across the ground then hopped back up. To my left, Aidan tried to snap Laura out of her trance as she stared at him in horror.

“Laura, run!”I screamed at her.

“Aidan?” she whispered, touching his face. “Oh!”

“There's no time Laura. Go!”

Andy, back on his feet, pointed the gun at me. “You really are a crazy bitch.”

I bent down, grabbed a fistful of gravel and threw it at him. Stunned, he cried out and brushed his face off with his free hand. I raced over to Laura, snatched the back of her shirt, and dragged her to the car.

“What is happening?” she asked, dazed. Crap! She was in shock.

I wretched the door open and threw her in the back seat. “Give me your keys.”

“What is happening?” she repeated. I gave her one hard slap across the face, hoping to jolt her.

“Jessa!” Aidan roared.

I spun just in time to see Andy raise the gun once more. His face was bright red, almost purple, and his whole body shook with fury.

“You are going to die for that one.”

“Jessa, get in the car,” Aidan instructed me.

“No, I'm not leaving you.”

“Jessa,” he brushed my hair from my face, “please.”

“No.”

Andy laughed. “Let me guess—Aidan?”

I was tired of the games. I had enough. “If you're going to shoot me, just do it already. I have nothing to fear.”

“Really?” He pulled the trigger and blew out the front tire.

I jumped, but stayed calm. “You missed by three feet.”

“The next one won't be.”

Suddenly, several things happened at once. I felt like I was viewing them in slow motion even though they happened rather quickly. I heard two distinct and completely recognizable voices calling my name. Over the top of the hill, Billie and Levi's welcome figures became visible.

“What the hell?” Andy questioned, momentarily distracted.

“Jessa!” Levi scrambled down the embankment.

“He has a gun!” I yelled up at him.

Andy started firing at them. Billie ducked behind a tree but Levi soldiered on. Aidan raced past me and slammed into Andy. They hit the ground, arms flailing. Every one of Aidan's punches connected, but Andy couldn't hit what he couldn't see. Levi picked up the gun and aimed it at Andy.

“No Levi, don't!” I held my hands up as if I could somehow stop him.

“You fucked with the wrong person's girlfriend.” He leveled the gun right over Andy's heart while Aidan held Andy down.

“Do it man,” Aidan encouraged.

“Aidan, no, stop this now. Billie, do something!”

She slowly emerged from her hiding place. “I can't. Jess, this is how he goes. You have to let this happen.”

“Killing Andy doesn't save Aidan.”

Levi shot me a sharp look but didn't say anything.

“Jessa, let him go. Finding his killer is how Aidan crosses over. Killing Andy sets his soul free. I saw it Jess. You have to let go.”

“No! Levi, I'm begging you, don't kill Andy. He's not worth it.”

“You are,” he said softly. Then he squeezed the trigger.

Nothing happened. Andy laughed manically. “The magazine's empty, stupid.”

“Doesn't mean I can't kill you.” Levi tossed the gun into the weeds. “I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do.”

“Not if I do it first!” Aidan's hand closed around Andy's throat.

“Aidan, stop!” I begged, falling to my knees, my hands clasping my head. “Don't do this. You can't!”

Billie rushed to my side as I started crawling towards Andy. “No, Jessa. It has to be this way.”

“No it doesn't.” I pushed her off and threw myself at Aidan. It was like hitting granite. “Let him go. You can't leave me yet. Stop...”

He loosened his grip. “You're not worth it.” He lifted Andy then slammed him against the ground.

“You're not killing him?” Levi asked, dumbfounded.

“You can see him?” I asked.

“Aidan?” Andy looked up, completely shocked and perplexed.

Everyone looked at him. Laura exited the car and stood in front of her brother. She touched his face then hair. “It's really you.”

He nodded. “It's me.”

“But you're dead. I mean, we had your funeral. I put
your varsity jacket
in your casket. I said goodbye.”

“I'm here, Laura.” He pulled her into a warm embrace. “I'll leave soon but I'm here now.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she buried her face in his chest. Billie hugged me tightly with one arm, her own eyes teary. Levi stood on the other side of Andy, his expression unreadable.

A bright glow loomed around Aidan. It grew brighter and brighter until it enveloped him completely. Laura disappeared in the light as well. Was this it? Was he crossing over?

“Aidan?” I reached for him.

“Jessa.” He released Laura and stretched out his hand. We brushed fingertips, but I barely could see him.

“Aidan, don't go. Stay.”

“I wish I could. My mission is finished, Jessa. I can't.” His voice rang like an angelic melody.

“No! You can't go!” I sobbed, my chest heaving so hard I though I might break in two. I wrapped my arms around the light. I couldn't feel him anywhere. The light grew so bright it burned my eyes to look at it.

“Aidan, come back! You can't leave! I love you!”

“I love you, forever and always. We'll see each other again, I promise. Remember, keep me in your heart and I'll always be with you...”

“Aidan, no...”

The light faded out, leaving the five of us gaping at where Aidan only moments before stood.

“Was that real?” Laura whispered.

I couldn't answer. The blackness was already sweeping over me.

“Levi, we need to do something,” Billie said. “I think she's in shock.”

But I wasn't; shock would mean I actually felt something. I was numb.

“Just a sec.” He bent down and wrapped his arm around Andy's neck. Andy began fighting against Levi. Within a minute, Andy slumped over.

“Did you kill him?” Laura asked, crouching beside him.

Levi shook his head. “Bronchial stun—classic move in mixed martial arts. He's unconscious but he'll be fine. Billie, call the police.”

Still holding me, she pulled out her phone and dialed 911. Levi stepped over Andy and scooped me into his arms. Deep in my grief, I couldn't focus on his face. I scarcely registered the concern in his sapphire eyes. I could hear Laura talking softly but I didn't know to whom.

“Is she okay?” Billie asked, worried.

Levi nodded. “I don't know that she's completely in shock, but she's close. Did they say how long they'd be?”

As if to answer his question, sirens filled the air. Two police cars and an ambulance drove down into the access. Strange questions began to fill my head. Did Luke water the plants while I was gone? What was Grandpa's sermon about this week? How many hours were in a year? Slowly but surely I was beginning to lose my mind. I started laughing, tears spilling down my face as I clutched my sides.

“She's cracking up,” Billie observed.

I felt myself being shifted from Levi's arms to the paramedics.

“Miss?” the guy asked, shining a light into my eyes.

“Jessa. My name is Jessa Summers.” Then I blacked out completely.

When I came to, I was laying on a hospital bed, surrounded by my friends and family. Levi slept in the chair next to me. I wasn't hooked up to any machines but I felt heavy, like I'd been doped up. Dad murmured into his phone while Grandpa prayed quietly. Luke huddled with Billie in the corner. At first, I was disoriented. I had no clue why I was in a hospital, much less why I was with my family. The last thing I remembered was sleeping at the motel with Aidan. I remembered the way he kissed me last night, how tightly he held me, how strong his hands felt against my body...

Then, like a flood, the memories came rushing back: Meeting Laura; Andy and the gun; discovering Laura had married Darren; Levi and Billie arriving at the last second; Aidan leaving me...

“No!” I cried out, covering my eyes with my hands. The memory of him crossing over hit me so hard I was breathless.

Levi jumped up and wrapped his arms around me. “Shh,” he comforted quietly. “It'll be okay.”

“No, it won't,” I sobbed.

Grandpa murmured under his breath while Dad took one of my hands and Billie rubbed my back. Luke stood at the foot of the bed, looking sympathetic.

Levi said nothing else, offered no other words of assurance. He held me as I sobbed over Aidan. That was it, Aidan was truly gone. Everything that had happened in the last six weeks went with him. Despite being surrounded by my family I felt utterly alone. For the last six weeks I had something to live for, something that mattered, a purpose.

I'd found true love, the kind of love that could withstand even death. For a short time, I held that in the palm of my hand. At least I could say I never took a single second with Aidan for granted. I made the most of every moment with him.