Stephan (24 page)

*****

Jade

Newcastle University was all right, nothing
stuck out to me. I got a chance to speak to an early childhood
learning teacher and I wasn’t blown away. I figured if I was going
to move away and follow Stephan to a university, it needed to be
amazing or at least great enough to get me excited.

Today, Stephan and I were going to go look
around Newcastle. “Where are you taking me first?”

“I thought we’d go check out the beaches and
then maybe the shops?”

“Sounds good.”

Stephan drove toward where the beach was. I
gazed out the window looking at the houses and the town. There was
a range of homes, but most of the ones we drove by were like the
ones I lived in from my childhood, I didn’t think it looked like a
good neighborhood.

I groaned as I realized how I sounded—like a
snob. Stephan and Reed Creek with its clean streets and well-kept
houses was brushing off on me and raising my expectations. Before I
moved to Reed Creek I would have been happy with Newcastle, but now
I couldn’t help but compare it.

Turning eighteen had given me options I
didn’t have before. I could move anywhere I wanted and didn’t need
a guardian. I was classed as a young adult. I could sign my own
notes and make my own decisions. I didn’t have to stay where I
didn’t want to anymore. I had choices and I could finally be the
one to choose which way I went. I think those two reasons were why
I was being so picky. The university and town would be where I
lived for the next four years. I wanted to love it.

Stephan took us to two different beaches and
again I didn’t think they were any better than the ones in Sydney
or Reed Creek. The shops weren’t any better either.

We tried the nightlife and even though I
hadn’t been out much I hated it. Brand and the rest of the security
intervened twice and in the end Stephan and I both went back to the
hotel on the same page. Newcastle University was out.

Jade

Stephan had booked flights for us to the Gold
Coast for a week after our disaster in Newcastle and I was hoping
for better in Labrador the Gold Coast. Derick was coming with us to
the Gold Coast and I was happy. Stephan and Derick were close and I
knew neither wanted to live far from each other.

I’d never been on a plane before and was
super nervous. Derick wasn’t making it any better.

“Sis, planes are safe, well unless you get a
crazy on it who wants to kill everyone, but what are the chances of
that?”

“Oh my God, I’m going to die, my luck sucks.”
I turned and walked toward an airport exit.

Derick laughed and followed. “This flight is
only a couple of hours. If we crash Stephan would look out for you.
He’d even put the oxygen mask on you first, though you’re supposed
to do yourself first. They always show you—”

Stephan whacked his brother behind the head.
“Shut it, idiot.” He turned to me pulling me close. “Don’t listen
to him, little bit, he’s just being an arse.”

I still wasn’t convinced and planted my feet
into the airport carpet. They called first class again for our
flight and I frantically looked around.

Stephan sighed and almost picked me up to
drag me to the gate. “I’m not driving over twelve hours, so get out
your ticket now, Jade.”

At the use of my name I knew Stephan meant
business. Groaning, I shuffled my feet and gave my tickets to the
flight attendant. She scanned it, and glancing behind me I saw
Brand, Royce, David, Owen, Rex, and the two new guys, but I
couldn’t remember their names.

I walked through the checkpoint with Stephan
and Derick following behind me. Our seats were at the front and a
lot bigger and spacious than I thought. Glancing behind me I
groaned and for once was grateful to Stephan for his money. The
seats behind were smaller and I stood and looked further back to
see in the very back they were crammed in like sardines.

I sat back in my seat and grabbed Stephan’s
hand. “Thank you.”

Stephan brought our joined hands up and
kissed mine. “For what?”

“This. Everything. I appreciate what you do
for me. I want you to know. So thank you. I’m super glad right now
I’m not sitting back there with all the other sardines crammed in
the plane.”

I debated for a moment if I should tell him I
love him, but I didn’t want him to think I loved him for his money.
I didn’t. As much as I would hate it I’d still love him if we were
stuck back with all the squished people flying.

Stephan leaned over and kissed me helping do
my seatbelt. “I love you too.”

I hadn’t said those words but if Stephan
thought that’s what I said I’d let him.

The flight attendant came and stood at the
front of the plane and explained the safety plans. I watched
terrified, scared to miss anything. I barely felt the plane moving
I was so focused on the pretty blonde.

When the flight attendant was done the pilot
came over the intercom. I clenched Stephan’s hand tight as the
plane picked up speed while my other hand had a death grip on the
chair arm. The whole plane seemed to shake as it lifted off the
ground and I thought for a moment that I was going to die.

“I love you,” I croaked out before I sank my
face into Stephan’s shoulder. I did something I hadn’t done in many
years, if ever, I prayed. “Dear God, let me live. Please let me
live. Please, God.” My ears popped and closed my eyes.

Stephan’s hand came and rubbed my back
soothing me. “I know you do.”

Hey, the wanker. He didn’t. I’d never told
him. Lifting my head I glared at him. “Really? I’m scared to death
and blurt out I love you and you came back with that?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “You didn’t tell
me anything I didn’t know.”

I let his hand go and leaned back in my own
chair. “I haven’t told you before and I know it was a shitty time
to say it but how do you know?”

He shrugged again, which totally pissed me
off. “If you didn’t love me you’d never have come back to me. You’d
never put up with me, you would have run.”

I opened my mouth but he put his hand up.

“You’ve been through a lot in your life,
Jade. I knew as soon as you turned eighteen if you didn’t love me
you would have gone back to your old neighborhood and friends and
left me. I’m sure your friends or Jess’s mother would have happily
taken you in. You stuck around though.”

I sat there gawking at him. How had he
figured it out before me? As he spoke, everything he said clicked
into place.

“You could have gotten a restraining order on
me from day one. You know how to do them, you have three others on
friends of your mother. Even when you had one on me you didn’t
change schools or go back to your old school and friends, which
would have been a lot easier. You wouldn’t have acted so hurt with
everything that happened if you didn’t love me. You even love my
family. That’s why you were so hesitant to forgive my mum and
brother.”

“How?” Everything he said was true and I
hadn’t even noticed.

“It took me time to figure it out and my
family helped me. My mum was so hurt you wouldn’t go out or do
things with her, but when I asked her she told me she understood.
It would be hard for you because you put your trust in us and we
let you down like everyone else important in your life. You loved
us but were scared we’d break you again. Brand told me I had broken
you. When he explained it, I saw what I’d done. You were coming out
of your shell and we broke you because we gave you things you
thought you’d never have.”

I could feel the tears running down my cheeks
as I stared, stunned, at Stephan. Everything he said was true. It
made me wonder. “Why do you love me? I haven’t done anything
special for you to fall for me.”

“How the hell could you say that? You have
given me so much. I have learned so much.” He raised his hand,
stroking my cheek, brushing away my tears. “Before you I didn’t
know what love was. You’ve shown me. Jade, you love people
unconditionally, even people who don’t deserve your love, like your
grandfather and mother. You cleaned your grandpa’s house and cooked
his meals. I bet you even did his washing.”

I had. I did everything I could to show him I
wasn’t useless and I could help him. I’d done the same for my
mother. She never cooked, cleaned, or washed anything, I did it
all. I had wondered once if she thought fairies came in and cleaned
after her parties and so on.

“My mum loved me in her own way. My Grandpa
was so used to being alone.”

“No. Jade, don’t you see that even now you’re
finding the good in them where there was none to begin with. You’re
giving them a second chance. Neither deserved all the chances you
gave them. You taught me I take the love of my family for
granted—my commitments to friend also. You do it in slight ways
though so we almost don’t notice. Like, going to rugby practice
knowing I would follow you. You didn’t once get cranky when I’d
been with my friends, you’ve even said I should go out with them.
You let my mum take over and treat you like her own personal doll.
I know she bought you things you’d never worn before and wouldn’t
have if she hadn’t gotten it for you. Then there is me. You have
accommodated me with everything. Like now. We are on the way to a
university I want to go to. You’d follow me anywhere. I know you
didn’t like Newcastle, but you knew I wouldn’t either. You could go
anywhere you wanted, but you’re here right now with me.”

Stephan leaned in and kissed me. I let him. I
was in a daze. How did he know all these things? I hadn’t even
figured out most of them. I opened my mouth and tangled my tongue
with his. Closing my eyes I let my passion for Stephan overtake
everything. My brain felt like it was going a million miles an
hour, it had just been blown up.

Stephan eased from me and I stared in front
of me into space thinking over everything he’d told me. I still
didn’t feel like I’d given him any reason to love me, I had no
money and no family. All I could give him was my heart and showing
him how much I loved him.

The flight attendant came and gave us food
and offered us drinks. I took the wines. I needed them. I got a
book out and pretended to read. Every now and then I would look at
Stephan, but mostly I stared blankly at the book and thought
everything through.

I was surprised when the pilot came over the
intercom to tell us we were landing and the time on the Gold Coast.
I had decided some things though. I was going to make sure Stephan
knew I loved him. I was going to tell his family too.

*****

Stephan

The plane landed and I was getting worried
about Jade, even Derick was staying quiet cos he could see
something was up. Even as we got off the plane Jade seemed to be in
her own world. Crap, maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. I was
shocked though, she’d finally said she loved me out loud. I came
back with a smart comment and then felt guilty. When she’d asked I
told her. I thought it might help to keep her mind off the flight,
but it worked too well.

We waited at the carousel with a trolley for
our luggage. Jade’s pink luggage came around first and as I went
for it she grabbed it, struggling with the heavy cases my mother
had helped her pack. Taking them from her I shook my head and
placed them on the trolley. “Why did you get them? Derick and I are
right here.”

“I can pick up suitcases. I wanted to help.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip and I honed in on the nervous
reaction.

Nodding to my brother I knew he’d get I was
telling him to watch for our luggage. I gathered Jade against me.
“Thanks for your help, little bit. Derick and I can take it from
here.” I leaned down brushing my lips over hers. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

My heart soared when she said the words back
for the first time. I couldn’t wait until we could get to the hotel
and I could hold her.

Derick grabbed our suitcases.

“Thanks, bro.”

“It’s cool. Let’s go. I ordered hired cars
and the guy said he’d meet us at the very end of the left side. So
come on.”

I followed Derick as he pushed the trolley my
fingers threaded with Jade’s. At the end of the airport a guy stood
looking uncomfortable with Brand and the rest of security.

“Hi,” Derick said. “I see you’ve met our
security team.”

“Yes, Mr. Silverman. I have the cars you
ordered.” The guy turned and we followed him. We left the airport
and walked to a private car park at the side. Four cars sat out
front of the car hire, a black Porsche, which Derick ordered, a BMW
SUV with all the bells and whistles, and two Land Cruisers for the
security team. We were given forms to sign and then the keys were
handed over. Owen went with Derick, and Brand took the keys from
me.

“Sit in the back with your princess. I’ll
drive today.”

I didn’t argue with Brand. I got in the back
seat and we both did our seat belts while the security put our
luggage away.

“It’s more humid here,” Jade said.

“Yeah, Queensland is hotter. Will that bother
you?” I didn’t want Jade uncomfortable. If she didn’t like it here
I’d look at Sydney University. At least if we went there we
wouldn’t be far from my parents and other family.

“No. You know I’m cold all the time.”

She was. When I walked around in shorts she
wore jeans.

Brand got into the driver’s side and started
the car. He drove out of the airport and knew exactly where to go.
I’d been to the Gold Coast many times, but Jade hadn’t, she’d never
left the state. So instead of watching out the window I watched
Jade.

Excitement radiated off her, and the more she
saw the bigger her excitement got. Her eyes became bright pools and
her lips turned up into a huge smile. “It’s so pretty isn’t
it?”