“Yeah, but it was my aunt who was the ringleader,” I argue, which makes Nana turn around.
“Let’s not do this to ourselves. The people who are to blame are dead or being punished. Let’s look forward now. Once Jaxon is better, think about how much fun you're all going to have with your future plans for the house and the zoo.” Even though Nana’s trying to sound upbeat and positive, her eyes are still haunted. None of us will feel better until we reach the hospital and get updated.
The almost two-hour trip takes just over an hour and twenty. Dad ignores all speed limits to get there as quickly as possible, and luck must be on our side since we don’t get pulled over by any highway cops. He finds the nearest parking spot, which isn’t all that near due to our helicopter sitting in the parking lot.
Poppy chuckles, pointing to it as we all get out. “I bet that’s going to cost us.”
“Hush, Howard, it’s totally worth it,” Nana scolds as we rush across the blacktop and into the hospital.
It doesn't take us long to get directed to Oliver’s room. When we arrive, I’m surrounded by my boyfriends, then kisses and hugs are exchanged and lots of prayers of thanks. But I push away from them and go over to check on Oliver.
“Have we heard anything about Jaxon?” I demand from my perch on his bed, looking at the others, but I can tell by their defeated looks that there’s nothing to share. Nana and Poppy sit down, and the guys take turns telling us what happened.
Oliver has a hold of my hand and is not letting go. I’m happy to lean back against his chest, being careful of the drip in his arm, and listen to what they had been doing while I was traipsing through the tunnels.
It’s about ten minutes later that a doctor walks in, his blue scrubs covered in blood. He pulls the mask off his face and looks around. Oliver’s hand tightens in mine, and the hope that I had been holding on to disappears as he shakes his head.
“I’m so sorry…”
ChapterTwenty-Four
Harlow
Four weeks later.
The music is somber as the coffin lowers into the ground, and the smattering of people who had attended disperses. The open investigation had delayed it longer than we’d wanted, but it’s finally done, and today we’re able to put our family to rest.
“Are you ready?” Jaxon holds out his hand to me as I turn to look at him.
“Yeah, I am. Thanks for waiting for me.” I take the offered hand, and we walk back to the limos where the rest of our family is standing. Jaxon had been released from the hospital a week ago with strict instructions to rest, but he insisted on coming to the funerals. He’s still a little weak, so when we get to the cars, I push everyone out of the way and open the door, allowing him to slide in.
At my request, Cecelia, Raquel, and Luke have all been laid to rest in a family plot that Dad had purchased for them. Victims of their circumstances, it could have easily been me or Jax and Jacinta who had turned out like that. Well, maybe not if our fathers had been around. Our mothers, though, are another story.
Julia and Peter were cremated, and I told the funeral company to dump their ashes in the trash. I want nothing to do with them. They destroyed so many lives for nothing but their own selfish greed.
“Well, I’m glad that’s done.” Jacinta dusts off her hands like she was the one who had dug the graves instead of the cemetery workers. “I don't know about anyone else, but I am ready to party,” she says to the rest of the crowd gathered around the limos. Despite her words, her voice is strained, and she hasn’t lost the haunted look in her eyes that she’s been wearing for weeks now.
Emma and Molly are both with Dad, as well as Chuck and Melinda. Hope, Alex, Shane, and Jace all showed up to lend their support too. Maxine is once again a no show, but I can’t worry about her anymore. She’s made her choice, and I’m afraid she’s not only damaged our friendship. She’s damaged her relationship with her parents, too, but she’s a problem for another day.
Today is October thirty-first, and it’s my and the twins’ birthdays. Having a triple funeral is probably not the best way to celebrate, but I didn't want to put it off any longer.
It was almost a quadruple funeral. When the doctor came into the room and apologized, we had all thought the worst. He was quick to set the record straight, though I still think his bedside manner needs some work. He was apologizing for taking so long to come and update us. Apparently, one of the hospital board members had reamed him out for keeping the Summers family waiting.
The bullet had punctured Jaxon’s lung, and although he’d lost a lot of blood, Thomas’ quick thinking and Oliver’s blood kept him alive. They were able to remove the bullet and reinflate his lung, so he was going to be okay.
Fast forward to today, and the last thing I want to do is go out. While Jaxon was recovering in the hospital, the other guys had found a new mattress for my incredible bed in the panic room and started moving some of our stuff into the house. We’re only using the safe room bedroom for now because so much of the rest of the house needs to be renovated and decorated, and that’s going to take time. There are a couple of extra mattresses on the floor because although we can all fit on the bed, nobody wants to sleep in a pile of limbs. So they take turns rotating through my bed and crashing on the floor mattresses. All of us have a few outfits hung up in the wardrobe, and we make the trip back to Dad’s as we need more. Every day, we have people coming in and out of the house, doing what needs to be done. Jacinta has been like a pig in mud managing all of that while I keep track of everything that’s going on in the zoo. We have a long way to go before it’s ready for occupation, but looking after Nyx and the cubs is enough for us right now.
“I’m sorry, but this year is going to be a quiet one for us,” I announce, and Jacinta’s bottom lip drops in a pout. “Don’t let us stop you. Take Hope and have fun, but I’ve had enough excitement to last me a lifetime. We’re crashing in our wing at Dad’s place for a monster movie marathon, some popcorn, and pajamas.”
Jacinta grumbles some more, but when I glance at each of my guys, none of them are disappointed. All of them agree with me about needing less excitement in our lives. Maybe once the zoo and our house and Jaxon’s new cruise line are all running smoothly, we’ll start needing some again, but by then we’ll have a new life to care for. What else is more exciting than a baby?
I am not particularly thrilled at the arrangement Kai, Thomas, and Forrest came up with Veronica's doctors’ help. The thought that we are going to be pandering to that bitch for the next four months makes me want to stab something… again. But I will grit my teeth and bear it for their sake because I know neither Kai nor Thomas want to be doing it either. I can’t make it any harder for them than it already is.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming soon. The Summers have a Thanksgiving family tradition where they donate their time to the homeless and less fortunate. They turn one of Jaxon’s clubs into a soup kitchen for the evening and give out food to people in need, so we have that coming up next month. It’s our turn for Christmas this year, and Poppy decided that instead of having it in town, we all need a change of scenery. We’re all going up to the cabin at Lake Superior and having a white Christmas with lots of food, wine, and winter activities. If some of those activities include snuggling by a fireplace with my boyfriends, I won’t complain, but Kai is mad keen to go snowboarding, and I can't say his enthusiasm isn’t infectious. Plus, I’ll finally be meeting the infamous Aunt Merideth when she takes a trip across the pond to visit. She sounds like a wonderful woman, and I’m dying to meet her.
All in all, I’m looking forward to life settling down a bit, but I don't think that’s really going to happen. I’m just glad that none of us have to look over our shoulders anymore. That feeling of always being watched is finally gone, so we are free to live our lives like they’re supposed to be.
We part ways in the parking lot. Everyone is headed to the hotel for the night, giving me and the guys the run of the house this evening, but first Thomas and Kai need to visit with Veronica. Today’s her six-month prenatal scan, and while they’re both excited to see the baby and learn about her progress, it’s also wearing on them. They’re making weekly visits to ensure she stays healthy and on track, and I know it’s especially hard on Thomas. When he gets home from the visits, he heads directly to the shower and stays there for over half an hour trying to wash the feel of her off his skin.
