Vintage

The Recovery

Bright rays of sunlight played across Donovan’s face as he lay in bed. Jade almost didn’t disturb him as he appeared lost in his thoughts. Quietly, she attempted to shut the door.

“Come in Jade,” he called.

Her flip flops tapped the floor as she walked into his room. He offered his sister a shy look.

“Father was here at dawn and Claire was hot on his heels. Kai, Luke, and Will brought me the sports section of the paper. Myron hovered outside my window. Barry keeps checking my vitals. Just missing you and Kira.”

Guilty, Donovan turned his head from Jade’s gaze. “Is she awake?’

Jade dropped into a chair beside Donovan’s bed. Tenderly, she grabbed his cold hand; her thumb caressed the underside of his palm. “Yes, she’s awake. Thinking about taking her out for lunch. Do you know?”

“That my carelessness robbed her of her hearing and voice? Yes, I know.”

Jade was a bit confused.  “Did Father inform you?’

Donovan shook his dark hair. “Evan- he wanted me to convince her to return to Britain with him. She needs to reorganize her life and do so without me in it.”

Jade was appalled at Evan’s gall, considering it was he who abandoned Kira without a note, email or call. He didn’t have the right to attempt to steal Kira away from her family, her dysfunctional family. They deeply loved and needed Kira in their lives-most of all Donovan needed her around.

“She won’t go.”

“Maybe she should. I hurt her so terribly… my actions and words.”

Jade saw tears in his blue eyes. As he lowered his head, tears splashed on his blanket.

“I love her… her… so much.”

“Her feelings have not changed in the last few days, Donovan. Her heart is yours for the taking.”

Lifting, his head, Donovan stared at his sister. “Even after everything?”

“Even after everything.”

Jade enveloped Donovan into a tight embrace. “Time heals all wounds. I know.”

A rapping on the door broke the moment between Jade and her brother. She grinned shyly when they saw Kira standing in the door wrapped in a pink bathrobe, her curls flowing over her shoulders. A soft love for Donovan shone in her eyes.

“Don’t be an i***t, you have the girl, and she loves you. By the way, I’m going to kick your ass, soon.”

Donovan brushed his lips across her cheek. “Thanks for everything.”

“Don’t ruin my blush, baby brother.”

“It matches the mark on your neck.”

Her fingers cupped her neck as heat crept along her face. “A branch scratched me.”

“Of course, Myron’s a tree.”

Jade rolled her eyes. She was glad that Donovan was back.

“Good to see you smiling, Donovan.”

“You too.”

Jade gave her brother one last reassuring look before she departed his room.  He needed to handle his own business.  Jade hugged Kira before she left the two lovers alone.

Thank goodness that’s not me.

Jade sipped her orange juice as her eyes scanned the morning paper. She found two interesting little tidbits. The massive diamond was mysteriously returned to museum in a flawless state. A strange fire destroyed a boathouse in New Republic City Park. Investigators found a huge pristine hothouse in the back of the park. They're still searching through charred evidence looking for clues.

“I wonder how the diamond was returned to the exhibit,” Jade mused loudly.

Charles’s coffee cup clinked on his delicate china saucer when he plunked it down. “A good Samaritan? Or someone who must like things in order.”

Jade swirled her fork through her eggs. “God bless them, I didn’t feel like retrieving it. I need a rest.”

Charles jumped on the opening. “That sounds wonderful, my dear. I say, let’s depart for the lake house for a few days. We need to relax, all of us.”

Her toast slipped out of her fingers, Charles didn’t understand the meaning of the word relax.

“A vacay?”

“What is a vacay?”

Jade rolled her eyes. “Dad, use the internet. It means vacation.”

“Oh,” Charles beamed. “Yes, a vacay for all.”

“I’ll need new clothes…”

“Of course.”

“So will Kira and Claire. We aren’t taking Evan.”

“Goodness no. He’s after Kira. No one steals my family away.”

“Kira’s family?”

“Always, Kira, as well as Will, Myron and Kai are like my adopted children. Barry is my brother in arms.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Can I have a new car… sleek, black, fast, and expensive?”

“No, don’t press your luck, Jade,” Charles warned.

“Yes, Daddy,” Jade echoed obediently.

Jade had an utterly lovely day with Kira and Claire. Her favorite part, when Kira stole all of Claire’s black widow clothing that she had on reserve at the shop’s desk.  Claire look scared when Jade and Kira heaped piles of rainbow colored clothes on her dressing room door. A few times, Kira grabbed their arms in fear; it took a moment to calm her. They had a lovely lunch, until they noticed Kira had droopy eyes.   Deciding it was best to head back; Claire carefully maneuvered them home in her flashy car while constantly casting evil looks toward Jade so she would avoid leaving marks on the console. Kira slept soundly on the back seat. Things were incredible, much better than before if anyone asked Jade.

Claire gave Evan an icy look when he attempted to lift a sleeping Kira from the back seat. With her super clipped tone, she downgraded Evan to a bag boy. She ordered a sheepish Donovan to return Kira to the infirmary.

Donovan responded well to the treatment. Barry checked him every four hours to detect any variations in his DNA. Donovan had good reason to look forward to his life. Jade knew from Kira that the two lovers had yet to reunite. She scribbled messages and Kira read his lips. He begged forgiveness, and Kira attempted to assure him of her understanding his illness. She knew her brother was embarrassed and Kira completely understood him. She told Kira to share the Donovan manual because they all needed a copy to figure out her brother. Jade told her that Donovan had a huge slap on reserve. Kira needed to box his ears, hard. Kira shook her head and brushed Jade away.

Jade’s eyes traveled over a nervous Donovan, cradling a sleeping Kira in his arms. Jade smiled at her brother in encouragement as she ushered him into the Watcorp building.

It’s a good thing only Enhancers work for Watcorp. It would be so hard to explain.

Jade skipped happily to her room. She had spent oodles of Charles’s cold hard cash, no inherited cash. Her bags rustled as she punched the numbers to open her room.

“Honey, I’m home,” she shouted as she tossed her bags into her room. Frowning, she encountered Charles’s grey eyes.

“Hoping for Myron?” Charles questioned.

Jade kicked her door shut; she noticed the Katana's compartment slowly lowering.

I need a new hiding spot.

“No. Anything wrong, Dad?”

Charles walked swiftly away. “Just a little housekeeping. “

“What did you need the sword for?”

Charles froze; his hand resting on the silver doorknob. “Sometimes, our past haunts us. We need to cut all ties, rip off the bandage. I love my children, Jade, really I do. Nothing should ever hurt your offspring. It’s a father’s right to protect his young.”

“Hunting ducks or something?’

Charles banged his head on the door. “Yes, I did a little bird hunting… black bird. Find another spot for the sword.”

Flabbergasted, Jade observed Charles with a slight spring in his step as he left her room.

“No… Dad wouldn’t have attacked Mother?” Jade‘s dark head fluttered around in denial. “Not my Daddy.”