Who You Say I Am (A Jai Courtney Fanfic)

Chapter 72-Jai

Jai

I step outside and I'm so happy for the offer. That was pretty nice of them to let me stay. It was a concern of mine getting back to the hotel in this weather. It's actually just ice coming down now, like little pebbles. I walk out to the 4WD and open the boot grabbing both of our bags. I close the boot and make it three steps before I'm on my bum. I laugh and I'm grateful I didn't hurt myself. I see why they don't want me driving in this. I shuffle over to the grass since it's close to two steps away and as I rise up on my feet, I realize it's just beginning to snow. I stand here in awe in this dark purple hazy weather admiring the beauty of this place. The weather is terrible... but it's kind of fantastic in a way. I'm completely not used to this atmosphere. I stand here for a while watching as the snow comes down. I think of that Chrissy song Winter Wonderland and I feel like I actually get it—especially since it's in the middle of summer for us.
"You're going to freeze out here," Hannah calls out from the veranda.
"I've never been out when it started to snow before," I admit.
"I'm from Minnesota, so this weather is kind of mild for me. It's still scary to drive in though but they have a fleet of snow trucks there. Here there aren't many," she explains.
I nod and watch the snow for a moment before meeting her up on the veranda.
"Come on," she waves me inside.  "We started a fire if you want to warm up there."
I follow her in and take my coat off again.  "There's a stack of clothes on the dresser in the spare bedroom," she tells me.  "Take your pick and feel free to wear any of it tomorrow, too.  If you don't want to, we won't be offended either."
"Thank you," I say smiling. 
I climb the stairs and give Megan her bag.  "Thanks.  My mom set some clothes in the bedroom if you want them... or we could wash what you have if you want to wear them again for tomorrow," she says. 
"We could do that," I reply.  "Why don't I see what there is and change for tonight?"
"Alright.  I probably will, too," she says. 
I smile at her and excuse myself, walking down to the spare bedroom.  I close the door and see that Hannah gave me a variety of clothes.  Nicholas actually has good taste—either that or Hannah does.  I grab a nice pair of trackie dacks and a t-shirt.  I put on the matching sweatshirt and open the door.  Megan is standing there about to knock. 
She laughs in surprise.  "I guess we finished at the same time," she smiles. 
"Yeah," I grin. 
"Laundry?" she questions holding out her hamper.  I can see some of her things already in there.  I toss what I was just wearing in there first and then my gym clothes that are freezing.  I take the hamper out of her hands and we walk down to the ground floor together. 
"What were you planning besides laundry?" Hannah asks. 
"Well..." Megan starts looking at me then back to her parents huddled up together on the sofa.  "Jai's never heard of Groundhog Day.  I thought we'd watch the movie together."
"Oh, shoot.  I forgot.  We usually watch that every year together," Hannah says. 
"Yeah, well I was out of town," Megan shrugs. 
"You can watch it up here if you want," Nick offers.  Hannah nods in excitement. 
"Alright," Megan says glancing at me. 
We go downstairs to the basement and I see Mikey playing video games.  Megan starts up the machine and we come out of the laundry room. 
"What are you two up to?" Mikey asks. 
Megan tells him we're going to watch a movie with her parents.  He decides to quit his game and join us. 
We sit on the loveseat together across from her parents while her brother sits in the chair beside me. 
Hannah gives me a rundown of the holiday before she plays the movie.  It's sort of a silly superstitious kind of tradition.  I nod in understanding.  We watch the movie and they start talking about blood sausage. 
"That sounds nasty," Mikey says. 
"It's a British kind of thing, I think," Megan responds.  "Irish, too, probably French..."
"Australian, too. Not my favorite," I whisper to her. She looks to me surprised.
"My family never handled the blood, you know.  Part was kosher," Hannah comments. 
"My mother made blood sausage.  She made brains and eggs, too.  Neither were my preference," Nick says. 
"I never knew that," Hannah tells him kind of shocked.
"Dad, that's disgusting," Mikey cringes. 
"You like cow tongue," Hannah points out. 
"Ew, not me.  Just thinking of that smell... cooking is nauseating me," Megan comments. 
"Not her favorite.  She's always skipped those meals," Hannah says. 
We continue watching the movie and it's already pretty funny.  I see the groundhog. 
"It looks kind of like a wombat," I tell Megan. 
She gets out her phone and looks it up.  "They are similar," she smiles.  "Except yours is a marsupial."
"We have those around here," Mikey comments.  "They hibernate in the winter, hence the reason for the holiday... to see if they can wake up yet or go back to sleep."
I nod in understanding.  It's kind of a cute holiday.  We continue watching the movie and it's hilarious, terrible, and sad.  I glance to Megan to see she's engrossed in it.  Hannah makes a comment about covering her children's eyes during a love scene and I'm surprised.  Nothing really happened... but I guess for little ones, she may not want them to be so easily duped and influenced. 
I watch as Bill Murray's character has a complete change of heart.  It's actually a heartwarming kind of change to the movie that I wasn't expecting.  It finishes and I actually enjoyed it. 
"Is it weird that I want to go to Punxsutawney to see the festival?" Mikey asks. 
"It's not really like that.  That was filmed in... either Illinois or Indiana.  The actual festival is out of town," Megan says. 
"How do you know that?" he questions. 
"Because when I like a movie, I like to learn everything about it," she replies.  "Plus, it's on the bonus features."
We separate from everyone but go and sit together by the fire.  Her parents go to bed.  Her brother disappears somewhere but my attention is fixed on Megan. 
"Did you like the movie?" she asks. 
"I did," I nod.  "So, it's one of your favorites?"
"Yeah," she replies.  "Probably top ten."
"What else do you like?" I question moving her hair aside. 
"I don't know," she responds.  "I've never made a list."
"Tell me what you like.  It doesn't have to be in order," I request. 
"Okay, let's see... my favorite Christmas movie is It's A Wonderful Life.  I love Gone With The Wind.  I don't know why though because I hate the ending," she says listing them off.  "I like Batman Begins and the next one with the Joker.  But it always makes me sad watching it because the actor died.  I like the Divergent series but only the first two count.  Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters... but I never saw the one with the women, probably never will.  I like Star Wars but not the recent three.  I'm not planning on seeing those...  I like Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, The Giver... oh, and The Emperor's New Groove."
"So you like epic movies—kind of good versus evil—romance, and movies with people who have a heart change?" I confirm. 
"Yes," she says surprised nodding.  "That's exactly what I like.  I actually just thought of a few more that I like but they're romances."
"Shoot," I grin tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
"Sleepless in Seattle," she starts and somehow I knew she'd like something like that.  "You've Got Mail, and When Harry Met Sally."
"Isn't Meg Ryan in those?" I question even though I don't think I've seen them.  I don't think I've ever even heard of the second one, though. 
She looks to be thinking a moment.  "She is in all three of those," she nods.  "And Tom Hanks is in two of them."
"What about action movies?" I inquire since she hasn't listed many of those—just dystopian, science fiction, and fantasy. 
"Let's see..." she says taping her finger on the armrest.  "Most of the Terminator movies.  I didn't care for... I think it was the fourth one maybe.  I like that... Oblivion movie and Edge of Tomorrow.  I liked Mission Impossible but I only remember the first one.  I like the newer and old Spider-Man movies.  Do those count?" she asks and I nod grinning.  "Okay, so most of those Marvel movies.  Some of the Superman ones.  I liked the first Die Hard but the tv version for less language.  I don't know what else," she says shrugging. 
"What about my movies?" I ask her curiously. 
"Is it terrible that I can't remember most of them?" she admits softly.  "I'd probably have to IMDB them just to be sure."
"That's not terrible.  We like some of the same things and some not," I shrug.  "Everyone is different."  I do a search online though since I'm incredibly curious.  She only points out a couple of them and part of one that she admits to quietly.  I'm a little sad that she's not more of a fan but perhaps that was my problem with others.  They idolized me and when they got to know the real me, I wasn't who they expected me to be. 
"What about you?" she inquires. 
I agree and tell her what I like.  Most of them are action films, some dramas.  She's never heard of many of them or seen them.  The ones she has, she doesn't know much about.  I touch her cheek and realize that this doesn't matter, though.  What matters to me is her.  I observe her for a moment and can't get over how beautiful she is, how wonderful she is. I'm actually considering kissing her. 
Mikey walks into the room and the moment is gone.  "Have you seen the snow?  I'm betting local schools are closed tomorrow and I'm praying for the universities, too," he says looking out the front window. 
"Do you think Dad's going in or do you think he'll let most everybody work from home?" Megan asks. 
"If it's as bad as last time, probably work from home in his office," Mikey says motioning toward their bedroom. 
I'm actually curious so I get up and look out the window.  I can't believe how much snow is on top of my 4WD.  It's probably close to thirty centimeters. 
I realize Megan is at my side.  She's looking on her phone.  "Schools are already canceled and we're under a level three.  If it doesn't stop snowing you won't be allowed to go to school," she says. 
"What does that mean?" I ask her. 
"The roads are so hazardous that you can only drive them in emergencies or if you have a job as a policeman, hospital worker, snow removal... things like that.  You can actually get a ticket or taken to prison for driving in non-emergencies without a valid reason," she explains. 
"I guess I'm staying for a while," I grin and I'm not disappointed either. 
She laughs lightly, "I guess so."