Utsukushi - Banana Fish

Chapter 29

The ride back to Jessica's was silent.

I held Jacob close to me as if I was trying to shelter him from the world. But I guess it was too late for that.

He had eventually fell asleep by the time we reached the house, and Jessica let me lay him down in their guest room.

We were all still silent for a long time as we were now gathered in the living room, taking in the events of the night.

"So what now?" Shorter spoke up.

"I...don't know." I sighed. "I don't know where to take him. He sure as hell can't tag along with us, but I can't just skip town and find a place for the two of us to stay either. It's too dangerous for him to be with me. I don't want to put him back in the foster system, but I don't know what else to do." I held my head in my hands, trying to sort out every possible solution in my head.

Jacob has been through enough already, I don't want him to have to experience much more.

"Foster System? Didn't you say your parents are still kicking?" Shorter asked.

I remembered back to that day when he first took me to Chinatown and I told him about my family. I had obviously left out the brother aspect, but I wasn't lying about my parents or anything.

At least, I only told him what I knew.

"Yeah about that," I leaned back in my chair and sighed. "Apparently my mom's dead. Has been for a couple years now, and- big surprise- by dad killed her. The asshole is in jail and sent out those guys to finish the job of my brother and me."

"Jesus.." Max whispered, shaking his head.

"R-Rose?" A scared little voice called from down the hall. I quickly got up and made my way to the guest room where Jacob stood in the doorway, a scared frown on his face.

"I'm here, it's okay." I bent down and picked him up. "We're safe here it's okay."

He sniffled a little and buried his head into my shoulder.

"Let's go back to bed, 'kay?"

I laid him back down and tucked him in. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course."

The bed was slightly lower to the ground, so I sat on the floor and leaned my head against the mattress while I held his hand.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Why were you away so long?"

I took a second to think about my answer. I didn't want to lie to him, but I couldn't tell him the truth either. "Some bad people chased me. So I stayed hidden for a while. But I've missed you so so much." I squeezed his hand.

He didn't say anything, but silence eventually turned into soft snores.

I began to cry. I hated that both of our lives turned to this. I stayed away to avoid him being involved, but I guess this life already caught up to him before I knew it.

If I was there, maybe I could've prevented it.

He's still so little. He doesn't deserve any of this.

I slipped my hand out of his and got up. I left the room and left the door open just a little in case he woke up again.

Jessica walked over to me as I was closing the door.

"Your brother," she began. "If you want to, you can leave him here with me. I'll take care of him."

"What?" I asked, stunned she'd offer such a thing to a girl she's known for only a few hours. "Why would you do that?"

"I have a little boy of my own. I'd give my life for my son, and I'm sure you'd do the same for your brother. If I was in your situation, I don't know what I'd do." She shook her head. "You're still so young, I just...It won't be any trouble. Really."

"Thank you." I couldn't get my voice over anything than a whisper as I held back tears. She could tell and gave me a hug. "Thank you."