RAIN

Chapter thirty

The whirring of a helicopter zipped overhead and quickly droned away. Fluffy clouds drifted across the sky and the sound of children laughing and screaming filled the air.

He took a chug from the water bottle as his eyes stared out at the world around him, his thoughts drifting from one to the other. He was a man with a lot to figure out and he was struggling.

"Hey."

He turned around and smiled at the young man who joined him on the porch. It felt strange to see him in a normal setting. The first time they had met he was carrying a lantern in the middle of a storm and Jet was terrified of him. Today, they were simply normal people.

"That's all you have to say to me?"

"What would you like me to say?" He stopped in front of Jet and pushed his hair behind his ears. Jet smiled, his heart becoming filled with those emotions he wished he never had to feel again. This time they were stronger, more compelling and the pain was terrible. "So, you're off to America?"

Jet smiled loudly. "I love the way you say America. It's just so cute. And no. I have a few things to take care of before I leave. How's your grandmother?"

"She's fine."

"The police recovered your aunt and uncle from the bog. Did you want to hold a funeral for them? I'll help you pay for it."

"My grandmother is seeing to it but thank you."

"You know I truly thought that you were in that bog when I saw the two flags. Kinda messed me up real bad. My grandmother tried to convince you were a ghost."

"Didn't you believe my father's body was mine?" He gave Jet a taunting smirk.

"Yeh that part. What did you do with him?"

"I buried him so that he can rest in peace now."

"So..." He pushed his hands into his front pockets and grinned though he felt like he was dying. "That's that then? All over. You have my phone number and my address. I know where you find you. Anyway I wanted to give this to you. Return it to its rightful owner."

He handed him the deed to his father's property. Rain stared at it in awe and tears sprung to his eyes. His hands trembled as the emotions washed over him. He passed his fingers over his father's name and Jet saw the longing and pain in his eyes as he thought about the man.

"Thank you." He sniffled and then wiped the tears away.

"You're welcome. I don't know what you want to do with it but it's yours."

"Wait...Jet...you said that you would give me a job..."

Jet smiled. He was desperately trying to figure out what was happening inside Rain's heart. His heart was breaking, crying and screaming at him to stay with Rain.

"I can't do that."

Rain's eyebrows furrowed and his lips parted slightly.

"Oh, I see. But you said that you would give me a job." His voice trembled as his disappointment took control.

"Tell you what...how about I give you my heart instead? My life, everything I have. All you have to do is belong to me."

He laughed making Jet's stomach knot. Tears spilled down his cheeks.

"You don't mean that. Do you want to live your life with someone you don't trust? Out there you saw me as a killer, a liar, a manipulative ghost. You asked me for trust but you never trusted me. I don't know if I want to love someone who treats me the way you do."