Set Me Free |Jonas Brothers

21

"It's really coming down out there." I said as I stared out my kitchen window. I began to rinse the greens for the side salad as the roast baked in the oven.

"Yeah; the forecast didn't call for this much, but I'm not surprised." Joe said as he stood at the island behind me.

"Well, if it continues like this you are going to be snowed in with me." I say casually as I set the bowl on the counter.

He smirks, "well that doesn't sound so bad."

I laughed, "you're more than welcome to stay."

"We can play it by ear." He said.

I nodded before grabbing a pot holder and taking the roast out of the oven. It smelt so good, and I was simply starving.

As we sat down to eat, Joe began talking about his brothers.

"Do you miss touring?" I asked him.

He nodded, "I do. It... I don't know. It makes me feel alive. As cheesy as that sounds."

I smiled at him, "no, I get it. You are the happiest I've ever seen you when you are on stage."

He set his fork down on his empty plate and locked eyes with me from across the table. A few moments went by before he spoke, "We had a lot of fun, on tour together." He said.

"Yes. Sometimes I even miss it." I said.

Joe laughed, "I have a couple friends, they have been bugging me about getting a band going with them."

"Yeah?" I asked curiously, "well why not?"

"I just feel like I'm betraying my brothers if I do that."

"I mean, if they don't want to do music right now but you do, I don't see a problem."

He smiled softly, "I guess it's just more complicated than that."

I nodded, "I'm sure it is. It's just, I hate to see you not doing what you love to do."

"Thanks Ruby Mae. I'll definitely think about it."

I grabbed our plates and brought them over to the sink. I turned back to Joe and he looked at me curiously.

"What?" He asked.

"Shall we go out in the snow?"

He laughed, "Sure, why not."

After getting bundled up in our snow gear, I open up my back door and Daisy goes flying out. She loves the snow even more than I do.

Joe laughs at the sight of the golden blur as she descends down the snowy hill of my property. Joe and I throw snowballs at each other like we are two teenagers. When Daisy notices what we are doing, she comes running and joins in. Eventually, she knocks me over roughly into the snow, making me laugh.

"You good?" Joe asks as he sticks his hand out to help me up. I grab his hand, but instead of letting him help me, I pull him down into the snow beside me.

"You jerk." He says as he throws a clump of snow on me. I laugh and brush it off of my shoulder.

I lay back in the snow and begin to make a snow angel. I look over at Joe. He's sitting up straight, a grin spread across his face as he watches me.

I freeze and look up at him in question, "What?"

"It's just..." he pauses and glances over at Daisy frolicking in the snow before looking at me, "it's really nice to see you so... happy... and free."

I blushed and sat up, ignoring the wet snow that stuck to the back of my head, "thanks Joe. I am really happy. Well, as happy as I can be."

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"There's one thing that's been truly holding me back all of these years." I muttered as I took off my gloves.

"What?" He asked as he scooted closer to me so we were side by side.

I let out a shaky breath. I had gone over what I wanted to say to him in my head over and over again for so long, and now that he was right in front of me I couldn't think.

"Guilt." I said finally. He rose an eyebrow in confusion, but let me continue, "my biggest regret, was hurting you." I said.

He shook his head, "it's okay Ruby Mae."

I shook my head, "No. it's not. I hurt you, I betrayed you, with your own brother. And then... after what I did to myself. I just feel like I never truly got the opportunity to tell you how sorry I am."

Joe looked down at his hands for a moment, and I sighed. I didn't deserve his forgiveness, that much I knew.

"I wouldn't be here Ruby, if I resented you for it." He said when he looked at me again.

"Maybe you're just too nice."

He laughed, "I forgave you years ago. Really."

"I don't deserve it." I mumbled.

He stood up and one more offered to help me to my feet. I took it graciously and he kept ahold of my hand as I made it on my feet. He stared at me intently, his forehead creasing, "you do deserve it."

"Thank you Joe." I felt a wave of emotion hit me. Relief. Peace.

I felt my eyes burn with tears that threatened to spill out. He let go of my hands and I looked away from him so he wouldn't notice.

I didn't realize how it would affect me, actually hearing him say that he forgave me. It was like a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders.

Daisy came running over, jumping up on Joe. He grabbed a snowball and threw it for her. I watched the two of them interact with a smile on my face.

Once we couldn't feel our fingers anymore, the three of us made our way inside. We stripped off our wet coats, gloves and shoes and took a seat in front of the fire.

I handed Joe a blanket which he graciously took, wrapping it around his shoulders. His curly bangs were wet from snow, sticking to his forehead. He looked adorable, but when didn't he?