Needing 13 - Johnny Kavanagh

CHANCE OR FATE

DECEMBER 23RD 2004

JOHNNY

Hi, love,

Your father and I have had to go to London on an unexpected trip for an old case of your father's. We'll be back for Christmas. Try not to push your body to the limit, please. Go out with Gibs or do something else; don't stay cooped up in the house, okay? It is Christmas, after all.

Love ,

Mam and Da.

I sighed, folding the note carefully and setting it on the kitchen counter. I was used to being home alone, with only Sookie, Bonnie, and Cupcake to keep me company. Sometimes Gibsie would come over too, but most of the time he was with Claire Biggs, doing who knows what.

Despite this, it didn't mean my parents were absent or neglectful. They had been there for every milestone of my life, no matter how big or small. My parents were the bedrock of my world, especially Mam. Despite her dislike for rugby, she was my biggest cheerleader.

Da often said that Mam and I were a lot alike—both of us were bulldozers, charging ahead and acting first, then asking the right questions later. It was a trait that had served me well on the rugby field but often led to interesting predicaments off it. My dad, however, was the complete opposite. His career as a barrister had molded him into a careful, methodical thinker, always weighing his words and actions.

"Fancy a walk?" I asked, glancing down at Sookie, my black lab. Her response was immediate: a happy bark and a wagging tail. I smiled and petted her head. "Go get the leash, girl."

Sookie trotted off, and within seconds, she returned with the leash in her mouth, her brown eyes shining with excitement. I bent down to attach the leash to her collar, receiving a slobbery lick on my face in the process. Laughing, I ruffled her fur.

Grabbing my house keys, I slipped on a jacket over my sweatshirt, feeling the chill in the air as I opened the front door. I turned off the lights and locked the door behind me.

"Alright, let's go," I said, leading Sookie to the car. I opened the passenger door for her, and she hopped in eagerly, settling into her seat. I got into the driver's seat and started the engine. The radio immediately filled the car with cheerful Christmas songs.

As I drove through the quiet, twinkling streets of downtown, I glanced over at Sookie. She was looking out the window, her nose pressed against the glass, taking in all the sights and smells. The town was beautifully decorated for the holidays, with lights strung across storefronts and wreaths hanging on doors.

I was driving near the Dinniman when a blonde waitress caught my eye.

Tara

Since that night, I hadn't been able to get her out of my head. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her.

I saw us.

Just her and me.

In my dreams, she would smile at me, her green eyes sparkling with warmth and affection. She'd tell me she needed me, that she wanted me in her life as much as I wanted her in mine. Other times, she'd kiss me, her hands tangling in my hair, her lips stealing my breath away as she whispered that she loved me. Sometimes, we would just stare at each other in silence, her eyes telling me everything I needed to know without a single word.

But then there were the nightmares. Her green eyes would fill with terror, and suddenly, that blonde bastard would appear behind her, his hand wrapping around her neck. I'd watch helplessly as her eyes begged me to save her, but I couldn't do anything. An invisible wall kept me from reaching her, and I was forced to watch as he choked the life out of her.