The Dead Among Us

62. Connection

 Fabia's POV

The second the funeral ends, Sabin doesn't stick around. He grabs Bri's necklace, says farewell to Jothan, and storms angrily out the door. I can see the tears in his eyes, the way his hands tremble as he clutches the necklace. His anger is a thin veil over his grief.

I cannot blame him.

How could they orchestra Bri's funeral without his input and then send him here blind-sighted?

The family, too, shares Sabin's feelings. They don't stay long either, demonstrating a collective understanding of the situation.

We trek back to the vehicles, and when Benji and I climb in the Jeep, we find Sabin already inside waiting. His head is back against the headrest, his eyes closed. The sunlight beams on his skin through the windshield, creating a warm, ethereal glow in his rich brown complexion.

Pedro is talking to someone in the lot, and Jon is talking to Jason at his truck. It's only the three of us.

I lean forward, feeling the warmth of Sabin's broad shoulder against my cheek as I rest my chin on it. His eyes slowly flutter open, revealing a mix of vulnerability and affection as he looks at me.

"Hey," he murmurs in a rough, gravelly tone before closing his eyes again.

My hand trembles slightly as I reach out, and I find myself gently caressing his cheek with the tips of my two fingers, tracing the contours of his face. A fear of rejection consumes me; he might not want my comfort.

To my surprise and immense relief, he responds by leaning into my touch, allowing himself to be soothed by my affection.

"This might be a stupid question," I say softly, and his eyes open, waiting for me to continue. "But are you okay?... I mean, that was kinda fucked up..."

His face scrunches slightly as he agrees with what I said before he says, "Yeah, that was... fucking infuriating."

"I'm sorry..."

"—And do you know who gave them her necklace?"

I honestly have no clue, but before I can express this, the door opens, and Jon and Pedro step in. When they do, I sit back, glancing down at my hands. I still think Jon is upset with me.

I briefly peek up, sensing eyes on me, and come to realize Sabin's waiting for me to answer and staring.

"Oh, I have no clue, sorry," I reply nervously because of the way he's eyeing me.

"No clue about what?" Jon asks while sticking the key in the ignition.

"How they got Bri's necklace," Sabin growls, looking at him with a grim expression.

Jon's face drains of color, his already pale complexion becoming even more ghostly. He sits motionless, his hand holding the key in the lock but refusing to turn it. His bottom lip quivers slightly as he bites down on it, the pressure from his teeth leaving a visible mark.

"Jon!" Pedro suddenly blurts out in anger.

He suddenly turns the key, revving up the Jeep.

"You didn't?" Sabin asks darkly.

When Jon tries to shift to first, Sabin grabs the stick shifter and aggressively shakes it back into neutral, glaring at him with venomous eyes.

Jon sighs heavily, runs his hands down his face, and then admits, "Alright... Yes, I gave it to Pierre..." When he glances in the rearview mirror at Pedro, his face drops at Pedro's anger.