Never Too Late

Chapter Forty

Liz slowly brushed Johan's hair out of his face as she watched his chest rise and fall with each breath. The thick royal blue sheets barely covered his body but he looked so comfortable lying on his side. She smiled faintly, noting that even with his hair shorter, he was still as adorable as the day they'd met. That day, his face was taut with annoyance, and his eyes shone with distrust, but after she showed him a little skin, his features lit up with surprise and anticipation.

Oh, what a lover he would come to make!

She reminisced on all the intimate moments they'd shared together. How warm and strong his body felt, how he could be a little rough, but never hurt her, and most importantly, how he sought to make her happy. A bittersweet smile traced across her rose-pink lips because she knew he deserved better, not just because he found his affluent family, but because deep down, she’d known it long ago.

What she did and was doing to him was wrong but she needed him. She knew that one day he would come to realize and hate her, but for now, his company was so precious. She knew he didn’t love her, not really, but he stayed and that was all she needed.

She hated being alone and abandoned, so when she realized that physical attention kept men interested in her, she used it to fill the gap she felt in her soul, but that only lasted for so long. They would all eventually leave, and she would be even more alone; so what else could she do? She couldn't pretend she wasn't broken or filthy, but she could get by with the knowledge that she made someone else a little happier.

Just then, Johan stirred, and he rolled onto his back, his lips half parted, and his eyes slowly opening. His long lashes fluttered before he rubbed his forehead and stared at the star-filled sky painting the window.

"How long have I been asleep for?" he asked groggily, and Liz chuckled before brushing her hand through his hair again.

"A couple of hours," she confessed, and Johan let out a groan.

"It feels longer," he murmured and pulled her closer to him before closing his eyes again.

"Hey, wake up!" Liz shook him and he peeled his eyes open before stretching.

"What?" He mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"You've got to go home remember?" She reminded him but he shook his head.

"I want to stay here with you," he begged but she frowned.

"Your parents will be worried and start looking for you," she reasoned and Johan sighed in agreement.

"I guess you're right," he resigned before pulling himself off the bed. "I'll come by again tomorrow and we'll decide where we go first."

Liz nodded, and Johan went off to shower, but she sat quietly instead of joining him. Her heart felt heavy as she wondered if taking him with her was the right thing to do but knowing Johan, even if she changed her mind, he would still follow.

***
"I still can't reach him!" Hanna told her husband Jacob as she paced the floor and looked up at the clock on the wall. "He should be home by now!"

"What happened?" he questioned before putting his work bag and keys on the coffee table. "Why and when did he leave?"

"Oh, Dad, you're home," Luke said, coming right behind him, before pausing when he sensed the heavy atmosphere. "Is everything alright?"

"Your brother stormed out earlier after we got into an argument," Hanna told them sadly and they reacted with surprise and confusion.

"What happened?" Luke questioned and his mother sighed.

"I found cigarettes in his jacket and when I tried to talk to him about it, he got upset and left." She said, recalling how distressed Johan had seemed. "I was only trying to help. Maybe I should've waited until your father got home so we could've handled it together."

She expected her husband and son to react with surprise at her revelation but she noted they appeared more guilt-ridden than shocked.

"Hanna, Johan was telling the truth," Jacob began. "Those cigarettes weren't his."

"What? Whose are they and how do you know that?" She questioned and Luke spoke up.

"They're mine," he said with his eyes locked on the floor.

"What?" She gasped in shock.

"I found out a couple of months ago that Luke was smoking, but he promised he would stop, so I didn't say anything to you," Jacob admitted.

Hanna froze upon hearing their confession before stumbling back in horror, realizing that her words must've deeply wounded Johan.

"I made a terrible mistake!" Hanna whispered shakily as she bemoaned her interaction with her son. "Why did I let him leave!?"

"It's not your fault," her husband said, trying to comfort her, but she shook her head with tears in her eyes.

"It is my fault, I didn't believe him!" She lamented as images of her son's disappointed face filled her memory.

"No, I should've said something to you earlier. I wanted to keep it between me and Luke, but that wasn't right." Jacob admitted. "I'm just as much to blame. Don't worry, I'll go out and look for him."

"No, I'll go," Luke spoke up. "I lied about stopping so this is my fault. Let me find and talk to him. I'll bring him home."

Just as his father was about to disagree, the front door pushed open and Johan stepped in.

"Johan!" His mother cried as she ran and embraced him, but he stood emotionless. "I'm sorry, I didn't believe you. Please forgive me!"

"Are you okay?" His father asked, concerned, but he remained silent and didn't make eye contact.

"Johan, if you're angry be angry at me. This is my fault. Mom couldn't have known." Luke said but he didn't react.

"I'm tired, can I go to my room?" Johan finally said and his mom reluctantly stood back from him.

"Of course, it's been a long day." She said solemnly. "I was wrong and I should've listened to you so I'm just glad you came home."

Johan said nothing to her in return and instead left for his room. Hanna watched him silently and clutched her chest until Jacob rested a warm hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay if he's upset. He just needs his space right now but don't worry, he won't be forever. He's a teenager after all." He told her and she looked up at him and nodded, hoping that it would be as simple as that.