Blood is Thicker Than Water

Chapter 9

I am trying to make up for my extremely long time of not posting by posting something else for you. I don't like it as much as last chapter but oh well.

Chapter 9

            Nash and Axel watched through the window as Jacqueline and Dean talked. Axel was elated, this could not have been a better birthday, he was treated special and Jackie was happy. Nash couldn’t have felt worse. He could see Dean holding her hand, the hand he’d tried to hold on so many occasions.

            Nash had realized throughout the 4 or 5 years he’d know Jacqueline that her affection was only given to Axel, but there she was permitting Dean Harris, who she’d just met, to hold her hand, to show her affection.

            “Isn’t this the best birthday ever, Nash?” Axel was still smiling and gazing at his sister and Dean as he asked Nash the question. Nash couldn’t lie to Axel Richardson, especially on his birthday. He was happy for Jackie, hell he was happy for Dean, too, if they made each other happy.

            “Yeah, buddy, it sure is.” Axel smiled up at Nash with his hazel eyes brimming with mirth. Just then as the kid he thought hated him and the girl he thought he loved sat outside with his friend he realized he’d do anything for the two siblings.

                                                                        ΩΩΩ

            Adeline’s story finished as silence fell between Batman and Jackie. Dean’s hand still fit snugly over Jacqueline’s as she wiped her face for nonexistent tears. “Thank you, for that, Dean. I really needed that.”

            The 19 year old boy stared at the 17 year old girl in shock after she’d finally told the story. How could anyone do that to their family? Why would anyone do that to their family?

            She began to rub his hand as he processed through what she’d just told him. “So, that’s what happened, that is the life of little Jacqueline Richardson.” Dean ceased to stare at her as she spoke again, he shook his head when he’d caught what she said.

            “Except you’re not little, you’re infinite, you are the most infinite person I’ve ever met.”

            “Don’t make me look like a hero in your head, don’t make me a miracle by any standards in your description of me. I’m nowhere close to what I could be, what I should’ve been. Axel deserves so much more in a sister than what he got. He got the worst end of this deal, he’s just a little boy. He-“

            “Seriously? Really? You are the best thing a kid like Axel could have. I can picture it now, your mother is god awful and shouldn’t even be allowed to be called a mother. She never did anything with or for you before Axel was born. She never did anything for Axel either and you didn’t want him having a terrible childhood filled with those monsters. You did everything you could for him from the time he was born until his 11th birthday today and you’ve done wonderful, Jackie.”

            Jackie could only stare at Dean as he ranted at her for thinking anything less of herself. Her head moved meekly as he questioned if she understood.

            The back door opened with a squeak as a freshly turned 11 year old walked through the door and latched onto the waist of his only motherly figure.

            Dean saw this as his time to take his leave and he let go of her hand as Axel sat in her lap. Her grey eyes tethered onto his green eyes as he left, her light eyes expressed the biggest sign of gratitude and he smiled and shut the door behind him.

            “I love you, Jackie.”

            She leaned down and kissed his mop of hair, nuzzling her cheek on his she whispered, “Happy Birthday Axel, I love you, too.”