Burning Wild

Chapter Twenty-Five

The holidays came and went in a rush. Mariana had extended her trip into the new year on the pretense of visiting Jake, but she was hardly ever home. I suspected it was more so to spend time with Dwayne than her brother.

Mariana had fallen head over heels for Dwayne. She became irrevocably giddy any time his name was brought up. It reminded me of the way that I felt in Jake's presence. It was endearing, to see her so in love.

The time eventually came when Mariana could no longer justify postponing her flight to San Diego. Between her work and being a full-time caregiver to her parents, it was inevitable that she would have to go back home. But that didn't mean she was happy about her departure.

She was disheartened as she packed her bags, saddened that she would have to leave behind her beloved brother and her new boyfriend. I tried to convince her to stay for good; she could have a new life in Chico. But she refused. 

"There are too many people relying on me back home," she explained. 

I was sad to see her go, but I understood why she had to leave. As we hugged goodbye, we promised to text daily. In the short time she had stayed with us, Mariana had become my best friend and closest ally. The idea of not having her here was depressing.

I didn't know what it was about the Lucero's, but they always found a win me over.

After Christmas, Jake truly was a changed man. Most days, he was in good spirits. It was as if a mass had been lifted from his shoulders, one that had weighed him down and burdened him for years. I was thankful that he had opened up to me. It was a relief to hear the truth after living inside a web of lies and deceit for so long.

Jake had kept true to his promise about being honest with me. The barrier that once seemed to block our communication had been removed. Jake was an open book now.

I made sure to avoid the topic of his family for fear of making him sad. But Jake never indicated that talking about his family upset him.

In fact, his revelation seemed to make it easier to remember the good times he'd spent with them, rather than dwelling on their terrible deaths. He would talk about adorable things his children had done, or hilarious memories he had of Elena from when they were teenagers. I listened carefully, soaking in his recollections like a sponge. Talking about them seemed to ease Jake's pain and helped him move forward in life.

Before long, I felt like I knew Elena, Ana, and Lucas. They became an important aspect of my life, just as they were for Jake.

As time passed, the trust I had instilled in him slowly returned. I unpacked my bags little by little until I was as much a resident of Jake's house as he was. Only, this time, I wasn't residing in the guest bedroom, but the master bedroom. Waking up next to Jake each morning was the highlight of my day. 

The fact that Jake had willingly made space for me, not only in his bedroom but in his life, spoke volumes. It was a big step for him, and I didn't take the gesture lightly.

It still felt surreal to walk into a room and see my belongings sprawled about as if they had always been there. My clothes were hung in the closet next to Jake's, my underwear and socks had their own drawer, my work supplies lay disorganized on my desk. Even Harley had a place in the room, his new toys piled into a basket in the corner. For the first time since I had moved in, Jake's house was starting to feel like my home too.

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Jake was still at work, so the house was quiet as I soaked in the bubble bath. I could have relaxed in the cathartic suds forever, but I knew I had to start getting dressed if I was going to be ready by seven o'clock. For the first time since I had become intimate with Jake, we were going out on a date. Not a get together with friends or an event for his work, but an actual, legitimate date.