⇾ 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈

Chapter Forty-Eight: Meeting the Epsteins

After John had left, Brian and I took to preparing to leave. Brian wanted to leave by four so that we could be there by at least seven. Luckily, I'd already packed everything I knew I'd need (and more because I was paranoid about everything).

"Would you like to get something quick to eat before we head out?" Brian asked as we put our last bag in the trunk.

I nodded. "That'd be good."

He gave a little nod and a smile and went back into the house to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything.

"Donna, Donna, Donna!" Two arms grabbed me by the waist and I squealed, my breathing knocked off track.

"John, you utter—." He put his hand to my mouth to stop my sentence with a smirk. I pushed it away frustratingly, putting the throw blanket I was holding on the back of the car.

"Yer not actually mad," he mused.

"I should be," I gasped.

He frowned. "Did I take your breath away?"

I rolled my eyes. "No," I responded. "I'm a-okay!"

"I just wanted to say goodbye," he quipped, folding his hands behind his back.

"I'll be back in a few days," I laughed.

"You'll still be gone." He batted his eyelashes with a faked pouting face.

I rolled my eyes. "You're so dramatic."

He gave a wicked smile and pulled his silly branch of mistletoe out of his pocket and dangled it above our heads. I shook my head and blushed. "May I?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes and nodded. He kissed me meaningfully a long moment before pulling away. "I'm gonna miss ma douce Donna."

"Are you ever gonna tell me what that actually means?" I asked with an innocent smile. He slipped his mistletoe back into his pocket and shook his head with a smirk. I frowned. "You're mean." I laughed.

He shrugged. "I'll tell ye someday perhaps."

I shook my head. "Well, Brian'll be back here in a moment and we'll be heading off, so—."

He put his arms around me and rested his chin on my head. "I hope you have a wonderful Christmas," he said.

"You too," I replied, smiling into his chest and I heard our door open. He let go of me.

"Have a nice trip!" he called to Brian and Brian waved back at him with a smile.

"Ready to go, Donna?" Brian called to me.

I nodded. "Bye, John," I called before I got into the car, taking the blanket with me. John looked at me, resting his hand on the car.

"Goodbye, Donna," he said with a smile, leaning down to give me a kiss on the forehead. "I—." His voice broke off as he seemed to realize what he was gonna say. "I'm gonna miss you," he recovered and I gave him a skeptical look.

"I'm gonna miss you too," I said.

He nodded, satisfied with his save. "Have fun, love," he said and he closed the door as Brian got into the driver's side, giving a wave to John.

I watched him walk back to his house with his hands in the pockets of his long trench-coat.

"How's he treated you?" Brian asked sternly.

I turned to him, still mulling over the sentence John had chosen not to speak. I nodded. "He's treated me good?" I answered.

Brian started the car and I pulled my blanket up over myself. "So I don't need to thump him upside the head?" he asked with a playful grin.