Week 203 – Where do you want to go?

Standing at the window, staring at nothing, Jacob thought about the last two years and everything that had happened.

He had lost so much and some days the pain of knowing that everything could have been different if he had made just one simple change was almost too much to bear. This was all on him and while he wished he could go back and undo it that wasn’t possible and he had to live with the choices he had made.

Some days the loneliness was crushing.

On those days he almost did something about it, almost tried to figure out a way to change what he knew couldn’t be changed.

Arms slipped around his waist and lips touched the side of his neck.

“What are you thinking about so hard?”

Jacob turned and pulled her into his arms. If it wasn’t for her he never would have been able to get through this. But she had given up even more than he had and she was the one true innocent in all of this. “Thinking about how strong you are, how brave, to give up your whole life, your family and friends and job, all because of the mess I got you into.”

Elle gave him a stern frown. “You gave up your family for me too. And as long as I still have you then everything is okay.”

“How can you be so accepting of this … mess?” She had been a trooper, never once complained as they entered witness protection and were given new names and identities and moved halfway around the world.

“Because whats done is done, we can’t go backward and if we try all we find is pain. Forwards is the path to freedom. I miss my family every day but they know I love them and they know I’m safe and loved and cared for with you.”

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“I think you’re something else too.” She grinned, then kissed him, hard. “So, where do you want to go? Bike ride? Surfing? Beach?”

“I don’t care, as long as I’m with you wherever I am is exactly where I want to be.”