Book 4 - Shot of Life

Chapter Sixteen

Everett wakes the next morning with a pain in her chest, missing him.

She gives herself a pep talk to get out of bed. Jack is taking her brothers back to the airport and she's riding along. Them showing up meant the world to her. Gunnar has always had a knack for knowing when one of them needed them.

"Come on! I want to see my woman!" Gunnar yells to her.

"Ollie is making me tacos! Move it, Everett!" Hudson screams.

Everett walks out her front door and shakes her head. "Your women bribe you with food,"

"All the time," Hudson smiles.

"It works," Gunnar shrugs his shoulders.

Everyone climbs in the truck and Jack drives off. Jack insists on staying in the truck, giving Everett some more private time with her brothers. She smiles as they walk towards security.

"Thank you guys for coming out," She gives them each a side hug.

"Always," Hudson whispers.

"Forever," Gunnar gives her a squeeze. "Listen, try to give the vagina another chance,"

"That asswipe isn't that bad of a person," Hudson nudges her shoulder.

She laughs at her sweet brothers. "God, you two. He's not a bad person at all. I'm at fault too, I lied about my name. I own that. I just don't know if he can forgive me. Name is a name,"

"And love is love. Plain and simple," Hudson states.

"He said some awful things," Everett looks down in shame.

"And YOU put our toothbrushes in the toilet!" Hudson calls her out.

"Locked us out of the house when it snowed," Gunnar adds.

"Sis, we all do stupid things and say stupid things," Hudson points out, making another good point.

"Point taken," Everett sometimes hates when her brothers are right.

"If you care for him like you say you do, don't just shut him out. You'll know when it's time," Gunnar notes.

"Ollie's dad at one point when the time comes you can move on with or without him. When that moment of clarity comes you won't doubt your decision," Hudson offers.

"What if it's without him?" Everett worries.

"Not happening,"

"Nope,"

"But you hit him. Don't you hate him?" Everett points to Gunnar.

"Don't hate. I was pissed at what he did but we talked to him," Gunnar tells her.

"He didn't fake not knowing, he didn't try to get anything out of us. He simply asked for you. First I've ever seen," Hudson acknowledges.

"Just let it simmer and sleep on it," Gunnar offers.

"Be good," Hudson gives Everett a suffocating hug. "Leave his toothbrush alone.

Everett laughs hard and nods her head. "Ok, I love you guys. Safe flight,"

They say their goodbyes and she watches them leave. Just like that, they are gone. Everett slowly walks back towards Jack's truck and climbs in.

"You came back?" He says surprised.

"I gave my word," She states.

"Yeah, but..."

"I made a promise to someone who protected me. I will see all this through," She softly smiles.