----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No one moved as the echoing died throughout the chapel. Jacob continued to hold onto me tightly as I began to feel light headed.
The father moved first, shuffling toward the knocked over pews, Gabriel quickly went to help him.
I tried to fight the tears, but when I failed, I turned into Jacob's chest, clutching his shirt and trying to breathe evenly. He gingerly held me against him and let me do what I needed.
I mumbled several things. I don't even remember what they were, but Jacob hushed me and kept telling me it would be alright.
I felt Gabriel behind me after some time, but he made no move to comfort me. I stopped eventually, rubbing my eyes and whispering an apology to Jacob. He sighed and shook his head. "It's nothing." I saw the pity in his eyes.
His sympathy only aided my fear and I craved Gabriel's comforting touch.
I faced Gabriel and his expression froze me. His eyes were hard, scrutinizing, and they studied me cautiously.
"Gabe." I nearly whimpered again. He closed his eyes, sighed, and opened his arms to me. I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck and he picked me up as if I were only a child.
He rubbed his cheek against mine and whispered in my ear, "There's something you need to read."
"At home." I whispered back waiting for the fear to let his peace in. I wasn't going to let go of him until it did.
"Let's go Jacob." Gabe said to Jake. I didn't like how gruff he'd sounded.
Gabriel carried me out to the car and I clung to him for my life.
He tried to set me down and I grasped tighter.
I heard the sound of the keys. He must have tossed them to Jacob. He didn't let go of me, carefully shifting me into his lap in the back seat and I was grateful.
In the house, he continued to hold me in the chair and I was finally starting to feel better. The ache and dread that seemed to be in my core was beginning to ebb, but I still remained encased in him taking in the holly sent of him. Today he smelled like fresh rain soaking up a warm pavement. Jacob said nothing.
"Are you ready now?" Gabe whispered after a while.
"I guess so." I answered, sitting up slowly.
Gabe reached forward and picked up a small brown book from the table. It's rough and somewhat cheap appearance gave away part of its identity. It was a journal of some sort.
"I'd told you I'd known you your whole life." Gabe started. I nodded.
"I did mean your entire life, not long after you were conceived. And so, I knew your mother." I stared at him. Not once remembering his presence in my life before a year ago.
"This was hers." He continued acknowledging the journal and handing it to me. "She wanted you to have it when you were ready."
I stared at the small book. It was needless to say that I was ready now and somehow I knew this held more answers for me.
I got up from Gabriel's lap and went to my room shutting the door quietly and lowering myself to my bed. I opened to the first page.
This first thing that surprised me was the key that fell out onto my lap and as curious as I was about it, I set it aside. I'd find out about it later.
I then began to read.
My little Anna,
I know that it will be hard for you to be without me, but I know that there is a strength in you that will help you get by, along with many who will help you. I also know that by the time you read this, you will have a lot of questions that I will try to answer about me, yourself, and especially your father.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This would be the point, that I most recently decided, where Book One would end. What would follow would be Anna's mother, Amy's, story or as I like to call it The Devil Has Blue Eyes. Then after that there would be a third and final book, which I shall start beginning to compile shortly. :D
