Living to Loving

Chapter 26

*POV Gemma*

I'm standing next to Danny in front of Britain High School when a very angry Joanna Thompson storms up.

"Why did you do that?" Joanna growls at Danny.

Danny looks confused. "Do what?"

"Get my dad in trouble," Joanna says. "It's your fault we have case workers swarming my house. It's your fault we have CPS on our case! If you had just helped me like I'd asked and hadn't turned me in-"

"Joanna, your dad-"

"You don't know anything about my dad!" Joanna snaps. "There's nothing to know! He's a good dad. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Even good dads make mistakes."

Mr. Michaels walks up behind his son, his tone soft and empathetic.

Joanna glances at Mr. Michaels, then turns back to Daniel. "Why did you tell on my dad?"

"He didn't," Mr. Michaels says.

"Yes he did," Joanna insists. "He's going to get my dad in trouble!"

I bite my lip to keep from yelling that her dad deserves to be in trouble for hitting her. No matter what he did to her, ultimately, Mr. Thompson is still her dad. I don't know the context. They could be how Jade and I were. I would've done anything to prove that there was no way Jade would ever hurt me, even if she had. We were best friends.

"He didn't," Mr. Michaels says. "We didn't know until we found you on the back patio."

"He told you about the-" Joanna stops. She looks away.

"The bruises?" Mr. Michaels asks. "That's because he doens't want you getting hurt."

"I'm not hurt," Joanna insists. "I'm fine. My dad-" her voice breaks.

"Parenting is hard work," Mr. Michaels says gently. "I would know. Especially when you're a dad trying to figure out a girl. I know that firsthand. It's a big, scary job, parenting teen girls is. Rina's a handful. And sometimes the stress can get to good parents, even. But there's help for that. We just have to ask for it. There's nothing wrong with asking for help once in a while."

Joanna's voice cracks when she speaks. "He's a good dad. Really he is. We would go on bike rides and talk and-" Joanna chokes back a sob.

"It's okay, Joanna," Mr. Michaels says gently. "We'll help that good dad become an even better dad. I promise."

Joanna lets out a sob abd looks down. Mr. Michaels pulls her in and holds her there. Even though she doesn't know him very well, she doesn't pull away. She just stays there. I get it. He might be the closest thing to what her dad used to be like before. For me that was Rina. She was as close to Jade as I could get and I loved her for it.

He holds Joanna for a while, before holding her at arm's length and wiping a tear off her cheek. "Are you okay now?" He asks gently.

She nods. "Yeah. I'm okay." She glances at her watch. "I should go. My parents will worry."

Mr, Michaels nods. "Of course." He smiles at Daniel and I. "Now we need to get you two home. I'm dropping you and Danny off, then I'm going to go sit with Rina for a bit. Alright?"

We nod dutifully. "Alright."

Danny has the brightest smile I've ever seen when we get out of the car. We're at my house.

"What?" I ask. "What is it?"

Danny's lips twitch. "You'll find out."

We walk in and I'm met with Crystal and Micah. They grab my hand and pull to me t the living room where my parents stand.

"What is this?" I stammer. "What's going on?"

"We have a surprise for you," Mom says. "You can blame Danny if you don't like it." Mom's lips twitch. "But I have a feeling you will."

Dad pulled out a box covered in gold wrapping paper and handed it to me.

My brow furrowed in confusion as I sat down to open it. I tore off the wrapping paper and slid open the box.

All the breath was sucked from my lungs. It was a guitar. A guitar identical to the one Joanna had destroyed. Except for one thing. On the bottom of the guitar were words written in beautiful calligraphy.

Love you to the moon and back, sis. Love, Jade.

Jade used to tell me that all the time. When we went to bed it was always "Love you to the moon and back." And I'd say, "Love you more than the stars in the sky." Every night. It was our thing. I stared at the instrument, tears forming in my eyes. "I..." my voice trailed off. There was one more thing in the box. A piece of paper, at the bottom. I picked it up, examining it. It was written in Jade's handwriting.

Dear Gemma,

If you're reading this, it means I'm gone. But I want you to know that I love you and I would've done anything to stay with you.

I wasn't very good with music. You were. So sing from your heart, little sister, and your fingers will follow. And remember, I love you to the moon and back.

Love Jade

I choke back a sob as I stare at the note. Then the waterworks start. Tears flow down my cheeks as I stare at my sister's handwriting. I miss her.

"We found it in her diary," Mom says. "There was one addressed to the rest of us, and one specifically addressed to you. We hadn't checked her diary thoroughly, but we recently found that."

The guitar has pieces of Jade's old one in it," Dad says. "We had it made right after Joanna destroyed the other one. Daniel and Rina helped us get the pieces for it. Everyone helped pay for the special modifications. Aunt Lucy, Uncle Jonathan, Grandma Lacie, Grandpa Jarryd, Rina, and Daniel. It was all Daniel's idea."

I stand up, still holding the note and turn to Daniel.

He smiles at me. For a moment, I just watch him.

His smile starts to fade a little. Then I grin, throw my arms around him, pull my face to his and our lips press together.

I can feel him lifting my feet off the ground. I don't object. "I love you," I whisper before pressing my lips harder against his.

"I love you to the moon and back," he whispers.