The flight was short. It took them less than two hours to fly into the Centennial airport, south of Denver, but it felt as though it took them forever to get there. There was so much she wanted to say, but not in front of Ben. She needed to wait until they were alone.
She wished, now, that she’d read more of Zack’s journals. Maybe if she had, they would’ve offered some clue as to what Zack was thinking about their marriage during his deployment. Had he decided, in the same way Jace had, that she wasn’t cut out for their life together? Had he assumed she’d be unwilling to compromise so they could be together? Did he see her as being so selfish, she’d be unwilling, like Jace did?
They pulled into her parents’ driveway less than an hour after Ben landed the plane. Jace brought her bags to the front door.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
“Nah, I’m goin’ straight to Tuck’s. My family is stayin’ there.”
“Jace, we need to talk.”
“Actually, we don’t. I’ve heard those words often enough before to know what they mean.”
He walked away and got in Ben’s car.
“Well, hello,” her father greeted her at the door. “I wasn’t sure whether we’d see you for Christmas this year.”
“Hi, Daddy. I wasn’t sure either, but here I am, delivered safe and sound.”
He looked behind her.
“They’re gone already. Jace and Ben dropped me off.”
“Nice of Ben to fly up to get you.”
“I know. Very nice.” She snuggled into her father’s arms. “I missed you. I’m so glad to be home.”
Bree’s mom came around the corner. “There she is!” she shouted. “I’ve been so worried about you. When you didn’t answer your cell, I didn’t know what to think.”
Bree hugged her mom, and then slipped off her coat, taking her cell phone out of her pocket. There were several missed calls from her mom, Blythe, and even Red.
“I’ll take your bag up to your old room,” her dad offered.
“I’ll follow. I’d like to change,” she said to her mom.
“Go ahead. I’ll heat up some soup. Come back down when you’re ready, and we’ll catch up, baby.”
Bree hugged her mother again before following her dad upstairs.
“I need to make a phone call, and then I’ll be down.”
“Take your time,” he answered, closing her bedroom door behind him.
She hit the call-back button and listened while the phone rang. The call went to voicemail.
“Hi, Red, it’s Bree. I’m sorry to bother you, but something’s happened with Jace, and I need to talk to you. Can you, please, call me back?”
As soon as she hung up, she regretted leaving a message. Red had his own life to live, she shouldn’t keep going to him for answers to her problems. She didn’t need to wait to hear back from Red. She knew what she had to do.
“Hey, Tuck. Hi, Blythe,” Jace said when they greeted him at the back door.
“We sure are happy to see you,” said his mama, from behind them.
“I’m happy to see you too.” He hugged her, and then his father. “Merry Christmas.”
“I expected Bree to be with you,” said Blythe.
“I dropped her at your parents’ place.”