Unbelievable Pt. 08

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Later that night...

"Johnny," Janus said sweetly, resting her head against the doorframe as she noted how John rested his back against the wall. Noting how how his thumb brushed lightly along the picture frame that held one of the photos of Julia that Jared had sent him before he was incarcerated. Her footsteps were light on the floor as she approached their bed. "How are you feeling?" Janus asked, lowering herself down beside him. Waiting for him, until he was ready to speak. She had learned that it wasn't wise to push him. John would speak of what's on his mind when the time was right. Turning her head when she heard the approaching of feet. A warm smile lifted her lips when Annie appeared in the doorway. She must've sense John's mood given how she tossed her bookbag into his desk chair, and her own questions soon were a thing on the wind.

"Johnny," Annie whispered softly, her touch was light on his right arm as she sat beside her brother. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing just something Wanda said to me," Johnny muttered, wondering if he could be like he was with Julia with his sister and Janus. Could he truly open himself up like again? Could he survive if something happened to them like what happened to Julia?

"Oh? What did she say?" Janus asked, snuggling closer to him.

"Something that I'm not sure if I can do again, I don't know if I'm strong enough."

"Strong enough for what?" Annie asked, confused.

"To open my heart again, like I was with Julia," John uttered softly, running the pads of his fingers down glass of the picture frame.

Janus saw Annie's eyes quivering at what he'd said, just like she knew hers were. She and Annie knew this was a very big step for John given his distrust of everyone who's a stranger to him. Yet she knew they had to be patient; knew they couldn't push him into the saying the words they both wanted to hear; they knew how he felt given the fact they could see it in his eyes.

"Johnny," scooting closer to her brother, "you don't have to say it now, take your time, and when you feel the time is right, and you truly feel ready, we'll be here. I know we both will be so happy to hear that you feel the same," Annie spoke in a loving tone as she placed a sweet kiss on John's right cheek.

"What if I'm not strong enough?"

"That's why you have us, and everyone else. So you don't have to be strong all the time. You're not in that place anymore, where you had to be strong, you're here, safe with us," Janus said, noting how his left eye glanced over at her. "The world might have let you down in the past, but we will never let you fall." Conveying the love she had for him into her words to show him that he was safe with them.

"But I do... I just don't know..."

"Shh," Annie cooed turning his chin towards her. "We know you do, yet you don't how to say the words when they did such horrible things to Julia. While I would love to hear the words coming from these lips," lightly brushing her index finger along John's lower lip, "I know it will take time. I've waited five years to be with you. I can wait a little longer, until you're ready to say, 'I love you'."

"Just because you can't say it now, doesn't mean we'll ever leave you; because we already know you do..." Looking towards the door when a knock came upon it only to find Ruth standing in the doorway.

"I'm sorry for interrupting the three of you. I was wondering if Johnny would come meet my sister," Ruth said, knowing he could relate to her younger sister who waited in the living room after she flown in to meet Bill and rest of his family.

"Me?"

"Mmmhmm," Ruth nodded. "I was hoping that you could help her deal with what was done to her. Give how you've been..."

"Oh. You sure?" Johnny asked, looking at Ruth oddly.

"Very sure, Johnny," Ruth answered truthfully. "That is if you're up to it."

"Give me a minute."

"Sure, Johnny, no rush," Ruth said, with a warm smile before slipping out the doorway.

Annie melted into the kiss John unexpectedly planted on her lips. Her hands lightly caressed his face as she poured her love into that embrace. Leaving her breathless when Janus filled her spot. Feeling her face heating when John looked back at them when he stood in the doorway. What happened next stilled both women's hearts.

"Annie, Janus, I do love you. I'm sorry I can't properly show it," Johnny spoke, leaving the two of them speechless on their bed. A genuine smile appeared on his lips when he heard the squeals emanating from his room and their words of 'Can you believe it?!', 'I know!', 'He loves us!'

"Johnny?!" Brandan was taken by surprise as his son hugged him out of the blue. A hug he might add that he hasn't felt from his son for a very long time.

"I'm sorry you were given a faulty son."

"You are not broken. You're my son, problems and all," Brandan whispered hugging his son tightly. Wondering what had gotten into his son as the doors to the den slid closed.

To Be Continued...