46. Returning Home

**Doug**

I want nothing but to avenge Jodie and ruin Maverick and her dad's life in any form they can take. Jodie is breaking down and I dread to leave her alone this morning. We just got back to the city for a day and it's still hard for me to let her go back to her mom's apartment. Though she has my dad's men watching her, I worry whenever she's not near.

I have to keep on convincing myself that those men are more capable of protecting Jodie than me. I should be concentrating on my work. But stupidly, my mind is stuck to the thought of her getting in more trouble.

I still can't believe how easily her dad gave her away to marry Maverick. Then after her confession, my mind starts wondering if he knew about Maverick's visits to Jodie's room back when she was younger.

*That sick fuck. I'm going to make sure that Dad will let me face the lowly-fucker when the time comes.*

I still have four more hours before I pick Jodie at her mom's. She had texted me hours ago that she was not going anywhere and that she'd be there until it was time for me to pick her up. Yes. She decided to spend the night at mine. That is the only thing that makes me stop myself from running back to her mom's apartment and fetching the love of my life.

"So, how's your little trip with Jodie?" Billy wiggles his eyebrows clearly teasing and has no boundary issues regarding me as his employer anymore.

"We had a very good time. So good that she's going back to stay at mine tonight." I decide to tell Billy the facts, there's no good in lying anyway when the truth is Jodie is here to stay.

"Woah there, boss. She is very loveable indeed, but don't you think you're... moving too fast?" I can see that Billy is carefully picking his words.

"Well, Billy, so many things have happened, and though I can't divulge anything to you because this is not my story to tell. I assure you, this..." I look at my office and the bar where I worked for years. "This has nothing on my love for Jodie, so yep...I assure you, I'm not moving too fast. In fact, you may just convince me that I'm not moving fast enough."

"Oh wow,"

I give Billy a tired sigh as I lean back to my chair. "Yeah, well...it is what it is, I can't wait to pick her up from her mom."

"What's stopping you?"

"Well, the fact that she wanted to spend time with her mom?"

"Um...right, the mom who abandoned her and left with her little sister?"

"You knew?"

"I live across her apartment. People talked..." Billy shrugs and I curse, debating if I should come and get her right now instead of later.

"I need to be with her,"

"Then go, the bar hasn't burned down since you left it in my care. And just as you said, you care for her more than you care for the bar. So go, make my girl happy." Billy winked and opened the door for me.

"I'll call if there's an emergency. Aside from that, go...get my girl."

I'm grinning so wide on my way to Jodie's mom's apartment. But that smile died the second she opened the door for me. Her eyes are red like she's been crying for a while.

"Jodie, baby, why are you crying?"

She doesn't say anything but she opens the door and lets me into the apartment. Her mom and her little sister are on the sofa, their eyes are red and puffy too just like hers.

*Okay, maybe they've been swapping stories.* Suddenly I feel like a jerk for interrupting their private moments.

"Doug, please sit down, Jodie has been telling me a lot about you. Would you like some coffee or tea?"

I shake my head telling her no, I really don't want to bother her. What I want is to extract Jodie from her family and just make her mine. But I know I can't so I stayed.

Minutes go by, the silence grows while we wait as Jodie's mom pours the fresh batch of tea for me.

"Doug, mom is sick. It's an inoperable brain tumor, she doesn't have long. This was why she agreed to Colbert and Maverick. She was making sure me and Miley are going to be taken care of." Her cold hand latches on to mine and I entwined our fingers giving her strength and comfort.

"I'm sorry. I've had headaches for years. I kept on ignoring them. I didn't...I thought..." Her mom looks like she's about to lose it and that's when Miley comes to her side and hugs her. They cry and Jodie cries some more.

"How long?"

"Colbert had his family doctor and an oncologist run tests on me. That was why we went away, I didn't want Jodie to worry. I had hoped the cancer hadn't spread. But...they say less than a year."

"Will you be willing if I take you for a second opinion? Miley and Jodie can join us." I rested my hand on Jodie but knowing how Maverick wanted her for so long, my mind went on a different route with all the what-ifs.

Jodie reads me like a book when her eyes meet mine and a realization hits her. "D-do you think?"

"It never hurts to get a second opinion right? Or a third? Maybe we can find out about some trial treatments? That is if you're willing to try," I look at Jodie's mom, trying to give her something to think about. It doesn't look like she is giving up just yet. I can see that she loves her daughters. I don't want to think that those bastards might be screwing with their minds.

"No...no, that's...good. But I...we don't have," Jodie is back with her insecurities and I squeeze my hand before kissing her temple.

"Jodie, I love you. I'll take care of you and that goes to the rest of your family. Well, in this case, your mom and Miley." I give her a sad smile, knowing what she knows about her dad and now her mom. If what I think is right and her mom was set up this could mean a very different outcome to Jodie's family's future.

But I don't want to give her false hope. I need her to be strong and I need her to let me help her and her little family.

It took us two days until Jodie's mom was scheduled for a doctor's appointment. From there there were tests, scans, and there was more waiting. The first doctor we went to confirmed my suspicions when he told us that it was indeed a brain tumor. But we caught it soon and it's definitely operable. "Given your age and your health, I'm confident that you'll have a full recovery. I say this to all my patients. Never let the scary image of being a cancer patient bring your spirit down. Yes, the treatment will be harsh, but so many people are living proof that cancer is manageable. You can and you will live a full life,"

The doctor keeps on talking about the success rate and how he and his team of doctors will help her get better. I feel Jodie squeezes my hand her smile is bright and I can see the happy twinkle in her eyes.

*****

Miley had gone to sleep, and Jodie, her mom, and I were having tea while discussing future doctor's appointments in the living room.

"Now that the health situation is being handled, I want to talk to both of you about your living situation."

My hand is on Jodie's mom's arm, I want her full attention. I need her to see where I am going with this. Then I look at Jodie until she nods her approval.

Yes, I've talked to Jodie while her mom tucked her little sister for bedtime earlier and Jodie had agreed with my suggestion. So I continued, "I want to invite you to stay at my home. I have a house with extra rooms. Jodie will stay in the master bedroom with me, while you and Miley will have your rooms. Now...I know that you're worried about your daughter but I assure you that I have very good intentions towards her. And I love her. Very much. When the time is right I will ask her to be my wife," this time I move my hand and entwine our fingers while looking into her eyes before taking her knuckles and kissing them.

"Doug...I,"

"I love you, baby, and I do want us to be a family."

I never think that I can feel so much in love that I become dangerously sappy, but I don't give a flying fuck. Not when the love of my life moves to my side and hugs me in front of her mom. Not when she kisses me so hard like her life depends on it. She doesn't even stop, not until her mom clears her throat, probably because she's feeling flustered from seeing her daughter practically shoving her tongue in her future husband.

*Fuck...that sounds so good. Future Husband.*