HEJ, MY LOVE

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The pastor arrived the night before. Jonas briefed him on his sister's condition leaving out the pregnancy, which he believed Sierra would announce in her own time.

Jacob refused to go to the hospital. He didn't mind seeing other people, but he doubted he could handle seeing Sierra there. Images of their mother came to mind; Sierra resembled her. Though Jacob knew Sierra's life wasn't at risk, he didn't wish his memory to register the moment.

His sister's state profoundly affected him. Again Jacob questioned why she was so inflicted. What troubled him then was his incapacity to give Sierra, if ever she asked, the answers she needed.

Sierra got out of the car with Jacob's help. Jonas watched; he could not assist her with Leone in his arms. Ulrich got her crutch and the wheelchair. The woman didn't want the seat, but Jonas insisted. He didn't wish for her to make any effort.

They entered the house, and Leone wiggled himself out of Jonas' arms. There was no one where Rufus usually ran to them, wagging its tail. Leone hurried to his basket, "Rufu," the boy sobbed. His best friend was gone. Though Leone knew, he hoped for a miracle.

His hair would grow back, but Rufus could not come back. The dog had done everything to protect him. Jonas heard Sierra say when the police interrogated her.

Jonas had Rufus cremated after the police finished their examinations which consisted of getting Bertrand's DNA from his teeth.

Sweden, like France's laws, met OIE anti-animal cruelty standards. Even if some courts stammered when sanctioning this issue, Jonas wanted justice for his dog. Rufus was a hero. Though the hound sighed with exasperation daily at Leone's excessive signs of affection, he loved the boy perhaps even more than he did Jonas, the man thought.

"I'm sorry Leone, Rufus fait dodo [Rufus is asleep now].

The little boy covered his eyes, "Rufu, Rufu."

Jonas picked him up and took him to the kitchen to make him a bottle.

In the meantime, Jacob helped Sierra to sit down.

Ulrich, who observed the scene, approached his brother in the kitchen, "Jonas, if you don't need me, I'll get going. I need to pick up Millie."

"Thank you, Ulrich."

"No, problem."

Jonas returned to the living room. The bottle calmed Leone, who touched the space on his head where his favorite strand used to be. He would twirl it while he drank, but now there was nothing.

"Wow, it seems every time I get news from you guys, it's mind-blowing."

"I'm sorry, Jacob, I wish we would contact you to share some good news," Jonas said solemnly.

Jacob watched how Jonas helped Sierra adjust her position. The man feared the couple would be in a situation with a broken communication line.

It seemed despite or because of the recent event, they were closer.

"I'm just glad you guys are safe. What's going to happen now?"

Jonas slicked his hair back, "Bertrand is asking for a hearing in France, but we all know the influence the Gauthiers have there."

Jacob sighed, "when did these old folk turn into such mobsters."

"They're not mobsters but monsters; they've always been this way. It's just no one knew or acknowledged it," Sierra added. 

Jonas watched her scratch her neck. He noticed she did it often since the accident. He made a mental note to see if the local chemist had anything for allergies or rashes before saying, "I have to admit; I'm guilty of that too. I mean, when the Gauthiers first contacted me and told me about Leone, they appeared to be so honest. It's crazy how they persuade everyone to do their bidding. Even I fell into their game." Jonas turned to face Sierra, " they almost made me doubt you. I'm sorry," the man grasped Sierra's hand and held it.

"You didn't know back then."

Jacob's gaze switched to Leone, who leaned on his father while he drank, "Leone, aren't you going to give your uncle a hug?"

To everyone's surprise, Leone gave his bottle to Jonas, slipped off the sofa, and went to Jacob.

In the boy's eyes, Jacob was a stable element. Unlike all the new faces in his life, Jacob was there from the beginning.

"There you go," Jacob took him on his knees, and Leone let him rock him to sleep.

"Are you guys hungry?" Jonas asked.

"Yes, the hospital food was terrible," Sierra said. How she missed her husband's cuisine. Jonas' culinary skills were definitely a talent she could no longer live without.

"Jacob?"

"Yes, I'm good for a meal too."

Jonas got up, "okay, I'll see what I can muster then."

"Oh, your mother came and left some dishes and filled the fridge earlier," Jacob said.

Sierra slightly tilted her head to the side, "Sigrid, was here?"

"Yes, your mother is a fantastic person, Jonas."

Like all the times Jacob visited, the Potsmann welcomed him warmly. It reassured the brother to know Sierra was with them. The recent events made Jacob's protective side come through. There he wished to make sure Sierra still felt well amongst them. Yet, for the first time, he didn't know where to begin, "eh; em, you guys seem to be okay?"

Sierra shared a weak smile, "yes, even in this turmoil, we're doing better."

"I'm sorry for not coming before. If you were expecting meㅡ."

Sierra frowned a second before catching on, "oh no, I wasn't expecting you or anyone else. I just wished to be alone. I doubt you would have helped in any way. I was irrecuperable; I thought I would lose Jonas, and I hated myself so much. I wondered why my karma was so twisted. I don't know if I will ever accept what happened, but I know I can live with it. And nowㅡ."

Sierra stopped; she looked at Leone and thought of the child she carried, "I know God is not at fault, and the reasoning is probably something my level of faith can't grasp. I realize that I wasn't living before. I constantly hid my pain, and even my joy was tamed. There's more to life than job promotions and bucket lists of achievements. I wasn't serene in France. When I got here, I challenged myself with things I didn't need to, " she sighed, "now I just want to be a better version of myself, someone my children can rely on, someone my husband can rely on."

"You've been through so much. I was afraid you'dㅡ. I don't know to make an irrational decision."

"Like what? Divorce? Leave Sweden? No, I don't possess any Puma Ignites like a fictional character who fears happiness so much she flees to Canada."

Jacob furrowed his eyebrows, "you're talking about a book, right?"

"Yes, I'm just trying to say I won't run from my problems. I'll face them."

"We'll."

Both Jacob and Sierra turned to look at the man who stood at the living room entrance, "We'll face whatever comes together. Lunch is ready. I just had to pop it in the microwave."

Sierra wondered how much of the conservation Jonas heard; at the same time, it didn't matter if he did. She got ready to grab her crutch.

"Wait, Sierra, use the chair," Jonas said.

"No, the kitchen is like what, ten meters away?"

"Please, Sierra, your leg needs rest."

The woman rolled her eyes and waited for Jonas to bring the seat, "I really don't like this."

"I know."

Sierra sighed and hopped on the chair.

The meal was a Swedish spring special, Potato Cake with Salmon Roe and Roast Beetroot.

"Oh, gosh," Sierra touched her cheeks, "this is divine, Jonas. Sigrid is a chef."

Her husband noted the fish didn't put her off. Jonas wondered what foods Sierra would detest in the upcoming weeks. He guessed every pregnancy had its food guest list. Everything felt to have gone back to normal at that instant, but none forgot they were not at the epilogue station. They had an enemy they still had to defeat before regaining complete control of their life.