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She collapsed into his arms when she opened the door and saw him, holding on to him as if he were all that really mattered in her life. It felt amazing. He knew it was the beginning of a huge change, but hoped it was the result of having had some time to think rather than just the shock of losing her father.
The next few days were filled with funeral arrangements and a final memorial, done in the traditional way - his body cremated and scattered from the side of a cliff overlooking a lower field once known for battle between rival clans. It was a beautiful ceremony; at least, as beautiful as ceremonies can be.
“You can come home now,” Jaycee’s mother told her later as they sat having dinner that evening.
Neither woman had eaten anything, only sat there picking through their food. Her mother had been cordial to him, but not overly friendly. Of course, she had just lost her husband and probably wasn’t in the best of moods. Jaycee’s brothers were equally standoffish. It turned out, she was not only the only girl in her family but the only Omega. No wonder she was how she was, always feeling like she had something to prove.
“No, Mom. I have a life in the city.”
“You said you lost your internship. There’s no reason you can’t come back now.”
“There are a lot of reasons. I will find another job and you can come visit. It’ll be nice for you to leave this place every once in a while.”
“You know I don’t like the city.”
“Well, it’s not for everyone, but hopefully, you’ll think about it and come see me from time to time. If not, I’ll always come back to see you now that I can.”
The unspoken meaning of that, the acknowledgment that they had just lost the head of their family, hung in the air until her mother changed the subject. After a while, they called it a night and went to bed. Thad lay in the darkness, stroking Jaycee’s hair as she lay her head against his chest.
“Thank you for coming and being with me,” she purred, sounding content.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he told her, leaning forward to kiss the top of her head.
They fell asleep in one another’s arms. It was perfection personified.CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVEJaycee
Everything felt different. Jaycee couldn’t put her finger on it, but she felt lighter, more at ease. There was a sadness that her father was gone and her mother would be alone, but perhaps it would finally give her the wings she needed to fly. All her life, she had been oppressed by her husband. Jaycee could only hope that this would inspire her to live a little more, even if it was just to join a knitting club.
That wasn’t all, though. She had told Thad to take a few days and think things over, but it had been her that had done all the thinking, and almost every thought had been of him. She had thought it would fade, but it didn’t, and she no longer believed it was just about anything pre-destined for them. She was falling in love with him.
Being back in her own apartment the following day felt surreal. After everything that had happened here, it seemed cold and uncomfortable. Still, she was stuck here for now, at least until the lease was up. Her father had left behind some money for her mother and brothers but had cut her out completely. Still, her mother had given her a share out of hers to help her get by until she could find a job. She’d been living off of her own savings and it had been depleting much faster than she’d thought it would.
The phone rang, jolting her back to the present. She looked at the screen, confused. It was NIH.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Jaycee, this is Marilyn Stutts, in the human resources department at NIH. Do you have few moments?”
“I suppose.”
“I know you left here under horrid circumstances. I hope you understand I had no control over that, but I feel you were treated very unfairly. You’re a bright girl and didn’t deserve to be cast out on the whim of an ogre.”
Jaycee was shocked by the way she was speaking to her, not to mention the fact that she had called her at all. She didn’t try to interrupt. She just let her say whatever she had called to say.
“We want to offer your internship back to you.”
“Thanks but my circumstances have changed. I can’t work in an unpaid capacity any longer and I’m going to need maternity leave,” Jaycee said. There was no need even letting her continue with an offer she couldn’t accept.
“Well, I don’t see a problem with that.”
“Excuse me?”
“Listen, after Mr. Nasteau died, his entire estate went to his niece. She was shocked at how he’s behaved toward clients and employees. She’s been reviewing employee files and came across yours. It hadn’t been pulled yet. I think she feels a need to make it up to you somehow.”
