Chapter One-Hundred and Forty-One
Kaylie huffed as she took a seat on a bench beside the duck pond in the park, picking up a rock and chucking it into the water. "Stubborn ass." She growled, looking up at the cloudless sky above her. "Why do you do this?" She snapped, wondering if there really was a God and why he let these things happen. "John was doing what you asked. He was saving himself for the right girl. And you let a gang of men violate him." She furiously wiped a tear from her cheek, bowing her head as she let her frustration turn to sorrow. "Are you even there?"
"For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you."
Her head snapped up as the voice echoed around her, looking around wildly for the person who'd spoken. "Who's there?" She asked, fear rising in her chest.
"John will grow from this hardship. I have known from the beginning, the things he will accomplish and he will do great things." The voice stated, and Kaylie could have sworn someone touched her shoulder. "I will grant you peace in these hard times. For you are my child."
Kaylie looked up and she could have sworn she saw the face of Jesus Christ beside her. Then suddenly she was alone. She looked out over the pond, able to feel her emotions changing until she felt completely at peace. "What the?"
Thomas rested his hand on Clarissa's as she rested in her hospital bed, smiling as his wife's breath evened out in her slumber. "I'm so sorry, Cupcake… I never should have tried to take John from you." He kissed her knuckles, looking up as someone knocked on the door.
"How is she?" Vernon asked, taking his wife's hand as they entered the room.
Thomas gave a tired smile, it'd been days since he'd been home and he was utterly exhausted. "She's been doing better. But she's still struggling to walk."
Jan nodded, adjusting the blankets around Clarissa's hips and smoothing her hair back from her forehead. "John feels awful about this."
Thomas's expression changed, a hint of anger showing as the crease between his eyebrows deepened. "Damn kid." He muttered, remembering the fight that he and Clarissa had before the accident.
Jan touched his shoulder, knowing that he wasn't aware of what John was doing at home. "John's been isolating himself since he got back. He won't even let Claire close to him, and Kathrine and Ryan think that he's been starving himself."
Thomas glared at her, knowing that John rarely ate anyway. "I want him to be at Asher's when we get home. I don't want him living with us."
Vernon bowed his head, knowing that it was hard to not blame someone for what had happened. "Thomas-"
"I'm relinquishing our guardian ship of him. Asher is his next of kin. John will live with him until farther notice." He handed them the papers he'd signed stating that John was no longer his responsibility. "I want him out of the house by tomorrow morning."
Jan nodded, reading over the papers to see that Thomas was serious. "We'll get him packed."