Chapter 44
Johnny took a deep breath, steadying himself as the weight of the conversation settled on his shoulders. He didn't know how to begin—how do you even put something like this into words? He felt Kenshi's reassuring touch as the swordsman squeezed his shoulder gently, grounding him.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Samantha lifted a hand, cutting him off before he could get a word out.
"So it's true." Her voice was quiet, but the pain in it was unmistakable.
Johnny swallowed the lump in his throat. "Sam…I'm so sorry."
Samantha nodded slowly, her lips pressing together. She looked like she was holding back tears. "I knew something was wrong when Ian didn't come home. And then the news about you being missing…" Her voice wavered, and she exhaled sharply, blinking away the moisture in her eyes.
Johnny's own chest tightened. "He was a good man, Sam. The best."
A small, bittersweet smile touched her lips. "Yeah. He really was."
Silence hung between them for a moment, the weight of grief settling in the air like an unspoken presence. Kenshi, ever perceptive, broke the silence gently.
"Do the kids know?"
Samantha's eyes flickered toward the window, where Ryan, Jacob, and Megan were running around with the dogs in the backyard. Their laughter rang through the air, so blissfully unaware of the storm that was about to crash into their lives.
She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head. "I don't know how to tell them. How do you tell a child that their dad is never coming home?"
Her voice cracked on the last word, and Johnny felt his heart break all over again.
She sighed, rubbing at her temple. "Ryan's catching on, I think. He's always been sharp. But Jacob and Megan…they're still oblivious." Her voice dropped to a whisper, like she was afraid saying it out loud would make it real.
Johnny's vision blurred as his own tears threatened to spill. He reached for Samantha's hand, gripping it gently. "Sam…you tell them when you're ready. When you find the right words. There's no rush."
She sniffled, nodding. "I just…I miss him so much."
Johnny's voice was hoarse when he spoke. "Me too."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. They just sat there in the kitchen, bound together by the same grief, the same loss.
Finally, Samantha took a deep breath and wiped at her eyes. "But I'm glad you're okay, Johnny. Really."
Johnny let out a weak chuckle, glancing down at himself. "Define 'okay.'"
Samantha managed a small, watery laugh, and for a moment, the heaviness lifted—just a little.
They weren't okay. None of them were.
But maybe, somehow, they would learn to live with the pain.
Johnny felt the deep, throbbing pain in his body with every breath he took. His injuries burned, his broken hand ached, and his head still pounded with dull, relentless headaches. But he masked it the best he could, forcing a smile as he watched the kids come bounding back inside, their energy filling the house like a wave crashing onto the shore.
Megan, the youngest, immediately ran toward Johnny. She threw her little arms around him, squeezing as tightly as she could. Johnny gritted his teeth against the pain but hugged her back, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Jacob, with his endless curiosity and boundless enthusiasm, turned his attention to Kenshi. He tugged on Kenshi's sleeve, looking up at him expectantly. "Mister Kenshi, can you play with me?"
Kenshi hesitated. The request caught him off guard. He was never great with kids—especially after everything he had been through. The idea of pretending everything was normal, of playing along, felt foreign to him.
Samantha, ever perceptive, saw the exhaustion in both Johnny and Kenshi. She knew they needed to get going. "Kids, Johnny and Kenshi have to go home now. They need to rest and heal."
Megan clung to Johnny even tighter, her little fingers gripping his shirt. "But I don't want Uncle Johnny to go…"
Johnny's heart ached. He could feel her warmth, the way she trusted him completely. He knew how much this family had already lost, and the last thing he wanted was to make it worse.
He placed a gentle hand on Megan's back. "I'll be back, kiddo. I promise."
Megan pulled back just enough to look at him with big, serious eyes. "You promise?"
Johnny nodded, smiling despite the pain. "Cross my heart."
She held out her pinky. "Pinky promise?"
Johnny chuckled, wincing as he moved his injured hand. He extended his pinky on his good hand, linking it with hers. "Pinky promise."
Satisfied, Megan finally let go, though she still looked sad.
Kenshi stepped forward and carefully helped Johnny to his feet. Johnny leaned against him for support, trying not to let it show just how much he needed it.
Samantha walked them to the door, her expression filled with gratitude and sorrow all at once. As they stepped outside, she touched Johnny's arm lightly. "Take care of yourself, Johnny."
Johnny gave her a reassuring smirk. "You know me. I always bounce back."
Samantha shook her head, smiling softly. "Yeah. You always do."
Kenshi helped Johnny into the SUV as Samantha stood by the door, watching them go. As Kenshi pulled out of the driveway, Johnny glanced back through the window.
Megan was standing on the porch, waving.
Johnny lifted his good hand and waved back, the promise he made to her weighing on his heart.
No matter what happened next, he would keep it.