45 - Lost and Found

*You’re never exactly lost. You’re just not found. – Trigg*
Darkness followed Jasper out of his house, grabbing a jacket as they passed, anger barely contained as they walked to the end of the driveway. Jasper pointed to the small curve in the road a few hundred feet down.
“There’s a foot path just past the curve, at the end is a small picnic area that overlooks the Ouachita River. Sounds like that’s where she went.”
He nodded at his older brother as he stepped in close and looked down at Jasper. “This, between you and me, we’re going to settle this. You haven’t ever tried to be good big brother before, don’t start now.”
Darkness turned and started down the road.
“Amos –“
Stopping in his tracks, he looked over his shoulder, “The name is Darkness, you should know that; you gave it to me.”
Not waiting to see what his brother did, Darkness moved forward, his long legs quickly eating up the distance. He easily found the gravel footpath and soon enough, Camille’s voice came to him, his heart breaking.
He stepped up onto the concrete floor of the pavilion. “Cam, baby.”
Camille turned at the sound of Darkness’ voice. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks that were red from the wind and cold. She watched as he approached, stripping off his leather jacket.
He pocketed her phone as he pulled her small body to him and wrapped his jacket around her. With very little effort, he picked her up bridal style. Calling Tink, he held her to his chest and headed back up the slippery path.
“I’m sorry.” Camille said through chattering teeth.
Darkness shushed her as he pressed his lips to her temple. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry for.”
“I’m ruining your weekend.”
“You could never ruin anything of mine.” He assured her as he stepped up onto the road.
“Your family hates me.”
“Then they’re stupid.”
“They’re important to you.”
“Not as important to me as you are.” He smiled at her as his long strides carried them up the driveway and past all the cars.
“Why?” She looked up at him in confusion and he simply smiled down at her.
“You haven’t figured it out?”
“I guess not.”
“I’ll let you think on it a little longer.” He told her just before he opened the front door.
Once he and Tink were through, he kicked it closed and didn’t care if he broke the glass in the fancy door. Zydeco was reading the riot act to Jasper, Keisha and her family but neither Darkness nor his little Cam paid any attention to what was being said. Darkness carried Camille to the chair near the fireplace that she had been sitting on yesterday afternoon.
He kept her in his lap as he sat down and swiveled the chair towards the fiery heat. Tank draped a blanket around Camille and Darkness carefully took the jacket off her. He dropped it on the floor before tucking the blanket tightly around her.
Zydeco continued to berate Camille’s bullies. But she was not paying attention to him. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythmic thumping of the heart beneath her ear. The sound could lull her to sleep.
Unfortunately, like so much of the time, sleep eluded her. Camille smiled as she snuggled into the comforting embrace. The strong thump, thump, thump, was calming and soothing as she sat curled in his lap.
Tammy brought her a cup of hot cocoa. “Lots of marshmallows.”
“They’re the best part.” Camille smiled up at the woman as she shifted and accepted the mug.
“I don’t care what those idiots think, I think you two are great together.” Tammy said before going and sitting by her sister and brothers-in-law on the large sectional couch.
Darkness pressed a kiss to the top of Camille’s head. She snuggled into his chest and sipped her cocoa. After a few minutes, Zydeco ended his tirade and the whole house fell silent.
“How do you feel, little girl?” Zydeco asked as he knelt in front of the couple.
“Embarrassed.” She admitted.
“Don’t be. I raised my boys better than that. And that bitch is old enough to know better.”
“I feel out of place.” She said quietly.
“Your place is wherever your man is.” He smiled at her. “You are the light to his darkness.”
Standing up, he kissed her temple and rested a hand on Darkness’ shoulder. Then he walked over and sat on the arm of the couch.
Evie grinned at her old friend holding her former student; she knew the darkness that could engulf her friend. She linked her fingers with Ink’s and laid her head on Tank’s shoulder, her husband also fought with a similar darkness.
Tightening his arms around Camille, Darkness lay his cheek on her head. Slowly the shivering subsided as Camille warmed up. She drained the last of her cocoa, the marshmallows long gone, and she turned to press a light kiss to his lips.
“Do you feel better?” he whispered.
“Yes, I’m going to go take a shower.”
“Keisha!” Zydeco bellowed and the women in the kitchen jumped. “Come get her mug!”
Camden and David were both startled awake and fussed where they sat on the floor. Their fathers quickly scooped them up and soothed the startled toddlers.
“Yes, sir,” she scurried over to take the mug from Camille, but never met the soft green eyes.
Camille stood up and Darkness followed her up the stairs with Tammy taking the blanket from her as she passed. The women in the kitchen quietly continued to finish prepping the food and reheating everything that had been brought.
“Cam, you got some of your notepads?” Darkness asked as they entered her PSL room.
“Yeah,” she grabbed the custom bag that was made for her computers and to protect them from being in the saddlebags. Grabbing two of the notebooks she handed them over. “Everything okay?”
“It will be,” he kissed her lightly. “Go get a shower, I’ll toss your sweatshirt in the wash.”
“Here,” Nicki handed her some leggings and a Razorback sweatshirt. “Please, feel free to take the shirt and lose it. It’s their dream that we all go to their Alma Mata. None of us want to.”
“Thank you, Nicki,” Camille smiled at the young teen as she accepted the clothes.
She closed the bathroom door as Darkness ripped out some sheets of paper and handed them to his niece. “Make a list of everything that the seven demon dwarves destroyed. That is what you called them, right?”
“Yes, but… Why?” she asked quietly as she accepted the papers.
“Because they are going to replace it all.”
He looked behind her into the room where the seven children stood. The oldest one, which he suspected was his brother’s son, still stood wide eyed and terrified of the large man. Using the notebooks in his hand, he pointed to the stairs.
“The rest of you little heathens are going to go downstairs, find a place to sit and write an apology letter to your cousin.”
Courage found its way back into the ten-year-old who smirked at the man. “My mom won’t allow you to make me do that.”
“You think that I’m going to ask? MOVE!”
All seven scrambled down the stairs, the smaller ones a little slower than the rest. Darkness waited until they were all downstairs before he followed. The children were all huddled around their mothers and Keisha and her mother pleading their case.
Jasper approached his younger brother. “You can’t go around parenting someone else’s kids.”
“I sure as hell can if they’re not going to do it.”
“*This* is your problem,” Jasper declared as he shook his head, “you think that you’re in charge of everything-“
“Jasper! Shut up!” Zydeco warned as he stood up and turned to face the kitchen.
The warning came too late.
Darknesses arm connected with his brother’s jaw.
His eyes widened in shock just before they rolled to the back of his head.
His body slumped and then fell to the ground.
Too shocked to do anything else, the women and children simply stared at the angry giant who thrust the notebooks at the oldest.
“Apology letters, now.”
Nodding, the boy took the notebooks and guided the other six to the large table not yet loaded with food.
“Keisha, see to your husband,” Zydeco ordered.
It was only when they were all settled at the table that the oldest child said, “Mr. Amos, we don’t have anything to write with.”
Destiny moved to the bag that she had brought and grabbed a box that held pencils, colored pencils and crayons. “You can use these,” she placed the plastic box on the table.
“I can’t write,” one of the younger girls said with tears in her eyes.
“Then draw Nicki a picture to let her know that your sorry for destroying her things,” Darkness suggested.