More answers

James scowled as he walked slowly from the medical center back to the cabin of his parents. He wasn’t looking forward to seeing his family again but knew he had no other choice at that moment. He noticed several people staring, the young men seemed to be looking at him with envy but the young ladies all seem to be staring in awe and longing while the adult men and women alike seemed to be reevaluating him as he walked. He ignored them simply by remembering the kiss he’d shared with Kim. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling but he knew he was enjoying it as she made him happy. He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt the stitches pulling and realized he’d been walking faster than he should have. He slowed down until he reached the cabin door. He was almost bowled over when the door flew open suddenly but managed to step back enough to slump against the wall. “Oh James, thank God you’re ok!” Jaime came barreling out but pulled up just short of throwing her arms around him.

He exhaled softly as he fought the pain but slowly stood up as straight as he could. He shook his head slightly but moved into the cabin. He felt his energy fading quickly by now and knew he needed to sit down and rest. He sank down onto the couch and closed his eyes as his sister reentered the cabin. “James, can I get you anything? Some water? Pain pills?” she knew she should give him some space but couldn’t **** herself to do so. “Peace and quiet! To be left alone!” he sighed feeling some energy slowly returning. “I’m sorry.” She felt tears starting again and wished they’d never had to come here. “Doesn’t matter anymore. You made your choice and I made mine.” He sighed before getting up and going into the bedroom to lie down. Jaime let the tears fall as she followed him into the bedroom. She was hoping to make things up to him. “James please, don’t be mad at me! I’m really sorry! I thought we had decided to give them what they wanted until we knew more.” She sobbed as she sat down on the edge of his bed. “Just go be with your boyfriend. You made your choice and left me alone to deal with everything! There’s no coming back from that decision. Just so you know, I’ve been told if I don’t give them what they want they’ll banish me and I’ll never see any of you again. I’ll be leaving in a couple of weeks.” He growled just wanting to be alone. “That doesn’t make any sense! They’ve tried so hard to make us do what they want and now they say we’ll have to leave if we don’t?” she was floored by the idea. “There is no ‘we’ any longer! It’s me, alone, that will have to leave!” he growled again to emphasize that she’d made her own choices. When she heard that she ran from the room sobbing uncontrollably.

Over the next week James saw little of the outside. The only interruptions to his time alone were when Kimber would come by to check his wounds and bring his meals. They had many discussions over that week and were drawing very close together. James never let anyone see him using the cell phone to text her and he’d been surprised by many of the things she’d told him through the texts. He told her of his plans to leave the compound because he wouldn’t do what they wanted and she told him of her plans for after the summer ended. She told him she’d never seen anyone heal as rapidly as he was and he told her it was normal for him and he’d never realized it was unique. They spent a lot of time discussing their upcoming date and he’d never felt so nervous before. Jaime on the other hand had started sleeping on the couch away from him since she couldn’t look at him without tears falling. Their parents could constantly feel the stress and tension between them and decided something had to change.

Steve knocked on the bedroom door before entering without acknowledgement. “James, how are you feeling?” he decided to try taking it slow. “Better but not 100%.” He grimaced as he sat up but he knew he couldn’t stay hidden much longer. “Well I think it’s time for you to start getting out of the cabin and socializing and the elders are insisting. They’ve put the meeting off for an extra week to give you time to heal and to get to know some of the others before the meeting is held. Another thing is, the longer you go without showing your face the more you’re going to be mobbed when you do leave the cabin. You’ve got a lot of people interested to get to know you.” Steve watched his son scowl at the news but knew he’d do it since he still wanted answers. “Fine but I make no guarantees how much people will like me.” James sighed but knew it would also mean he was finally able to go on his date with Kimber. “There is another matter we need to discuss.” Sieve hesitated wondering how best to approach it. “I’m not discussing Jaime if that’s what you came in here for.” James turned away from his father. “Son your sister loves and misses you very much. It’s not right for you two to be at odds like this. You’ve got to forgive her some time.” Steve hoped he was even still listening.

“We’re two different people who’ve made different choices. She made hers knowing it would hurt me and expecting me to follow her wishes. It’s no less a betrayal than what you and mother have done by bringing me here and trying to **** me to your will.” He snarled so fiercely Steve recoiled sharply. Steve had to admit he’d been putting this talk off because he was deathly afraid of his son, more now than ever since the bear attack. “Son what your choosing to see as betrayals are anything but. In fact we brought you here to show you the same happiness your mother and I have shared for years. Why do you insist on seeing some evil plan in everything we’ve tried to share with you?” Steve was getting **** now. “Hmmm, good to know.” James smirked to himself that he’d been able to get his father to slip and it really was about arranged marriages. “James listen to me, there is no plan to do anything to make you unhappy unless you refuse to cooperate. You could end up so much happier than you’d ever imagine if you’d just give everyone a chance!” Steve couldn’t believe he’d fallen into this topic again.

“Or I could end up more miserable than I could ever imagine! Let me make this clear enough Steve. I WILL NOT marry someone I don’t know, love, or have no say in marrying.” James turned on his father with disgust on his face at the idea. “Son that’s why it’s important for you to socialize and get to know the young ladies here. It gives you the chance to get to know them and fall in love. You may not believe this but your feelings and hers help to determine who you’re paired with. The family would never **** someone to marry someone they didn’t love! Look, this is why the elders hold the meetings because they have all the information to help you to understand and I don’t!” Steve never realized till that moment what he was saying. “It doesn’t matter Steve. I told you I would meet them and I will. I told you I would get to know them and I will. I also told you I’m leaving and not getting married and I’ll do those things too. You should know by now, I’m a man of my word and that’s never going to change.” James held his temper with **** difficulty. “Son you have a responsibility to the family to do what’s best for them. You can’t just turn your back on that.” Steve hoped this argument would make him behave.

“I have no responsibilities to anyone other than myself. I never agreed to any of this nor did I take any oaths that would bind me to them. I didn’t ask to be brought here nor did I ask to be born into this family. Just because fate put me here doesn’t mean I have a responsibility to anyone.” His face took on the familiar stubborn look. “I’ll let the elders deal with this issue for you. Back to the issue of your sister, she didn’t betray you James! You’re upset she didn’t follow your decision and you’re making her as unhappy as possible to make her pay for that choice!” Steve hoped to get back to the issue at hand. “Believe what you want. She knows as well as I do that she betrayed me and the fact I won’t forget that is what is making her so unhappy. You know what, I’m going for a walk!” he knew if he didn’t leave now he’d either say or do something he’d regret. He walked out of the cabin faster than he had been moving for over a week. He was walking fast but felt the now familiar pull in his side and slowed down. He sent Kimber a quick text about his talk with his father before putting the phone away quickly.

“Hi James! I’ve been waiting for a chance to say thank you for what you did for me. I’m sorry you were hurt in the process.” A cute brunette spoke softly as she approached him. She didn’t want to startle him since he seemed lost in thought. “You’re welcome. I just wish I’d have gotten there sooner. You didn’t deserve to be mauled by that animal.” He sighed knowing everyone would be watching how he handled this encounter. “I’m Dawn by the way. We’ve never officially met but I was hoping too before the attack.” She blushed but powered on. “It’s nice to meet you Dawn. How is your leg doing? I seem to recall you had some bad gashes on your left leg.” He was finding it difficult to be polite since he knew this whole set up was about arranged marriages. “I’m better than I heard you were. I’ll have some nasty looking scars but I can only imagine yours will be worse. How are you doing?” she seemed genuinely concerned for him.