The Passenger by Jacqueline Druga (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📗

that was working at the church.”

“Isn’t he?” Cate asked.

“No.” Marge shook her head. “He’s not a different person. He just got a chance to bring a part of him out that he buried. Have faith.” Marge squeezed her hand. “I do.”

◆◆◆

Haley found him.

He was standing outside on the sidewalk into front of Jumping Jupiter Bar and Grill.

Just standing there. She didn’t know if he was staring inside or debating on whether to go in.

After a few moments of debate on whether to approach him, Haley darted across the street and stood next to him. “Boy, for someone who just got out of the hospital, you run fast.”

He glanced at her through the reflection in the glass. “It’s all that softball you had me doing.”

Haley softly chuckled, then drew seriously. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Just thinking. Looking.”

“Inside? It’s not that great. Are you mad at me?”

“You? No. Never.”

Haley smiled. “Thank you.”

“You know this is my social media name?”

“Jumping Jupiter?”

Jonas chuckled. “Just Jupiter. My way of hiding from my family. They couldn’t find out. Sound familiar?”

“But they did find you here in Williams Peak, and I’m willing to bet they found you on social media, too. You just didn’t know it.”

“I didn’t mean to be so hard on them back there. Like I always do, I blamed them.”

“It’s not okay, I’m not going to tell you it was.”

“Thank you.”

“But they’re you’re parents. They love you. They’ll understand and forgive you.”

“How many times, Haley?” he asked. “How many times do I hurt them? Lash out? Before they give up on me.”

“They’ll never give up on you, even when you give up on yourself. Can I ask why you’re staring into Jupiter’s? Are you thinking about the loaded fry special?”

“No, but it does sound good with a milkshake.” He glanced over to her with a smile. “This is not egotistical. I’m looking at my reflection. Ironically through a window of a bar. Which pretty much defined my lifestyle before the accident. Metaphorically speaking, I’m looking inside myself actually. I look at this reflection. I like who I see, I just don’t like who I am or was.”

“The nice thing about being one way and not liking it, is you can change it,” Haley said.

“Did I change, or did I just become who everyone wanted me to be? I feel like this huge phony.”

“You’re not. Trust me. Can I be honest with you?

“When aren’t you?” Jonas asked.

“True. Maybe deep down, Chip is who you wanted to be.”

Jonas grumbled half-jokingly. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I doubt it. I wanted to be a rock star.”

“In a way you are. In Williams Peak.”

“Haley.” He faced her. “I used to ridicule my mother for going to church. For believing in God. I’d argue with her about Him. I’d tell her I didn’t believe.”

“Maybe you really did and just thought you were too cool to admit it.”

Jonas shook his head. “No. No, I didn’t believe at all.”

“Do you now?”

Jonas softly laughed. “Yeah. I mean how can I deny His existence? Since the accident there’s no denying. I’m here, I’m alive, I shouldn’t be. Especially when things about the accident and the car are just unanswered.”

“The passenger?”

Jonas nodded. “Yes. There’s no explanation for him. No answers other than it was divine intervention.”

“Would Jonas, a month ago be saying this?” Haley asked.

“No. Absolutely not. No.”

“Then how are you a fraud, how can you even ask if you became who everyone wanted you to be? I know that’s on your mind. I wish my words could convince you of what I believe.”

“Which is?” Jonas asked.

“I believe God gave you a gift of not knowing who you were in your past so you could find who you need to be in the future. I think if you take some time and do some soul searching …” she tilted her head. “Pray on it? Find your answers.”

“Not that I don’t think prayer isn’t powerful, but you’re right. I need answers about who I was and about that night, the accident ... the passenger. I think I know where to start.”

Haley looked at Jonas curiously.

◆◆◆

The two-tone musical alert went off when the door opened, and Russ looked over because he knew someone entered.

He saw Jonas walking in.

“Word on the street has it that someone got their memory back,” Russ said.

“Word on the street would be correct.”

“I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.”

“What can I help you with?” Russ asked, motioning his hand to the chair at his desk.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Jonas questioned as he took a seat.

“Well, that’s nice of you.” Russ sat down. “But I don’t think you know as much as I do.”

Jonas laughed. “You don’t say.”

“I do say.”

“Chief … I know you wanted to find out who I was. I know that. I appreciate you not telling me. I don’t think I could have handled knowing how I was.”

“Was is the key word.” Russ winked. “I like that. Little truth here …” he leaned back in the chair. “Had I run your prints, had I read your rap sheet, I probably wouldn’t have told you. I would have called your parents. I like your dad.”

“I do, too.” Jonas looked down to his folded hands.

“Do you remember anything about that night?”

Jonas shook his head. “Not much. I remember the guy in my car a lot clearer now.”

“What did he look like?”

“Thin. Dark hair. It was long, like one length, came to here.” Jonas touched below his own shoulder. “Beard, but it wasn’t grown too much or shaped. Does that make sense?’

“It does.”

“Have you found him?’

Russ shook his head. “Nope. Nothing on him at all.”

“Chief, I know you have been working hard on my case, Marge said you were borderline obsessive.”

“I was. Am.”

“Can I ask why?”

“You can.” Russ nodded. “And I’ll be honest with you. When I met you, I knew there was trouble around you. Your coloring, your weight, that anger. I wanted to help you. I thought at first if I could do that, I could make up