Chapter Seventy-Seven

During Jennifer's last two weeks, Molly and Jake tried to limit how often they saw each other, purely to give the two sisters time together while they still could. Jennifer showed her sister the apartment online that she would temporarily be able to stay in until she found a more permanent place. It helped them while they packed up to determine what she would definitely need to bring with her, keep here until she had her new place or get rid of. Molly packed up her sister's winter clothes first for her to take with her to Houston, the summer clothes could stay here until she needed them. As she packed those away, her sister rooted around the shoes and boxes at the bottom of the closet. Without meaning to, she found herself holding the box full of tokens and memories of Blake. 

"What's that?" Molly asked softly, when her sister's silence drew her attention. 

"Something I hid for a long time," Jennifer answered, opening it to show her sister. The younger girl sat down on the floor next to her and took a look at the contents. "Things that Blake and I did together, or stuff that reminded me of him. I tried leaving them behind, so my thoughts could be clear of him. Sadly, that didn't work so well," she explained her thinking with a wry tone. 

The brunette gave a small laugh. She could understand the thinking behind the box, even if it didn't work. "What are ye gonna do now?" Molly asked her as she put everything back in and handed it back to her. 

"What I should've done a long time ago," Jennifer said, pushing her blonde hair from her face, "I'm gonna get rid of it. Maybe then I can finally let him go." 

Her sister reached over to give her a hug. "Here's hopin' ye will," she agreed.

"Thanks Molls," the blonde smiled as she hugged her back. "I am really gonna miss you, ya know," she added, getting a small smile back. 

"Me too," Molly nodded, planting a big kiss on her sister's cheek. "Let's get rid of this now, and get back to more positive things," she said now, seeing a new resolution appear in her blue eyes. 

"Good idea," Jennifer agreed and together they went down to throw the box and its contents in the trash can. They then continued packing up clothes and wrapping up the knickknacks in her room that she would be taking with her, either straightaway or later down the line. 

The two weeks flew by and, before they knew it, it was time for Jennifer to catch her flight from San Antonio to Houston. Her luggage would follow her by UPS to meet her that evening after she arrived. Jake drove the two sisters to the airport, as Molly wasn't confident enough to drive her sister's truck, now hers, back by herself. 

"Jake, thank you for driving. And take care of my sister okay? I'm sorry about everything before..." Jennifer said after she'd checked in her suitcase and was about to head for passport control. 

He held his hand out to shake hers, but she pulled him in for a quick hug. "Yer welcome and good luck with the new job," Jake started, "and of course, I will." That was an easy promise to make, there was no way he'd let anything happen to his girlfriend. 

"Thanks," she smiled again, letting go of him to turn to her sister who already had tears shimmering in her eyes. "Take care of yourself Molls, I know you'll be fine," Jennifer said as she pulled her in for a big hug. Her sister buried her face in her neck as she hugged her back tightly. "Come on Molly, it won't be that bad. You guys should come visit me for Christmas," she suggested now to try and cheer her up. 

"That sounds nice," Molly nodded now, trying to pull herself together. It was just going to be so weird not living with her sister anymore. Apart from the few years that Jennifer had had her own place, she couldn't remember not living with her older sister. And it was one thing saying she could make it on her own, but a whole other actually doing it. "Good luck with the new job. And let me know when ye get there," the brunette said now, starting to pull out of the hug. 

Jennifer pulled her back in to hold on for a little bit longer, perhaps finding it harder to let go than she made out. "I will. I love you Molls," she said softly, feeling her sister hold back a sob.

"Love ye too Jen," she whispered back. 

"I need to go now," the older sibling said eventually, and the two broke apart. "Be good Molls," Jennifer said, wiping her sister's tears from her cheek. 

"You too Jen," Molly managed a small chuckle. "Be safe," she added. The blonde simply nodded at this, picked up her hand luggage and walked away now. She'd had enough of the goodbyes and she just needed to go before she could change her mind. Molly and Jake waited until she'd made it through passport control, the former giving her one last wave before she disappeared through into the duty-free section as the latter put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "I can't believe she actually did it," she muttered softly. Jake pulled her in for a quick hug.

"I know. Come on, we'd best get home," he said and, after she'd craned her neck for a few more seconds to see if she could spot Jennifer, she made to follow him. 

Jake and Molly had just made it back to her ranch when Jennifer text to say that they had started boarding. She figured her younger sister wouldn't be happy unless she did keep her up to date every step of the way, even if the texts did come through at random times rather than immediately at the time of sending. 

"This is so weird," Molly said as she stood in her sister's doorway. The bed was the only main piece of furniture still there, but Jennifer had stripped it that morning so the bedding could be washed, dried and packed to come with her. There were boxes of her things piled up in the corners and only the summer clothes still hanging in the closet. 

"I know babe," Jake said as he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned in to press a kiss to her neck. "It'll be fine though," he added, feeling her lean back against him. "Ye hungry?" he asked after he left her with her thoughts for a few minutes, but feeling his stomach growl a little. She shrugged but made a move to follow him. She knew she'd have to eat at some point, might as well be with her boyfriend. "I don't mind cookin', if ye want," he offered as they headed out of Jennifer's room to go downstairs. 

"No that's okay," she shook her head. It was probably best for her if she kept busy, rather than dwell on the fact that she now lived by herself. "But... d'ye mind stayin' tonight?" she asked as they made their way into the kitchen. 

"Hmmm let's see... Do I mind stayin' over at my girlfriend's house on a Saturday night?" Jake pretended to think as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, teasingly kissing her neck when he got a small smile out of her. "Of course, I can stay," he added seriously, wanting her to know that he'd stay to support her, not because he was expecting anything from her after the day's events. 

"Thank ye baby," she said sweetly as she hugged him tighter. 

"Any time," he promised, kissing her again. 

Molly smiled to herself, as she once again thought how lucky she was to have him in her life; how lucky that Jennifer had never sold their parents' ranch in case they ever needed a base to return to. If she had, Molly would never have met Jake. "Ye know, let's not cook. Let's order summit in," she said after a minute, during which she was way too comfortable in his arms to move. She felt his chuckle against her back. 

"Sure," Jake agreed, turning her around to head to the living room where he knew they kept the take-out flyers by the phone. Though there was limited choice in Pleasanton and he knew most of what was available. "Hmm, I must say, I fancy some chicken," he said as he thought about their options and he could almost taste the fried chicken from Café Chris. 

"Good shout, I'll see if Hannah's on tonight," Molly said as she headed for the phone.