I smiled at Nat and Crystal disappearing into the apartment and stepped to the side of the door to pick up Nat's suitcases.
Jenny stepped out of the apartment to whisper. “Damon, what are you doing?”
“I'm making sure Crystal is taken care of.” I whispered back.
“By some unknown woman.” Jenny whispered, almost angrily.
“Unknown by you, yes.” I responded.
Jenny squinted her eyes. “You're pushing me aside.”
“No, I'm going to stop annoying you with last minute demands.” I said and she looked surprised. “I felt really bad that I had to drag you over here to look after her, when you clearly don't want to be here.”
“That's not how I feel at all.” Jenny almost spat.
“You're angry, confrontational, and you didn't even say hello to her.” I whispered. “I don't want you acting like that around Crystal. She gets enough of that kind of hostility from her parents.”
Jenny caught her breath and took a step back.
I put down the bags and took out the leather pouch and counted out ten thousand dollars. “Thanks a lot for coming over.” I said and handed her the money. “If I need you again, or if Crystal wants to see you, I'll give you a call.”
Jenny put the money into her pocket and sighed. “Damon, don't shut me out.”
“You're my sister, Jenny. I'll never shut you out.” I said and stored the money pouch. “I'm doing my best to fix everything. The contract lawyer working on the situation at the bank will have the modified contracts ready in the morning. We're getting everything restored, since it was the bank's fault, and my new corporation is taking over ownership of the building, parking garage, and the condo.”
Jenny took in a sharp breath. “Excuse me?”
I chucked and put a hand on her shoulder. “No, your role doesn't change. I'm just removing the burden from your shoulders. You still have the same job and get the same perks and everything; but, if anything happens like the last time, none of it will affect you. You'll still get paid, you'll still have a job, and you still have tenants and buildings to take care of. The only difference is that you won't have to worry about anything going wrong ever again.”
Jenny took a deep breath and let it out. “How are you doing that?”
“Cutthroat lawyers and lots of loopholes that I didn't take advantage of before.” I said. “You really would be amazed at how much larger business get away with, all completely legally.” I chuckled. “It's pretty entertaining, really. I mean, I didn't know that you don't really need someone to be solely in charge of everything. You can have a committee, board members, or even privately voted participants, and they take care of everything.”
“Damon, I... I don't understand.” Jenny said.
“A lot of the mechanics go over my head, too. All I know is that I could disappear again tomorrow and everything will keep going to fix itself. It's all thanks to the bunch of people that I have working on it. When they are done, it's going to be completely stable.”
“Wh-what?” Jenny asked, surprised. “You could disappear AGAIN?!?”
I took her arm and pulled her out into the hallway. “I told you before that it was possible! How can you still be surprised by that?”
Jenny opened her mouth and then closed it without saying anything.
“I've apologized a bunch of times for what happened, and it's just not getting through to you.” I said and she scowled. “Jenny, I know you had it hard...”
“You have no idea what it was like for me.” Jenny said. “Do you know how embarrassing it is to ask people for money that they know you can't pay back? To see the sad and pitiful looks in their eyes when they say they can only spare so much? Do you know what it's like to eat plain pasta for weeks, because you can't afford to buy a can of sauce? Or live on a diet of only macaroni and cheese for a month?”
“Jenny, I...”
“Look at me.” Jenny said and lifted up her top just enough to show off her belly. “Look what six months of not eating properly did to me.”
I looked down to see bony hips, a bit of loose skin, and a slightly distended belly. “Jenny.” I whispered and reached out to touch it.
“Don't touch me.” Jenny said and put her top back into place. “You said that you can't forgive me for turning you in, even though I told you why I did it.”
“You were the only one I thought I could depend on.” I said. “I was technically dead and you still believed I was alive. You always kept hoping and you kept me alive in your heart. When I came back, only you believed me. Only you wanted me back in your life. I admired you so much for that.”
Jenny gave me a sad look and I made my hands into fists.
“I thought that after ten years of waiting for me, if I disappeared again, it would always be that way.” I said and she didn't respond. I opened my hands and sighed. “You don't know how sorry I am that I was wrong about that.”
“You being sorry didn't stop me from starving.” Jenny whispered. “I have a hard time eating normal food now.”
I gave her a sorrow filled look. “The medical and dental insurance is valid again. You should make an appointment and...”
“You do know that all they'll do is tell me that I have an eating disorder.” Jenny said and I slowly nodded. “I don't need them to ridicule me, too.”
“I'm not ridiculing you.”
“Scolding, then?” Jenny asked with a huff. “You're trying to get me to feel bad about hurting your feelings by turning in someone that I had been convinced was a criminal. Well, boo hoo for you. I'm soooo sorry that you had to suffer so much!” She said and started to walk by me, then she stopped. “I need to get my bag first and then I'll storm out.”
I stood there and waited for her to come back. She appeared again and carried her bag.
“I thought about stealing a few pictures or something, just to see if you would notice, and it's weird that there's nothing there for me to take.” Jenny walked by me. “That's funny, right? It sure put an end to my backwards plan to try and get your attention.”
I sighed and walked with her to the elevator. “There's a reason I don't have anything around.”
The elevator door opened and Jenny stepped in. “Oh, yeah? This should be good.” She said and put the bag down and put a hand on the door to stop it from closing. “Go on, then. Tell me why your apartment doesn't have anything personal in it?”
“I carry it all with me.” I said and reached behind my back to pull out one of the large 8x10 photos of us at Lisa's wedding reception. “I have every picture, every memento, everything I've ever shared with you and our friends.” I pretended to shuffle the photo and pulled another out from under it, and another and another.
Jenny's eyes widened as I produced dozens of pictures of us all over the place, one of the folded napkin hats, and even one of Crystal's drawings.
“I keep everything close to my heart, so I'll never lose it.” I said and hugged the pile of pictures and stored them. “I never want to forget all the great times we had, so I bring it with me wherever I go.”
“Damon.” Jenny said with a sigh.
I looked through the pictures and took out one with our parents and us in the living room of the old house. The four of us looked really happy, so I held it out to her and she took it with the hand that was holding the door open.
“The first settlement payment from the bank should be deposited into your account tomorrow.” I said. “The rents from the apartments and businesses have been building up in the building's account for the last six months and you'll have access to that tomorrow, too.”
Jenny reached out to catch the elevator door before it closed. “Damon, you...”
“I'm giving Diane's old apartment to Natalie after it's cleaned.” I said. “Can you call a crew and handle that, please?”
Jenny let the door go and nodded. “I'll have it all moved tomorrow to the storage lockers in the basement.”
“Thanks.” I said and the elevator door closed. I walked over to my apartment door, picked up Nat's bags, and brought them inside and into the bedroom. When I came back out, both Nat and Crystal were there.
“Is it true?” Nat asked, her voice full of worry.
I knew what she was asking, so I gave her a reassuring smile and put my hands on her shoulders. I cast the Identify spell on her and all that came up was her name and species. There were no classes or jobs listed.
“You can relax, my friend. It only applies to me.”
Nat closed her eyes for a moment and then she let out a sigh. “I don't know how you can just accept being taken like that.”
“I don't have any choice about being taken, except to be prepared.” I said and started to rub her shoulders. “I'm working on fixing that, too.”
“You... oh, that's good.” Nat said and the tension in her shoulders almost disappeared. “Where did you learn... to do that?”
I smiled and leaned in close to whisper. “A brothel.”
Nat took in a sharp breath. “Really?”
“You should have seen the beauties they had.” I whispered and then let her shoulders go. “It was such a great time that I bought the whole place out for a few days.”
Nat stared at me with her mouth open as I picked Crystal up.
“Despite what Jenny and I talked about, I don't want you to be scared that I'm going to just suddenly disappear again.” I said to Crystal and her face was very sad. “I actually visited your mom the night before I left and she was supposed to tell my favorite little girl that I was going away on a magical journey.”
“Really?” Crystal asked and I nodded.
“I even gave her the Magic Kiss Boo Boo ring to give to you.”
Nat burst out laughing and Crystal giggled.
“I'm sorry that she didn't tell you or give you the ring.” I said. “I can't blame her for trying to protect you, though. I could have been gone a lot longer than I was, so I think she thought that it was better if you tried to forget about me.”
“I'll never forget you, Uncle Damon.” Crystal said and wrapped her arms around my neck and held on tightly. “I love you.”
“I feel the same way about you, sweetie. I love you, too.” I said and kissed her cheek. “Say, do you want to help Nat unpack before you have to go to bed?”
“Yes.” Crystal said.
“I'm pretty sure I can handle it.” Nat said with a smile.
“Nonsense. Crystal's an expert.” I said and put her down. “Let's show Nat what you can do.”
“Okay!” Crystal said and grabbed my hand and Nat's, then dragged us both down the hallway to what used to be my bedroom. It was going to be Nat's now and as Crystal showed off what she knew about clothes and where to put them, I transferred my remaining clothes into the hallway closet.
“You know we can share, right?” Nat asked and I chuckled.
“Remember what you can do to me if I'm not careful.” I joked and she laughed.
“Good point.” Nat said and looked at Crystal. “Thank you so much for helping me. You did a great job.”
Crystal beamed a smile up at her.
“I think it's time for bed.” I said.
Crystal came with me into the bathroom to take care of a few things, like brushing her teeth and washing her hands. I left to let her use the bathroom as I grabbed her a glass of water from the kitchen and brought Teddy with me. Crystal took a sip of water and I tucked both her and Teddy into bed.
“Goodnight, sweetie.” I said and kissed her forehead.
“Goodnight, Uncle Damon.”
I walked around the bed and bent down to do the same thing to Teddy, and I used my hand that she couldn't see to lift Teddy's head up into the air and pretended that he kissed my cheek instead.
“Teddy!” I fake gasped. “Behave yourself!”
Crystal giggled and I winked at her as I turned on the nightlight. I crossed the room and closed the door as I left.
Paypal
Thank you for the chapter.
Jenny is so acting like a scorned child. Yes, her life sucked and she had a lot of money problems. However she also intentionally avoided people that could give her money, even if they used an in-between to protect her parents, like Kathy or Susan. Hell, if nothing else Damon gave her one of those gold coins the day he first got back. Take that to a gold buyer and there's some money. Hell, if she owned the condo, or buildings, she could always go for a mortgage get by. It really sounds like she just whined and begged money while he was gone. I'm suspect on her trying to find work, because I think her nose is too high in the air to take a job where she would get dirty just to make some money. Pride and arrogance won't feed a person.
As for Damon, he needs to be careful in his dealings with Jenny in the future, It is obvious that she is still trying to emotionally hurt him, and possibly make him emotionally crippled and slaved to her in guilt.
READER TIRADE BELOW. YOU ARE WARNED.
Personally, I would have torted right back:
"Yes, I know what it is like to starve. I also know what it is like to have people literally trying to chop me into pieces. I had to fight for my life on almost a daily basis for months. But I fought because I had to get back to you. I faced death countless time to see you again. But you hate me because THE GOVERNMENT took away the millions of dollars I left to take care of you. Sorry, I couldn't predict the future and know that all of the planes I had to protect you would fail, or else I would have given you stacks of cash instead. I tried Jenny, I tried to do everything I could to take care of you the best I could. But now, now I see that the best I can do for you is to just step back and let you be. I'll make sure that your job is paying you again, and you won't have to see or deal with me anymore. Goodbye."
Bruh you are being a bit of a d*ck and obviously didn't read the novel properly.
The Goverment ensured that she was blacklisted by all employers due to the trumped up "money laundering" charges she was connected to.
She tried to get a job any job and couldn't. She didn't get money from her parents cause she didn't want them to get their stuff frozen and investigated as well (the whole parents sending money with 3rd party could work and you have a point there but she wanted to keep them out of it).
Did Damon have it hard in the new world? Sure he brushed with death a few times but it was mostly glorious s*x (cause he thought his sister finally found a man and his inhibitions fell).
Jenny suffered way more than Damon in those 6 months. Only excuse Damon has is that he wasn't aware of the fact as he was thinking she was taken care of by all the money he left behind but all of his assets were frozen. Do you know how frozen assets work? You can't use them. You own a house but you can't rent or sell it and still have to pay council taxes for it. When those assets are a house that is a freaking expensive condo and a huge office building you got 5000$+ in taxes per month and can't make 1$ of it cause it's frozen.
The goverment played fcking dirty and Jenny was at their mercy. Sure she should have given Damon a chance before instantly drugging him and handling him over but imagine being in her situation for 6 months with people making you as miserable as possible and crippling debt going higher and higher while you can't even afford proper food for yourself or find any way to earn money aside from begging for it. Then you get a bunch of goverment fckers whispering in your ears that this is all your brothers fault and the bastard just left to travel while you suffer without so much as telling you he was going away. The goverment pricks keep telling you how your brother is involved in lots of illegal sh*t and the only way they will let you off the hook is if you assist in his capture... Man a lot of people would have done it. I get that we had really high expectations for the girl after she believed in her brother for 10 years during the first kidnaping but it's 1 thing to believe in your brother when he has only been good to you and another to believe in him when he literally ruined your life and disappeared for months without saying anything.
After eating plain pasta for a month I would be half ready to betray any number of criminal relatives for 10k and all that food it can buy. You severely underestimate hunger my friend. In my country we have a saying "Hunger is stronger than lightning" because of the things it can do to your mind. If you can't believe someone would sell out their criminal brother for food you have obviously never been hungry.
I had a period of my life where I could only spend about 1.5-2 pounds on food for a day and kept eating the 20p ramen for food for a few months and apples (leftovers) in an office I was cleaning for 1 hour every morning to get 4 pounds (6 per hour is the minimal national legally) before I could legally work in the UK and back then I could do a lot of sh*t for a bit of money to spend on nicer food than 20p ramen.
So go fck yourself you judgemental prick.
P.S. Literally her only option to get money for decent meals was to sell her body. I can only assume she didn't do that cause of her pride and it only being 6 months but I bet you anything that within an year she would be whoring around to get decent food and not die from malnutrition.
@DeathTheHorseman
Heh, I've been hungry, and I've been poor. I also have family with open bounties. Cash is nice, but it never lasts. Ramen and hotdogs for months, and I still hate the taste of water. If I needed to eat, well, there are very few things I wouldn't do, I agree. But what I wouldn't do is give in to the f*ckers that were blackmailing me.
As for Jenny, she had options. Later in the story it becomes clearer, but she chose her path well before it got to the starvation level. What screwed her wasn't just the government, but her own freeking pride. There are always other options if people set their hears and minds to it. Cash businesses still exist, and she still had the first gold coin he gave her. There's a couple of grand right there. And again, she could have simple ate at her parents house. No money would have changed hands, and they fed her for a lot of years already. She just didn't want them to see how low she had fallen. Again, pride.
As for the facing death, well these 6 mths were easy, but what about the 10 years the last time? Where he didn't have any real abilities until the final battle. Every day he struggled and pushed himself to get back to his sister, his family.
P.S. Careful about that "judgmental prick" bit, the whole 'pot = kettle' thing.
@RunedKnight When you wrote the comment (of a judgemental prick) you didn't have info on what happened in later chapters so don't use it in your argument :)
It pisses me off when people hold others to an unattainable moral standard.
Nobody is that good and pure.
Everyone is at least a little bit selfish and expecting his sister to be mother Teresa is beyond unrealistic.
The disparity between the high life with her brother there who she only remembers with good memories and her brother disappearing without a word and a living hell is something that would break 9999 out of 10000 people. We all wanted her to believe in MC but if you consider their interactions so far it made zero sense for her to believe him after what he pulled and the goverment working her for months.
As for everything else yes there are ways to keep from starving and obviously it was pride that got in the way. However, the extent to which the goverment pressured her has not been revealed and I can assure you that if people want to find someone with untraceable gold badly they will pull all the stops when pressuring their family. The fact that she didn't go to her parents is her fault but imagine that she did and the goverment went the extra mile to make them miserable too. Then any relationship between them and MC would be soured for good.
P.S. I am aware that I am also a judgemental prick but I reckon my jugment is less prickly than yours.
You actually wanted the MC to retaliate against the sister he loves when he fully knows that he is the reason the goverment broke her and she hates him now. Love can turn into hate very easily especially when it's unrequited one (he stopped all of her advances and only used his magic phrase "I will always love you" then f*cking disappeared on her.) Any girl would hate him even without the goverment actively working towards that.
@DeathTheHorseman I’d like to point out to you that while she’s justified in being angry about not being able to get money for 6 months and almost starving, none of it is Damon’s fault except for trusting Diane to be a competent human being. Every single thing is DIANE’s fault.