Track 19 : No matter how crazy I get, I’ll come home to you

Danny and Nic drove Tyler to Danny’s garage, where they cleaned the cut on his forehead.  Once they drilled the truth out of him, Nic decided to call a criminal investigator who worked with his father.  Jimmy caught up with them as they waited for the investigator to show up.

Danny sat with Tyler, unable to understand why such a young man would want to get into so much trouble.  Adrian ordered Tyler to cause trouble at the racecourse, hoping an accident would occur that would bring in a police investigation.  Apparently, Adrian wanted to buy the racing grounds from Danny and Jimmy.  He figured if enough troubles arose, and police got involved, Danny would cut his losses and put up the business for sale.  As if, Danny scoffed.  He had worked too hard to give up what he had now.

“You could walk away,” Danny pointed out to Tyler.

“Have you met Adrian?” Tyler scoffed.  “He controls my life, Danny.  It’s not like I can say no.”

“Hiyo ni ufala,” Danny said, staring at him.  “You’re weak, that’s why you can’t say no.  He is not forcing you; you’re allowing him to control you.  What do you lose if you walk away?” (That’s stupidity)

“I heard you’re finally dating Jasmine,” Tyler said, meeting his gaze.

Danny was surprised to read jealousy in Tyler’s eyes.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Adrian threatened to hurt her when we were together.  I’d found the strength to walk away from him then, I really thought I could make it work with her.  Then Adrian showed up, and I had no choice but to walk away.  To protect her,” Tyler said.  “I broke her heart.”

Danny sighed, not sure what to say.

“You should thank me,” Tyler said, with a small smile.  “She always did like you, never had the courage to tell you though.  Guess she got it somehow.”

Danny thought about Jasmine’s pleading gaze when he refused to listen to her.  She was going to be so angry with him.

“Now what?” Tyler asked, looking around Danny’s garage office.  “Nice place.”

“Now you get out of town,” Nic said, coming into the office with his CID friend.  “You’re going to help this man bring your brother in to the police.  I hate thieves, and bastards who think they’re entitled to anything they want.  If I was a more cruel man, you wouldn’t have lived tonight.”

Tyler sighed, and turned to Danny.

“I suppose this is what I deserve for what I did earlier. I wish you were handling this instead of him. Nic frightens me, more than you do,” Tyler said.  “Can you tell Jasmine something for me?”

Danny frowned.  “Why would I do that?”

“Because.”  Tyler shrugged.  “My head hurts, and she was the last person who cared about me.  Tell her I was wrong.  She was worth fighting for.”

“Okay, Casanova,” Nic said, coming to grip Tyler’s left arm and pulling him up to his feet.  “Let’s go.  Danny, the Andersons will be history in a few.  I’ve cleaned up the races this time.  That means you now owe me a favor.”

“Noted.”

“Good.  I love your car.  Got you around really fast,” Nic said, with a grin as he left the office.  “Care to race for logs?”

“I’ll consider it,” Danny said, glad when Nic disappeared with Tyler and the detective with no further comments.

Danny stared at the keys he still held, the skyline was full of luck.

He sat back in his seat and looked at Jimmy who was leaning on the doorjamb.

“Jazz?”

“She’s with Terry, at your house.  She was not happy,” Jimmy said.  “She looked pissed off with you, you have your work cut out for you.”

Danny stood, and stretched his arms above his head.

“We’ll get through this,” Danny decided.

Jimmy grinned.  “All I can say is good luck.”

Danny drove home at six in the morning.  He parked his car and hurried into the house, anticipation coursing through him.  This was the first time Jasmine would be staying over his house, as his girlfriend.  She had stayed over before, but with Terry.  Now, it was for him, he smiled as he closed the front door.

He was surprised to see Terry relaxing on the couch, watching a home-makeover show.  She hugged her pillow, and was still in pajamas.  This soft, disarrayed side of Terry was rare.  He only saw it when she was worried.  Danny walked over to her and touched the headscarf covering her hair.  She looked at him with bleary eyes.  Clearly, she had not slept.

“Hey.”

“Jasmine went home.”  Terry stated.  “She couldn’t stay here, kept freaking out that you might kill yourself racing the streets of Nairobi after a psycho who tried to kill you.”

“Why didn’t you talk her into staying?”

“Because, I’m sure if I tried, she’d talk herself into the reasons why she can’t be with you,” Terry snapped.

“Tereza.”

“I love her,” Terry said.  “She’s like a sister to me, Danny.  I love you too.  You’re my brother.  So fix it so I don’t have to choose which one of you I have to give up.  I stayed up to tell you that, now I’m going to bed.”

***

Two hours later, showered and changed, Danny walked up to Jasmine’s front door.  He contemplated unlocking her door with the spare key she gave him, but then he thought it was better to knock, and ended up pressing the doorbell.

The door opened, and Danny stared at a younger version of Jasmine.

“Wow, you are Jazz’s secret, aren’t you?” She grinned and leaned on the doorjamb.  “Oh Jasmine, kuna stori ha uja twambia.  Guys, come out here.”

Footsteps, and in seconds, Danny stared at a younger boy who also looked like Jasmine.  Her brother and sister, he assumed.  The older woman behind them all studied him with a suspicious gaze.

Jasmine’s mother, Danny thought, when she narrowed her gaze at him.

“Morning,” Wanja said, pushing her son and daughter aside.  “Call me Mama Jazz.  What’s your name?”

“Danny.”

“Danny, why don’t you come inside,” Wanja said, her smile a tad too inviting.

Danny wondered where Jasmine was, but decided to take the plunge and give Jasmine a reason to forgive him.  Taking Wanja’s hand, he allowed her to lead him into the house.

***

To be continued…Thanks for reading ^_^

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