“It does ... but only because I know him, and know what he’s been through.” Johnny waited, and when Dominique remained silent, he went on. “Jake’s a big dude; he gets your attention when he walks into a room. That’s why he’s able to hide the little boy that is still there, just under the surface. Jake has had to deal with a lot in his lifetime, a lot of heartache, a lot of death. Jake took Dad’s death harder than any of us,” Johnny went on, his voice soft, reflective. “He worshipped the ground the old man walked on and when he left ... it’s like a part of Jake went with him. Like I said, he’s a big dude but underneath all that muscle and bravado is a great big, soft heart.”

“I’ve seen it,” Dominique said, her voice almost a whisper as she remembered Jake’s sensitivity toward both her and her son. “But what does it matter if he wants to keep it hidden behind fear?” As she said this, she realized how Jake must have felt when she kept pushing him away because she was afraid. “I can’t say that I can relate to what he’s feeling because I can’t. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“Give him time, sis,” Johnny answered immediately. “He’s pushing you away, but that’s not what he wants.”

“It hurts, Johnny.” Dominique paused, swallowed, aware of the gravity of her next words. “Maybe it’s best that I ... give him some room.”

“I understand,” Johnny responded. “But there are two things that I need to tell you, to help you understand what Jake is going through right now.”

“What’s that?”

“We lost Daddy around this same time, just before Christmas. And when he had his heart attack ... Jake is the one who found him.”

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