JD had wanted to clear his mind, so he took a morning walk, cara in hand, capturing the world through a different lens—one that wasn’t shadowed by his past mistakes. The crisp morning air carried the scent of fresh earth and the distant sweetness of wildflowers. Sunlight stread through the towering oak trees, dappling the ground with golden patches.
It was peaceful, quiet, yet alive.
As he wandered toward the barn, he spotted the children playing—laughing, running barefoot through the soft hay, their faces alight with joy. His gaze landed on the older boy, shielding his little sister with a protective arm, his stance firm yet gentle.
That sa boy just yesterday, was carrying the weight of responsibility far too heavy for his small fra, contemplating escape as his only option. But today... today, he looked like a child again, at ease, secure.
Joanne had given him that.
JD exhaled slowly, lowering his cara. Last night, after speaking with her, he realized sothing—Joanne wasn’t just strong; she was a force. She had endured so much, yet instead of growing bitter, she had chosen to be kind. She had taken all the pain life had thrown at her and turned it into sothing good, sothing aningful. She helped people, in ways big and small, and left them better than when she found them.
Just like she did for him.
A quiet admiration settled deep in his chest.
And then, a thought struck him. It made him feel ashad of himself.
What had he done? Thirty years in this world, and what had he achieved? Whose life had he made better? Had he even brought his own family any happiness?
He wanted to change.
He let his feet carry him toward the oak trees, the ones that still sent a chill down his spine. Even now, there was sothing unsettling about them, but today, he ignored the eerie whispers in his gut. There was sothing else here—sothing that called to him.
So he sat beneath the sprawling branches, his back resting against the rough bark, and pulled out his phone.
Sebastian had sent an email. As always. He’d been sending the sa email every other day.
JD hesitated for only a mont before opening it. He could picture his grandfather now, dressed in his pristine suit, his expression unreadable yet weighed with concern. No doubt, the old man wanted an answer. A decision.
JD’s fingers hovered over the screen, then, without overthinking, he started typing.
---
[Dear Grandpa,]
I know you’re worried about . I’m doing well these days—better than I have in a long ti. I miss you a lot, but I want you to know I’m okay.
Right now, I’m sitting beneath a great oak tree, looking out at the most breathtaking scenery. The wind is soft, carrying whispers of peace, and for the first ti in a long while, I feel... settled.
You always tried to show the world—taking to places untouched by crowds, places filled with quiet wonder. I never understood what you wanted to see back then in those places that lacked basic necessities like a bathroom.
But now, I do.
There’s kindness in the world, Grandpa. So much of it. And I’ve t soone who embodies that kindness, soone who has taught more about life in these past weeks than I ever learned growing up. I know I’ve been reckless. Irresponsible.
I’m the prodigal son, and I’ve squandered everything you gave . The money, the trust, the love—you handed it all to , and I threw it away. And yet, despite all that, I was not left to eat pig feed because of this kind person who ans the world to .
I have a great life here, Grandpa. I am the Administrative Officer of a logistics company. I am earning, now, Grandpa, and I get warm als every day. I am happy.
I want to be greedy and ask you for sothing more. You want to return and I too want a second chance.
I don’t regret leaving, but I regret the wasted chances, the ti lost, the money you gave that I treated like it ant nothing. I regret making you worry. And maybe, above all, I regret not becoming soone you could be proud of.
But that’s going to change. I’m going to change.
I won’t ask for much, Grandpa; just a chance. A job in your logistics company when I return. Sothing small, maybe sothing remote, so I can work from ho. I know I don’t deserve it, but I want to try.
And... I want one month. Just one.
Please, Grandpa. Give a month to stay here. I have unfinished business. I don’t know if I will succeed, but I have to try.
If you can still love the way you once did, that would be the greatest gift of my life.
With love,
Jeffrey.
---
He hit send before he could second-guess himself.
Reading it over, JD felt his face heat up. It was uncharacteristically sentintal—borderline cheesy. But it was honest. And maybe, for once, that was what he needed to be.
He had made a decision.
He was staying for a month. He wanted to make Joanne fall in love with him. And when that was done, he would go ho, reclaim his na, and start over. Maybe, by the ti autumn ca, he could return and tell Joanne the truth—about who he was, about everything.
How would she react? He didn’t know.
But he was willing to take the risk. Who wouldn’t want to marry a Winchester?
Feeling lighter, JD rose to his feet and started making his way back to the house. As he approached the garage, he heard Joanne’s voice. It was warm, familiar, and—
His steps faltered.
Through the open doors, he saw them.
Joanne was in Liam’s arms.
JD’s stomach twisted, and his heart plumted, a sharp, unexpected drop that left him montarily breathless. The world tilted—just slightly, just enough to make his grip on reality feel unsteady.
For a mont, all he could do was stare.
But then he focused. He really looked.
The way Joanne leaned into Liam’s embrace—it was firm, steady, but not possessive. There was no lingering hesitation, no quiet longing. It wasn’t the kind of embrace that spoke of sothing unresolved, of sothing that could turn into more.
JD swallowed hard, pushing down the bitterness rising in his throat. He had no claim over her, not yet. But he didn’t want to be just her friend, either.
So he did what any man in his position would do.
He interrupted.
"Hey, guys..." His voice rang out, casual, as if the scene before him didn’t affect him in the slightest. As if sothing inside him hadn’t just cracked a little.
Joanne startled at the sound of his voice, stepping back quickly from Liam’s embrace, as if rembering herself. She turned to JD, eyes wide for a fraction of a second before settling into sothing more neutral.
JD forced a grin. That was a friendly hug. That’s all it was. But it didn’t change the fact that she had never hugged him like that.
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