Dances of Angels
By: Dana Lynn
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Chapter 23
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Josh sat across from her, their bodies still touching, but now their hearts miles apart. She noticed his silence. “I guess I should get going” she said slowly, getting up slowly from the couch. “Dakota, wait.” He pleaded, gently grabbing her arm and pulling her back onto the couch. She sat next to him, wanting so badly to let herself open up. “Please D, talk me to. What on earth could make you not want to ever love again? Some guy?” he said. “You can’t let one guy take love out of your life forever.”

She looked him in the eye. “Josh, no offense, but you couldn’t even begin to understand.” She said quietly. “So explain it to me!” he replied quietly. Dakota looked into his caring eyes. She was closer to Josh than she had been to any one within the last seven years. She didn’t remember opening her mouth to speak, but one way or another the whole, messed up story came out.


::Flashback::
“David?” she wondered, tracing the outlines in his chest, “Do you love me?” David smiled from under her touch. She was magic. All his life, all 20 years, he had never felt anything even close to how he felt for Dakota. “More than life itself, baby. More than life itself.” She smiled and cuddled down to him. The end of her high school career was rapidly coming to an end. Prom was right around the corner and graduation right after that. She couldn’t wait to be out on her own with David. He’d waited so patiently over the past two years. Only two weeks stood between them and the rest of their lives far, far away from here.

Prom night proved to be interesting. David was acting weird all night, and when Dakota asked any questions about his mood he just shrugged the questions off. His father’s words played in his head over and over. ‘Leave her or else’. What could he have meant by that? Would he deliberately try to hurt the two of them? David’s father had never liked the idea of his son dating Dakota. An old business deal gone sour with her father was all he could figure why. What could he possibly do? David left to pick Dakota up for the prom determined to prove a point to his father. His father, more stubborn than David only said, “You leave me no choice”.

David drove Dakota home the next morning. Both were in delightfully cheerful moods. Once on Dakota’s street, their faces grew dark. Police cars lined the street, ambulances awaited instruction and yellow tape was everywhere. Dakota jumped from the car before it completely stopped. Before she could reach the house she was stopped by a nearby officer. “They’re gone.” he said in reply to her cries. “They’re both gone.”

Dakota sat in the silence of her house for days. The days leading to the funeral, the days after. The police had no clues as to who murdered her parents or why. At 18, she made a promise to herself and to her parents that this case would not go unsolved.

A week later, a tip came through to the police. A witness, a hope. After another week of questioning David’s father was arrested and taken into custody. Dakota listened in horror to David as he admitted his father’s threats. She hit him, she kicked him, she blamed him. But blaming him wasn’t the answer. He was all she had left.

It was David’s testimony that brought his father to a full confession. To the shock of Dakota, David and his family, and the town Sam Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder.


Dakota’s tear stained face lifted to look at JC. “After the trial, I kinda took off. That’s when I came down here with David. The house was sold. My parents had a will and left everything to me. I haven’t touched a dime of it, except for the studio. That was their little project. It was going to be a present for my graduation, or so I hear. David knew about it - that’s why we moved down here. Not long after that, we broke up. I couldn’t look at him anymore. And I should’ve been grateful. He testified against his own father for God’s sake! But I couldn’t stay with him. I think in some small way I blamed him. Blamed him for not breaking up with me… or something. At times I blame myself. Maybe dating David wasn’t smart. His father never liked me, or my parents.” She paused giving him time to process her story.

“Dakota, I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry. I feel like such an ass for making light of the situation.” He said. Dakota nodded. “Josh, it’s ok. You didn’t know. No one does. Courtney, that’s it. I don’t say anything because I don’t want pity. I don’t need people to look at me think ‘that poor girl’. I’ve gone seven years without my parents. They knew I loved them. I know they loved me. And in the end I know they’re proud of me. That alone helps me sleep at night.

The extraordinary strength in that one girl took his breath away. He knew he wouldn’t be even half as strong. He brought her towards him, hugging her. She accepted letting herself relax in his arms.

The next morning Dakota found herself wrapped up in a blanket on Josh’s couch with a breakfast aroma wafting over her. She stretched out, and walked into the kitchen, looking on as Josh tried to juggle three tasks at once. He looked up and saw her smiling. “Well, good morning gorgeous” he said. “A little ambitious this morning, aren’t we?” she asked. Josh eyed the wide array of food. “Yeah, maybe a little. You hungry?” he asked. Her smiled remained. “Yeah, but first…” She approached him slowly and kissed him lightly on the mouth. “What was that for?” he asked surprised. She smiled. “Thanks Josh. Just… thanks.” He smiled. “You’re welcome. Now… Let’s eat!” She smiled and agreed, sitting down to breakfast with Josh was just what she needed.

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