Jane scooped her socks and underwear out of the drawer and dropped them in the open suitcase. She stuffed them in the gaps left by her other clothes before closing the lid and zipping it shut.

One down. One to go.

The faster she packed, the sooner she could leave. The sooner she left, the better for the brothers. If only she could outpace the sorrow creeping through her soul.

She dragged the suitcase off the bed and tossed the next one on. As she unzipped it, her hand jostled the monogrammed tag.

G.M.G.

Gifts Magically Given.

Danny's pies. Sips of amaretto. Hand tools, a camera, and a blow torch.

A sob escaped Jane's throat before she could stifle it. She shoved the suitcase aside and sank onto the bed, her face in her hands.

She'd already decided.

Her mind was made up.

She couldn't stay.

Not after last night. She couldn't be the catalyst that divided the brothers.

But the thought of once again being alone in the world pressed against her chest, making breathing difficult.

The familiar voice whispered in her ear.

You could end it all. You should never have existed anyway.

Everyone agreed with that last assessment.

Except Prett.

He hadn't said that.

He had said nothing.

No, that wasn't true. He'd said everyone is here for a purpose.

What's my purpose?

Dividing brothers.

Jane kicked the nightstand. Why did they have to fight over her, anyway? She was never going to date any of them. She wasn't in love. Not with Val. Not with Danny. Certainly not with Prett. What she felt toward him was simple gratefulness. Appreciation. Maybe fondness. She could concede fondness. But nothing more. So their fighting was pointless.

Val had said they needed to break free from each other. Was this what he wanted? To be divided? What's worse, he seemed to actually be in love with her. Or maybe he was just that good an actor.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes.

She had to leave. She had always planned to leave. So what if it was sooner than anticipated? She stood and opened another drawer.

Her phone chimed.

She hesitated.

It could be Cadence. Or Holly.

She knew it wasn't.

She checked anyway.

Danny.

          U coming to brkfst?

She thought of not answering. She thought of lying. She could do neither.

No, I'm going to leave.

          What!! Why?

You know why.

A minute passed before he replied.

          We're done fighting. All good now.

I'm the cause of your fights. I should go.

          P the cause of our fights. U should stay.

But it was all about me.

          Conceited much?

Jane smiled despite herself.

So just like that, no more fighting?

          Not about you

          P still OCD about cupboards

Jane sighed.

Val is in love with me. I'm not with him.

          He'll get over it

It's awkward. I should leave

          It is awkward. U should stay. Come eat

I'm not hungry

Jane waited for him to argue, but he didn't reply.

She put her phone down. Now Danny—or one of his brothers—would likely come knock at her door. With quaking arms and jangled nerves, she resumed packing. She had filled the smaller suitcase when her phone chimed again with another text from Danny.

          I made blueberry pancakes.

Jane burst into a relieved laugh that turned to sobs.

*****

Jane gave a quick, quiet knock at the men's apartment door. Footsteps pounded on the other side and she stepped back as the door flung open. With a grin, Danny grabbed her into a bear hug. He lifted her off the floor and set her down, planting a kiss on her cheek before taking her hand.

She flushed from his exuberant greeting and at the thought of facing his brothers. Danny had no such reservations. He pulled her inside and settled her at the breakfast bar next to Val. She stared at her empty plate rather than look at the latter, or at Prett across the counter.

Val touched her arm. "Glad y-you decided to s-stay."

Her cheeks heated at the thought of her still-packed suitcases. "Hard to pass up blueberry pancakes," she said in a small voice.

Danny set a bottle of maple syrup in front of her with an apologetic expression. "Fawozen bluebewwies, though," he said in his slow drawl. "Nah fwesh."

"I'm sure it'll still taste good."

"Everything he makes tastes good," Prett said.

Jane spared him a look. His anger was gone, replaced by an apathetic distance, as if last night's agitation had spent all emotion, leaving an empty shell.

"Compliments, bwotha, wunt get yah extra," Danny replied.

"I'm headed out anyway." Prett folded his newspaper. "I've got a meeting with A.J."

"No pancakes?" Danny asked.

Prett shook his head and stood. "I ate enough cereal." He addressed Jane. "Sorry for the disturbance last night. We sometimes revert back to childhood hostilities when under duress. We'll be civil again."

Danny smirked. "Love yah bwotha." He crooked his arm around Prett's neck and kissed him on the cheek.

Prett didn't react. Once released, he gave a nod and headed to the foyer.

Jane watched him walk out the front door. "I think I liked him better mad. Instead of this robotic substitute." She turned to Val. "Did you figure out what was bothering him?" She blushed as she remembered.

He was mad Val wanted to date me.

Yeah, but something was bothering him before that.

Val nodded. He signed as he spoke. "We talked. We understand now. Everything's good."

"What was it about?"

Val gave his lazy, shy smile. With a glance to Danny, he said, "Good news. From bad."

"What does that mean?"

He continued to smile. "New grass grows after a prairie fire. Flowers bloom after a thunderstorm. Treasure is found after a flood."

Jane stared at him. "What?"

"It's all good, lil' sis. Give him time. He'll come around." Val leaned towards her. "You have that effect." He stood and addressed Danny. "I'll get the shop heated up."

Danny upturned his palms. "Bluebewwy pancakes."

"Save me some. Already had four bowls of cereal." He headed towards the door. "Next time volunteer to cook before we've eaten."

Danny shrugged. "Moe fuh us," he said to Jane. He stepped to the cooktop and held his hand over the griddle before pouring out batter for three pancakes.

"What did Val mean?" Jane asked. "With his cryptic platitudes?"

Danny grinned as he came closer to the breakfast bar. "What does Val eva mean with 'is cwyptic platitudes?"

"But you know what Prett was upset about, don't you?"

Danny twirled a spatula in his hand. "He had a secwet. But so did we. Sometimes..." He wiped away the saliva dribbling down his mouth with his sleeve. "Sometimes we fawget ta talk ta each otha. But we aweady knew haf the stowy. The west..." He swallowed then grinned at Jane. "The...rest...was good news fwom bad."

Jane scoffed. "You're as annoying as your brothers. You won't tell me anything!"

He pointed the spatula at her. "Nah this time."

Jane glanced at the front door. "How is Val doing? Is he okay? I couldn't tell."

"Yeah. He's ova yah."

"No, seriously."

"Seriously."

Jane scoffed. "He's ready to beat up Prett for the right to date me and the next morning he's over me?"

Danny shrugged. "He decided yah awen't all that."

Jane laughed. "You are such a liar."

He grinned and returned to the griddle. "Dunt wuwwy 'bout Val. Yah dint bweak his hawt."

"I hope not. I like you guys, but..."

Danny pointed the spatula at his chest with mock offense. "Nah dateable? Me?"

"Maybe if you shaved."

"Ahm cwushed." Danny lifted one pancake partway before flipping them all over.

"You'll get over it."

"Yah'll date me." He pointed the spatula at her again. "Tonight. I'll take yah out."

"And have Prett threaten you with bodily harm? No thanks."

Danny walked back towards Jane. "He dunt care if ah date yah. Just Val can't."

"Why would that make a difference?"

Danny's eyes widened. Then he smirked. "Yur too good fuh Val." He placed his fingertips on his chest. "Ahm in yah league."

Jane laughed again. "I think I liked you better when you didn't talk."

"Yah love me."

"Only 'cause you're a pretty boy."

"Ahm chawmin'." He upturned his hands. "Ah only sound like an idiot."

"Val doesn't stutter when he signs at the same time. Would that work for you?"

Danny shook his head while tapping his finger against his temple. "Bwain damage. Caused intamm—" He growled and slowed his speech to a crawl. "Inter...mit...tent...dys...arth...ria. Diff'went than Val. " He wiped his mouth. "Droolin' is the wust pawt."

"But at least you're talking again. And so is Val, now that you are."

Danny snorted. "Iwonic."

"Ironic?"

Danny smiled and didn't answer. He returned to the cooktop and stacked the pancakes on a plate before pouring out three more. He sat across from Jane.

"So..." she said, taking a pancake, "yesterday Prett said you were like your dad. Rebellious. Does that describe him?"

"Nah. Yeah." Danny smirked. "Daddy dwopped out of college ta make faniture." He wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Daddy did what he wanted, nah what othas told him ta do. That's his webell...rebellion. Pwett's the one like Daddy." He poured syrup over his pancakes. "Unafwaid. Steady. Kind." He shook his head. "Amazin'ly kind. Anyone else woulda been a sewial killa."

Jane paused with her fork near her open mouth. "What?"

Danny flicked his eyes up as if startled. Jane could see his mind working. He'd said something he shouldn't have and didn't know how to walk it back.

"Pwett and Val had a wough childhood," he said.

Prett's scarred back flashed through Jane's mind. "I've gathered that."

"Ah neva knew how bad till a few yeas ago," Danny continued. "Woulda turned me into a...serial...killer. But not them." He shook his head and focused on his plate. "Not them."

"Genevieve showed me photos of when you all were younger."

He flashed his blue eyes. "Ah heawd."

"Prett seemed upset I saw them."

"He dunt like thinkin' 'bout the past."

"Is that what the blowup was about? The past?"

Danny nodded. "And how it affects us now."

"Genevieve wants to show me more. Should I keep putting her off?"

"Nah. Sometimes yah haf ta suffa pain ta heal. Prett made me wook thwough mine. Now it's 'is tuwn."

"I don't suppose I could get you to tell me more about your childhood. And theirs."

Danny grinned and pointed his fork at her. "Dinna date. And ah will."

*****

Jane snapped her seatbelt as Danny started the truck. "I don't know which is more unbelievable," she said. "That I agreed to this date or that Prett didn't seem to mind."

"He's happy he wunt haf ta make as much toast," Danny replied.

Jane laughed. "Hey, peanut butter and jelly toast sandwiches aren't that bad. But I will be so glad when it's your turn to cook again."

"Me too."

"How is it you're practically a gourmet chef when your brothers think toast is a main dish?"

Danny laughed. "Too much Food Netwook. When ah was in wecovwry." He let out a frustrated snarl before repeating more slowly, "Re...cov...ery. Gave me sommet ta do. Feed mah bwothas."

Jane smiled. "Something other than toast."

"No toast." He pulled onto the highway.

"I can hear your southern accent. It's sexy."

"Yah hittin' on me now?"

Jane laughed. "No, I'm just saying it's better than Prett's insane hillybilly one. Yours sounds more genteel. Even with your speech impediment. You think that'll improve with practice?"

He shook his head. "Plateaued. As good as it gets."

"Well, it isn't that bad. Not so bad you had to stop talking for seven years."

Danny chuckled, then sighed. "When ah...talk...slow, ah can...speak...more...clearly, but...people...want ta...finish—"

"Your sentences?"

"Yeah."

"Like I just did."

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

Danny shot her a glance. "Ah'll still pay fuh dinna."

Jane smiled. "Though maybe I should pay, since this date is about you dishing on your brothers."

He shook his head. "Ah have stwict wu...rules. Only talk 'bout me."

"Did Prett tell you that?"

"Yeah."

"Why? Why doesn't he want me to know anything about him?"

"Too painful."

"You said he had to suffer some pain to heal."

"Yeah. But he'll suffa me pain if ah tell."

Jane shook her head. "This is ridiculous."

"He has ta tell yah 'imself."

"Will he?"

"Nah."

"Figures."

"These are the wules."

"Fine. I suppose even a pretty boy such as yourself has an interesting tale to tell."

Danny grinned. "Where do ah stawt?"

"At the beginning."

He was quiet a moment then nodded. "Ah was bowrn."

"A momentous occasion."

"Angels wept at mah beauty."

Jane burst into laughter. "Now I know you and Prett are brothers."

"He told me. He was there."

"At your birth?"

"Soon afta."

"He would've been, what, four?"

"Yeah."

"So...angels wept at your birth."

"One did. Mah mama."

"She cried when you were born?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"'Cause I wasn't deaf."

"Happy tears or sad tears?"

"Dunno."

They were silent a long moment.

"But she loved me," Danny said. "So did Daddy. Even though ah wasn't an easy kid."

"I can imagine."

He grinned. "Liked ta get into mischief. Dint like ta be told what ta do." He glanced at Jane. "So ah am like Daddy in that way. Dint always get along."

"With your dad?"

"Yeah."

"Prett said you were a mama's boy."

Danny chuckled. "Yeah." His slow delivery this time expressed an underlying sadness. "Ah miss her."

"So do your brothers."

"Yeah." He took a deep breath. "Ah was six when they came ta live with us. Ah alweady knew Jamey." He glanced at Jane. "Pwett."

She nodded. "Genevieve told me he went by Jamey. And Val was Tommy. How come you changed your names?"

"Long stowy."

"That's why we're here."

"Wight. Okay." He swallowed. "In the awmy ah was Sawgent Valentine D. Mawvel. So in wecov...recovery...the nuses kept callin' me Valentine. Jamey got tied of tellin' them ah was Danny. He had betta luck gettin' 'em to pwonounce it Velentinny. Even though he made that up. Tommy and ah are both Valentine."

Jane's jaw dropped. "He made it up?"

"Yeah. But it stuck. Ah stawted callin' 'im 'Prettyman' in wetaliation. Lata, when we moved back to Nebwaska we wanted ta put our past behind us. Start anew." He wiped his beard. "So we put away our childhood names."

"Till I came along and you went back to Danny."

"Just the name. Nah back ta who ah was."

"Who were you?"

"An ass."

"Like with Cady."

He sighed. "Yeah. And woose."

"I'm real sorry she rejected your apology. Actually, she didn't reject that. She rejected your declaration of love. I guess that's worse."

"Yeah. Ah waited too long. Ah've twied ta explain, but she wunt talk ta me."

"I know. She won't listen to me, either." Jane sighed.

"So ah'll move on. Stawt datin'." He flicked his chin at her. "You."

"Hey, this isn't a date date. This is a business date. And all I've learned so far is you were born."

Danny chuckled. "Okay. Moe stowy." He was silent a moment. "Jamey used ta visit. Ah liked havin' a big bwotha. He'd come play evey otha weekend and—" Danny slurped and swallowed. "Ah'd miss 'im when he left. Then 'is visits got fuwd...further...apawt. Then he stopped comin'. Ah'd almost fugotten 'im when he came back. Daddy said 'is mama had died and now he'd live with us. But sommet had changed. Jamey dint want ta play anymoe. He only wanted ta watch ova me."

"Genevieve said—implied—his step-father killed his mom."

"Yeah. But ah dint know that at fiwst. All ah knew is ah dint like 'im tellin' me what ta do. Then Tommy came. And they did things ah dint undastand. Sneaked food. Slept unda the bed. Stiffened when touched. Neva shouted. Neva jumped awound. Neva made noise. Always quiet. Tommy dint even talk. Ah thought he was weak and stupid. He always did what Jamey said. So ah'd hit 'em. But they neva hit back. Just huddled togetha. Tommy in a ball with Jamey coverin' 'im."

"How awful. Was it because of their stepfather?"

Danny gave a nod. "Tommy will hafta tell yah 'bout 'is daddy. That's 'is stowy."

"Do you think he will?"

"Yeah. When it's time."

"When will that be?"

Danny shrugged. "Dunno. When he's weady."

Jane sighed. "Fine. Go on."

"Tommy neva hit me back. But he knew how ta get even. He cuddled up ta Mama. He went from ignowin' 'er ta followin' 'er 'round, wantin' ta be petted and pwaised. But she was mah mama, nah his. When she would hold 'im, he would smile at me. And ah knew he was trickin' her. So ah beat 'im up moe."

Danny wiped his mouth. "Afta they were 'dopted ah told 'em she still wasn't their mama. Just mine. Jamey called her 'LuLu' like Daddy but Tommy'd sign 'Mama' when he saw me lookin'. Ah beat 'im fuh that, too."

Danny's voice had become strained. He pulled off to the side of the dark highway, turning on his hazard lights. He wiped his eyes and sniffled.

Jane leaned towards him. "We don't have to—"

Danny cut her off. "Nah. Ah can do this. Ah can tell mah stowy...story. It's just...ah dunt come out lookin' good innit." He let out a mirthless laugh.

"I—"

Danny held up his finger to silence her. He wiped his eyes again then reached over and popped open the glove box. He pulled out a handful of napkins and used one to blow his nose.

He let out a deep breath.

"Then Mama got sick. She was tired and couldn't play as much. She'd go to the hoshpital and we'd stay with mah gwandpawents. Ah dint wowwy 'bout it. Till the last few months. Mama came home thin and weak. She slept a lot. Jamey took ova the house. Cleanin'. Makin'—"

Danny chuckled. "Makin' toast. Sandwiches. Canned soup. Enfowced homewook and chowes. Ah hated it. Ah hated how he sat with Mama fuh hours, helpin' 'er eat and cheerin' 'er up. Ah'd sit with 'er, too. But ah'd get buhd and Mama'd tell me ta go play. And ah would." His forehead wrinkled in distress as he wiped more tears. "Ah would. 'Cause ah dint think she'd die. Jamey had twied ta tell me she would, but ah wunt hear it. Called 'im a liar. But she did die. And ah blamed 'im. If he'd taken betta care of 'er she woulda lived."

He sniffled, whispering, "And ah told 'im that." His eyebrows scrunched. He pressed a napkin to his face as he broke down.

Jane lay her hand on his arm. "You were only nine."

Danny nodded. He took several wavering deep breaths. "Yeah. Nine and nasty."

"I don't think he's held it against you."

"No." He blew his nose again before continuing. "Three yeas afta Mama died Tommy and ah were eatin' lunch when Jamey came inside. Pale. Shakin'. Twyin' ta be calm. Told us Daddy had an accident and was dead. Ah dint believe 'im. He twied ta stop me from goin' ta the shop but ah fought mah way past 'im.

"Daddy was lyin' on the gwound. Blood eveywhere. God help me, ah thought Jamey had killed 'im." Danny shook his head. "Heawt attack. Widow-maka. Died instantly. He was leanin' ova the table saw, cuttin' a board when it happened. Jamey was at the planer when he heard the noise and looked ova."

"How awful," Jane whispered.

Danny gave a nod. "That's when the wu...rumors...stawted. Even though the...coroner... confiwmed it was a heawt attack, people looked at Jamey like he was a killa. Or a...curse. He turned bitta and angwy. As soon as he tunned eighteen, he left. Ah neva thought he'd leave Tommy, but he did.

Ah felt sowwy fuh Tommy afta that. Ah stopped beatin' 'im up. 'Course he was twice mah size by then. One day Glenn Frasia picked on 'im fuh stutterin'. Said 'is bwotha was a killa and otha unwepeatable things. He stawted shovin' Tommy. He just took it like always."

Danny paused to swallow. "Ah yelled at 'im ta fight back but he wudn't. Ah was so mad ah dint even think. Ah flew at Glenn and the next thing ah know, ah'm on mah back with Glenn on top, beatin' me ta a pulp. He was a...senior...and a...boxer... so ah was scwewed. He was 'bout ta land anotha punch on mah face when he just sowta flew backwads."

Danny swung his arm in demonstration. "Tommy had gwabbed 'im awound the waist and whiwled 'im awound, throwin' 'im like some kinda giant discus. He landed a few feet away. Ran off cryin'. Ev'one was shocked. No un knew Tommy had it in 'im. Ah lay there...starin' up at 'im. He just looked at me. And smiled. Like he used ta when snugglin' up ta Mama.

"Afta that we were sowta fwiends. Ah had plans ta go to commun'ty college afta gwaduation and thought he wud, too." Danny sighed. "But Jamey called. And Tommy answaed. Went ta live with 'im. Ah felt betwayed. The old gwudges weturned. Jamey wanted me ta come live with 'im, too, but ah wefused. Ah joined the awmy. Told 'im if he eva wanted ta see me again, he'd hafta join, too."

Danny's forehead wrinkled. "This is harda than ah thought." He took another deep breath, wiping his eyes. "Tellin' it all at once. Remembewin'. Bein' honest." He sniffled and wiped his nose.

They sat in silence a couple minutes, cars swishing past at intervals.

"Ahm hungwy," he said.

"Maybe we should continue this over dinner," Jane said.

"Yeah."

He waited for a break in the cars then eased back onto the road.

*****

Jane fingered the boxes of leftovers in her lap. Danny had said little during dinner. Instead, Jane had told him her own story. His brothers had already filled him in, but he listened anyway.

"See," he'd said of her birth, "sommet good came fwom sommet bad."

She'd smiled and focused on finishing her meal.

Neither had spoken on the ride home. Now Danny parked the truck in front of the hotel. He made no move to get out.

I guess he's dropping me off.

Jane felt around for the door handle. "Well, goodnight. Thanks for—"

"No." He touched her arm. "Nah yet."

Jane released the door handle.

Danny withdrew his fingers and turned to stare out the front window but said nothing further. Jane was struck how similar he was to Prett once he shed his flirty, happy-go-lucky persona.

I wonder if they inherited this reflectiveness from their dad, too.

"Yah know the pawable of the pwodigal son?" Danny asked, his voice quiet.

"The prodigal son?" Jane asked. "Not really."

He gave a nod and returned his focus to the interior, running his finger along the steering wheel. "A man had two sons. The olda one was wesponsible. The younga one wasn't. He demanded 'is...inheritance...eawly and 'is daddy gave it ta 'im. He left home and spent it all on wine, women, 'n song. Ended up bwoke and homeless. Cwawled back ta 'is daddy in disgwace, hopin' ta be hiawd as a suhvant, which was mor'n he desuhved." He wiped his beard. "But 'is daddy welcomed 'im home as 'is long-lost son and thwew a pawty. Made the olda bwotha mad. He said, 'Ah've been obedient all these yeas, yet yah neva thwew a pawty fuh me.'

'Is daddy told 'im, 'All this has always been yaws. Weh celebwatin' yuh lost bwotha's weturn.'"

Danny rubbed the back of his neck before returning it to the steering wheel. "Ah always imagined mahself the pwodigal. Squanderin' all ah had. Neva caywin' 'bout tomorrah. Ah lived mah life as though ah had no home, no family. No bwothas." Danny wiped his mouth. "But ah was wrong. 'Bout everythin'."

He turned to Jane, his eyes bright in the streetlight's reflection. "Ah was neva the pwodigal. Ah was the olda bwotha. The one who had it all and...resented...the hell out of the little given ta them."

 "All those yeas ah towmented 'em. Hated 'em. Neva wanted ta see 'em. But when ah woke up in the...burn...unit, there they were. Ready ta take cah of me." His eyes filled with tears. "Ah neva desewved 'em. All those yeas ah wasted, lyin' ta mahself. Thinkin' ah was in the wight. They've given me such grace ah don't even..." He turned away. "And Cady. She's wight ta weject me. Ahm nah good enough fuh her. Neva have been."

He sniffled, wiped his eyes and threw open his door. He walked Jane inside and up to her room. "Thanks fuh the biz'ness date, 'lil sis." He kissed her cheek. "Dunt eva think yah shun't be here. Yuh wight where yah belong." He nudged her cheek with his knuckle and flashed his smile, one that didn't reach his sorrowful eyes. Then he walked to the back staircase, his usual swagger gone.

At the foot of Jane's bed sat her full suitcases. With misty eyes, she took a deep breath and hefted the larger one onto the mattress. She unzipped the top, brushing against the monogrammed tag. Scooping out her socks and underwear, she dropped them back in the top drawer.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please help me improve my writing by pointing out problems. And if you like what you read, please click the Vote button below. And comment! I love comments! 😊

Fun Fact: I'm still working on getting Danny's "voice" right. I need to show his southern accent and speech impediment without annoying & confusing you readers. 😉 I gave myself an "out" with Prett by making his hillbilly accent one he turns on & off, and I gave an out to Val by making his stutter go away when he simultaneously signs. 😁Unfortunately, Danny's condition is permanent, so he doesn't get an out. Which means all his dialog will be like this. Why did I make it so difficult for myself???  ***bangs head against keyboard***

So currently Danny's dialog is kinda all over the place as I figure out spelling and consistency. Or, since he has intermittent dysarthria, an inconsistent consistency. 😅

I've based his voice on the following two videos. James was my original inspiration for Danny, but he's actually too difficult to understand (and therefore impossible to portray in written form.) Here's James:

https://youtu.be/UF0G-u0hBns

Then I found Cheryl, who speaks pretty much how Danny does (except she doesn't have an underlying southern accent.) This video introduced me to intermittent dysarthria as opposed to constant dysarthria:

https://youtu.be/CqKUcaVOSwg

Fun Fact 2: I picked I Bet My Life for the theme of this chapter for it epitomizes Danny's relationship with Prett over the years:

I know I took the path that you would never want for me
I know I let you down, didn't I
So many sleepless nights where you were waiting up on me
But I'm just a slave unto the night

Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me
Remember when I broke you down to tears
I know I took the path that you would never want for me
I gave you hell through all the years

So I, I bet my life
I, I bet my life, I bet my life on you
I, I bet my life
I bet my life, I bet my life on you

I've been around the world and never in my wildest dreams
Would I come running home to you
I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth
There's you in everything I do

...

Don't tell me that I'm wrong
I've walked that road before
And left you on your own

And please believe them when they say
That it's left me yesterday
And the records that I play
Please forgive me for all I've done

So I, I bet my life
I bet my life, I bet my life on you
I, I bet my life
I bet my life, I bet my life on you

...

Fun Fact 3: My second theme song Someday by Rob Thomas fits Jane's packing scene due to these lyrics: 

You can go
You can start all over again
You can try to find a way to make another day go by
You can hide
Hold all your feelings inside
You can try to carry on when all you want to do is cry

And maybe someday
We'll figure all this out
Try to put an end to all our doubt
Try to find a way to make things better now and
Maybe someday we'll live our lives out loud
We'll be better off somehow
Someday   

https://youtu.be/H6pODq8_FxE

Fun Fact 4: Last, but not least, there is even more to Prett & Danny's relationship. Much more. Danny only told about their childhood from his perspective. He didn't touch on why he kidnapped Prett and drove him to Nebraska...

And of course we have yet to hear Prett's version of all these events... 😁

Be sure to vote and comment! ⤵