What Comes Next

Brandy told Jacob all about Lou,

Told him all she knew.

About Madame Grey,

The Black Diamonds

Judge Domain and how she got away.

How Billy had made Pearce Wade sing.

To clear her name and her freedom gained.

When for the Judge's death.

She took the blame.

When she began about Lou's ex.

Jacob said he knew the rest.

How Shamus was responsible for her death.

He'd been aiming for Pearce Wade,

Then Shamus killed himself, his debt paid.

How Bruce had rode out to avenge Lou.

In Shamus death he had a hand too.

It all sounded like the Lou.

That in their childhood, Jacob knew.

She had always been brave and strong.

Protected her siblings from those doin' them wrong.

Louise had a big heart.

Even from the start.

Jacob was sad he never got to see

The women she'd grown up to be.

But now he had Brandy back in his life.

It helped with some of the pain and strife.

And he also had a lead on Will and Tom.

He would ride out to find them when things got calm.

But for now, Jacob had decisions to make.

And now he had more at stake.

Because Brandy made it very clear,

Her life was here.

She had work to do

Things she promised Lou.

And oh there was the matter of her husband too!

"Husband, you?"

She showed Jacob her wedding band

And said she was newly married to the man.

The man who had loved and avenged Lou.

It was complicated but true.

Brandy didn't tell her brother,

About the other,

Life of Lou 

How she was an informant

And now Bruce would be one too.

In what had gotten Lou killed,

She did not want Jacob knee-deep.

So that was a secret she would keep.

Although she no longer knew Jake well,

As a child he had raised hell.

He was hotheaded, loyal, protective.

So as an informer, he'd be defective.

Jacob had questions about him.

How Bruce had so quickly found love again?

But Josie returned and their chat did end.

Brandy had questions for Jake as well.

Things in front of Josie, he wouldn't tell.

So it would have to wait.

Josie had picked a large bouquet,

And laid them across Lou's grave.

"I'll replace them when they wither, Lou,

And I'll come back to visit you."

Josie arose from the dirt,

And wiped it from her skirt.

"Brandy, are you joinin' the circus too?

I want to spend some time with you."

To this Jacob was the one to reply.

"We can talk about this later Josie Pie.

Right now, we all have somewhere to be.

Lunch at Ruechari's hotel.

Won't that be swell?"

That did seem to please Josie.

"Jacob you should take some flowers to Rue too!

That way she'll stop ignoring you!"

This to Brandy was news.

"Jake, did you say Ruechari?

Are you two...?" Jacob smiled guiltily.

"Not much to tell, but I hope there soon will be.

We've only had one date.

She promised me a second, it will surely be first-rate.

Besides, I think our family reunited is cause to celebrate."

As they headed to the hotel,

Brandy wondered how much to tell.

Ruechari was well known in Destiny

What in the world was she doing here in BG

Running a hotel?

Although she knew it was the truth

It felt like a hard sell.

"Well Jake I'm now an employee

of Ruechari's.

A bartender to be specific."

Josie said that was terrific.

Until she realized what Jacob already knew,

That meant when the circus left town Brandy would not be going too.

As the hotel came into view,

Josie grabbed onto her and shed another tear or two.

"Brandy, I wanna stay in BG with you."

Brandy looked at her brother

Panicked she was in no way a mother.

To be what Josie would need.

Brandy prayed Jacob would again intercede.

Brandy needed to get Bruce settle in BG.

And not to mention, it was rough in Tent City.

Brandy's life was so unstable,

To raise Josie proper, she doubted she was able.

Jacob patted his sister's head.

"Josie, we can figure this out later", he said.

Josie nodded but held onto Brandy tight.

She didn't want to let Brandy out of her sight.

Together they walked into the hotel.

Found a table and chatted a spell.

Jacob couldn't help but look around,

Hoping Ruechari would be found.

Brandy wondered just how much he knew

About his new girl Rue.

Her worries about Jake

Compounded a few.

Jacob was tempted to look for Rue.

The fact he didn't see Ronan anywhere too,

This left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Perhaps he shouldn't have walked out.

Rue was in such a state.

Left alone with Ronan that snake.

Jacob felt he made a grave mistake.

He asked his sisters to excuse him.

They were talking about girl stuff.

Jacob had heard more than enough.

Jacob wanted to be near,

Should Ruechari appear.

He also wanted privacy.

To chat with Brandy.

That was hard to be found.

At her place with Bruce around.

So he decided to rent a room for the night.

Images of Ronan tucking Rue in tight,

And other thoughts filled Jacob's head.

If he touched Rue, Ronan was dead!

Jacob grabbed the key to his own room.

Paced the hall as he fumed.

He was not the jealous type usually.

But then again, no woman was like Ruechari.

He did not own Ruechari.

She wasn't a possession.

He knew what it was like to be the object of obsession.

Like hell would he be that way.

Rue gets a say.

Ronan lived here in BG.

Rue trusted him, more than just an employee.

There was definitely something between the two.

What did Jacob have to offer Rue?

Jacob walked into the room and sat on the bed.

Ran his hands through the hair on his head.

His heart felt like it was splitting in two.

He struggled with the right thing to do.

The circus had taken him and Josie in.

Given them a home, family, and friends.

He owed them their lives, he had no doubt.

But now he didn't want to live without,

Brandy, a piece of his broken family.

And now Josie also didn't want to leave.

The circus was safe, the circus was known.

If Jacob stayed in BG and made it his home,

How would he get by, provide for his Josie Pie?

He had to do what was best for the family he had left.

One sister laid low in the ground.

Two brothers still to be found.

A chance to get to try and make up for lost time,

With the sister he last saw when she was nine.

With a heavy heart, Jacob knew what he had to do.

Find a job in town, then break the news.

To his circus family,

He and Josie were staying in BG.