Sarah - Aftermath, continued

From last time ...

She looked at the box in her hand, puzzled, at first. But then she understood what it was.

It was the box of blanks. The ones Jake had made to Vito's special order. The ones that The Kid had in his gun the night he died.

And she knew what Jake's idea was.

And now ...

She stared at the box in her hand. Memories of what happened that night, which seemed so distant now, flooded back into her mind and she once again burst into tears. Not tears for what she had done, but tears for what she had seen. It seemed, all of a sudden, like she was completely surrounded by violence and death, like her life had taken such an unexpected turn and things seemed so out of control and she wondered where the hell things were going and she just wanted to make it all stop.

Jake came into the shop and saw her standing there, crying. He walked up to her and tried to put his arms around her but she turned away.

"Don't."

"Talk to me, Sarah."

"I don't think I can do this, Jake. It's too much. It's like everything is spinning out of control."

"Look, Two Feathers is bringing your Jeep up here from over the rise. Him and me, we'll take care of the bodies. You drive back up to Ma's and I'll catch up with you there."

Sarah opened the box in her hand and took out two blanks.

"Here. You're going to need these."

Jake stopped and looked at the blanks in her hand, and then looked up at Sarah.

"That's why you had him bring this box, right? These are going to be my trademark, right? This is how Giamatti is going to know that there's someone out after Justice for The Kid, right? RIGHT???"

"Yeah, Sarah. That's right. Justice for The Kid. That's what you wanted, isn't it? That's what you swore to him, right? Revenge? And isn't Revenge, Justice? Well, you've got a start."

She looked at him with tears again in her eyes, and her lower lip trembling.

"Look, Sarah, I know this came at you fast. I know we never really had time enough to prepare you for what you wanted to do, but you have to know that when the time came, you were amazing. When push came to shove you stood up to it and did what you had to do. And you saved my life. You are one hell of a woman, Sarah. I'm glad you're on my side."

Sarah managed a weak smile.

"I did come through, huh?"

"Big time. Like a Marine."

Jake moved closer to her and put his arms around her and held her close for a few seconds. They parted just as Two Feathers walked into the shop.

"You ready, Billy?"

"Yeah, Jake, let's go. Sarah, your Jeep is right out front. How we gonna do this, Jake?"

"You follow me in your car. We dump 'em in the desert and then you can drive me back here so can pick up my car. Then I'll catch up with Sarah at Ma's."

"Sounds like a plan to me, Jake. Let's not take too long though, okay? I got some stuff goin' on the Res that I don't wanna miss out on."

"Okay then. Let's do it."

Sarah waited until Jake had locked up the shop and he and Two Feathers had pulled out onto the highway. She followed along behind them, Jake in front, driving Sully's sedan, then Billy Two Feathers and then Sarah. She broke off from their little convoy when they'd gotten as far as Ma's.

"What's the matter with you, girl? You're as pale as a ghost."

"I'm okay, Ma. It's nothing."

"Don't you lie to me young lady. I can see it in your eyes. Now, are you gonna tell me or am I gonna shoot Jake the next time he walks through that door?"

"No, no, Ma. It's not Jake. No, Jake hasn't done anything. It's me. It's me that's done something."

Sarah ran down the short hall to her room, but her door was locked when she got there. She leaned her head against the door and sobbed. Ma came down the hall, key in hand, and unlocked her door for her. She pressed the key into Sarah's hand.

"You forgot your key, honey. You go on in your room. I'll be back in a minute."

Sarah ran across her room and threw herself on her bed. A couple of minutes later, Ma came in with a small bottle and a glass in her hand. She sat on the edge of the bed next to Sarah's feet and poured a little of the brown liquid into the glass.

"Here ya go, honey, just have yerself a swig of this."

Sarah turned over and sat up, next to Ma, and took the glass from her hand. She tossed back the liquor in one swallow .. and found herself trying to catch her breath.

"Jeez, Ma! What IS that stuff?"

"Oh, just a little somethin' that Billy Two Feathers makes for me, out there on the Res."

Sarah began to suspect she knew what it was that Billy was in such a hurry to get back to on the Res.

"Gimme another shot of that, will ya?"

"Be careful, girl, that stuff will put you on your ASS."

"I'll be okay. I gotta get movin' anyway. I gotta get ready and out of here before Jake gets back."

"Out of here? Where are you goin'?"

"San Francisco. I need to get away where I can think. And besides, my Mom and my son are there, waiting for me."

"Okay. Whatever you say. What do you want me to do?"

"Tell me how I get to Vegas so I can catch a bus to LA."

"I'll have Maria drive you. No problem. What else?"

"Just tell Jake to take care of my Jeep and .... the other stuff until I can get back. Okay?"

"Okay. I can do that. C'mon, we'd better get you packed."