Reaching the gates of the retreat, I stood there looking through trying to find Jenny, but there was no sign of her, nervously moving the bag around in my hand, I thought to myself,<span style="font-style: italic">'Do I kick off at what I was told? No I wait and see, Do I tell the truth to Jenn? Yes I will, I must tell her even if she never speaks to me again, am I ready for this? Maybe I am maybe I'm not let's try and see.'</span><br/><br/>Raising my hand I pulled a rope that was attached to a bell, the sound seemed to reverberate in my head, it was loud, I looked through the slats of the gate to see who would come, a familiar shape appeared, it was Olivia, with a smile and a wave of her hand, the gates opened.<br/><br/>"Max," Olivia said, "Good to see you," she lent forward and kissed me on the cheek, "are you going to stay? I don't want any trouble, you know the rules."<br/><br/>I nodded and smiled, "Olivia," I replied, "I am sorry for before on the road, there isn't going to be any trouble from me, I would like to talk to Jennifer, alone, if you will allow, this is your retreat and I won't disrespect you in any way."<br/><br/>"I believe you Max," she called one of the men over and told him to collect Jennifer,<br/><br/>"I will leave again if there is no resolve after I talk to her," watching the man disappear to some, what looked like out buildings.<br/><br/>"Max," Olivia replied, "I don't want you to leave unless there is a problem, but it will be your choice."<br/><br/>I looked again to where the man had disappeared to, then Jenny appeared at his side, she looked at the man then at Olivia, she walked slowly forward, Olivia said, "Jennifer, you are excused from your duties for today, Max wishes to speak with you, why? I don't know" Olivia turned on her heel and walked away, the dust rose from the hem of her long skirt.<br/><br/>"Jenny can we walk, I have so much to tell you and maybe you might just understand a few things about me, but first I am sorry for what happened on the road," Jenn didn't answer, she waited for whatever I had to say and I knew she would judge me and maybe never ever talk to me again, but I had to try.<br/><br/>I went to take Jenn's hand, she let me and I started to walk towards an open space, she didn't pull away but she followed in silence, I wondered what she was thinking, some times it was better not to know someone's thoughts.<br/><br/>We walked a few yards, we reached a river bed, there was an old log, someone had carved it so it resembled a seat, I sat down and Jenn sat beside me, I decided to start,<br/><br/>"Jenny," I said, "I lied to you about me, yes I was cop but I was in cadet school when someone murdered my parents and my family, it wasn't my wife or my child, I made that up," Jenn just sat there listening, there was no reaction to what I said, "I am not married and never have been, I am not as old as I said I am, I am 24 years old, I know I look older than that , it's because I am not too well, I was hounded by the media after the deaths, I had to get away, I had to leave there, I killed the guy that killed my family, I was let off because they said I done it in self defense," I paused, looking towards Jenn for some sort of reaction, but still nothing, "I made up the story to protect myself Jenny, people believed it, but when I met you Jenny, I wanted so much to tell you the truth, but you kept pushing me away."<br/><br/>Standing from the seat, "Please forgive me for the lies Jenny, please I am so sorry." I stood waiting for a reply, but nothing was said, I felt Jenn stand, then a hand took mine.