Focal Enemy | ✔

Terminus (the end of a time or era)

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Josephine jumped.

“Why?” demanded Theodore. “I have had to live with that guilt for years.”

Charlie edged back towards the door. Theodore’s glare more fiery than a thousand suns.

“I-I didn’t know how to say it to you, Theo.”

“But, you’ve told my girlfriend,” said Theodore. He was too weak to lift his head, but he did not back down. “It drove me to the point of madness, Charlie, and it wasn’t even me who caused them to die. It was you!”

“Don’t!” cried Charlie. “I didn’t blame you for their deaths, did I?”

“Because it was accidental!” argued Theodore. “Except, it wasn’t, was it? You knew all along! What kind of fool were you, Charlie? How could you have wanted to kill them? They were our parents!”
“I had problems, Theo! They knew it, but you were too young to know!”

Josephine looked between them. One was full of remorse, the other full of anger.

“Enough!” she cried. “You’re not well enough to do this, Theodore!”

“Theodore, please forgive me,” said Charlie, like Josephine wasn’t even there. “I was a child. I didn’t mean to kill them.”

Theodore’s eyes surveyed his brother. It was as if he was looking at a stranger, trying to gain some sort of vibe or thought. It was as if he was judging him.

“I do forgive you,” he sighed, “but I need you to go home. I can’t look at you.”

“Oh. I-I understand.”

Still, Charlie lingered for a moment more, but then he slipped away, shoulders slumped in despair. But, it was not a relief to anyone.

Theodore’s hands found their way to his face, his body bouncing as the first of his tears came. Josephine crouched beside his bed and touched his arm, because even if she had walked away, she loved him.

“I’m here,” she whispered.

In no time, his arm was around her and she, too, found herself in tears.

#

“How’s Theodore?”

Josephine looked up. Her mother stood against the doorframe, weary eyed as she watched Josephine run a brush through her silk curtain of hair. Josephine couldn’t help but sigh.

“He’ll be all right. A few broken bones, a few stitches and the doctor managed to stop a bleeding on his brain, but we’re waiting for the scan results to come back to see if there will be any internal bleeding.”

Josephine’s mother nodded, biting on the inside of her lip.

“Are you going back?” she asked. “To him? To the house?”

“No,” said Josephine. “I love him, but you’re right, I did what was right.”

Childishly, she looked at her mother for approval. Theodore had been part of Josephine’s life for a long time, and she kind of hoped he would be forever. But, going home to him seemed unrealistic at a time like this.

“I will stand by whatever you decide, Josie.”

A warmth spread through Josephine as her mother gave a smile, even though it was quite a sad one. At least someone was sure she was doing the right thing.

#

"Are we feeling any better?" the doctor removed the blood pressure machine from Theodore's arm. "Your blood pressure seems to have gone back to normal."