❝In which two people call up a helpline in order to find someone just as broken as they are. ❞
"Does...does it bother you that my dad's in prison for murder?"
"Well, judging by the fact that I moved away from America to get away from the memory of a...
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The three brothers sat in the living room, each brother seated on a different armchair as if being close to each other might break their shaky truce. The brothers had never really been all that close, the absence of a father pulling them even further apart. And, for some reason, they had just let it happen. Perhaps they thought that they could survive without one another, that wallowing in their own self pity would help the dark feelings to simply slip away. It was honestly a wonder how it had taken them this long to come together and realize that they were so much stronger as a solar system.
"Elliot?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
"Elliot I...I mean it. I...we...we left you to deal with something that you shouldn't have to on your own and...and it was incredibly selfish of us to do that. We...I was incredibly selfish to do that. I thought that some time away from it all would help me to...to move on, but I've come to realize that this isn't something that you really move on from. This...this is something that I just have to take in my stride because what happened is never going to change and I...I can't run from it. Not anymore."
"..."
"I...I really am sorry, Elliot. And I know these are all words and they don't mean much but I...I do wish I hadn't left. I...we should have stayed here with you and gotten through this together rather than...than trying to pretend that it never happened."
"It's okay, Jacob really. I...I don't forgive you but it's...it's okay. And it's not okay because I forgive you because forgiving you would be like telling you that it wasn't hard for me on my own. Because it was. It really, really was. But it's okay. Because not being okay would be like signing up to go through all of this on my own again. And I can't do that. Because...as much as I hate to admit it, I need you guys. We went through the same thing. You guys saw it all happen. And that's...that's the best thing we can do right now just...just understand each other's pain."
"..."
"..."
"You know, I...I always used to look up to you guys. You...you were both so successful with school and friends...well, friends came easy to both of you. It...it always had. It was like everything was always going right for you guys and I...I always felt a little bit left behind. Like...like I could never be as successful as you or...or make mum and dad prouder than they already were of you two. So when you...when you left, it was like telling me what I already knew. That...that you two would be the successful ones to go off and live rich, unscathed lives while I...I was left to pick up the pieces."
"..."
"..."
"Together?"
The brothers nodded in unison, expressions painted with small smiles as the planets slowly drifted into alignment once more, orbiting the sun that was the dreadful pain each of them felt at the core of their being.
"Together."
"Together. But...I think you guys still owe me something for leaving."
"Like what?"
"If you want to use my car to take driving lessons, the answer is hell no. I did not save up for my baby just so you could trash it."
"Same here."
Elliot shook his head with a chuckle, pleased that the conversation had returned to small talk once more.
"No. I don't want either of your cars, but...I do have something in mind."
