Secrets Until Someday

Chapter 29

Brooks POV

I walked into my family home and my mother greeted me with the biggest hug.

Layla was making her way downstairs and gave me a nod as she passed. "Sup." she continues into the living room plopping down on the couch.

"Brooks honey, I'm so happy you decided to come home for the night. I am going to make lasagna just for you!" My mother says and I see Layla roll her eyes from across the room.

"Don't go all out mom, it's not a big deal," I say as the guilt seeps deeper into my chest.

"It is, I was really  afraid with everything that happened you wouldn't come home for a while."

Addressing the brunette elephant in the room, I tell her, "I promised Sydney I would come back so we could spend some time together..." softening the blow, I add, " and of course, I missed you, Mom."

Her bottom lip quivers as she realizes that the conflict between all of us isn't going to disappear under the rug as they all have in the past. " So...so that...so that's still happening..." she questions.

"That is definitely still happening," I answer sharply as my Dad enters into the dining room from his office, his eyes making contact with me and I can feel the sweat starting to bead on my forehead.

Disappointment covering my father's face over seeing me is a new reaction. Normally it's big smiles and hugs, plans for a golf game or business to fill me in on, this time only pure disappointment.

"Brooks." He says acknowledging me and continuing into the kitchen.

"So I see things have really thawed around here." I look into my mother's eyes which have already begun filling with tears.

"You've really disappointed your father Brooks, please don't push this issue and for God's sake don't bring up Sydney to him." My mother whispers.

Rage once again fills my body while I stand in this house and I grab my bag taking the stairs two at a time. I step into my room and I swear my mom has doubled her yoga crap, the cot, and sheets squeezed in the middle of blocks, mats, and foam rollers.

I'd rather sleep on the Graves's tiny couch than in this stupid room in this damn house but I have to find a way to fix all of this, to have my family and to have Sydney.

Sydney's POV

I stared up at my ceiling waiting for my body to float right through it. I've never felt this happy in my life. Pulling out of my euphoria I hear my phone ding and I reach for it. A text from Quinn comes through,

Can I come over? -Q

Of course. -S

The drive from Quinn's house to mine takes about 10 min so I know it won't be long before she's here, so I sink down into the mattress and recap the night I had with Brooks, my parents telling embarrassing stories and watching funny movies. So very "couple like". I am smiling to myself lost in my daydreams until I begin to think about him being home with his family now, what they could threaten to take away that might make him scared and run again. The pit in my stomach reminds me that his Dad isn't going to give this up easily, that I could still lose him. I shove the doubts away as I remind myself that Brooks has already shown me how different things are this time. That I'm important to him.

My mind starts racing, the worst-case scenarios play like a slideshow moving through my head. My heart flutters but my panic switches gears quickly as Quinn bursts through my bedroom door. She is a wreck, her hair a matted mess, her face stained with tears, and her eyes swollen and puffy.