Serendipity | Bradley Simpson

five

"Who is this?" The voice asks sharply and as soon as I hear it, I burst into tears.

I recognize the voice, of course I do. I've listened to the voice and the owner of it for all of my life. It was only when I messed up that the voice left me alone and ran for the hills.

Brad squeezes his face in confusion because he sees the recognition on my face, but he clearly does not recognize the voice. How could he? He never met the owner of it.

"D-daddy?" I croak out and for a second, I'm a child again, looking to her dad for guidance.

Brad's eyes shoot up in alarm and shock as he realizes what I've just said. He brings the phone over to me cautiously as the voice speaks again.

Sobs rack my body as my dad speaks to me for the first time in over a year:

"It's alright Sweetheart, it's me."

×

chapter five

f l a s h b a c k

I remember the day my parents left for their trip like it was only yesterday. It was nine a.m. and the whole family was up and loading their belongings into the car.

My mom was re-touching her makeup and making sure that the tickets and passports were in order, while my dad was surveying the house and making sure he'd left everything clean and perfect. Benny was helping him like the good son he always was.

I was plainly sulking and sitting on the couch with a frown. "Do you have to leave?" I asked my mother, who was trying to pluck out a single strand of grey hair, the only indication of her rapidly increasing age.

"Yes, Honey. We told you before, it's imperative that we go to this meeting. This could be the best oppurtunity for our business, plus we'll get to meet some of the world's top business moguls." She said, shutting her make-up bag and stuffing it in her designer handbag.

Before I could even say anything, my dad was bounding down the stairs with a lilt in his step. Benny inherited his cheeriness from my father, no doubt about that.

"Are we ready to go, Laura?" He called out to my mom with a cheery grin.

"Of course." My mother said, sharply following my dad's footsteps towards the car.

Benny followed behind them, and I trailed after him with my words still on the tip of my tongue.

I went through the open door and shivered as the cool London air whipped at my face, and messed up my previously styled hair. The weather was like a physical representation of how I felt on the inside; cold and messy, with no real direction.

My parents were leaving for a year, and as I wordlessly followed them to the driveway, I felt so crushed and defeated on the inside.

I was only seventeen, I needed them.

Benny was nineteen. He was grown up, and he could handle himself. He was a beam of light. A glow that burned bright in the heart of everyone who cared about him. He was a glow that deserved to live, become successful, raise a family, and teach his children to love. He wasn't supposed to die. He didn't deserve to die.

I watched as my parents entered their car. I stood by Benny's side as I watched them, ready to leave.

"Be good." They both said simultaneously, shutting their doors.

"Wait, Mom!" I called out.

"Yes, Sady?" She looked at me with concern.

"I- I, um," I stumbled over my words.