Loving Ashlynn (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 56 - Truth (Brennan Conrad POV) Pt.3

Chapter 56 – Truth (Brennan Conrad POV) Pt.3

Things had changed, shifted, while we were on the road, my granddad Antone had become more of the man that my mother probably would remember when she was my own age.

I left Javier on the bus to go search for Antone before everyone returned to the bus for bed. Javier was kind of taking what he could get at the moment. Between deep sobs and straightening himself up because he thought someone might be coming. He just lost a parent and for whatever reason not that I blamed him, he wanted to grieve alone; not even with Devin.

Peeking outside, I see everyone still relaxing. A complete different atmosphere than the one I left in the bus.

"Sweetheart?" my grandma Bess calls startling me from behind. What little lines rest permanently on her face crease, "You okay? Javier?" She whispers brokenly.

I thought for sure she may have stayed with Devin after coming on the bus in search of granddad learning the fate the other Rosario's had.

"That poor family," she adds when I just shrug.

That was the thing, outside of what she had just said now, 'that poor family' I didn't know what to say to my friend. Hell, I asked if he wanted me to get Talia but he was quick to shut that down.

"I want her to come back to me more than anything, it hurts to be without her right now," he said pitifully, "but I want her with me for the right reasons and right now she'd only come back because she feels sorry for me – you and I both know how Talia is," I nodded, leaving him and coming in search of Antone for I don't even know what.

Guidance?

I'm not sure what to say.

Sure I had experienced loss with Silas but I'm not sure I could even begin to process the pain Javier was in right now. I mean the way he saw it, it was his entire fault despite what he said a loud.

He was placing blame on his parents and Taylor, but there was just something about the way he said that as well. It was as though he felt like he could have prevented everything that happened.

The truth was all muddied.

In a hushed tone I lean towards my grandma, "I don't know what to say or act. I'm-" I press my lips together.

"You what sweets?"

My heart jerks kicking back almost like a faulty break. "I know the truth now and when Devin arrived I was furious at Taylor," I start, hushed. "Now, Javier, with what he's said... I'm furious with Shannon and Javier Senior. I don't understand how they thought anything they did was helping anyone. I mean their dead and it's like they left Javier and Devin to deal with their bad decisions?"