Broken Strings

C H A P T E R T H I R T Y

And for a second, he felt pity for him. Because Franco could easily remember the day he'd been in Andrew's shoes. When he'd been waiting in the hospital room, waiting for the doctor's to tell him that his girlfriend was going to be okay.

But then Franco could also see the similarities between Anisha and Cassie. Because Anisha had the same ambience of sorrow and heartbreak around her.

"You know I still remember everything you said to me at Cassie's funeral." He chucked, pitifully. "Something about how I was a pathetic excuse for a boyfriend and I couldn't even take care of the girl I loved."

"Yet I could tell you the exact same thing right now." Franco paused, shrugging as Andrew looked at him. "Aren't you a hypocrite now, Andrew? I'm sure you're husband of the year and all the shit. But then you can't even take care of your own wife, can you? You can't even take care of the woman whose promised to you."

"Fuck off. I don't want to do this right now." Andrew buried his face in his hands, hiding away from Franco's accusing gaze, the mistakes around him and the woman he'd wronged.

It was an indescribable fear. That was all.

Andrew didn't know what was going on. But he was filled with fear.

And all he could think about was Anisha. He shut his eyes as they glossed, swelling with heavy tears. He could remember everything about her.

A harsh whimper escaped his lips as everything fell apart from him.

For a second, he could remember everything.

The way she'd smiled at him, shyly as he'd convinced her to go on a date with him. And then, the way her eyes had sparkled when he'd twirled her around, promising her that he was going to marry her one day. And the bright lights flashing around her as he'd kissed her under the stars. And her soft laugh, mumbling soft sounds as they held Ryan for the first time. And her hands, entangled in his hair as she played with his hair, promising him that they'd be okay. That she'd always love him.

His lips trembled and he shook in place, crying and falling apart.

He couldn't lose her.

"Why does Anisha think you blame her for what happened to Cassie?" Franco quickly looked away, refusing to look at Andrew's pitiful state.

"God damn it, I said fuck off." Andrew's words were barely a whisper.

"No, you need to listen. I listened to all the fucking shit you told me when Cassie died. Now, it's your turn to listen. You told me it was my fault. And I'm guessing you probably told Anisha the same fucking shit."

"Cassie killed herself. You need to accept that and get over it. It's been fourteen years now. How long are you going to wallow in self-pity like that." Franco nodded, looking down at the ground.

It was the truth and Andrew needed to hear it. Just like Franco had needed to hear it to move on, to heal and be better.

"Cassie decided to kill herself. It was her choice. I couldn't have saved her. Neither could have Anisha nor you. Cassie didn't want be to saved."

Franco smirked, a slight upwards quirk. "You know I get it now. You and Cassie are real similar, siblings tend to have similar behaviors sometimes. And it's true. You both only care about yourself and yourself only. You're both so fucking selfish. Cassie only cared about herself and that was it. It didn't matter that I loved her or people cared about her. She only cared about her pain."

"You're the same, Andrew. Cassie's been dead for years and you only care about your pain. Your sister is dead and I get it hurts. Losing someone you love hurts. But you've intentionally done every fucking thing possible to try and hurt Anisha. It doesn't matter that Anisha's hurting because the only person you care about is yourself. You're in pain and that's all you care about."

"I'm not telling you this because I'm trying to get back at you for everything you've said to be. We both know the harsh things you said after Cassie's death. But you need to hear this. I couldn't have saved Cassie. I knew she was hurting but she didn't want me to help her. I couldn't save the girl I loved. But how are you different?"

"You don't even know that Anisha is sick." Franco swallowed, clearing his throat before he looked around the waiting room.

There was a picture of a painted flower. A beautiful flower.

"Our baby was stillborn. And things fell apart for me and her after that. And then she was gone. I was numb for a while, I had no idea what I was supposed to do or what was even going on. I...But I got over it. You can't keep crying about something for the rest of your life, Andrew. You need to get on with life, move on. And you need to be willing to at least try."

"I mean I did and I'm fine now." Franco smiled, faintly. "Doctor's don't always save lives."

"If Anisha doesn't make it, are you going to blame to doctor? The doctor's in the OR doing everything he can to try and save her. And Anisha did the same for Cassie. You have no right to blame Anisha. And you shouldn't blame yourself. Or me." Franco stood up, picking up with daughter and motioned for his other daughter to get up.

"I couldn't have saved her. I've thought about everything that led up to that point but you know I couldn't have done anything differently. And there's no way that I could've known about what she was going to do. And it's the same for you, Andrew. You've been so stuck on the past that you've ruined your life and your wife's."

"I mean, you don't know anything about what Anisha feels or what she's been through. You don't even know what wrong with her."

Franco looked up, nodding to the doctor as he walked in.

"It's the fifth floor, Andrew. Don't you know why they're going to transfer Anisha to the fifth floor?"

"She's a cancer patient. That's why."

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school is hard. I got intimidated by the syllabus already so after class, I ate ice cream and started stressing. And then I wrote this, probs why it's shit but idc

I'll upload the second part friday, promises. I don't feel like writing the rest of the chapter and a little bit is better than nothing or no?