✓ [18+] WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL

X. Damn, That's Rough

"Nate, are you going to explain this shit to me? I'm really worried about her," I look down at him pleadingly. I just want answers.

Nate eyes me seriously for a second, like he's debating on if I can be trusted with some family secret. He pulls his Stetson off his head and runs his fingers through his hair. When he puts the hat back on, he exhales and begins to tell me something I never would've predicted.

"Bryan, Bryan Scott, is Heather's ex-fiancé. They were together for four years. He was her first love, if that is what you want to call it. I honestly think it was just the first person she got serious with. My sister was well known for having a new guy every other month. Not saying my baby sister is easy because she's not, she just didn't want to deal with the commitment of relationships. She was carefree and young and wanted to have fun. But that all stopped when she started dating Bryan."

"I really liked the guy the first three years of their relationship. He seemed like a good guy who could put up with my sister's crazy personality. I mean I know as her big brother, she can be quite a handful. I think that's why her and Bex have been best friends for so long, they're both two peas in a pod," he smirks with a chuckle and I mirror the expression in agreement. From the little I've seen of Heather's personality, she's very similar to Bex.

"Wait, you said the first three? What happened with the last year?" I laugh and lean back against the tailgate of the truck. Nate moves to stand next to me, leaning on it as well.

"He just completely changed into a different guy. Went from having a steady job to unemployed and rotating out of jobs before he even got his first paycheck. He was always there for my sister before and then suddenly just started coming home later at night. Even had the nerve to claim he was always out trying to find a job or working late when he did have one. Of course Hev started getting suspicious and when she confronted him about it, he proposed to her. I thought it was weird the way he did it and it wasn't until three months ago when I finally realized why he did it."

"To shut her up? Figured if he married her she'd stop nagging," I suggest and he nods his head.

Why do some guys do that shit? They treat the woman they're with shitty like that and then give them anything they want, even though they themselves don't want it, like that's going to make everything better. I guess I'll never understand the manipulation behind it.

"Yup," he sighs and shakes his head.

"So what happened three months ago?" I ask and look over at him to watch his expression. I can see the sadness in his eyes as he remembers it.

"It was their wedding day," as soon as he says that, I can already guess what's coming next, and I feel my heart break for her.

"One of the most important days of her life and the mother fucker left her. No warnings, no apologies, nothing. He couldn't even show up himself and do it in person. He had one of his friends, his best man, come to the church and do it. Thankfully he found me first because he sure wasn't gentle about what Bryan told him to say. That showed Bryan's true nature to me that day. Of course I didn't tell her and she'll never find out because it would only break her heart more. So I had to go in the dressing room, see my baby sister so happy, and break her heart. One of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I saw a part of my sister die that day. She hasn't been the same since."

"Back in the day, if she went through a break up, she'd be upset for a couple days and then bounce back, but she still hasn't. She won't date anyone, she doesn't even trust anyone because she's so scared to go through that again. But who wouldn't? There's moments when I think I finally see her again and then shit like this has to happen. I wish he'd just leave her alone and let her move on. I offered to put a restraining order on him but she told me not to. I don't know if she's still in love with him or just the idea of what she thinks they had, but either way, it's not healthy," he runs his hand across the back of his neck and I look down at the ground.

Poor Heather.

I couldn't imagine what she's gone through, to have your heart broken so badly and especially on your wedding day. It's changed her whole outlook on love, relationships, marriage, the whole thing. No one should be that scarred to totally give up hope on the happiness that comes with those important milestones in life.

I know right now I'm going to have my hands full with my promise I made to myself. This hasn't changed my mind on her at all. If anything I want to try even more.

That beautiful girl, deserves the world. I don't know her at all, but from just the few times I've spent with her, I know she's a good person who doesn't deserve the hard hand that God's given her.

I understand that God only gives us what we can handle, but that doesn't mean we have to do it alone. I'm not going to let her be alone with this. I will find the part of Heather that she let go of three months ago and seal it back into her heart, making her whole again.