Someone To Watch Over You

Chapter 40

"You didn't expect me to stand by and watch it happen did you?" I asked equally stunned.

Aidan shrugged. "I always thought if you did find out, that you'd..."

"That I'd what?" I pressed.

"That you wouldn't love me anymore," Aidan announced.

I pulled him into a hug. "That's just because you're an idiot. Unfortunately being gay doesn't change that."

Aidan shoved me away from him. "Yeah and you're a jerk and being straight ain't going to help you with that either."

We both laughed and went home. Now that I think of it, I do remember him stopping to pick up something but I didn't realize it was the rock and he didn't keep it because he finally got justice from Colin, he kept it because of me because he was afraid I wouldn't love him and he knew then I always would.

"Why couldn't I be there? Why couldn't I protect him, like I did that day?" I mumbled as I cried, grasping the rock tight in my closed hand. Two arms held me, wrapped around my side as I recalled the memory and the memory of the day I wasn't there to save my brother.

"Lunch is ready," Cat announced and Tina promptly let me go and stood up from the bed.

"What's going on here?!" Cat asked placing the tray down on the bureau.

"It's not what it looks like," Tina proclaimed as she stood aside for Cat to reach me.

"Alex?"

I looked up at her with a tear-stained face and whatever thoughts she may have been thinking about Tina and me, vanished.

"Oh, Alex."

I grabbed her around the middle and pulled her in between my legs so I can hug her, hold her. My face rested against her pregnant belly as her fingers ran through my hair. "It's going to be alright," Cat soothed.

Just then I felt something. I felt something move against my cheek. I pulled back startled. Cat looked at me with wide eyes. "Did you feel that?"

"Was that?"

Cat just nodded with tear-filled eyes. "I can't believe you felt it too."

I kissed Cat's stomach. "I love you, too, Peanut." I was now crying for a completely different reason but Cat and I were laughing too.

Tina brought us over our lunches Cat had prepared on a plate. We ended up have an impromptu picnic on Aidan's bed. As we sat there together, I told them both about each object in the memory box as we ate. There were a lot of laughs, and a few more tears but by the time lunch was over I felt lighter. Like part of the boulder that had been suppressing me had been chipped away making it easier for me to breathe.

I called back the funeral home and set up an appointment now that I knew that Cat was good. Tina, I set up in the guest bedroom. It was a little further from our room but she didn't feel right staying in Aidan's room.

Again I had to wonder why it was that my parents kept Aidan's room the same but totally changed mine. Not that I expected them to keep all my stuff, I just thought they would have wanted to erase the memory of Aidan ever being there, being a part of our family.

Cat stayed with Tina as I drove to the funeral home. The funeral home was run by the Wolfe Family. Tracy Wolfe was the mother, and who was currently helping me make the arrangements.

"My mother is in the hospital at the moment," I began to explain. "I don't wish her to miss the funeral. How long can I postpone?"

Tracy had a look of concern. "I'll be honest with you Alex. The coroner had the body a few days now, we've already begun the embalming process to preserve it, but we can't go longer than a week, especially if you are planning an open casket for the viewing."