Shattered

By AwkwardlyMegs

20.1K 533 323

Family is always there for you, but what happens when you throw them away? Selfish reasons and bitter pride h... More

Shattered
1: Maybe He Needs A Hug
2: You're Not Wanted Here
3: Fighting Inside Himself
4: I Don't Trust People
5: Andrew Kline
6: Banana Pancakes
7: There's A Chance
8: Pick Up The Pieces
9: Flowers In Your Hair
10: Risky
11: Leaving
12: Mr. Worthington, meet Mr. Worthington
13: Lovingly yours, Brooke Elise
14: The Moon Makes Three
15: For You
16: An Empty Mansion
17: Ambition
18: Little Women
19: The Yellow Envelope
20: The Bellboy
21: Battlescarred
22: You Again
24: The Shattered Glass

23: The Promise

541 10 1
By AwkwardlyMegs

The next months passed much too quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the end of July, and next, it was almost the day that three had been dreading more than they were willing to admit.

  In a solemn silence, Brooke, Brianna, and Jacob sat around the small television, as Jacob flicked through the channels. Each tried not to think about the next day, but it was hard not to, when it seemed that no one could think of anything cheerful to say. It was the last night they had together as a 'family.' At least the last night for a while. They had not spoken of it the entire day, but they had not spoken much anyway. The mark on the calendar confirmed their sorrows, and small array of luggage in the hallway was like a weight on their shoulders.

  As he flicked through the channels, the word 'Worthington' caught Jacob's attention. Curious, he turned it back to the channel he had heard it from, and listened attentively to the female news reporter.

  "That's right, folks," she said, "It was confirmed just a few minutes ago. Convicted murderer Robert Worthington was found not guilty. His son, Bradley's defense was convincing enough for the jury. So much so, that it was a unanimous decision. The real question here is, is Robert really innocent, or was his son forced to lie for the sake of his father? Channel 9 news contributor Frank Thompson weighs in. Good evening, Frank."

  Jacob changed the channel, and avoided looking at the two sisters. They did not know what to feel, exactly. Mostly relieved that their father was not a murderer, but also conflicted, they both remained neutral. There was a time to talk about a subject like that, but it being their last night with Jacob, then was not the time.

  The morning crept upon them, and each struggled to get up. Fully dressed, but half asleep, they stood around in the kitchen. It was much different than the night before; they seemed to have more to say than they could handle. For Brooke and Brianna, it was like saying good-bye for forever. It was like losing another member of the family. Jacob assured them every few minutes that he would be home soon. Deep down in their hearts they knew he was right, but they had begun to feel pessimistic about it. What if he did not come back? How could they handle losing him?

  "Hey I got you something," said Jacob to the sisters. He quickly left the kitchen, and returned a moment later with something hidden behind his back. "Ta-da!" he said, revealing to them a stuffed skunk.

  He handed it to Brianna. "I named it Jacob," he said pridefully. 

  "Clever," Brooke laughed, as she watched Brianna stare sadly down at the stuffed animal.

  "I thought it was," said Jacob, who could not help the jubilance that he felt on that summer morning. 

  Suddenly, Brianna rushed toward Jacob and threw her arms around him. It was about the dozenth time she had hugged him that morning, but he did not mind in the least. It was comforting to him to know how much he was going to be missed.  

  "Don't forget to be awesome, Brie," said Jacob, as she cried silently into his chest. "I'm not trying to be funny. You are an incredible young woman. You're going to be taller than me by the time I get back."

  "But you're like seven feet tall," Brianna mumbled through her tears.

  Jacob smiled. "Keep your head up, kiddo. Everything's going to be fine. And when I get back, we'll just continue on as we did before. I'll be home in a little while, and when I get back, I want some banana pancakes and a back rub. Got it?"

  "That's the plan, Stan," said Brianna, her eyes shut tightly as she tried to stop the tears. 

  A few minutes later, they were out the door, walking down the sidewalk. The bus stop was only nearly a mile down the road, but the August heat made it much worse than it actually was. 

  The bus stop was a small, beaten down sign in front of a gas station. The three approached it with sadness, as they knew it was the last place they would be together for a while. Jacob checked his watch; he had under five minutes left with them. 

  "Brie, can you run into the gas station super fast and get me a bottle of water?" he asked, pulling out a one dollar bill from his pocket and handing it to her. He hated making her do it, but there was something important he needed to do with Brooke; something he had to do with her alone.

  "Sure, I'll be right back," said Brianna, running off toward the gas station's store.

  Jacob watched her until the door to the shop closed behind her. He put his luggage down on the sidewalk, and turned to Brooke. She opened her mouth to speak, but she never got the chance to say anything. Jacob leaned forward, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

  "I'm sorry," he whispered, as they slowly broke apart. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I never found out what it was like to kiss the most beautiful woman in the world."

  Brianna came walking down through the parking lot of the gas station, just as the bus pulled up.

  "And how was it?" Brooke whispered softly, with a look of peaceful confusion on her face.

  "Better than I could have imagined," Jacob said quietly, as Brianna approached, handing him a bottle of water. 

  The doors to the bus opened, and Jacob nervously bent down to pick up his luggage. At that point the sadness was beyond tears, and with an understanding exchange of nods, Jacob climbed onto the bus. Brooke and Brianna watched as he took a seat, already missing his presence. He stuck his head out of the window and mouthed "I love you."

  The bus drove off, leaving behind only the smell of gasoline. Perhaps it was from the gas station, but it was more comforting to feel that some part of that bus had stayed there with them. The sisters watched in silence as it drove off, and disappeared in the hazy horizon. After a few moments of longing, as they tried to accept the reality, they turned around and began to walk toward home.

  With a sunken heart, and the look of confusion from the kiss etched upon her face, Brooke put her arm around Brianna, and they slowly walked down the sidewalk. With a thousand different thoughts flooding their heads, the one that seemed to stick out the most, was wondering just how long a year could last.

  They still had not spoken as they walked up the wooden staircase toward the apartment, but the shock that awaited them up at the top was enough to render them speechless for days.

  "With all sincerity in my heart and in what I say, I need to speak to both of you," said Bradley, fanning himself with his hand as he stood in front of their door in a black suit.

  "Take off that coat," said Brianna, looking up at him worriedly, "it's nearly 100 degrees out here, you're going to pass out."

  "Come inside," said Brooke, slowly walking past him to open up the door. He touched her arm gently and shook his head.

  "What I need to say needs to be said out here," he said. "I want anyone who wants to hear it to hear it."

  Brooke gave a small nod, pushing him to continue. She was close enough to him to see the sweat trickling down his forehead, and she wondered how long he had been there waiting.

  "When I came here almost a year ago," he choked out in a rush, "I came for all the wrong reasons. I did not know why I wanted to come back, and I don't think I figured it out while I was here. I figured just by showing up that things would go back the way they were and that I wouldn't have to worry about apologizing. Recently I found out just how wrong I was."

  "Bradley-" Brooke interjected.

  "No, let me continue," he said, nearly trembling, as he tried to spit out everything he had to say. "I have realized how much I miss being a family. I have been a stubborn idiot all these years, and I wish that I had known as much as I do now. For now, I know just how important family is. It took me the realization of pain to understand that. All summer I have grown close to a young boy in Ohio. He doesn't have any parents; only a foster mother. He is so full of joy, that you would never imagine at first knowing him how much pain he is in. It took me forever to get him to open up to me, and now I see him struggle on a daily basis. I couldn't believe that his parents would not want him, because he is a delight to everyone who knows him. How could someone leave him? It was hard for me to understand, but one day he asked me about my family. I realized later that I had done the same thing that his parents had, and that broke me down. I wanted to change that, but I also want you both to realize that that's not the only reason I'm here. I miss being your brother. I miss helping you with homework, and playing video games; I miss making fun of you and when we would sneak out in the middle of the night and just walk around town. I know it's too late for me to be here, at this point, but if you will just accept me as I am, I promise I will take care of you like I should have all along."

  His chest moved rapidly up and down as he struggled to catch his breath. There was liquid all over his face, but it seemed that most of it was tears. There was something about the desperation in his eyes that factored toward the sincerity of his words. 

  Brooke stood speechless for a moment, as she delighted over the words he spoke. And at last, she decided to delight in him. In one swift movement, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and embraced him tightly. With eyes flooded in tears, Brianna stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around the both of them. 

  And even though it was hot and humid around them; even though they were all sweating like pigs, and even though they were all so broken inside; they found refuge in each other. It was not just that they were reunited, it was that they were beginning to be rebuilt. 

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