When I was younger and had nightmares, Toby had a remedy to helping me get back to sleep. He had laid in bed with me and told me to think of a time and place that brought back peaceful and serene memories.
Lucas had always said warm milk was the best cure. Tossing and turning in my bed, his solution to my insomnia seemed to be the best answer. Kicking my soft, warm comforter off, I sat upright and stared at my feet hanging a few feet above the ground until I was fully awake. The worst feeling was being stuck in the delirium between being asleep and awake. Once I was able to force myself up from my suddenly lumpy and uncomfortable mattress, I stepped out of my room and headed directly for the stairs.
Each step drained the little bit of energy I had. I was relieved when I finally hit the bottom stair, hesitant as I lingered in the foyer. I could hear the quiet sound of chattering from the TV in the living room, meaning that someone was awake and watching it after lights out.
I was too exhausted to call whichever brother it was on the sofa out, and crept in front of the TV to see who it was. "Griffin?"
I hadn't seen a male look so vulnerable in my life. Everything about Griffin's demeanor said he was upset. The ragged breaths that shook his shoulders, the veins lacing through his exhausted and glistening eyes, even the parting of his chapped lips.
"Shit." he croaked, voice hoarse as if he'd been screaming. He quickly swiped at his cheeks and eyes, "What are you doing awake?"
"What are you doing awake?" I shot back, speaking softly. I was afraid one wrong choice of word would send him in a downward spiral.
"Got a phone call." he barely whispered. "You?"
"Couldn't sleep. I have a lot on my mind." I watched his cheeks flush as he nodded in understanding.
"I don't want to hold you up. Just get whatever you need and go back to bed." He said with a warning look.
"Why were you crying?" it left me before I could stop it. I immediately wanted to take it back when I saw his eyelashes flutter. He was trying to hold back tears.
"It doesn't matter. Go to bed, Alex." I only stood in front of him, starting to cross my arms.
"Griffin." this time it was me that had the warning tone. He dropped his face in his hands, pushing his messy hair from his forehead as he stared at me.
"He died." I had to grasp the TV stand in my hand to keep myself from collapsing.
"Griff-"
"I don't want to hear your sympathetic bullshit, Alexis. What is sitting her and apologizing going to do?" I lowered my head, keeping my eyes averted from the emotional shell of Griffin.
My mind fell into a shouting match, two sides raging war against each other. One side wanted to go in the kitchen and get what I came down for, forgetting this happened. The other side was weighing the options of walking over and comforting Griffin, knowing he'd push the sympathy and pity away.
I found my feet leading me in the direction of the couch and the boy seated in the middle of it, "I'm sorry, Griff."
He didn't say anything in return, but allowed his eyes to follow me until I was on the couch beside him. I slid my hands up his bare arm, shaking my head.
"I'm so sorry."
What Griffin did next would forever be imprinted in my memory. He gently shrugged off my hand, outstretched his arms, then pulled me against his hard chest, his face buried in my unruly mess of waves.
"I love you, Alex." his voice was muffled by my shoulder, "Thank you."
I wasn't exactly sure what he was thanking me for, but in those quiet few minutes I spent in his arms, it didn't really seem to matter all that much.
*
I had only met Emery Young twice in my life. He was almost ten years older than his brother, and had been serving overseas for as long as I could remember. Two years ago, he had been come home with a broken arm, but was deployed the second his arm was healed. Griffin had never been particularly fond of his parents obvious favoritism, and the feelings had been taken out on his brother. It resulted in an incredibly rocky relationship between the two, and they hadn't spoken since Emery was sent back.
As I stood out by the mailbox, it wasn't the response to the letter I had sent that was rattling around in my head, but the broken look that had been in Griffin's eyes and were still there every time I glanced in his direction.
He had pushed his feelings back down when he woke up, acting as if they hadn't ever been there in the first place. He was back to the Griffin that we knew all too well, the Tin Man without a heart.
"Are you going to check the mail or not?" Ethan shouted from the doorway, "You've been standing out there staring at the box for ten minutes."
I stuck my tongue out childishly, opening the mailbox before Ethan could throw himself down the stone steps and tear the mail from me and go through it.
I closed the box with my elbow and walked the path as slow steps, going through the envelopes until I found a small green envelope with my information typed on a sticker and smacked right onto the front of it.
"Took you long enough." Ethan muttered, tearing the rest of the mail from me and yelling down the hall for the rest of our brothers. I rolled my eyes at his immaturity and sat at the kitchen table, biting my lip.
"I'm going to my room!" I cupped one hand around my mouth as I yelled so the entire house would hear it. I got a few responses, but most of the boys ignored me entirely. I grabbed at the railing of the stairs, catching a glimpse into my dad's office through the gap between the steps. I backed down on to the tile and made my way down the hall, eyebrows beginning to draw together in confusion.
A blonde woman in a business suit sat on the futon, legs crossed over one another as she sipped at a mug.
"You can't possibly believe that, Jared. You look incredible for your age." the woman winked, blatantly flirting with my father. A sick feeling started to set in my stomach as I awaited my dad's answer.
"Not as great as you." I gripped the door frame as Dad leaned down and kissed the blonde, prying the mug from her grip and seeing it on the table.
I pushed the back of my hand against my mouth as I stumbled away, afraid I might throw up.
The woman couldn't have been much older than I was and my dad had been forcing his tongue down her throat while Aliyah was out getting groceries.
I spun on my heel, ready to take off toward the stairs, only to come face to face with my stepmother. Her black hair had been tied into a tight bun on her head, her pale green eyes glistening with excitement.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" she asked.
"I don't feel very good." at least I wasn't lying entirely, "My stomach hurts. Probably cramps or something."
She frowned, rubbing my arm, "I'm sorry, sweetie. Do you need anything?"
I need for you to take me and get us the hell away from this place until I can figure out how to tell you your husband is cheating on you with a girl young enough to be his daughter.
"I'm good. Thank you." I hugged her, kissing her cheek with a tight smile before darting up the stairs, skipping a few on my way up. I threw myself down on my bed when I reached the room, hugging the small envelope against my chest.
Whatever was on the inside of this letter would change my life and I didn't know if I was ready for it.
"I don't want to do this." I whispered to myself as I propped myself up against my pillows and slid my nail under the tape to cut it. The letter I pulled out wasn't handwritten, but typed and printed. I took in a deep breath and released it shakily, unfolding the paper so I was able to see the entire thing.
With another shaky breath, I forced my eyes to the top of the page and clenched the piece of paper in my hands with a strange tightening in my chest.
***AN***
Hope you guys enjoyed!
Are you curious to see what was written back? Do you think it's Alex's mother or someone else?
Let me know what you thought!
~ChasingMadness24