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Chapter 43
"So where do you think she might be?" Jackson asks starting the car. She surely isn't back at the club. I assume she's done with school... right? Maybe she's back home
"I think I know where she is," I say. Telling Jackson my address, the long ride starts.
"It'll be alright," he assures me slightly squeezing my thigh.
No, it won't... I have to explain to Bonnie and my mom everything. I have to tell them where I went. Why I disappeared from the face of the Earth with no warnings. I have to explain to Bonnie why I was shooting at strangers in the middle of a strip club.
Hell, I have to explain who Jackson is. My leg starts to shake uncontrollably with each passing house. "Jackson I can't do this," I muster out. "Turn around, I can't do this."
"Yes, you can Brooklyn," Jackson says looking over at me.
"I can't Jackson. What if my mom has a heart attack when she sees me? I'm scared Jackson. I'm so fucking scared." The car starts to feel hot. I roll down the window and stick my head out. The cool air hits my face.
"Do you feel better?" Jackson asks.
Sitting back in the chair, I shake my head. "No, not at all. Are you hungry? I'm pretty hungry."
"Brooklyn, calm down. It's gonna be alright." My leg continues to jump uncontrollably now even faster than before.
Jackson grabs my thigh with one hand and holds the steering wheel with the other. He squeezes my leg, "it's gonna be alright." Jackson says.
His hand is warm and comforting. This small gesture alone calmed me. Resting my hand onto his, I feel slightly better. His hand stays there the entire time.
That hand gives me security and a bit of reassurance. And I needed that more than ever right now.
The houses we pass become even more familiar. "Jackson we're almost there" Knots begin to form in my stomach. "I think I'm about to puke."
Jackson stops the car and we're here. I'm home.
The familiar place I took my first steps. Spoke my first words and the place I watched my little sister come home to. "Stay here," I tell him.
"You sure," he says staring at me. His eyes are full of concern for me. I must look scared out of my mind.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
Opening the car door. I step outside looking up at the one-story brick home. It seemed bigger years ago.
Alright Brooklyn, just walk forward. Clenching my fist I take the first step towards the dark house.
Fifteen more steps Brooklyn, it will be fine. That familiar hand that was on thigh earlier meets my hand. Jackson's hands intertwined with mine.
"You looked like you needed a little help walking to the door." I squeeze Jackson's hand tighter. Jackson returns the squeeze ensuring me he won't let my hand go.
Jackson takes the first step and I follow. Looking down at the path to the front door we're moving way too fast.
"Jackson I-"
"We're here Brooklyn. Look up," he says.
I'm at the front door. All I have to do is knock on the door and I'm gonna be inside the house. I'm gonna see my mom again.
Three knocks are all it takes for the door to swing open.
My little sister Bonnie is standing at the door. Her stripper attire from earlier is exchanged for a t-shirt and shorts.
What should I say? All I can do is stare at my little sister. Looking over her shoulder for small glimpses of my old home.
"Hi," Jackson says speaking up.
"You're the guy that stuffed me in that car." Bonnie sneers.
"Yeah," Jackson says laughing rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry about that but I was just trying to protect you that's all."
"Whatever," she says rolling her eyes. "Brooklyn," she says getting me out of my daze.
"Why are you here?" She asks me.
"I wanted to talk." I mutter
"About?"
"Us," I say. "Can I come in?"
Bonnie moves to the side which I assume mean I can come in. "This has to be quick. I have to go to school in a few hours."
Walking into the house, the familiar smell hits my nose instantly. The smell of lavender, "it smells the same." I say sitting on the couch.
"Alright enough with the chit chat Brooklyn. Why the hell did you decide to come here?" Bonnie takes a seat across from me.
"I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to know how you and mom were doing."
"We're fine," she sternly.
"Bonnie you're a stripper. You're not fine."
"I am fine," she says standing up from the couch. "We are fine! We have everything we could ever ask for."
"But Bonnie... you're taking your clothes off for money. Parading and doing God knows what with random guys."
"It's not like I'm a prostitute. And you're one to talk. Last time I checked killing people isn't a typical nine to five."
"Bonnie, what you saw at the club was... was"
"Brooklyn works for the FBI with me," Jackson says intervening.
"FBI?" Bonnie says confused.
"Yes, the FBI. There's was a human trafficking ring in that club." I lie
"So let me get this straight." Bonnie says laughing, "you left me and mom. By ourselves to join the FBI?" Nodding my head in agreement.
That kinda sounds better than leaving them for my killer boyfriend that I was in love with. "I'm really sorry Bonnie. But I'm back and I want to help."
"Get out," she mutters.
"What?"
"Get Out!" She screeches.
"Bonnie, I don't understand."
"What part do you not understand? The get or the out?"
"Bonnie, I know what I did was wrong but I'm here now!" I plead to her. Bonnie looks mad, extremely mad.
When Bonnie's really upset her eyebrow starts to twitch. "We don't need your help!"
"Yes, you do! Where's mom? Is she working at the hospital right now? I want to talk to her!"
Bonnie snickers slightly, "moms in her room. Go talk to her."
"I will," getting up from the couch. I walk through the kitchen like so many times before and walk to the left. Moms door is closed like always.
She would keep her door closed every night so she won't be disturbed. She would complain to Bonnie and I. She would tell us we were too loud through the night but eventually, she couldn't be bothered to tell us anymore.
Knocking on her white door like a million times before. I take a deep breath and I knock again.
"Mom?" I say. Knocking on her door again. "Mom, it's me... it's Brooklyn."
I get no response, mom?
"I'm coming in," I say through the door. Opening the door I see her sitting in front of a window.
Her usually flawlessly styled hair is in an unkempt ponytail and the chair she's in... is a wheelchair?
Why is she in a wheelchair?
"Mom?" I say. She wasn't in a wheelchair when I left. Walking to face her, the tears finally come out.
My mother's beautiful face looks worn out. Her face is covered in wrinkles. Her once fiery eyes are now lifeless.
Her beautiful brown long hair is now white. "Mom..." I whisper my voice about to crack.
Holding her now lifeless face... she's so cold. "Mom" I squeak. "What happened to you?"
"You," my sister says.
"How long has she been like this."
"A vegetable?" I nod my head. She doesn't look like she's in a coma or anything.
She's still breathing and her eyes are open at least. "It happened three years after you left." Three years?
"What caused this? What happened?"
"One night, a few police officers came to our house and they said they found your dead body in a ditch. After she found out her favorite daughter died she became like this."
I'm not shocked he faked my death but I never knew that it would cause all this pain.
"What is this, What's wrong with her?"
Bonnie shrugs her shoulders. "They don't know, but I'm taking care of her."
" I can help," I offer. "My boss might know a clinic or something that can help."
"Fuck off Brooklyn! You weren't there when we needed you most."
"But I'm here now. I can help!" I can help, I have the money and I'm sure I can... I can do something for them.
"No!" Bonnie shouts. "We don't need you. We don't need your money. We don't need anything from you."
"Bonnie, please." I look over to my mother who is still silent staring out of the window.
"Get out." She says avoiding my eyes.
"Bonnie no. I'm not leaving!"
"Get the fuck out Brooklyn!" She shouts. "And never come back."
"Bon-"
"Leave!" She shrieks.
That hand, that warm hand from earlier is all I feel in this cold room. "Let's go, Brooklyn." That comforting voice says.
My legs start to move. The carpet turns into wood and the wood become grass and I'm in sitting in the car.
"Brooklyn?" Jackson says. My mom was like that for three years? While I've been jetting off to a different country every week.
My mom always wanted to go to Paris and I've been there too many times to count. Now she can't even leave her bedroom. She can't talk, think and god knows what else.
The tears become even bigger. The hot salty liquid covers my cheeks. All I hear is a click and I'm surrounded by heat.
"It's gonna be alright," Jackson whispers. "It's gonna be alright Brooklyn."
"My mom... she's gone," I sniffle. My shortness of breath causes me to barely get my words out.
"No, she's just sick Brooklyn."
"My sister hates me."
"She could never hate you."
"I have no one."
Jackson pulls apart from me. His eyes are the only thing I can see in this darkness. The look he has shows pity, concern and sadness.
"You have me."
Well, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Did I break you guy's heart?
Man one day I should probably stop being evil.
Anyways, aren't you happy that Jackson was there for little ol Brooklyn in her time in need?
Did you guys feel bad for Brooklyn's mom?
I almost feel bad for writing that... almost.
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