Presley
My grandpa, uncles, and aunts finally left. Thank god, because I needed space from everyone. It's bad enough that Nora roped me into going to the Apple orchard. I roped my brothers into agreeing to go, well, maybe.
"You want us to do what?" Parker asked me.
"Go with me to the Apple orchard with Nora and some guy," I answered.
"When did you and Nora hang out?" Pat asked.
My brothers looked at me curiously.
"We started hanging out recently. It's nice not worrying about romantic feelings, considering Nora's like a sister to me," I answered.
"That's good because I'm sure if you dated Nora would thrill Matthew to no end along with Mason," Pax mentioned.
My brothers and I looked at Pax incredulously.
"You were all thinking it," Pax added.
"No, we weren't, you tool," Payton said.
"Can we get back to the fact that baby brother wants us to chaperone a date with him?" Parker questioned.
"Look, I don't want to do this, and I know that Nora feels more comfortable if people are there. You all wanted to hang out, now is your chance," I said, walking away.
My brothers looked at each other.
"If this means it helps Presley, then we're going to the damn apple orchard," Payton told the others.
"Okay, but we're bringing company," Parker added, smirking.
When I mentioned bringing my brothers, that didn't mean to bring your significant others. My brothers took liberties and brought their girlfriends and boyfriend with us. Great, it's another reason to stay home.
I rode with Pat and Pax along with Britt and Shaun. I sat in the back seat next to Pax.
"How are you doing, Presley?" Shaun asked.
I looked at Shaun as Pax looked at me. Then I turned and stared out the window. I didn't want to make small talk with anyone, including my brother's significant others.
"Do you want to climb the trees when we get there? Remember when Pops caught us in a tree when we were younger?" Pax asked me.
"Yeah, Pops threatened to beat our asses. Then I fell out of a tree and broke my arm," I reminded Pax, looking at him. He furrowed his brows.
Pat looked at me through the rear-view mirror with concern as I looked out the window. The car ride had some tension in it. I didn't want to talk about the past or make small talk. I wanted to get this over with and get on with my life.
We pulled up and got out of the car. Nora showed up with Kaylee. That surprised me. Mason, Skylar, Markus, Hayden, Kaxon, and Jesse pulled up. They got out of the car. My cousins greeted me as I stood there.
I watched as some guy walked over to Nora and talk to her and Kaylee. I turned and walked away, checking out the apple orchard.
"How's Presley doing?" Markus asked my brothers.
"Presley's existing," Parker answered.
My cousins looked at each other as I wandered around the orchard alone. Nora is okay with my family there and didn't need me chaperoning her. I walked around the apple orchard, looking at the trees and people. I saw families, friends, and couples.
I found a tree and leaned on it, watching people walk around and pick apples without a care in the world. One day, these people wouldn't be here to pick apples. Eliza wasn't here to partake in activities. Her life's cut short. She would never have kids or grandkids, but these people don't care.
"I found the best part of the apple orchard, picking the apples, not standing here." I heard someone say.
I turned around and saw Kaylee. "What?" I asked.
She walked towards me. "My parents brought my brother and me to the apple orchard. They would let us climb the trees even though the orchards didn't allow it," Kaylee told me.
"My parents took us, and one year I fell from a tree and broke my arm. I blame Pax because he threw apples at me," I said, making Kaylee giggle.
"So, why are you off alone? Isn't the whole point of coming here is to have fun with people?" Kaylee asked me.
"Nora asked me to come and monitor this guy who invited her. I think she's afraid of getting close to anyone because of Matthew," I answered.
"There's nothing wrong with feeling gun shy with someone. I think it there would be a problem if a person wasn't that way," Kaylee mentioned.
"Yeah, well, that's Nora's issue," I said with a bitter tone. I walked away from Kaylee. I didn't need some psychoanalysis about a friend. I walked past trees as Kaylee caught up with me.
"You know, you can have a conversation with a person without acting like a dick to them," Kaylee said.
I stopped and looked at Kaylee. She looked at me casually.
"You know nothing about me," I said.
"Oh? I know how it feels to lose someone you love and feel like a wave crashing over you. While you're grasping to come to the surface, a weight is pushing you down. When you struggle to wake up every day, knowing they aren't here. You would rather exist than live, but guess what? That is not keeping their memory alive. That's letting the person down," Kaylee told me.
I stared at Kaylee and furrowed my brows.
"No one says that you can't grieve, but don't let it keep you from living," she added, then walked away.
I stood there, thinking about what Kaylee said. How do you live when you're barely hanging on?
Kaylee
I walked away from Presley and his pity party. If he wants to sulk, then he could do it alone.
"Hey, I will have you know that I'm not a dick," Presley said, catching up with me.
I stopped and looked at Presley.
"I may grieve," he informed me.
"Is that before or after you jumped in the grave with your girlfriend?" I questioned.
Presley looked at me, shocked. I walked away as he ran after me.
"What is your problem?" He asked me in an angry tone.
"Who says I have a problem?" I questioned.
Presley looked at me, annoyed.
"That is your problem. You assume people have a problem when it's not us but you. I met no one who acts like a sourpuss at an apple orchard," I remarked.
"I'm not a sourpuss," Presley replied.
"Oh?" I asked, then we started arguing.
Parker
Selena and I were picking apples when Payton walked up to us with Josie. We heard arguing and looked past an apple tree to see Presley arguing with the girl Nora brought with her.
"Presley is returning to himself," I mentioned.
"Good, maybe this will light a fire under his ass," Payton added, and I chuckled.
I felt something hit me and looked up. "Pax, I will kick your ass! Stop throwing apples at me, you tool!" I yelled.
"Make me, dumbass!" Pax yelled.
I grabbed hold of a branch and started climbing.
"Yeah, I'm not sure if that was a great idea because Parker can climb trees," Pat mentioned.
"Who cares? We need to add excitement to this stupid trip," Pax replied.
"Then you might want to move," Pat said, pointing at me.
"Well, shit," Pax said, moving to another branch. I climbed after my dipshit brother as he moved. I reached Pax, and he kicked me. That pissed me off as I grabbed his ankle. Pax lost his grip and fell while I held his pant leg.
"Park! You dumbass!" Pax yelled, hanging upside down.
"It's your fault. Damn, did you put on weight?" I yelled.
"No, now pull me up!" Pax yelled as Pat tried to help me.
"What the hell are you three doing?" Payton yelled at us.
"We're hanging around in a tree! What the hell does it look like we're doing?" I yelled.
"I swear to God, if you jackoffs drop me, I will cut off your balls!" Pax yelled.
"Stop moving!" Pat grunted.
"If you drop Pax, Pops will beat the hell out of you!" Payton yelled.
"Then come up here and help us instead of reprimanding us, you twit!" I barked.
Payton started climbing the tree as the branches shook. The closer Payton came to us, then we heard something crack.
"Payton! Don't move!" Josie yelled.
"What? Why not?" Payton yelled.
"Because the branch is ready to break!" Selena yelled.
We all looked at each other. Well, shit.
Presley
Kaylee and I argued as Britt and Nora ran towards us.
"Presley!" Britt yelled.
"What?" I snapped, looking at Britt.
"Your brothers have themselves trapped in an apple tree," Britt exclaimed.
I did a double-take as we ran, following Britt and Nora. We arrived to find my dipshit brothers stuck in a tree with Pax hanging upside down. Markus and the others were standing on the ground, looking at my brothers. Kaxon was eating an apple.
"Why is everyone standing around looking at my idiot brothers?" I asked.
"Because we're smart and didn't throw an apple at Parker," Kaxon answered, biting into his apple.
"Would someone get us the hell down?" Parker yelled.
"Please, and don't let Parker drop me!" Pax yelled, praying.
"You shouldn't have thrown an apple at Parker," Pat reminded Pax.
"Not now, brother!" Pax yelled.
I pulled out my phone and called 911, asking for my station. I gave the dispatcher our location, then hung up. A fire truck pulled up within ten minutes, and a couple guys got out of the truck. They walked over to us.
"Gray? What happened?" Lindsey asked me.
"My idiot brothers happened. First, we need to get Pax, who is hanging down, then Payton. Payton is on a branch that's ready to break," I explained, pointing to my brothers.
Lindsey nodded. He and Cass moved the ladder towards Pax. Cass climbed the ladder to Pax and hooked a harness on him.
"I will wrap my arms around you. I want you to do the same thing. Then on the count of three, I need your brothers to let go," Cass explained.
Once Cass secured Pax, he counted, then Parker and Pat let go. Pax slipped, but the harness caught him. Cass reach over, and Pax grabbed his hand, then Cass helped him over. Once Pax was on the ground, Cass and Lindsey helped my brothers down out of the tree.
"Thanks, guys," I said.
"Better than getting a cat out of the tree," Lindsey chuckled.
I shook my head. Then we heard a scream. We turned as a woman ran towards us.
"Someone help my husband! I think he has a heart attack!" The woman cried, grabbing my arms.
"Ma'am, I need you to calm down and show us where your husband is," I said calmly.
The woman led us to her husband. Lindsey called in the potential myocardial infarction as we found her husband on the ground. Parker and I worked to check the man, then started CPR. I performed chest compressions while Parker puffed into the guy's mouth.
An ambulance arrived, and another paramedic handed me a bag and defibrillator. Kaylee put pads on the man's chest, checking for a pulse.
"No pulse," Kaylee announced.
"I'm shocking, the man. Clear," I announced as I pushed a button. The machine delivered a shock to the heart. Parker continued to bag the man as I waited a minute before delivering another shock.
"We got a pulse," Kaylee announced.
We moved aside as the other paramedics took over for us. They loaded the man onto the stretcher and took him to the ambulance.
"Gray, Hayes, good job," Lindsey said, thanking us. He left with Cass as I stood there.
"Why didn't you let the other paramedics take over?" Parker asked me.
"The first rule, if you respond to a call, you keep working until the person is stable, then hand them off to your relief. Their life comes first," I answered as my family and friends looked at me.
I turned and walked away. My brothers looked at each other.
"Did we miss something?" Markus asked my brothers.
"The night that Eliza died, they ordered everyone out of the building. Presley heard a child and went to save the child. Eliza found out and went after Presley when the Captain told her not to go," Parker said.
Everyone looked at Parker, shocked, except my brothers.
"Ma and Pops found out from Brody when he showed up at the house. They found Presley with the child," Payton added. "He didn't know about what Eliza did until they told him."
"Damn," Markus whispered.
Survivor guilt is a terrible feeling to live within your life. You question everything that you do, or if you did something different, would the person still be here? I didn't know.