Page 89 of Unwritten Rules

My mother hated her family from what I gathered. She never talked about them much, but I got the gist that she wasn’t treated well. With her success, her five siblings attempted to come around and cozy up to her when she became the family’s golden child instead of the black sheep.

She turned them all down.

I remember the stories my mother told me about when she was a kid. It was like she was a success from birth despite what her family felt about her. She started trying to make cookies for money to pay for an item she wanted. Then, she moved onto simple services like cleaning and pet sitting. It was a story I couldn’t live up to because everything was handed to me.

A go getter who took no shit from anyone? I was not her.

Cancer dragged her down in the end. Far too early. I was eternally grateful for everything she gave me, but I wasn’t sure that she made the right choice. Did she really think I was capable of handling what the world would throw at me? If she did, I needed answers to my burning questions.

She wasn’t here to give them to me, so I hoped to God that I could find the answers within the company she left me.

Kelly was silent as the TV played in the background. I searched her expression to see if something else might be hiding deep down. There had to have been signs I missed if she was able to hide so much within herself. Just like Brent, she was too calm and collected for my growing anxiety.

Speaking of the devil, he knocked on my door right on time.

He was on the porch holding two very large bags full of the diner food he promised delivery for. That he pinky promised. I couldn’t contain my happy dance when I saw the bags.

“Wearing thatanddancing for me? It must be my lucky night.” He kicked his shoes off and stepped into the living room.

“Woah, who said you were staying?”

“Hey, now. I went all the way over there and back to get you all this. I think I deserve to eat some food, too.”

Kelly looked up from her phone. “Brent for the second day in a row?”

I looked him up and down, biting my lip. “Fine. No funny business, though! ”

He chuckled and kissed my forehead.

This fucking guy.

He leaned down to me and dropped his voice to a whisper. “I take your businessveryseriously.” His eyes scanned my body with a look that said he was hungry for more.

Grabbing the bags from him, I ignored his comment and dragged them to the kitchen. I was absolutely famished from not eating enough and then throwing up. Today was shit and I was not going to process it–Evans might have ideas for therapy later.

Therapy sounded like a solid option.

But who did one talk to about witnessing a murder? Were there elite therapists too? I wouldn’t know if I could even trust another living soul enough to tell them without developing even more paranoia. Nothing would ever feel normal.

“How’s my favorite waitress?” I asked.

“She wondered if you were my girlfriend. So, I told her yes.” He sat down with the same confidence and nonchalance as he normally did. It wasn’t technically normal to be that chill, but who was I to say anything? “Also, did you know your bodyguard dude is camped out in front of your house all by himself?”

“He does that sometimes. Wait. Did you just say you told Martha that I was your girlfriend?”

Kelly came out of the kitchen with silverware and plates. “Does this mean you two are official and Garrett is nixed?”

“No,” I said.

“Yes,” Brent said at the same time.

She was obviously trying not to laugh at him injecting himself into my life. “That clearseverythingup. You two are something else.”

I looked him dead in the eyes. “I hate you.”

“That’s not what you were saying last night.” He casually started eating his food after looking at me again with that same expression.Hungry.

Being casual was not what I expected. My brain felt broken. Everything still felt just out of reach. “I need the both of you to explain just what in the hell is going on. Also, why are you two so chill after watching someone die? This has to be a normal occurrence if you two are as cool as cucumbers despite me trying not to lose my mind and can’t help but vomit in the kitchen.”

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