Page 7 of Every Sunset
As I passed Max’s room I silently opened his door just enough to peek inside, and I relaxed some when I found him fast asleep, star fishing across his own huge bed. At least he was sleeping soundly after everything. It was a small comfort, but still, it helped.
The cottage was silent as I moved through it, which was so odd to me, but not unnerving. We’d lived in the city back in San Diego, so even in the middle of the night you would always hear something from outside, even if it were just cars and emergencyvehicles on the roads. There, in the guest house I had coined ‘the cottage’ it was completely silent.
I slid open the glass doors and slipped out onto the deck, closing the door behind me once again. On the deck there was a four seat table and chairs, and two sun loungers, all of which looked out over the beauty of the water. It would have been pitch black out, except for the security light that came on overhead the moment I stepped outside. It wasn’t blindingly bright, but it lit the area enough for me to find one of the loungers and get settled on it.
Out there I could hear the quiet, rhythmic lap of the water against the shore and I found it settling and peaceful. I lay my head back against the soft cushion and closed my eyes. In the distance I could hear grasshoppers, and the wind whipping through the full leave of the trees. It was like another world to what I was used to in the city, and that was a reassuring feeling. It reminded me that Max and I were safe, far away from everything that had happened.
I started to doze as my mind seemed to relax some, and I might have even fallen into a deep sleep, because the next thing I knew I was awoken by the sound of a distant crash that sounded like something breaking.
I instantly got to my feet and crept around the side of the cottage to look towards the big house, where I was sure the noise had come from. One of the security lights around the back of the big house had been triggered and was on, and under the light I could see a figure stumbling around as he tried to remain upright, but failed again and again. He staggered into some pot plants and one of them toppled over and again I heard the same smashing sound.
I knew it wasn’t Logan, since this guy was slimmer and nowhere near as wide across the shoulders. So I figured it had to be his brother – Maddox. It had to be, right? Surely no one would break into the grounds and try to break into the house in that state.
I stood watching, considering going back to my room for my cell so I could call Logan to come and help his brother, when Maddox went down again, only this time he cried out loudly, and didn’t get back up again.
I stood, holding my breath for several moments, unsure what to do. Why wasn’t he getting back up? Had he hit his head? Was he unconscious? Should I go over there or just grab my cell and call Logan?
Then sense hit me and I set off running. If the guy had hit his head he could be bleeding out and I was just standing there watching him. I wasn’t that person. If someone needed help, I helped, and these new fears weren’t going to stop me from being that person right then.
I dropped to my knees beside Maddox the second I got to him. He was sprawled out on his back and his eyes were closed, but I couldn’t see any blood or anything he really could have hit his head on, except the walkway he lay out on.
“Hey,” I patted his face. He looked a lot like his brother with the same square chin and dark coloring. His hair was darker, and styled much shorter and neater though. He was tall, but lithe and slim. He smelled like he’d been drinking all day and night though, and his clothes were rumpled and disheveled. “Hey, wake up!” I said a little louder as I moved my hand to his shoulder and gave him a shake. When he still didn’t wake Istarted to panic that he had hit his head and the bleeding could be internal.
Waking Logan and facing him alone was the last thing I wanted to do, but I was right beside the house. Going to grab my cell to call 911 made little sense and would only cost time this guy might not have.
So I took a deep breath, got to my feet, and ran to the steps that led up to the back of the house. I started to hammer on the glass doors as hard as I could, praying the house wasn’t so big that Logan wouldn’t hear me.
Finally, I saw a light come on inside, and then Logan was on the other side of the glass, looking to me with a mix of worry and confusion as he unlocked and practically ripped open the door.
“Anna? What is it? What’s wrong? Where’s Max?” he asked all at once. He stepped outside and so close to me I could feel the heat coming from his body. He was in nothing but a pair of checked pajama pants, his feet bare, but that didn’t seem to deter him from protectively putting himself before me.
“I think it’s your brother. He…I s-saw him fall and he won’t wake now. I think he might have hit his head,” I gasped in a panic as I grabbed his arm and pulled him down the steps towards where Maddox still laid so still.
“Fuck!” Logan hissed, then he pulled from the grip I still had on him and went to his brother, dropping to a crouch at his side.
“Maddox!” he barked as he slapped at his brother’s face way harder than I had dared to. I was just relieved when Maddox stirred with a loud groan.
“Fuck off, asshole!” he added when he saw Logan leaning over him.
“You’re laid out in the back yard, dipshit. Get the fuck up and get to your bed.” Logan sounded exasperated as he spoke, then he looked to me. “I’m so sorry Anna. He’s just drunk. He comes in through the back because he thinks I don’t hear him, but of course I do when he’s falling all over the place,” he sighed tiredly.
“This happens a lot?” I asked,
“More often lately. It’s a long story, but something happened to him and it left him with some injuries he’s struggling to live with, plus it ended the career he loved.”
“With the police?” I pushed.
“Yeah. He was a S.W.A.T. officer, and he loved it. After everything he was medically retired from the force and now I think he’s just a little lost.” I didn’t miss the sadness and concern in Logan’s eyes as he looked to his brother briefly then back to me. Whatever Maddox was going through, it was clearly hurting his brother too.
“Are you sure he’s okay?” I asked.
“Nothing he can’t sleep off. He’ll have the headache from hell come morning though,” he told me as he rose to his full height. “Are you okay? What were you doing out here so late?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I was sitting out on the deck. It’s peaceful out there.”
“Yeah, it is. When we inherited this place we were determined to sell it, but when we saw the view of the lake and realized how peaceful it was, we rethought our plans. Then Maddox got hurt and this place seemed perfect for him to recover. Two years later we’re still here,” he explained.
“It really is a beautiful place to live.”
