Page 11 of Until Tomorrow Comes
He looks back up at me, rare tears line his eyes and cause my breath to catch in my throat. The sight of him so openly emotional renders me speechless.
“None of them were looking out for you while I was deployed. I was so frustrated that they were letting you jump into things with him, that theylethim propose and marry you, before I even came home. But then again, I’m just as bad as them.” He pushes away from the bed, standing abruptly and pacing the room.
“I let him create distance between us. Even when I was overseas, nothing could keep me from talking to you. And yet I let some prick-faced rich boy weasel his way in and take control?” He stops, staring directly at me as one lone tear finally falls down his cheek. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, Kit-Kat.”
My heart thuds heavily in my chest, the fact that my brother thinks any of this is his fault, nearly cracking it in half.
After swallowing thickly, I take a deep breath, and finally speak.
“You didn’tlethim do anything. No one, except forme, let him do anything. Mom and dad just—”
Alan cuts me off with a humorless laugh, glaring at the door while he speaks.
“Mom and Dad turned a blind eye to what he was doing because they’re benefitingfromhim. They’ve always been selfish. But this?” He waves a hand in my direction. “Anyone with eyes could see that he was no good for you. They saw him draining the life from you, but because doing something about it would disrupt the extravagant life they gained fromhim, they did nothing.” Alan seethes, continuing to anxiously walk the small length of the room.
The room falls silent, as his words seep in. My heart slowly shatters a bit more as I think back over everything that has happened since the day I met Zack.
My dad had introduced us after he met Zack at a business conference. The pair of them hit it off instantly, and the very next day he invited Zack over for dinner at our house. From that night on, if I ever saw them without bringing Zack, it was as if I had offended them.
Once they met his parents, our families began doing everything together and the rest was history.
I was so caught up with the thrill of having Zack’s attention, that I didn’t even realize how often I was ignored, or the walls that were slowly shutting me off from everyone around me. No one even noticed when the last brick slotted into place, with me behind it.
Or maybe they did, and they just didn’t care.
Something wet lands on my hand, I stare at the drop just as another lands next to it. It takes me longer than it should to realize what it is. Tears slide down my cheeks uncontrollably and yet all I can do is stare at them as they begin to form a tiny puddle on my hand and soak into my skin.
Alan places his hand on mine, effectively pulling me back from the brink of my own internal destruction.
“How did this happen?” My voice is barely above a whisper.
I didn’t even mean to say it out loud, but the question slips out before I can stop it.
Alan hesitates before gently sitting down on the edge of the bed next to me. His arm wraps around me, being mindful of my broken ribs and bruises that cover my body while he holds me.
He doesn’t say anything but then he doesn’t need to. My brother is here, and somehow that is enough.
***
“We sent the prescription to your pharmacy. You can call them for a timeframe on when they’ll be ready. Do you have any more questions?” Cori asks gently. Her brows have been scrunched together since she walked in here to go over and have me sign the discharge paperwork. She’s repeated herself multiple times and it’s obvious that she is stalling my departure.
I risk a glance at my brother, only to find him turning away to cover his smirk. My eyes roll as I face Cori again.
“Cori, I’m okay. The pain is manageable with the meds. While I appreciate everything you’ve done, if I have to be stuck here for one more day, I might actually go insane.”
She crosses her arms, shifting her weight between her feet while chewing her lip as she studies me for longer than necessary. I don’t say anything, simply letting her examine me until she finds whatever she needs.
My degree might have gathered a lot of dust over the past couple years, but I more than understand that occasionally someone will land in your caseload that hits differently than all others. The fact that this woman would dare to care about me on a personal level, not just another chart in her stack, makes my throat tighten.
With a sigh, she lets her arms drop to her side. Her features relax slightly as she nods. She glances over her shoulder at Alan before turning back to me.
“You have the office number and my extension, right?” She asks, even though she knows I do.
“Yes, I have it written down in my purse and Alan has it saved for when I get a phone.” I indulge her.
She chews her bottom lip for a moment longer. Without thinking, I step forward and open my arms. Her features soften and she wraps her arms around me.
After a long moment, that is definitely more for her than me, she pulls away. Placing both hands lightly on my shoulders, she looks me dead in the eyes.
