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KATE
"Wouldyou mind dropping by the cemetery before taking me home?" I asked once we got in Drew's car after my family's memorial activities were done.
It had been an emotional day for everyone. I had loved reliving the memories my family and Drew had of my brother. But while it had been therapeutic, it had also been hard. Aiden had been a ray of sunshine, everyone's friend, the wise but fun older brother. The day had ended with everyone writing a message to Aiden then attaching it to a balloon and sending it up into the sky. But there were some things I wanted to "tell" him. Things I also needed to tell Drew. Especially after his question about Nolan and me.
So we headed to the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.
"Do you want me to wait in the car?" Drew asked as we drove down the road closest to Aiden's plot.
"No." I played with the hem of my skirt. "I'd appreciate the company."
I didn't want to say everything twice.
So we walked through the grass until we came to the white marble stone that marked Aiden's burial site.
Aiden John Dawson
January 21, 1990 — March 14, 2011
Son, Brother, Friend.
Not nearly enough years were lived between that dash.
That first year, I had come to this spot monthly whenever I needed to talk to my brother. Before he died, he'd always given me great advice, and he understood me better than anyone else. Even though we were three years apart, the age gap had seemed to disappear once I joined him in high school.
"Hey, Aiden," I said, looking down at the stone. "Sorry it's been a while since I've come here. I've kind of had a busy year. As you know, I got married to Nolan last summer." I rubbed my finger, where my ring should have been. A bird landed on the ground a few feet away, pecking around for something to eat.
"Are you sure you want me to hear all this?" Drew interrupted, his face showing how uncomfortable he felt.
"You need to hear this, too." I looked at him carefully. "Anyway, I ran into Drew at the store a few weeks ago. He was dressed like a maniac." That made Drew chuckle. "And he offered me this awesome job. I think he's trying to help fill in for my big brother." Drew put his arm around my shoulders and squeezed me against his side. "Anyway, he's actually a pretty big deal these days. As if being a super successful businessman wasn't enough, he's also a big reality TV star and has all kinds of women wishing they could marry him. So, he got me this job where I'm pretty much his slave and have to do everything he wants…but it's also going to help me get in with the people who can hopefully help me follow my dreams." I looked up at Drew with watery eyes and smiled before continuing with my story.
"But there's something I haven't told either of you…haven't really told anyone besides our family, actually." I paused and took a deep breath. "I've been lying to Drew about me and Nolan." Drew's arm tightened around me for a second. I didn't dare look at him to see his reaction. Instead, I tried to draw in a calming breath, but it didn't work. "We actually separated only one month after getting married. Things were a lot different once we were married. Nolan had kept a lot of secrets from me, and he didn't treat me very well."
Tears bit at my eyes as I remembered that month of being a prisoner in my own home. How controlling Nolan had become. How I couldn't even talk to my mom and dad on the phone when he was around because he was always so paranoid about what I might tell them.
Then there was the Internet history he'd forgotten to clear.
"Anyway, Mom and Dad came and got me one day and brought me home. Then Dad had a good talk with Nolan, which sent him packing. He lives in Seattle now with an old girlfriend he'd been messing around with while we were together. We filed for an annulment and everything was taken care of by October."
Drew was completely silent as he listened, and when I finally dared look up again, his eyes were damp and his face so somber.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," I whispered. "I felt terrible lying. I was just so embarrassed about the whole thing. I didn't know what to say. I didn't want anyone to know about it."
Drew pulled me into his chest and held me so tight I could barely breathe. "Don't feel sorry for one second," he spoke into my hair. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."
I nodded and leaned my head against his chest, soaking up all the strength I could from his strong arms.
After a long moment, where Drew just held me and rubbed my back, I said, "If I'd known I was going to get a big bear hug instead of a how-could-you-lie-to-me look, I would have told you weeks ago." I laughed, wiping the moisture from my eyes.
A low rumble echoed through his chest. "Anytime you need a hug just let me know. I'm pretty much a professional hugger these days."
"The bachelor usually is, consoling all those hormonal ladies he's dating." I leaned against him a moment longer before finally peeling myself away. "And I really might take you up on that. I mean, how many girls get to brag about huggingThe Drew Burrowswhenever they want?"
Drew just shook his head and pulled me back toward his car. "I'm really not that big of a deal."
"Oh, but you are." I smiled, realizing just then that I was holding Drew's hand. Which brought up another thought. "I'm probably going to lose my job now, huh?"
Drew went still. "Why would you lose your job?"
