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Briar
“You remember?”
“I do. I’m sorry it took so long. I brought you something,” I pull out the candy bar, chips, and a soda out of my purse and pass them across the table.
“Hayes said I could give them to you,” I say as the man in question comes in and uncuffs Lane from the table.
“No funny business,” Hayes warns before leaving.
Lane looks at the three things I’ve brought for him and he lifts his head to me.
“You used to bring a bag of candy over after Halloween and would let Thorn go through it. He would always go for those and you would tell him no, that they were your favorites but still let him eat it. I know you would make sure you had an extra one for him any other time. Those chips were always my favorites and you always made sure I had them to eat and something to drink when our parents forgot to feed us and there wasn’t any food in our cupboards.”
“I fucked up,” he mumbles.
“I want you to remember. You made sure that we were taken care of when you were going through your own horrors. I don’t think I ever thanked you for that. For years, you were what kept me going, that gave me the courage to leave, even though you were gone. I never forgot you. I just didn’t recognize you. This person in front of me isn’t the boy I remember. What happened?”
“Why do you care?”
“Because I know that people can change and that I feel like somewhere deep inside that you don’t like who you are right now.”
“I never forgot the girl next door, or her annoying little brother,” he says, causing me to smile.
“I know he’s listening,” Lane grins, “but I felt like you were family. I don’t know what happened but one day I just couldn’t take it. I didn’t say anything to you because I felt like you would try to leave and you couldn’t leave Thorn behind, he was still little. I felt like shit about that. It wore me down, I felt so bad that I stopped caring. Being homeless sucked. You at least kept a roof over your head after you left. I was a teenager with an attitude, no one wanted to deal with me. I started fighting on the streets for food and shelter. Then I started fighting in the streets for money. Kingston found me and took me in.”
“You can make amends now,” I say softly.
“I…” Lane looks unsure of what to say.
“Please,” I almost beg.
“Hayes, take me back to my cell,” he yells and I flinch.
“This is all you’re going to give me,” I snap and his eyes find mine.
“I told you, Rose, I’m fucked up,” he says as a cop comes in and cuffs him, taking him from the room.
“What the fuck?” Thorn mutters.
“After all he’s done, that’s what I get? I don’t understand,” I start to sob. My boy next door is gone.
“Briar, let’s go back to the hotel,” Kingston takes my hand and leads me out. I don’t deserve his kindness right now after what I did, but I’ll take it.
We get back to the hotel and he takes me for a coffee, deciding to meet up with everyone in an hour.
“I want to tell you that my mom is planning a beach wedding for when we get back,” he says and I gasp.
“What?”
“I want to marry you,” he says.
I don’t know what to say. Before I can think of something, Thorn and Tristan join us.
“We’re hungry,” Thorn whines and I smile a little, thankful he can lift the heavy mood.
“Just tell everyone to meet at the buffet,” Kingston says as we head in that direction.
I listen in as Tana and Gwen talk about the wedding. I feel like I’m an outsider, looking through a window at this scene. I notice Holden looking sad since King made the wedding announcement. It hurts to see him hurting. He’s been there for me and I’ll never forget that.
