AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My hand clutches the vanity as I’m unable to form words, while Cole continues speaking into the receiver. “Brian called me a while ago with the news. I’m with him at the hospital.”
My brain is spinning with questions likeWhen? Why? How?But instead of asking, I say, “I’m on my way,” while running out of the bathroom and down the stairs.
“You’ll find us in the restaurant of the hospital.”
The moment Cole hangs up, autopilot takes over as my only thought is now focused on Brian and getting to him as soon as possible.
The faint clinking of silverware and murmurs of conversation fill the air as I make my way into the restaurant. My gaze sweeps through the room until it lands on them. My heart withers with pain at the sight of a broken Brian, his blank stare fixed outside as I approach the table.
Nick and Cole sit with him. Both men have pained expressions on their faces as they look up at me. Cole gets up and sits next to Nick on the other side of the table while I take a seat next to Brian, who’s still looking outside.
“Brian?” I say, with my gaze fixed on the man I love with every fiber of my being.
He turns and my heart sinks in my chest as he speaks with a hoarse voice while his stare is vacant.
“She left me.”
My lips tremble when seeing a tear slipping out of the corner of his eyes. I pull him in for a hug, and he lets me. I’ve never had to deal with death before. So witnessing the man you love carrying such grief and suffering is shattering.
How can life be so cruel?One moment life is normal, and the next, you’re thrown into a pitch-black place that causes your soul to scream for mercy. I want to shout at the universe for doing what it did.Why does there have to be pain in the world? Why do we lose people we love?I hate these helpless feelings.
After a while, he pulls back, and I ask, “How did this happen?”
He stares down while answering, “She fell. Olga found her at the bottom of the stairs, lying in a pool of blood when she came over for coffee. The fall caused severe brain swelling and… she didn’t make it.”
Questions start to race through my mind as he goes back to staring out the window.
How long after he walked away in the park did this happen? Why did he call Cole and not me? Does he even want me here right now?No, don’t think about that. I push away the thought that he hasn’t called me first—that isn’t important now. What is important is being there for Brian and helping him through this unbearable grief that’s consuming his heart.
As Brian takes a sip of his coffee, I ask, “Is there anything we can do?”
“You can’t do shit. She’s dead,” he says, his voice stoic.
“We’re here for you, Fox,” Cole says, leaning in to place a hand on his forearm.
He makes eye contact with both of them before returning to stare at the heavy rain ticking on the glass. “Nick, can you call Six-Pack and inform Darius? Tell him I’ll try to come by tomorrow.”
“Sure, no problem. Why don’t we bring you home so you can rest? You’ve been through enough,” my brother says.
Brian stands. “I got to piss first.”
When he’s out of sight, I look at Cole, the only person here with personal experience when it comes to losing a parent.
“How can we help him?”
Cole looks at me and Nick, his eyes warm but firm. “It’s going to be a hard road for him.” He lets out a deep sigh. “All we can do is support him as he grieves. Be there if he wants to talk or just listen when he needs to vent and get stuff off his chest. Which I hope he does.”
I nod, wiping another tear from my cheek.
“And of course, always remind him how much you care about him,” Cole adds with a gentle smile. “He needs us more than ever right now.”
My heart pounds faster and my breathing quickens, questioning if Brian wants me to care for him after he asked me for space and time alone. But that was before this happened. Right now, he needs all the support and love to get through this.
Minutes go by, with no sign of Brian returning. A rumbling thunder echoes through the air when Cole curses before pointing outside. As soon as I see what he sees, I take off, nearly tripping over my own two feet to get outside. Cold rain hits my skin while lightning streaks across the sky, followed by an ear-splitting roar of thunder. I find Brian standing in the center of the lot, still like a statue. The rain cascading down from the tumultuous sky above like a curtain of tears, saturating every inch of his clothing. Once before him, I reach out to grasp his hand. He raises his head and looks at me with such anguish and sorrow, my heart squeezes in pain. If only I had a magic wand to make it all go away.
“She’s gone,” he whispers in a broken voice.
His eyes disconnect, and I tighten the grip on his hand. “Come, you’re going to get sick if you stay here. Let me drive you home.”
