Chapter 355
The words hang heavy between us and for a moment, neither of us says anything.
Then she pulls me back into her arms, holding me tighter this time and I let myself fall apart completely because I don’t understand how or why this keeps happening.
Mom doesn’t let go of me. Not even when my breathing turns uneven. Not when my grip tightens like I’m afraid she’ll disappear if I loosen it… She just holds me the same way she used to when I was a kid and for a moment, I’m not here. I’m not in a hospital. I’m not covered in Sierra’s blood. I’m not the man who’s made too many mistakes to count. I’m just, a boy… Her boy.
“Mom…” My voice comes out small. Fragile. “I’m scared p>
The words feel foreign on my tongue because I can’t remember the last time I admitted something like that out loud.
Her hand moves to the back of my head, fingers sliding into my hair the way she used to when I was younger, when nightmares would wake me up in the middle of the night.
“I know,” she whispers. “I know, My Love p>
That word hits something deep in my chest, something I didn’t even realize was still there. It’s just like she used to call me.
“I don’t want her to die,” I say, my voice breaking completely now. “I don’t want to lose her. Not like this… not when I just p>
My throat closes up, unable to finish the words.
I don’t want to lose her… Not when I just started to understand. Not when I just realized how wrong I’ve been. Not when I was finally ready to be better.
“I know,” she repeats softly, rocking me slightly like she used to. “You won’t lose her p>
“What if I do?” I whisper, choking out, “I didn’t fix it, Mom. I didn’t make it right. I didn’t even get the chance to try p>
Her hands come up, cupping my face again, forcing me to look at her. Her eyes are steady, just the way they’ve always been when I needed something to hold onto.
“Listen to me,” she says gently but firmly. “Sierra is stronger than you think. She’ll pull through, and so will the baby. You just have to believe that and have faith. I know that girl better than I know myself, and she won’t let anything happen to herself or that baby, not when she wants to be there to raise him p>
I don’t know how long we stay wrapped up in each other with me barely holding on and with her holding me together when a shadow falls upon us.
I look up at him and find him watching me, worry etched in his grey eyes—so similar to mine.
I don’t have to ask what he’s seeing. It’s all there, reflected back at me.
“Brook?” I ask, my voice eerily calm.
I pull back slightly, wiping at my face with the back of my hand, trying to gather what little composure I have left, though it’s useless because I still feel like I’m barely holding together.
“You don’t have to ask about her right now,” he says. “Focus on Sierra p>
“Dad…” I say, that one word carrying all the weight I can’t put into anything else.
He sighs. “She’s secured p>
I nod.
“We’ll handle her. She won’t get away with this,” he adds, but I’m not really listening.
She was never going to get away with anything. Like I said, Brook will pay, and that’s… That’s a fucking promise.