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Somebody upstairs flushed their toilet, and my pipes began to creak. I heaved, disgusted. These annoying loud pipes were disgusting and rusting. I had talked to my landlord about it, but of course, he only knew how to make empty promises.
I finished making my brother some coffee and placed it on the tray; I walked toward his bedroom, excited to wake him up for the first time in my life. Ever since he had joined the Marines, he would always wake up extra early, and I would find everything settled in the apartment and a warm breakfast waiting for me.
Today was finally my chance to take on that role.
I knocked on his door gently, laughing softly. “Come on, wake up, birthday boy.” I knocked once more before I gently nudged open his door so that I could peek inside.
The man who always slept like a dead man was on the floor, and I found it so funny that my brother had fallen off the bed when he was sleeping.
“Brandon,” I called, as I pushed open the door. “It smells like booze in here.” That was when I noticed the empty bottles of alcohol and pills beside him.
“Brandon?” I whispered, my heart beating faster as I approached him shakily and put the tray down. What was happening? “Are you playing a joke?” I choked out, then I realized that he wasn’t breathing.
I swallowed hard, my hands shaking as I knelt down beside him. “Brandon,” I spoke softly as my tears blinded me. “Stop it.” I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I placed my hand on his neck, trying to feel his pulse, but there was nothing.
A gasp left my lips as I quickly removed my hand from his neck, feeling as if I had been shocked.
“You said you’d be here when I woke up,” I cried, as I stared at his unmoving body. “You lied to me.”
Chapter 18
Brooke
Present Day
Why couldn’t he catch the hint?
I heard him pound against my door once again, and I sighed as I pressed my head against the wall. I had a raging headache and the pounding on the door made it so much worse.
“Leave me alone,” I whispered to no one but myself.
“Brooke! Open up.”
Perhaps, if I stayed really still, he would leave me. Today was Brandon’s birthday, and his death anniversary, as well. He really said, “Today is the day I was born, and it’s also going to be the day I take my life.”
What a selfish prick! He may not have said those exact words, but it felt that way.
The pounding on my door stopped, and I lifted my head from the wall. Thank God, he was finally gone.
As much as I enjoyed being around Asher, I just didn’t want to be around him today. Something about his aura always reminded me of Brandon. Maybe I thought so because they were both once in the armed forces; it’s just that one of them committed suicide on his birthday, and the other I was sleeping with.
I got out of my bedroom to fetch myself a bottle of water so that I could take some aspirin for my headache. I always got a headache during my brother’s death anniversary.
Man, was I an idiot. If only I had spent time with him that week, maybe he would still be alive.
My phone vibrated on the kitchen island, and I stared at it as Marie’s and Matthew’s calls all went to voicemail, and their messages flooded my phone.
Marie: Brooke, this isn’t healthy. Come to my place, and let’s watch movies and eat ice cream.
That was what my brother had wanted to do, but I had refused because I had a silly little headache. I was the selfish one, in all honesty.
My brother had done so much for me, practically raised me since I was ten years old and provided for my every need, yet I couldn’t spend just a few hours to watch a movie with him.
I should’ve been a better sister.
After I finished reading through Marie’s slew of texts, I moved on to the next person and Matthew was way better than his girlfriend. He only sent me two texts, one asking if I was going to be late. I wasn’t going to show up at all.
I had forgotten to request a leave beforehand, so I decided to take an emergency leave. Chris would understand.
