Someday Never Came

Chapter Six

According to my highly annoying brothers, I’ve been erratic all morning. While Wyhtt gives me shit for ruining Serena’s peace, Grayson’s acting like a mother hen trying to keep our peace. Grayson is afraid any little thing will send me over the edge, as if today of all days I would go searching for a goddamn drink. The day I have been craving for ten years, the day I get to see, embrace, and finally be in her presence once more. To finally have my sweet Serenity in my grasp and experience my first true moment of peace since enlisting, no matter how fleeting that peace may be.

Grayson and Wyhtt ask if I needed to find an AA meeting before heading to the airport. Their fucking constant fuss—turning into damn near harassment—has me questioning my sanity. In these moments I wonder if I should have flown to her, or even meet her somewhere no one would know our names. A place we could start clean, even for a week, but I knew having Wyhtt here was one of the only reasons she agreed to come. Even then, it didn’t stop the urge to whisk her away.

I know no matter where we go—how far away I manage to escape, even with her by my side—my demons would not be kept at bay for long. Those demons are what truly scare me and what kept me away from Serena for so long.

The very demons that sent me running in the first place . . .

“You level?” Wyhtt’s words drag me back to reality. His tone is casual, yet there’s more meaning behind those eight letters than most could comprehend in a lifetime. Wyhtt and Grayson are my brothers . . . not by blood, but by a lifetime of honor. We are forever intertwined by a bond only those who have suffered through blood, sweat, and tears could form. One was placed in my life at a young age, to grow and raise hell with, and the other came into my life when I needed him most. Grayson was there whenever I needed someone stronger willed than myself to kick me in the ass. I needed someone who could relate to what I’ve seen and to what I’ve done. Both men I will forever be indebted to, and I’m unworthy of the grace they have shown me over the years.

“Yeah, I think so. You and Grayson floating around all morning making nonstop remarks hasn’t helped though.”

“Well, he’s stressing over you. Let the mother hen cluck.” Wyhtt deadpans as Grayson passes by, making eye contact before clucking once and disappearing back up the stairs. A light chuckle from Wyhtt catches my attention with a grin, “S is gonna love him.”

Hearing his old nickname for her warms my cold dead heart.

“Sure, only if the mother hen will relax enough around her,” I respond dryly. I hadn’t been meaning to come off as critical, but by the glare on Wyhtt’s worn features ‘critical’ is exactly how I sounded.

A permanent look of exhaustion is written into the wrinkles creasing his forehead. Wyhtt used to be so full of life, but now more often than not he looks several years older than he should. I have a sinking suspicion his state of mind—and state of appearance—is due to my reckless nonsense over the last several years. He and Grayson were constantly picking me up and cleaning up the messes I made in my life until I was ready to accept the fact I needed help.

“Whose fault is that?” he says, his tone clipped. “He’s just worried about you. You’ve been sober for six months and he doesn’t know her. He doesn’t know how close the three of us were growing up. Six months is an accomplishment, Jensen. Let’s just face the facts here: he has every right to be worried about you. I have every right to be worried for you and whatever fresh hell you end up dragging S through.”

“Woah. First of all, why don’t you tell me how you really feel buddy.” I glare at him, even though his words are nothing but the truth. “Second of all, I didn’t mean anything by that statement. You should have known that.” Attempting to not get defensive, I switch subjects. “Her plane should be landing soon. You coming to join in on the homecoming fun?”

“Don’t you mean to act as a buffer, so her sharp tongue doesn’t cut you down in the first fifteen minutes?” he quips, a smug grin stretching across his pale features.

“No. I won’t deny a buffer may be needed, but I just thought?—”

“Yes,” Wyhtt cuts me off, keys already in hand. “You aren’t the only one who’s missed her all these years,” he claps me on the back before bounding outside toward the truck. “I’ll drive!” he yells before climbing behind the wheel. He’s almost as eager as I am to see the girl he’s considered a little sister since the day she ran up to us on the beach asking to play.

It was at that moment on the beach Serena became part of our small circle. Her little pigtail braids caught in the wind, and freckles covered her face from the summer sun. We were both shocked by her bravery, not many other little girls would go out of their way to approach two older boys while all the other girls played mermaid. It wasn’t twenty minutes after her approaching us that she had managed to wrap us both around her sand covered fingers . . . in two very different ways. Wyhtt and I had gone from playing football to chasing seagulls, pretending we were all flying with towels wrapped around our necks with little Serena by our sides. Without her, we both would have lost our innocence of childhood much sooner.

A small, petty part of me hates the bond she and Wyhtt share, even though I know he doesn’t feel for her in the same way I do. His love for her is nothing more than an older brother, whereas she and I had been in love. I hate the fact she would run to him for things instead of coming to me, but at times a girl just needs her big brother, and I never acted as a brother to her. What she and I had was always more. I always assumed most of these times she went to Wyhtt were to talk about us, but I never asked. I knew better, he would never have betrayed her trust, not even for me. Which was another reason I love my brother, I knew he would protect her until his last breath, even if that meant protecting her from me.