CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bright Like Her
LAKE
I roll my head to the squeak of Brooks’ chair. There’s a threatening coldness only on the left side of my body, which means Brooks is in his spot, but Angel isn’t here.
I peel open my eyes just enough to study Brooks. He runs a hand along his chin, smirking at his phone. He’s back. He came back to take me home.
Sometime this morning, Fletch-creep told me I was being released today, and my emergency contact would come get me. I was expecting Brooks to ask Serenity to do it, but here he is.
When I was thirteen, Brooks started his freshman year and River became a sophomore. I was scared they’d neglect me. My siblings never quit loving me, but they got busy with their own lives. In that bit of time, I slipped between the cracks, became something I hated, and I still despise myself more knowing River and Brooks took the blame for my downfall. Now he’s the one left with the responsibility.
How I treated my brother last night was unfair. I shouldn’t expect him to throw aside his feelings to help me. Not with our sister. He loved her as much as I did. Maybe even more than I did. He stuck by her side when I left, and he’s still keeping her happy now. I know he hated coming back here so soon, but he’s here to support me. For River. I know I don’t deserve it.
There’s only one thing I can do. I huff. “I’m sorry.”
Brooks jolts in his seat at my voice. Then his shoulders drop, and he smiles. “I know.” He clicks off his phone and approaches me. “So you’re gonna let this go.”
Anxiety wins its opportunity to screw with me. Let what go?
Brooks digs into the back pocket of his pants. My stomach churns and kicks itself, bits of acid trickle up my throat as he pulls out a wad of folded papers.
“Since you and Serenity agreed to my terms.” He hands me the series of papers.
There’s information for a rehab program and multiple documents with my signed signature. “Brooks.” I spit venom. He forged my damn signature?
I understand he’s furious with me, but come on.
“It’s the rehab place across the street. So Serenity can keep an eye on you.”
I glare up at him when he says her name. “Was she in on this?”
“No. She’ll be thrilled, though.” He gives me a look. “So, either act like a little brat, or pretend you wanted this and make her day.”
Damn him. “I’m not—” The words jam in my throat.
I always try to get Brooks to snap on me, so he’ll quit his twisted fate to help me, cut his losses and go.
Last night he kept re-sparking that match and I kept blowing it out. When he broke and stormed out, I thought that was it. Whole-heartedly, I want to cut him loose and set him free. I don’t want him to keep coming back the next morning.
With my only string detached, I could let go, not worry about the consequences and not be raveled with guilt the next time I stick myself. But hell, he just keeps coming back. Almost taunting me with how much it hurts to be alone. He’s the wall that I need to prevent me from relapsing.
Hurt him again? Deal with the guilt? My chaos isn’t working. The destruction I cause only makes him rebuild, and now Serenity is joining Brooks. She’s ready to dirty her hands and pick up the pieces.
What’s worse is I don’t have a choice this time. I can’t move backwards without knowing what my sister’s last words were to me. She died before I said goodbye.
I don’t wish to keep hurting my brother, or that sweet sip of sunshine that slips into my room every chance she gets. She’s going to be my wife. I shouldn’t be hurting her. Although she’s still not my type, too bright, but that doesn’t mean I want to stomp over the hope she’s throwing at me and the help she’s giving me.
I take a slow blink. “Alright.”
Brooks draws back, and I would too if I was standing. I’m unsure if I’m in better control of myself or if I’m just losing it.
“You’re not going to fight me on this?” He brings his arms closer to his sides, lifting his shoulders to his ears.
I grunt about thirty times. “No.”
His eyes go wide. “Are you okay? Do I need to get a nurse?”
“Stop. Tell me the details.” I wave my hand in the air.
Brooks stuffs his hand into his pocket and pulls out a brochure. He points to a spot on the page. “It’s three times a week for six months.”
That sounds damn exhausting. I flip through the crumpled pages. Automatically, I gotta find the billing information and see if my heart is working. My eyes land on the page and the organ leaps right into my throat. At least it’s working.
“I don’t have twelve-thousand dollars, Brooks.”
He looms over me and points again. “Serenity’s insurance will cover most of it.”
The rest that isn’t covered? Paid. What happens next is a muscle reaction. My fist collides with his side. He tries to cover the strike and fails, hunching forward and groaning.
“You idiot. You’re a stupid bastard.”
“I told you I’d cover the rest if you agreed to my terms,” he chokes. “Pay me back when you’re stable.”
Just like that, I got another stupid string.
“I’m trying to make it hard for you to skip out on this,” he says, closing his fist and coughing into it.
He’s making that damn near impossible. What a prick. “You make me feel guilty.”
He grins and rises to his full height. “That’s how we play now.”
We’ll see about that. I’m going to screw him up once I can keep down a burger. It’ll be the best brawl of our whole brotherhood.
“Alright, we gotta get your stuff together.”
I roll my neck and rub my hand on the skin. “That’s a lot of shit.”
A lot. My mind drifts away from rehab and narrows in on everything else. It’s not just the sobriety and River’s letters, or the inheritance. I’m leaving this shithole today and prepping to move into my soon-to-be wife’s place.
Then I’m getting married tomorrow.
***
Brooks is blabbing to the barber about an appointment he scheduled. I stare out of the spotless windows, and notice Brooks’ SUV, its backseat overflowing with new clothes, including a suit. It’s not the first time Brooks has deemed me his son and tried to set me up with a fresh start to life. I can’t promise it’ll be the last time.
“Alright, Lake, what do you want?”
I turn to the woman’s voice. She has a stud in her nose, a ring in her right eyebrow, and those dimple piercings.
“Lake, this is Natasha. She’s fixing the nest on your hair.” Brooks grins.
I narrow my eyes at Brooks. My hair isn’t that rough. I tried to style it the best I could at the hospital, but I couldn’t trim it. Nobody was gonna give me scissors.
“Just wanna clean this crap up.” I wield my hand in front of my face.
Natasha hums. She rolls up her undershirt sleeves, covered by a t-shirt with some band on it. “Any reference photos for your idea?”
I sway my head.
“You’re getting married.” She flicks her attention back to Brooks. “That’s what you said, yeah? He’s getting married?”
Brooks and I both nod. Natasha stays still for a second. Then she spins to overlook the barber shop. It seems more like a tattoo place than it does a barber shop. There’s leather everywhere, pictures of skeletons and half-naked bodies scattering the walls, and sleek black tables at every station to hold supplies.
“Aggie, can you get my phone?”
Aggie, another woman with bright purple hair, halts the conversation she’s having with her client. She grabs a newer phone, sealed by a black phone case with falling roses on it. Then she races over and hands it to Natasha.
“Thanks.” Natasha turns back to us. “I’m gonna show you stuff on my Pinterest,” she says. “I don’t want your wife barging in here to beat my ass for ruining your hair.”
Brooks raises an eyebrow. “Is that a thing?”
Every single woman in the barber shop yells, “YES!”
I shrug at a burly man getting his beard trimmed, and he returns the shrug. I got no clue what’s happening anymore.
“Here.” Natasha leans over the desk, and I copy her movements. “Which one would your fiancée like?”
***
I step to the passenger side of the SUV. My ears icing over without layers of hair protecting them. It’s freezing outside. I’m not a fan.
Once the new year passes, I wait impatiently for the grass to get greener, and every year it takes a damn century. The air stays thick enough for me to see my breath and the grass stays covered.
Brooks continues searching for his key before remembering there’s a button on the door that’ll unlock it. His middle-aged persona isn’t good with technology. Jokes aside, sometimes I think he just gets too overwhelmed to remember stuff.
I reef open the door, escaping the cold and leaving it behind me. Meanwhile, my brother takes his sweet time getting in his seat, shifting until he’s comfortable, then shutting his door.
“Alright, new hair, new clothes, got a suit, you’re all set, man.” Brooks claps my shoulder, switching the SUV into reverse, and backing out of the parking spot.
“We’re going to get my truck now?”
He nods. “It’s still in the supermarket parking lot. I checked this morning.”
There’s something else I need for tomorrow. I’m pretty sure I had cash stuffed in my truck before I overdosed, and I’d rather spend that than take more money from Brooks today. My stash won’t be enough, but I’ll make a payment plan or something. Then I’ll use my allowance from Brooks to pay it off.
If someone told me a month ago I’d be getting married to a woman that makes my head hurt and my heart pound, I would’ve thought they were hallucinating. Nevermind. I’d be the one hallucinating.
Serenity may be confusing as hell, but I gotta admit I love seeing her smile, and making her day a little easier. “Mind stopping by the mall with me after I grab the truck?”
Brooks tilts his head. “No, don’t mind.” He flips a guy off who tries to run a stop sign, and finishes making a right turn. “Why?”
“Gotta go to the jewelry shop,” I mumble.
His interest peaks. He reels his head to look at me, a tiny grin on his face. I do nothing but sigh at him.
“The jewelry shop?” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“Yes. Moron. The place with the shiny shit.”
I’m investing in a ring for a good girl and not spending money on drugs. I might already be hallucinating. I’m not programmed to operate this way.
But here I am.
***
I pop open the ring box. The blue velvet feels weird against my fingers. The ring shines back at me. It has a gold band and the diamond design sort of looks like a flower. I used every marketing scheme I knew to lower the ring’s price and get a manageable payment plan.
“So, why a ring if it’s a fake marriage?” Brooks asks. He follows the directions he punched into the GPS a few minutes ago. He’s running another few errands before taking me back to his apartment for the night.
“I don’t want people questioning nothing.” I rock my head. “A fake marriage to us doesn’t mean it’s fake to other people.”
That’s a damn lie. I don’t give a damn what other people think. The real reason is that Serenity has done a lot for me. She’s taking a colossal risk to help me. A fake wife doesn’t mean she should be treated like one.
So, I blew a bunch of money on a ring, because she deserves it. Plus, the poor girl has been stressed as hell. I Hope this can ease her mind, make her feel appreciated.
She deserves that, too .