Page 46 of Back to You

“Please don’t make this harder than it already is,” Brandon said, still in that eerily calm manner. “I’m going to leave Barnabus here for now, since Steven is allergic. Once I get my own place, I’ll come get him. I know you’ll take good care of him until then.”

Ethan just stared blankly. He felt like all the circuits in his brain had overloaded all at once, and now there was just nothing.

“Please don’t contact me for a little while, I need …” Here Brandon’s unnatural calm broke briefly, as he choked slightly and raised a hand to his mouth. After a few deep breaths, he said, “I need a little time.”

“How much time?”

“I don’t know. I’ll contact you.”

Brandon stood and grabbed his suitcase.

“Please don’t do this,” Ethan whispered. “I’ll quit, I’ll do whatever you need me to do. Just please don’t let me go.”

“I have to.” And with that, Brandon walked out the door, not looking back.

Ethan sat down right on the floor and actually felt his heart break. He didn’t know it was possible to survive something like that. Yet still he breathed, still his broken heart beat.

And with a cry of anguish, he buried his face in his hands and wept.

CHAPTER 11

WHEN BRANDON FINALLY left the guest room at Michelle’s house, he knew he looked like crap. He’d mostly avoided the bathroom mirror, but had seen enough to realize his eyes were completely bloodshot and puffy, and his face was drawn and pale.

Thankfully, his sister didn’t comment. He saw Steven give him a sympathetic look, but he too remained quiet. Sadly, the kids weren’t quite as circumspect.

“Uncle B, what happened to your eyes?” Riley said, dipping her toast into the runny yolk of her poached egg.

“Nothing, kiddo, just had a late night.”

“But —”

“Riley, eat your breakfast and leave your uncle alone,” Steven said gently.

Riley shrugged and went back to her food. Samuel, however, had another question.

“Uncle B, are you spending the night again tonight?”

Brandon dredged up a smile. “Sure am, Sam.”

“Actually kids, Uncle B is going to be staying with us for a while. Won’t that be fun?” Michelle said.

Both kids cheered loudly before giving their full attention to their breakfasts.

“Thanks Michelle, I’m sorry to impose on you guys like this.”

She tapped him lightly on the back of the head. “None of that. You’re my brother, you’re always welcome here.”

Michelle had been careful with him since he’d shown up the day before, suitcase at his side and tear tracks drying on his face.

“Can I stay with you for a bit?” he’d said quietly.

And without hesitation she’d said yes, drawing him inside and letting him cry into her shoulder.

This was the first time he’d been out of their guest room since he’d arrived. All he’d done in that time was sleep and cry and miss Ethan.

“I did the right thing, right?”

Michelle sighed. “I can’t answer that for you. Only you know how much you can take. But I will say that, as much as you love Ethan, if you reached the point of no return, then it must have been the right choice for you.”

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