Page 127 of The Sounds of Her

“Mom, you didn’t ask me.”

“What could you have done?” she scoffs.

“A lot of things, mom. Helped you figure out what to do about the money? Helped with Penny.”

Her dad makes a pained sound and Eloise snaps at him to be quiet. It’s pretty clear who wears the pants in this house. Even though Brooke explained it, it’s different seeing it. Her dad is worse than her mom right now. He is standing there, watching them fight over something he did.

Not only the shit with their money, but the affair that produced the woman who he lost it all to.

“There is only one way you can help, and you ruined it. You took away our only chance to get through this.”

“Mom, seriously. There are so many ways to get through this, you can sell the house-”

“We will not sell this house,” she shouts.

Brooke’s lips snap shut. Her chin trembles, but she straightens her back, looking to her father. Waiting. He says nothing. He can’t even look at her.

“Brooke,” I say softly and wait until she turns to me. We stare at one another. She knows what I want her to do. She also knows I’m waiting for her to make that choice. This is her family. I can’t imagine how much it would hurt if my dad or brothers did something like this to me.

“I could have helped,” Brooke turns back to her mom. “If you had for once, treated me like your daughter and not something to parade around, use, and not care how this would hurt me.”

“We all have to make sacrifices for family.”

“Like you are?” Shit, I was supposed to keep quiet. I shake my head and turn away.

“No mom, Archer’s right. You want me to make a sacrifice. You want me to give up my life so you can keep yours.”

“Stop being so dramatic.”

“Dad?” Gerard looks up at his daughter. “Are you going to say anything?”

His jaw clenches and he looks at his wife. He won’t make eye contact with Brooke. “Your mother is right.”

Brooke nods, her eyes blinking rapidly. Fuck this. I walk over and take her hand, standing in front of her so she can no longer see her mom. “What do you want?”

Her eyes shine with tears. These bastards don’t deserve them, and I won’t let them see how they’re hurting her. They should see what fucking bastards they are, but Brooke wants to be strong so I’ll do everything I can to give her that.

“I’d like to leave,” she says.

“Then let’s go.”

Brooke follows me to the hallway. Eloise shouts after us, but I keep walking her to the front door. The maid is standing in the entrance, watching with wide eyes.

“If you leave now, Brooke, then don’t come back.”

Brooke closes her eyes. I squeeze her hand.

“Do you hear me?”

“Yes, mom,” she says loud enough that her voice carries. “Everything you’ve said.”

Putting my hand on her lower back, I guide her outside and shut the door. Not before seeing Brooke’s parents. Eloise is spitting mad. Gerard, I see the remorse when his eyes meet mine. It’s too fucking little too late.

Brooke is quiet as I turn the car around and head back towards the Interstate. I’m not sure what to say to her, but I know Brooke, when she is ready to talk, she will.

“Could you take me somewhere?” she asks, after we’ve been driving about fifteen minutes.

“Anywhere,” I tell her.

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