Page 51 of Redeeming Heart

I tried not to look at my mother’s tombstone when I kneeled beside her. Resting my hand on her shoulder.

“Aunt Maggie,” I whispered.

She didn’t react immediately as she stared at her hands. “It’s been three years and it doesn’t get any easier.” She whispered before lifting her gaze.

“It’s so unfair that I get to age every year but she is taken away.” I saw the bottle of booze in her hand for the first time when I looked down and realized she must have been sitting here at the mom’s tombstone for a very long time.

“She wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself.” I pointed at the empty bottle.

She just shrugged and dropped her head in despair. “She’s not even here to judge me.” She mumbled, dropping the bottle to the ground, and drunkenly reached up to wipe her tears away.

“Come on, let’s get you home.” I urged, snaking my arm around her waist and pulling her up. Brandon decided to see it as a chance to come over and help me out.

I then caught him looking at my mother’s tombstone when Aunt Maggie whispered a farewell to my mom. Her tombstone was a sitting angel holding a rose in their palm and looking up at the sky.

I recognized the look in his eyes when he looked at me. It was clear on his face that he knew we were at my mother’s grave. He said nothing as he helped me steer my drunken aunt down the path and towards her car.

I searched for her car keys while Brandon helped her into the car. He then offered to follow me over to her house without taking any arguments.

He even stayed after he carried her in and was patient when I took care of her. I caught him silently looking at all the photographs of my mother, me, and Aunt Maggie.

My whole life was all over the walls for him to see. The good times when I was laughing and smiling. Expressing love and determination before I became this person who hid away from the world.

A chunk of my heart wasn’t bothered that he was seeing the real me and it amazed me that I wanted him to get to know her. I didn’t feel ashamed or even shy.

I felt a strong connection between us but it wasn’t love. It was something greater and a lot stronger. I then started to apprehend that I somehow started letting him in subconsciously. Something I haven’t done in a very long time.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Brandon has not spoken a word since the cemetery and I could sense all of his questions playing around in his mind.

“Do you want to come in for a while?”

It’s the least I could do since he had to deal with all of that and we barely know each other.

It’s twice in one day I get to see that surprised look on his face. “You don’t owe me anything, Adams.”

“It’s not about owing you. It’s just a friendly gesture. Nobody has a gun pointed for your head.”

I got out of his car to get my things, biting the inside of my cheek when I heard him get out.

All the lights were still burning when we entered the house and everyone was sitting in front of the television minding their own business. My father was working through his notes with Meredith sitting beside him with her feet resting on his lap while her eyes were glued to the tv.

“You’re home early,” My father said looking up from his notes and froze when his gaze landed on Brandon standing beside me.

“Yeah, Aunt Maggie wasn’t feeling well.”

It wasn’t all a lie but I sense my father wasn’t even listening to what I was saying as his eyes were focused on Brandon.

“I hope you don’t mind but I brought a friend over,” I said gesturing to Brandon.

Jonah was the first to break the awkward silence as he jumped up from the couch to welcome Brandon into our home.

Brandon introduced himself to my father and shook his hand even though my father was having a hard time comprehending what was going on.

Meredith gave Brandon a friendly smile, they didn’t need an introduction as they already met at the ice rink and she had to listen to how the girls went all gaga over him.

I kicked off my shoes and headed over to the kitchen to see what was for dinner when I noticed that someone decided to get pizza for dinner.

---