Page 37 of All My Broken Pieces

She bites her lip, looking nervous as she nods her head. My eyes narrow, but she quickly avoids my gaze, sliding to answer. “Hey, Mom, now’s not the best-”

Her words are cut off as a hysterical cry comes through the speaker.

“Wow, slow down. What happened?” Fallon’s face falls, tears welling up in her eyes. “Where are you?” She asks, her voice barely a whisper. Listening intently to whatever is said, she hangs up the call and lets the phone fall onto her chest.

My heart beats wildly, the need to take away the pain I can see radiating from her nearly overwhelms me. “What is it, baby?” I murmur, stroking back her hair.

With trembling lips, she lifts her eyes up to me, the tears welling up slipping down her face. “My brother.” She whispers. “He-he’s been in an accident.”

Chapter 15

Fallon

I’m going to be sick.

This is not how I imagined the night going, not by a long shot.

I sit in the chair, my back ramrod straight. Arriana sits beside me, my hand clasped in hers a small comfort that does nothing to quell the terror as we sit and wait to find out how bad it is. How badheis.

My mind keeps flashing back to our last conversation and his text I never answered. He had tried so hard to open up the communication, but I didn’t listen. Instead, I brushed him off, and now…

A choked sound breaks free from my chest. Arriana immediately pulls me into her arms, pressing a kiss to my forehead and rubbing soothing circles on my back.

I can feel my family’s stares at the familiar way she comforts me, but I can’t bring myself to care.

I’ll have to tell them eventually, why not at the same time we wait to find out if Hudson’s habit killed him this time.

A hysterical laugh bubbles up.

Forever the disappointments.

Scarlett sneers at me as my parents watch me like I’ve lost my mind.

Maybe I have. Maybe this is what it feels like to go crazy.

Before I can get too lost in the thought, calloused hands cup my face, tipping my head back. I blink around my tears at Arriana as she watches me with a worried expression. Reaching up, I run my thumb over her furrowed brow, only making her frown deepen.

“Baby,” She whispers, her eyes shifting to my family and back. “Are you okay?”

I laugh again, shaking my head. “No. No, I’m not okay.” My voice comes out louder than I mean, but I can’t stop it, can’t keep back the words screaming to be heard. “This is all such bullshit. If he never…if he didn’t have to…” I take a deep breath, trying to piece together the right words from the jumbled mess of my mind. “If he hadn’t been forced to hide himself, to fight against who he is, then he would never have turned to those goddamn drugs and we wouldn’t be here now.”

My words hang in the silent room, a heaviness settling over us as everyone soaks in their meaning.

My mom speaks first, gaping at me. “Are you seriously implying this isourfault?” She gasps.

I turn my gaze to her, the mental exhaustion and alcohol still buzzing in my system allowing me to voice what I never thoughtI could. “Yes. He’s here because of you. Because of what you did to him.”

Scarlett scoffs, rolling her eyes while my mom and dad share a look. My dad turns his gaze back to me. “Fallon, you can’t possibly blame us for your brother’s reckless actions.”

Leaping to my feet, I ball my hands into fists. “Actually, yes I can.” I snap, shaking from the anger and sorrow coursing through me. Arriana places her hand on my lower back but doesn’t say anything, simply showing her support with the touch. I relax slightly, knowing I’m not alone.

Taking a deep breath, I move my gaze over my family, the ones who have hurt us so deeply I’m not sure the wounds will ever heal. “You forced him to push down who he is. You sent him to thatgoddamn camp. No fucking wonder he turned to drugs to numb the pain.” My voice shakes as I all but scream the words in their horrified faces. “Sure, you might not have put the needle in his arm, you might not have forced him onto that motorcycle. But you did cause this. You caused it all.”

When the last word leaves my lips, all the anger flees with it. I’m left with an endless hollowness inside, a never ending despair. Sinking into my seat, I drop my head in my hands.

Please be okay, Hudson.

My heart cries out for my brother, wanting him to have the chance to find himself. And wanting, more than anything, to get the chance to reconnect - to show him he’s not alone in all this.

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