Page 64 of Branson's Promise

Noel gulped, “I don’t understand, I thought you loved us? I thought you wanted to be with us?”

“I do love you, but I can’t. You’ve sprung this on us, and I get that you have to go, and that it’s easy for the two of you. I can see it on Branson’s face that he was going to say yes, but it’s not that easy for me. I’m sorry your dad is sick, Noel, and again I get why you have to leave, but it’s going to have to be without me.” Milo’s voice was thick with emotion but couldn’t muster up any response. I was empty. Numb. I moved closer to the hotel room door.

“None of this iseasybecause obviously, I don’t want to leave you, either of you, but I have obligations. What’s stopping you from coming with us? If it’s Mia, she can come too, I’ll find her her own place and a university course and even a job if needed. So why, Milo?” Noel pleaded and I wished I could say I didn’t know where this was going, but I did. It was the same thing that had always been a sticking point between them.

Milo blew out a breath. “It took me six years to find my way out from under my father and make my own way. I don’t have the money to move across the world and I’m not going to be indebted to you Noel. I just can’t.”

“You wouldn’t be indebted to me. We’re a team, the three of us. The way I see it, my money is yours too.”

Milo rounded the back of the sofa, resting his open palms on the smooth surface. “I don’t want your money! Don’t you get it? I can’t put myself in the position of relying on someone financially again. I just can’t.”

“I’m not like him, Milo. It’s not the same thing,” Noel retorted.

I was so done with the whole discussion. Mad at Noel for not telling us this earlier, before we’d all fallen head over heels in love with each other, before my heart had become so ingrainedwith theirs. Though who was I kidding? I’d been in love with them both since our first kiss. And I was mad at Milo for being so stubborn about money, always about the fucking money!

“So, you’d throw this all away because you can’t take Noel’s money? Are we not worth more than that to you?” Hurt flashed across Milo’s features but I didn’t have it in me anymore to fix things. He was stubborn and Noel had to leave, and I was stuck in the middle. There was no way forward that didn’t end in heartache. “So what happens to us? Noel leaves, you stay. I don’t know what the fuck to do - go or stay. In both of these scenarios, we end. This,” I waved my hand around the room, “this all ends.”

Milo hung his head, his shoulders drooping. “I know.” God, the finality in those two words hurt.

My heart shattered, the jagged broken pieces of it shredding me up inside, puncturing all my vital organs and making me bleed. It was over. We, the three of us, were over.

“I can’t do this right now.” I pointed at Noel. “You didn’t trust us enough.” Then I pointed at Milo, “And you don’t believe in us enough to give this a chance. I thought we were forever, but I guess the jokes on me.Again.”

With those parting words, I stormed out of the room, out of the hotel, and onto the cold, dark New York streets. Having not had the forethought to bring a coat, I wrapped one arm around myself, while pulling out my phone and hitting call on August’s number.

“Hey Bran, what’s up?” He sounded far away as he spoke over people laughing and talking in the background. I burst into tears, sobbing into the phone about how things had all gone to shit. About how Noel was leaving and Milo had refused his offer to go with, and how I had no idea what to do next. Hot tears streaked down my face as cold rain pelted my skin. All the words tumbling from my mouth and the emotions twisting inside meclouded all other sounds to the point that I didn’t hear the car horn until it was too late.

Chapter 32

Noel

What a fucking disaster and it was all my fault. If I had just been open and honest about the situation in the first place, maybe there would have been time for Milo to warm up to the idea and maybe I wouldn’t have had to watch betrayal flicker across Branson’s face. But I hadn’t, my head too far buried in the sand to even consider the consequences.

“Where do we go from here?” Milo asked, his eyes scanning the room, taking in the space that had become our home. Branson’s things were littered all over. Mugs stood on most of the surfaces - both Milo and I had taken to buying them for him- and throw cushions and blankets were piled in a high bundle at the side of the sofa. His clothing was strewn over chairs, cat toys lay in disarray on the carpet and a huge photo of the three of us rested against one wall, waiting for someone from maintenance to hang. It was, in short, my idea of perfect. Or it had been up until a half hour ago, now it had an air of sadness masking all the happy memories we’d created. My gut clenched and I bit the inside of my cheek, letting the pain pull me back to the here and now.

“I really don’t know. I don’t have a choice, you do. Branson does too. I love you, Milo, both of you but you’re so adamant not to allow yourself this, so what more can I say or do? And if that is the case, if you cannot see yourself leaving New York, then maybe Branson was right, and this is all over.” I scanned the room again, images of me alone in a space like this on the other side of the world making my gut clench uncomfortably.

Home really wasn’t the place, it was the people you shared your life with. Right now, I wasn’t sure who that would be. I wouldn’t ask Branson to leave Milo and come with me, just as I was sure Milo wouldn’t ask him to stay. I knew where I stood, and Milo knew too - what Branson decided to do would be up to him. I’d love them both for the rest of my days, either way.

“This isn’t what I want. I just ca-”

“You can’t, I know, you’ve made that very clear.” Milo was silent and I couldn’t bring myself to look at him because underneath the sadness and guilt, anger stirred and I was afraid at how I’d let it out.

We’d let Branson go, knowing he needed his space but after what felt like hours but could only have been fifteen minutes, Milo stood up. “I should go after him.” He walked towards the door and I moved to follow, just as my phone rang, vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out hastily, thinking it may be Branson but was surprised to see Caleb’s number.

“Caleb.” I answered the call without my usual warm greeting and the hairs stood up on the back of my neck in response to the panic in his voice.

“Noel, where is Branson?” I reached out a hand towards Milo and he stepped closer, his forehead creased with frown lines.

“He just stepped out, why? What’s wrong?” Muffled voices sounded through the phone and an icy chill skated down my spine when I heard August frantically calling Branson’s name on the other end. “Caleb!”

“August was just on a call with him, he was really upset, and then there was a blaring horn and screeching tires and then the line went dead. August can’t get a hold of him. Something’s wrong.”

Ending the call, I stormed to the door, Milo hot on my heels. “What’s going on, Noel? Why was Caleb calling you?” Impatience, panic and fear had me sprinting down the stairs, not willing to wait a second longer for the elevator. “Noel! For fucksake, what’s going on?” Blood rang in my ears and my heart beat an uncontrollableboom boomboomagainst my ribcage.

“Something’s happened to Branson.” We’d reached the bottom of the stairwell and I charged through the lobby, ignoring the glances from staff and residents and out the front into the chilly night air. My breathing was unsteady as my head swivelled from side to side, trying to work out which way he would have gone. Banging my hands against my forehead, I forced my thoughts to focus, to come up with a plan of action. He was upset, where would he have gone? To a friend? To the park? Back to his apartment?

Turning to head in the direction of their place, I was hit by a gnawing pain in my chest as an ambulance raced past us, its siren blaring and lights flashing. I spun in its direction, my feet hitting the wet ground with hard thumps, splashing in puddles as I sprinted as fast as my stupid work shoes would allow. Irounded a corner, following the sounds of the sirens and my legs turned to stone, rooting me to the ground as I took in the scene in front of me. I vaguely sensed Milo gasping for air, a cry leaving his lips as he came to stand beside me. Red and blue lights bounced against the walls of tall skyscrapers and to one side stood a crowd of gawking pedestrians. In the centre of it all, being lifted onto a stretcher was a mop of blonde hair I would recognise anywhere.

---