Page 2 of Shattering Nash

“Stop,” she croaked, her breath laboring. “Stop, Cody.” She flailed her arms against his chest, able to mutter one last word as her vision started to cloud, and her ears rang. “P-please.”

She wasn’t sure how she’d managed to get the word out, but it seemed to spark something in her brother. He immediately let go of her neck, and she dropped to the floor, her fingers digging into the softness of the carpet. Her eyes welled, fighting a battle between her incessant coughing and her need to breathe. Every time she coughed, her muscles constricted, leaving a fiery sensation down her throat. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she angled her head, looking up at her brother. He was a few feet away staring down at her. His bewildered gaze and wide eyes looked lost and scared. It was a side of him she’d never seen, and maybe one he hadn’t realized existed within himself.

“Charley…” His voice was so low, had she not seen his lips move, she might not have heard him. Cody took a step forward but froze when the banging on the front door caught both their attention.

Charley jerked her head seconds before it swung open, and two police officers charged through the door. Charley gasped, shrinking into the wall and watching the complete mayhem ensue. They moved straight to Cody. One officer grabbed him by the back of his shirt and the other wrapped his arm around Cody’s neck and dragged him into the kitchen.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” It was clearly one of the officers speaking. “Are you high?”

“Jesus Christ! We fucking talked about this!” The other deep voice was similar in tone.

Talked about what?They spoke with a certain familiarity. She couldn’t hear her brother’s response, and their voices lowered to a mere whisper. She couldn’t make out what theywere saying. There was so much happening, Charley was having a hard time following anything from the other room. She tried clearing her throat and winced at the burning pain. She lightly skimmed her fingers over her neck. The skin was tender. She had no doubt her brother had left marks on her.

Charley used the wall to steady herself as she stood.

“You okay?”

Charley spun too quickly, and her back slammed against the wall. Cody was being led out the front door by one officer while the other stood in the doorway to the kitchen, staring back at her.

She was still in a foggy daze. This had all happened so fast, and she was in the processing phase but she managed to nod.

The officer eyed her suspiciously. “Give us a few minutes, and we’ll be back in to talk with you.”

“Okay.”

He walked out, closing the door behind him.

Charley was overwhelmed with confusion, and something gnawed in her chest, causing an immense pit in her stomach.

How did this happen?

*

Charley had spent the last half hour constantly glancing down at her phone. Thirty minutes wasn’t an especially long time, but in her position it’d felt like an eternity. She sat in the middle of her couch with her legs slightly shaking and a pillow tucked on her lap. She was seeking comfort and coming up with nothing.

“Rock bottom,” Charley mumbled, sliding her finger over the pattern of the fabric.

This was it. She’d heard the term dozens of times and understood the meaning. She’d just never witnessed it. Until tonight. Even throughout all the highs and lows, the successesand failures with Cody and his journey, she could’ve never predicted this outcome.I never saw it coming.

She fought against her tears, wishing them away as she stared at the blank wall in front of her. It hadn’t always been that way. In fact, an hour ago it had held a collage frame of their family pictures, mostly from when they were kids. It had been a gift from her mom when she’d graduated high school. All the happiest and most monumental moments from her childhood with her family displayed in one frame.

She dropped her gaze to the floor. The glass had shattered, and a fallen vase full of flowers had soaked the photos. Ruined.

How did we get here?

If she’d allowed herself to dig deeper, she might’ve seen signs. Always the optimist and believer in “this too shall pass” was probably not the best mindset for the situation with her brother. But that was Charley. Abandoning a person at their lowest point was the easy route. Showing up and being present during the lowest of lows was the road less travelled. Not ideal for anyone. Seeing someone’s worth, even when they couldn’t, was Charley’s superpower.

The last words she’d spoken to her mother during a feverishly heated argument regarding her brother rang through her mind.

I will not give up on him.

And she hadn’t. Even when everyone in their lives turned their backs on Cody, she’d refused. If she was the only one in his corner, then so be it. But he’d always know there was someone who believed in him, his struggles, and ultimately, his recovery. There were setbacks.So many setbacks.Even at this moment with everything that had just happened, Charley found herself in a familiar position, muttering the same words from the past eight years.

“I will not give up on him,” she whispered and dragged her hands through her hair, inhaling a deep breath.

Charley rolled her neck. It was the wrong move. Any movement triggered throbbing pain, making it hard to swallow. She grabbed the water bottle from between her legs, spun off the cap, and took a mouthful. It was too much, and she started coughing, choking on the water. The pain was like a thousand knives stabbing her throat. She clutched her neck, wincing at the sheer magnitude of the pain. She bent over slightly, taking even breaths and trying to regain some kind of control.

The coughing only added to the tenderness of her throat. The more she tried to suppress it, the harder she coughed. She finally gave in to it, seeing no other option. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her nose congested. She was a mess. Much like the current state of her life.

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