My Exes Brother

Chapter One

Life can be unexpected at times and the worst can happen when you least expect it. When I was six I was diagnosed with stage three bone cancer and over those next two years, I was fighting hard and my parents worked two jobs each trying to make sure my medical bills were paid and all the procedures I went through were mentally and physically exhausting when I finally got cancer free I lived my life completely different when you die and come back it makes life look differently I died two times while I was fighting cancer each time I was saved my cpr. When I finally went back to school kids accepted me and were nice mostly because they knew what I have been through. My life felt normal I met friends and went to school events and ball games I was normal but of course, when I turned ten my mom and dad got a divorce they drifted apart I blamed myself but they assured me it wasn't me. The divorce was hard we had to learn to adjust to two different homes and lifestyles and it wasn't easy my older brother James, little sister Jasmine and I did the best we could. When I got in high school I became popular I had friends a ton some I hung out with just because I fit in but deep down I was still the shy girl back in elementary school. In my junior year, I met a man who changed my world, Axel, he was sweet and caring he played football and I was a cheerleader we were the dream couple everyone wanted to be us once we graduated we got an apartment together a two-bedroom he got a scholarship to a college on football I got one on academics so we both went to the same college and our relationship was perfect I loved his family and he loved mine. We got engaged in the middle of freshman year he drove me to the beach which is two hours away and set up this romantic scene with lights and of course, I said yes I loved my life with him. I will start this story in my Junior year of college on a Thursday night I sat at the kitchen table studying it was ten at night Axel was asleep he had a game the next day so I went in the other room so I didn't have to wake him. I was getting tired I grabbed a cup of coffee and walked back to the table when I heard a knock which was strange this late at night. I looked out the peephole and there stood a guy who was tall, tan, blue eyes he was almost identical to Axel. I opened the door and said, "can I help you?" The man said "yeah is this where Axel lives?" I said, "yeah I am his fiancé come in I can grab him but first who are you?" The man said, "yeah sorry I am Axel's twin brother Abel." I never heard about Abel he had a brother his parents never talked about and I didn't like asking. I said, "okay..um let me grab him get comfortable water, pop it is in the fridge." I walked into our bedroom and woke Axel and told him he looked surprised which was odd I thought he might be expecting him he threw a shirt on and we walked into the living room Axel saw Abel and said: "Abel what are you doing here?" Abel said "hoping I could speak to you it's been 3 years." Axel said, " why show up I have a phone should have just called." Abel said, "mom never would give me your number she refused." Axel said, "why are you here is everything okay?" Abel said, "I have no one my wife left me and mom refuses to let me stay there and I was hoping I could crash here it would mean a lot." Axel said, "how long do you need to stay here?" I was quiet I didn't know a lot about his twin brother but I trusted Axel. Abel said, "a couple of weeks I can pitch in money wise I can find work I have a degree for welding." Axel said "okay but we have to tell mom and dad if they find out by surprise I lose all my money from them." I said, "I will go fix the extra room up while you guys talk." Abel said "I appreciate it... I didn't get your name." I said, "Naomi I am Axel's fiancé." Abel said, "fiancé brother I didn't know you had a heart." They laughed and I walked into the room I grabbed sheets and made the bed and grabbed some blankets and I went to shower I had a lot of questions but I didn't want to be pushy when it came to Abel. After I showered I walked into the living room Abel sat on his phone I said: "hey your room is done make yourself at home." Abel said "thanks it means a lot your cool with it my brother seems to love you a lot." I said "high school sweethearts." Abel said "my wife was too she left me she was the main reason my family disowned me," I said, "I don't know much about you Axel barely spoke about it." Abel said " a huge mistake my senior year I dropped out of high school and my parents went crazy I ran off with my soon to be ex-wife her and I traveled and worked found out a month ago she cheated on me now I am alone except my brother of course." I said "your welcome to stay here as long as you want but I better get to bed I have a test tomorrow." Abel said, "yeah thanks again goodnight." I walked into our room Axel was asleep I slipped into bed and fell asleep fast. I woke to arguing I walked out into the living room Axel's mom and Axel and Abel stood arguing I said, "Hello everyone good morning." Axel's mom said "Naomi good morning sorry for this." I said "it's fine but as long as Axel allows Abel can stay here I cant see a family member go homeless." Axel's mom said "honey he isn't family hasn't been for years." I said "disagreements happen but he is still your son." Axel said, "mom please just give him a break he is still my brother and he needs a place to live." Axel's mom said "Abel you ruined everything leaving us your father picked up drinking and I had to live with a drunk all because of a woman." Abel said "mother life has changed I apologize for the hurt but I can't change the things I have done forgive me is the only thing you can do." Axel's mom said "your father is going to flip when he hears this you know that right?" I said "maybe we can set up a family dinner fix all of this." Everyone got quiet Axel's mom broke the silence she said, "sounds like a good idea how about tomorrow night if you are going to be apart of the family we need to fix the issues." I said, "I will make sure Axel is there but I am going to get ready I have a class today." I exited the room I hoped whatever issues they had it got figured out because I liked having our families happy because we had a lot of wedding planning to do. Classes took all day afterward I met up with my two best friends Ally and Kelly we have known each other since 2nd grade and we have been so close we know everything about each other. We went to a local café  Zuzu's which has the best cheese fries I ordered cheese fries and caught up with my friends Kelly said "so updates on the wedding?" I said, "none yet, but I met Axel's twin Abel last night." Ally said, "I have known them for years and we have never seen him he stayed in trouble." I said, "he is mysterious that is for sure." Ally said, "I heard he fell in love with a Nelson girl and his family disowned him." I said, "pretty much but we are going to dinner tomorrow wish me luck." Kelly said, "be honest which is hotter." I giggled and said, "of course Axel but Abel is not ugly." Kelly said "I call dibs I heard twins are good in bed," I said, "you are indeed a weirdo." We talked and laughed after a stressful month I've had it was nice to see friends the last month had been awful Axel built a wall up with me because I went to dinner with a guy friend and it made our relationship toxic we worked it out but we were about to end everything he went out with a girl and they made out during this time I was stupid to forgive him but I loved him. After we ate I paid and we said goodbyes and I drove home when I pulled in I noticed a car where mine is usually parked I got out and went upstairs I noticed Axel was home because his truck was when I got to our door Abel sat outside it he said: "I think he is in there." I said, "why is he not letting you in?" Abel said, "no clue going on two hours now." I rolled my eyes and unlocked the door and when I opened the door I saw white heels sitting by the door I didn't own white heels I raced to our room and swung the door open my fiancé a man I trusted lay in bed with the same girl he made out with a month ago I said: "what the hell!" Axel said, "Naomi you were supposed to be with your friends." I said "is this where you have been with her I thought this was all over I forgave you." Axel said, "things changed and I didn't want to hurt you I just didn't know what to say." I said, "how about I don't want to be with you this hurt me a lot more I am packing a bag and I will let you enjoy your night." I grabbed my duffel bag and grabbed what I could I felt sick and I knew it was over this time all these years I spent with him I trusted him and he did this to me the girl in bed with him was the dean's daughter I felt like trash. I went out the door Abel followed he said "hey what is going on?" I said "ask your brother." Abel said, "you need a ride you seem upset." I said, "no I'm okay." I got into my car and drove to Kelly's she lived in a two-bedroom apartment down the road. When I got to her apartment I walked in and collapsed in her arms I cried for hours I loved Axel and this wasn't like him he was loyal and trustworthy. I fell asleep on Kelly's couch when I woke Kelly had coffee and breakfast made. I said "thanks for this." Kelly said, "we are best friends I am here for you by the way cheater boy texted 30 times while you rested." I said, "oh well I am done with him seeing him with her made me sick I have never felt like this." Kelly said, "being cheated on sucks but you are prettier than her and a lot smarter leave him be you will get better." I said, "I will find a place I will rent a hotel until I find one I can't barge in on you." Kelly said, "I have an extra room and it's empty stay with me." I said, "you sure I don't want this to be a pity decision." Kelly said, "it's not I will help you pack today to bring your stuff here after you get yourself together we will roll up there and get your stuff and leave him sitting looking dumb." I smiled and said, "you're the best." Kelly said, "thank you we will get through this." She hugged me and after I ate I put on makeup and got dressed and we went back to my old apartment to grab my things when we got there I unlocked the door nobody was here so I went into our bedroom it was a mess beer bottles and girl thongs sat on my side of the bed. I went into the closet and grabbed my clothes and stuffed them into boxes and grabbed anything that was mine an hour later Kelly and I had all my things I walked back upstairs and left a note I wrote: "I came by to grab my stuff hope she was worth it here is your key to the apartment." I was walking out of the door when Abel walked in I said "hey I left his key I was just getting my stuff." Abel said, "he told me what happened you didn't deserve that you are a good person he is starting to regret it but don't take him back he is my brother but what he does I don't take up for." I said, "I didn't plan on it I deserve better it was nice meeting you." I looked at my finger I forgot the ring I took it off and laid it beside the keys and I said: "I better go see you around Abel." Abel said, "yeah see you around." I walked down the steps to Kelly's car and drove back to her apartment I hoped this helped me to move on because I haven't had the best life and I wanted to be with someone who treated me like a queen and after all these years Axel wasn't it.