My dream life

Chapter 3

After hanging up, Damien rushed over to his brother who had texted him.

"Tom!" he called desperately as he barged into the house. "Tom!" he called again rushing to the living room the find alcohol everywhere. "Tom!" he called running up to his room and glancing around until he heard slight shuffling from the wardrobe. "Tom," he called again opening the wardrobe and finding him curled up and shivering among the clothes. "come," he said softly extending a hand to take.

Shakily, Tom reached out and took his hand, falling into Damien's arms and crying.

"It's okay, it's okay." he soothed. "Where's mom?" he asked causing his brother to flinch.

Sniffing, Tom pulled away from him a wild frightened look on his face as he stood hunched into himself.

"Is that a bruise?" asked Damien outraged when he saw the bruise on his brother's cheek.

Flinching again, Tom curled more into himself. "Mom drank too much and when I came home, she got angry," he admitted hesitantly not meeting his brother's furious gaze.

"And where is she now?" he asked probably harsher than he should have, making Tom flinch.

"I-I don't know," he replied shivering in fear.

Sighing and calming down he spoke softly. "It's okay." he soothed pulling him back into his arms. "We'll be okay," he promised, deciding to bring his brother to his tiny apartment for now.

When Friday came, Margret dressed in her best white dress and heels then completed the look with a black blazer, her best jewellery, and makeup that was simple and modest. Her hair was too short for a bun, so she simply curled it and left it out before Richard pulled up to take them to the opera.

While Richard sat comfortably and watched attentively, Margret found herself nodding off after the second song and settled for sitting straight her eyes closed so she could sleep, but not so deep that it would be noticeable. She still had to answer Richard's occasional chatter that she had every answer planned out for by the way.

She knew it wasn't great of her to sleep and pretend to be so absorbed in the music she wanted to enjoy it by sound, but if she said she actually didn't like opera, how would he react?

"It was amazing, wasn't it?" he said once the whole show was over his eyes sparkling.

"Indeed." she beamed as best as she could.

"Are you hungry?" he asked making her pause slightly.

"Yes." she eventually decided.

No matter how awkward dinner will turn out to be, she wasn't going to cook once she got home.

After enduring dinner, she was finally home, and she slumped against the front door exhausted.

I can't do this, she thought with a sigh.

Now that she had tasted freedom again thanks to Damien, it was hard to be the perfect version of herself always because she was now home. That is also another reason she moved but she would never say that.

Finally moving to go get ready for bed, she called the only person she knew she could talk to once wrapped up in bed.

"Hey, how did your evening go?" asked Damien sounding more tired than she was used to.

"I slept, but what about you? Is everything alright?" she asked worried.

"Uh, yeah, yeah I'm fine," he replied making her frown more.

"Brother, I'm hungry," said Tom in the distance.

"Hold on," he said to Margret. "I'll make something soon, have a snack in the meantime, okay."