I Should've Known: Book Two

Madeline

I check on Mateo as I walk through the pharmacy aisles. He answers on the second ring and says, "Hello, beautiful. It's amazing how good your mother is at scrabble. Especially when she teams up with Matthew."

I chuckle and it relieves my worried heart. "So Matthew is still awake?"

"Was awake. He fell asleep a few moments ago."

"Okay. How's my mother?"

"She's also gone to sleep. Your father is just reading something in the living room. I'm getting a plate of the delicious dinner you've made."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you arrived. I just had this...feeling. I don't know how to explain it. I needed to see Hazel. I'm glad I listened to that little voice.

"Don't worry, hun. As long as you come back to me. How is she?"

"She's devastated, Mateo. I've never seen her like this. Right now I'm getting medicine for migraines, menthol, and melatonin."

"Wow. She's that bad? It must've been a hard breakup."

I clench my jaw as I go back to my car with the items in a bag. I let out a soft sigh and realize that even I'm surprised at all of this. We all thought it would be okay. I thought my brother was smarter. I thought Hazel was stronger.

But that doesn't matter now. I have to help my friend. I know she would do the same for me. She always has and all I've ever done is break her heart even more.

"I have to go, honey. I'm going to start driving now."

"Okay. Text me when you get back to her place. And call me when you're on your way back. I love you."

"Okay. I love you more."

Hazel wasn't supposed to be this sad. But it almost feels like so many things just pilled up on her. There's something inside of her despair that feels different. It scares me as I give her a small glass of water so she can take her medicine and I gently put menthol on her temples. Her eyes look very dim. It almost makes me shiver. It's the same dimness I've seen in cadavers.

She blinks and I know she's awake. So I softly ask, "How are you feeling? Any better?"

She's silent. She's silent for too long that I almost think she's asleep. But then she blinks her dim eyes and whispers, "Have you talked to your brother?"

"I have. In fact, the night you two broke up, he came to my place. He was very devastated."

I see her brows furrow. "He went to your place? What happened to his apartment?"

"Apparently the landlord was off on vacation and he couldn't get his keys. But don't worry. He's at his place now. It's a nice place."

Her shoulders once again fall as she lets her expression turn blank again. She takes another long moment of silence before saying, "You said he cried?"

"Yes. He did. He couldn't really speak without crying."

I watch her eyes begin to blink and tears slowly slips out. My heart painfully shrinks for her lips quivering and her sad whisper saying, "Are you mad at me?"

"What? Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because he's your brother," she says between struggled sniffles. "You love him. I did this to him."

"I am not angry at you, Hazel. It's normal for breakups to happen. It's normal to cry over someone. It's okay. No one blames you."

"But he's your family."

"You are my family, too."

A sob begins up her throat and I start to rub her back. I'm worried she won't let herself rest and her migraine will get worse. But she just sobs and says in between, "No. No I'm not."