Yours to love

Chapter 52: Lillian

Author's note: I might have cried a little while writing this chapter 

You might need some tissues and a call with your therapist after (if you don't have one, don't hesitate to write to me at the end of the chapter or in private)

"When is your next call with Blake scheduled?" Zora asks me through the phone.

"Wednesday, but I have one with Adam tonight, so he'll probably come say hi. You can come to my place if you want."

"I can't, I am meeting my dad's new girlfriend."

"Lucky girl," I tell her sarcastically.

Her father tends to have weird taste in women.

"The girlfriend isn't the worst part. It's the two kids that come with her."

I explode, laughing until I can't breathe. If there is something Zora doesn't like, it's kids. And she's about to be stuck with two half-siblings.

"I'm sure you'll be alright, and if you need me to get you out of there, send me a SOS, I'll come to your rescue. Anyways, I'll talk to you later. My break is over, I gotta go back to work."

"Talk to you later," Zora tells me before hanging up.

The rest of my shift flies by in no time. It's crowded like every Saturday, people running errands in need of a refreshment. When I come home, I find myself alone. I was expecting my parents to be here with me for dinner, but I suppose something else came up while I was gone. I head to the kitchen, searching for a note, which I find on the counter.

My parents are so weird. They both own cell phones and they can't be bothered to send me a text instead of leaving a note on a piece of paper.

Went out for dinner. Won't be back too late.

How nice. I guess I'm on my own for dinner then. I search through the refrigerator for something to eat and come back to the kitchen island empty-handed. Restaurant menus it is. I take them out of the drawer, putting each and everyone aside until I come across a chinese food menu.

Half an hour later, the doorbell rings, and I get caught in my blanket as I try to stand up from the couch.

"Hold on," I shout as if the delivery guy could hear me.

I fix my clothes a little, and I open the door, the sight on the other side making my heart skip a beat, fall to the ground, and get stomped, crushed, sumo-wrestled, thrown across the room against the wall.

Two men stand in front of me in ceremonial military uniforms.

Blake.

"Ms. Henry?" the old man asks, and I nod, even though I know they probably were expecting my mother to open the door.

He opens his mouth again, but I can't listen to what he has to tell me.

"No," I shake my head, tears threatening to fall.

"I regret to inform you that your brother, Adam, died in the line of duty earlier this week," as I hear those words exit his mouth, I feel my legs giving out, or maybe it's the ground collapsing under me. This can't be real. Adam can't be dead.

"No, no!" I scream, hysterical, my vision blurring, and the salty taste of my tears reaching my lips as the sergeant in front of me sends me his best wishes and condolences.

I refuse to believe that Adam... my big brother... it's impossible.

When I look back up, trying to understand what is going on, stuck between staying calm and completely losing it, that's when I see him. With his big green eyes that are now red and his tear-stained cheeks, he takes a few steps forward, wrapping his arms around me, allowing me to let go. I fall to my knees, but Blake stops me from hurting myself, lowering me slowly, tenderly.

"It's okay, baby," he whispers in my ear, holding me close, my back to his front, as we both sit on the ground. "Just take a deep breath in."

I try. I try so hard, but it's impossible. Adam is dead. He died this week. And I'm all alone. My parents are out. Oh, God, they don't even know. Their son died and they're out somewhere enjoying a nice meal. How am I to tell them? How am I supposed to look them in the eyes and tell them that their son isn't coming home? I don't think I have the strength to do it, I can't even think straight. There's only one thing on my mind.

Adam.

A dead Adam.

His bloody body resting lifeless as it waits to be brought home.

"I can't... breathe," I sob.

"I know, baby. But you have to try. Please," his voice breaks, and it's the first time in the past five minutes that I realize that Blake lost him too. 

Secret's out, this was the big twist I had planned since the beginning. 

And I want to apologize. 

First, to Adam, because I killed off his character.

Second, to you, readers, especially if you liked Adam's character. 

I didn't kill him off for no reason (which you might think I did right now, but I am not that cruel, I had a goal behind his death and I hope you will understand my decision once the story will be over. 

Thank you for reading Yours to love :)

I'll open a chat right here if you need to talk lol I can't afford to pay for your therapy bills but I can try and be your therapist