Our Broken Love (Angels of war series #4)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

PENELOPE

I make everyone the third cup of tea of the day, putting the tray on the coffee table to find Vivienne missing from the couch. My brother is putting her to bed and you can hear her cries from in here.

Dad is pale when he takes the mug from me, staring off into the distance while I pace around until Fraser gets back in here. Nobody says anything, I don't think we dare for the emotions are too heavy.

So we sit. For what feels like hours. Then I offer to make some food, but they're not hungry. I get up anyway, needing to shake off some of this nervous energy.

It's pretty humid outside for an evening, the birds chirping in the distance and what sounds like crickets. Max answers the FaceTime within a few rings, looking worn out as he lays splayed across his bed.

"Hey, my pretty girl," he croaks, coughing to clear his throat. "How's things?"

I sigh, rubbing my eyes. "Just awful. God, it's the worst."

"Oh, Penny," he whispers, moving his big body to sit up. "How are they or is that a silly question?"

"Viv is sleeping a lot and Fraser is surviving on autopilot," I respond, bringing my feet up to rest on the bench.

I think he likes to keep busy because then he's not thinking about it. The shock is probably still wearing off too. All we can do is be there for them, in anyway they need us.

"How're you doing, baby? And your dad?" he whispers so softly I barely hear him.

Describing how I feel right now is impossible because I actually don't know how I feel. It's a whirlwind of different emotions, each hitting me at different times.

"I'm absolutely heartbroken. We both are," I say with a horrible pain growing in my chest.

Max sees the sadness on my face and brings his phone closer so I can see the raw pain on his too. "I would be surprised if you weren't."

"I feel selfish showing it around them, though," I say, feeling totally overwhelmed.

He gives me a concerned look, very obviously trying his best to comment. "I want to say something really profound, but my mind is stopping me."

I smile gently. "All you have to do is be there for me."

Max nods. "That I can do."

"Take my mind off things," I beg.

The door slams behind me, jolting me upright. It's Fraser and he's dressed in his running gear. We share a forced smile, my hand going up to wave as he shoves his earbuds in to race off.

"I went to see gran today," Max says, bringing me right back to the here and now. "She misses you, but says to stay as long as you need. Apparently you called her last night?"

"Yeah, just to check in but the signal was awful and she was getting frustrated," I respond.

His lips twitch. "Yeah, I heard. We can do a FaceTime sometime this week. I'll use my phone."

I nod. "Sounds good." I look up from my foot that's pushing the pebbles under them around. "Sorry?"

"I said she's already getting pissed at me. I got her the wrong brand of panty liner the other day and she right about traumatised me into remembering she needs the thick ones."