Love Always (NG4)

15 - Helpless

Cole thought of his brother as he walked through Logan airport at seven am. He was on his way home from California and had flown in on the red-eye. Exhausted from coast to coast travel, he was glad he only had to do it semi-annually. It was nice to see the other members of his team in person.

Hopefully, he would be on time to catch his bus. Waiting a half hour meant that much longer before he could smell and taste Anna. He saw her through FaceTime, but it wasn't the same. How did Sam survive? Cole wanted to hop on a plane to Virginia and talk some sense into Rory, but his anger didn't help his brother. It was odd to be in Boston knowing Sam was in the city. Probably asleep because he was still a college student.

Cole didn't miss school. He kept busy enough with work, but he loved having his weekends off without homework to do. He exited the terminal and waited for the bus. Luck was on his side; the bus stopped, and he climbed aboard. After texting Anna, he shut his eyes. A little nap and he would be in Portland. Anna was his last thought.

The almost empty bus was silent. He looked out the window. Still in New Hampshire. Sam was driving the same route later. Cole missed him and Sam was his last thought before drifting off.

Cole woke as the bus rolled off exit five to the terminal. He hardly had to wait for the others before he made his way down the aisle. He stepped down with his bag over his shoulder and walked into the small terminal. A ray of sunshine greeted him, his Anna. He took two large steps so he could reach out and touch her soft cheek.

She smiled. "Hi. Tired? Hungry?"

He looked at her. "Hungry. Definitely hungry."

She giggled. "I meant food."

"That too. Maybe my mom will be out."

Anna shook her head. "Bryan's off."

Cole frowned. "They could go shopping or something together."

Anna laughed. "He was meeting my Dad and Andrew for a just boys coffee date."

Cole laughed. "You can drop me at The Landing. You're not invited, since you don't have..."

"Okay, enough." Anna laughed. Cole loved every female part of her.

"Did you miss me while alone in our apartment?"

Anna looked at him as they stepped outside. "Every minute. I don't know how she can stand it."

Cole tugged her to him and kissed her. His entire body sighed. She was his home. While away he attended meetings and contributed to his team. It wasn't until he was with her again that he realized a part of him hadn't taken the trip. Again his thoughts went to Sam. He must feel like that every day.

Cole sighed. "I feel so helpless."

Anna unlocked her car with a chirp. Cole dropped his bag in the back seat before climbing in the passenger seat.

Anna squeezed his hand. "He knows you care. It'll be good to see him."

Cole laughed. "You mean other than on the sidelines."

Anna didn't respond. She was backing out of her parking spot. Cole's plan was to get a little rest and enjoy his long weekend.

Cole and Anna had had dinner with her dad and Mari. As always Andrew stole the attention.

Mike said, "I don't remember you being so busy."

Anna laughed. "Dad, it was twenty years ago."

Mari teased. "He's so old his memory's going."

Mike pulled his wife to him. "I'm not old."

Cole smiled. He want to have a marriage like Mike and Mari's or even his Mom's. Frowning, he realized Rory had a point. The happy marriages were all second marriages. Did he know anyone on their first marriage? Mari's friend Heidi. Ms. Brenner and her friend, Ivy's mom. The chef. Tim and Amy. Why couldn't Rory focus on those examples?

Mari whispered making Mike frown. Cole heard her, but doubted Anna did, because she was busy with her brother.

Cole heard her say. "Then why won't you agree to another baby."

Cole turned his attention towards Andrew. He didn't need to know their personal business, but was glad his mom never had a kid with Bryan. He thought of Gabby. Her dad was older than Mike when his baby was born.

They left after dinner and walked to his house. Cole smiled when he entered the kitchen to see Sam eating. Hearing about Sam's roommates coming north surprised him. Theo, he could take, but Luke was more of a jerk than Cole had ever been. Rory used to tease that Cole desensitized Sam so he could put up with Luke. Cole wished his little spitfire didn't love amusement rides, but he would hang out with Sam's friends. Maybe they would get the pennies out. No one had played anything since before Rory left.

Cole and Anna never fought, so their disagreement on Saturday afternoon after they visited the girls, left him feeling like shit for a lot of reasons. Cole didn't know what to make of the girl who came up from Boston and clung to Sam. Seeing him without Rory felt like living in a foreign country. When Sam shook his head to tell him he wasn't with her he believed him, Anna didn't.

Anna said, "He said she wasn't his girlfriend, but something's going on."

Cole felt his back get rigid. "I trust my brother. If he said, no, then it's no. Sam doesn't lie."

Cole said the words and knew they weren't true. Sam had been lying about his feelings, which proved his point. Sam missed Rory too much and his brother didn't use girls. Cole had been used and Sam would never.

Conflicted, Anna put herself in the middle between Sam and Rory, but Cole stood firmly next to Sam. He didn't care if Anna talked to Rory. He just wanted Anna to be happy.

Anna could be stubborn. "I don't like her with her fake 'I'm so sweet' persona. I refuse to accept her."

"Anna, talk to Sam. I only know what I know."

Anna frowned. "Fine. I will."

When they got back to the house, the friends from Boston were gone, and Sam had retreated to his room. Cole wanted to blame Rory, but Sam chose his actions. He could heal surrounded by his family but isolated himself instead. His mother mentioned the girl, and he replied before Anna had a chance.

"Mom, he doesn't like her."

By the time, Cole kissed Anna goodnight for the last time, she was upset again about the girl. Rory had called Anna. It was obvious she was drunk and crying. It stung when she refused to speak to him. He knew it had to do with him being Sam's brother. Cole realized no matter how angry he was with Rory, he still loved her. They had been friends a long time, and she stood by and supported him when his life was a wreck. It hurt that she took a break from him too.

Rory's phone call upset Anna, and Cole hated to see her upset. Cole scrubbed his face with his hands. He felt exhausted between traveling and his emotional day. "How did Rory know about the girl?"

Anna looked at him like he had two heads. "Her social page."

"Anna, you should know better than to believe social media."

Anna cried. "I know, but..."

Cole felt bad and pulled her into his arms. "I know it's hard to think about, but people do things online they'd never do in person, like lie about a relationship."

Anna meekly said, "Or accuse a victim."

"Ann, you are a survivor and don't forget it."

Anna went to counseling while she was pregnant to help her make the right decision about the baby. She continued afterwards to help repair her relationship with her mother, but also to work through what happened with her teacher. It was torture to watch, but Anna had to acknowledge she had been a victim and work through it to come out the other side stronger than ever. They didn't discuss an intimate relationship until Anna finally stopped seeing Dr. Deb. As he left her house to walk home alone, he felt mature. Maybe it was because they dated so long without sex, but he accepted when they came home she stayed at her house and he stayed at his. With his trip, it had been too long since they had been alone. He would be glad to get back to their little apartment and put the drama behind them.

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