Heartbeats and City Streets

Chapter Fifteen

Megan entered the loft, her shoulders slumped, and her body drained of energy. Every step felt like an uphill battle, each one a reminder of the immense fatigue that weighed her down. The past days' events had taken a toll on her physically and emotionally, leaving her feeling utterly depleted. She shut the door behind her, shutting out the world and creating a cocoon of solitude. With a heavy heart, she exhaled a prolonged sigh as if exhaling the air from her lungs and the weight of her burdens. The sound echoed through the open space, a mere whisper against the backdrop of her weariness.

'Hey,' Archer said softly as Megan sagged against the closed door.

Megan's weary eyes lifted, and she caught sight of Archer. He was sitting on the couch, his arms spread across the back of the cushions, and his head turned towards her. His gaze swept over Megan, from her feet to the top of her head. Their eyes connected like magnets. His presence brought a glimmer of comfort to the weariness that consumed her. Despite her exhaustion, a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she approached him.

'Hey,' Megan whispered to him, her voice barely audible as she sank into the seat next to Archer.

Archer reached out, his hand finding hers, and intertwined their fingers with a gentle squeeze. 'How did it go?' he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern and curiosity. His eyes searched Megan's tired and red-rimmed gaze, awaiting her response.

'It was exhausting,' Megan replied, her voice carrying the weight of weariness and emotional strain. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, her mind still processing the difficult decision she had to make. 'Jeremy...he didn't have a will.'

'Okay,' he said, his tone thoughtful. 'That was expected, wasn't it?'

Megan nodded wearily, her eyes reflecting a mix of resignation and disappointment. 'Yeah,' she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. 'I just hoped that he would have a will so I wouldn't have to make these decisions.'

Archer's gaze softened as he squeezed Megan's hand, understanding the weight of her words. They both knew that Jeremy's lifestyle had been unpredictable and chaotic, making it unlikely that he had taken the time to formalise his final wishes. Still, the absence of a will added an additional layer of complexity to an already challenging situation.

'The only thing that he owned was clothes and drugs,' Megan sighed, her voice bitter. 'The drugs were obviously confiscated.'

'Mmhm,' Archer murmured, acknowledging Megan's words.

She looked at Archer and sighed, her tired eyes filled with uncertainty. 'I can either have him cremated or buried,' she said, her voice trailing. 'Or I...'

Archer's brows furrowed in confusion as he gently urged her to continue. 'What?' he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

Megan took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. 'Look, I came out of there with three options,' she began, her voice tinged with exhaustion and determination. 'I can have him cremated and take whatever belongings he has. I can have him buried and take whatever belongings he has. Or...'

'And the third?' Archer interjected.

'I can sign a piece of paper and then do nothing,' she replied, her voice heavy with resignation. 'I can do nothing and let the state handle everything.'

Archer's gaze softened as he listened to Megan's words. He could sense her burden, torn between obligations and personal desires. With a gentle and reassuring tone, he asked the question that mattered the most: 'Well, what do you want to do? Don't think of anyone else. What do you want to do?'

'The only job he ever worked was selling drugs,' she explained, her tone heavy with resignation. 'Everything he has is from drug money. I don't want any of that.'

With empathy in his eyes, he assured her, 'I understand, Megan. You don't want anything from him, and that's okay.'

Megan's voice trembled as she shared the painful truth. 'And he...he put me, and you, as collateral for the drugs he was meant to sell,' she confessed, her words laced with the sharp sting of hurt and disappointment. Each syllable was heavy with the weight of a shattered trust. 'And then he just used the drugs himself. He didn't care about me... I was nothing more than collateral.'

Archer's heart clenched as he absorbed Megan's raw anguish. Jeremy's callous disregard for their well-being pierced their souls, leaving a profound sense of abandonment and heartache. He held Megan's trembling hand tighter, silently conveying his unwavering support and understanding.

The bitter taste of betrayal lingered in Megan's mouth as tears welled in her eyes. She had placed her trust in her flesh and blood, which was meant to protect and cherish her, only to be treated as a mere expendable pawn in Jeremy's selfish game. The weight of this profound betrayal bore down on her, leaving an indelible mark on her heart and soul. The pain that coursed through her seemed impossible, a wound so deep it felt like it would never fully heal.

Megan's voice cracked at that moment, bearing the weight of her shattered expectations. 'He didn't care about me... I was just collateral,' she whispered, her voice tremblingly.

A heavy silence settled upon the room as if the weight of Megan's words had sucked out the air around them. In that pregnant pause, the enormity of her emotions reverberated, filling the void with an unspoken ache. Her heart throbbed with a complex mixture of sorrow and anger, caught between the lingering memories of the brother she had once loved and the harsh reality of his destructive choices. It was a tumultuous clash within her, a battlefield where sentimentality collided with bitter truth, leaving her torn between holding on and letting go.

She expressed her desire with a mix of vulnerability and uncertainty, her voice tinged with guilt. 'I don't want to give him a funeral. I want to grieve for the brother that I knew he could be and then move on,' she confessed, her words punctuated by a heaviness that only someone burdened with such complicated emotions could understand. 'Is that bad?'

Archer's eyes held a tender understanding as he gazed at Megan. He took a moment to collect his thoughts, carefully choosing his words. 'Megan, it's not bad,' he said softly, his voice filled with empathy. 'You have every right to grieve for the brother you once knew, to mourn the loss of the relationship you wished you had. It doesn't mean you condone his actions or the pain he caused.'

'What about not having a funeral?' Megan asked.

With a tender gesture, Archer extended his hand, delicately brushing away a tear that cascaded down Megan's cheek. In that gentle touch, he conveyed a reassurance of his unwavering support.

'That doesn't make you a bad person either,' he said, his voice steady and compassionate. Archer leaned in closer, his eyes filled with unwavering honesty. 'I'm going to be brutally honest with you, Megan. He was a bad brother.'

Megan's gaze shifted, unable to meet Archer's piercing stare. 'I know,' she murmured, her voice carrying a hint of pain.

'He didn't care about you,' Archer continued, his words cutting through the air. He held Megan's gaze firmly, ensuring she understood the gravity of his following statement. 'Nor did he love you. The sad truth is, Megan, the only thing Jeremy Wells ever loved was drugs.'

Silence hung heavy in the room as Megan absorbed the harsh reality. The weight of Archer's words resonated deep within her, a bitter pill to swallow. She had long carried the burden of her brother's actions, hoping against hope for a flicker of love or a shred of remorse. But now, facing the truth, she felt sadness, anger, and a strange sense of liberation.

Archer reached out and gently cupped Megan's face in his hands, his touch tender yet firm. 'You deserve so much more, Megan,' he whispered, his voice filled with sincerity. 'You deserve to let go of the guilt and the burden that was never yours to bear. It's time to free yourself from being collateral in someone else's destructive choices.'

Archer's arms enveloped Megan in a protective embrace, pulling her close against his chest. His lips gently pressed against her forehead, leaving a tender kiss. His heartbeat echoed in sync with hers, their connection solidified by an unspoken understanding. He held her tightly, savouring the warmth of their embrace, before finally breaking the silence. 'I'll support you in whatever choice you make,' Archer vowed. 'But please,' he begged, 'promise me this one thing: don't allow yourself to become collateral again.' Archer pulled away from Megan to look into her eyes. 'I know you couldn't stop what happened, but please don't willingly let darkness into your life. Don't let people like Jeremy into your life.'