Forever Again

Chapter 4

"Laney, will you ever forgive me?"

"You can't expect me to jump for joy because you're suddenly in my life again. Do I love you? Yes, and I always will because you're my brother no matter the fact that you remembered to send dad holiday cards but completely ignored me for six years. Did I miss you? Of course, I did, but I had to assume that you were alive and okay."

"But?" he sighed.

"But I can't deny the fact that you wouldn't even be here if you hadn't seen me at Campos' place. You got your dream job, Brian, and you forgot about me along the way." I sighed.

"I missed you too and I do love you. I don't have an excuse for ghosting you and pops and I won't try to find one cause it would be bullshit anyway."

"I'm not really sure what you want from me, Brian."

"I guess I want to know if you can forgive me." he said.

"So does that mean you're gonna be around? We're adults so I don't expect to see you every day or hear from you every day, a text message would suffice. I don't want to say 'yeah that's all in the past' and then you disappear for another six years." I told him.

"That's not gonna happen, I even called pops." he said, smiling.

"Yeah, I heard."

"Laney ..."

"I ... can forgive you Bri, but it's gonna take time." I sighed, knowing that I can't stay mad at him.

"That's great. Shit! I've gotta report back, I'll talk to you later." he said after checking his cell phone.

"Be safe."

"I will ... Laney ..."

"I'm not quitting, I'm safe there." I interrupted him.

"You be safe." he said, walking over to kiss my temple the way he used to before running out.

"Well, that ... okay then." I sighed as I finished my coffee.

Four days passed before I saw Brian again. He did text me sporadically but I didn't actually see him. He made me paranoid at work, always looking over my shoulder and jumpy. Of course, I already knew they were dangerous, but Brian made it worse for me. Then he sends me a text at 11 pm talking about, 'I need a favor ... bring the kit.'

The address he sent me isn't one that I'm familiar with, and neither is the neighborhood that I pulled into. Yes, I'm nosy so I decided to help him. When I got out of the car, another woman was getting out as well. We just looked at each other but I kept walking along the shadow-hidden path. It looks like an abandoned garage but what do I know? I could hear voices inside but I only recognized one, so I knocked.

"Hey, thanks for coming." Brian said.

"Of course, a girl was following ..."

"Is this your way of keeping me away from him?" the girl asked as soon as she saw Brian, effectively interrupting me.

"Rude." I muttered.

"You two are the only ones I could call." he replied.

"I got you, Bri." I said, smiling when he kissed my temple and the girl narrowed her eyes.

"He's my brother, of course. Who are you?" she asked me.

"I'm his sister." I replied, laying my head on his shoulder.

"You're Delaney." she muttered, surprising me. "He talked about you a lot."

"Hmm."

"Laney, this is Mia." Brian said.