TANGLED PLANS

48

Max
Summer, Last Year

"Brayden?" I called out to my best friend, but he was too busy trying to punch at the walls. I had blocked his blow with my hand on the wall. I didn't want Jim to worry about more than just the death of his wife. I didn't think the guy could go through with his son's anger right now.

Brayden moves on to grab an item and throw it at the wall, and the sound echoes through the empty room. The Madden household has been empty for the last three weeks as Melissa's health has been worsening. It had been silent as the family prepared for her passing. Nothing was working for Melissa's cancer, and she had decided it was time to go.

She couldn't fight any longer; the sickness was taking her.

It has been extremely quiet in the house, but nothing compared to today. Nothing could prepare the family for the loss of their loved one. I wasn't too close to Mel, but I was heartbroken over her death as well.

For the last hour, I have been trying to comfort my friend, but it hasn't been working. I didn't think anything could help him calm down right now.

Brayden shoots me a glare when I grab the glass decoration from his hand. He couldn't throw this around. "Brayden, why don't you take a seat on the couch?"

"So, I can sit there and cry?" Brayden throws out at me harshly. I only nod and say, "If that's what you want."

Brayden takes a seat on the couch and says, "Well, I don't want!"

I move away from him and roam around the room as I look for a small item. Once I find a rubber ball, I puck it off the floor and hand it to him. "Throw this around on the ceiling; it will make you feel good."

"Fine," Brayden huffs, and then turns away from me as he lays his head on the small couch in his room. Sensing that he doesn't want me here anymore, I head out of his room to give him space. As I pass the rooms in the hallway, my ears catch the soft sniffles of someone in a room.

I know who she is, and my stomach twisted as I listened to her uncontrolled sobs. I'm backtracking my steps before I even know it, and I'm walking into her room. She doesn't see me as her head is laid on the pillow, her sobs turning louder now.

I take a seat on the bed and call out for her. She jolts her head toward me, and it doesn't take long for me to put my arms around her shoulders. I hold her as she cries, and when she asks for me to say something as I go to leave, I stay. How could I say no to her when she was hurting this badly? She was asking for my comfort, and I would give it to her.

I wrap my arms back around Daisy's shoulders as I lay my head on her pillow. She presses her head on my chest, her back pressing against my body. Her sobs were quiet throughout the night, but I could tell that she was still crying. I check to see if she is asleep halfway through the night and find that she is, but her lips are pulled down in a frown.

I wish I could do more than just wrap my arms around her shoulder. I wish that I could offer Daisy more.

I fall asleep shortly after, with her in my mind as well as the rest of the Madden family.

🌼

The next morning, I woke up with a hand on my chest. My eyes flit down to the hand to find that delicate hands are gripping the front of my shirt. As I observe it, I find that it is holding on so tight, almost as if to keep me close. My eyes wander forward to find the source of the hand.

Daisy.

She has turned around in her sleep and found herself holding on to me. One of my arms is loosely wrapped around her waist. The realization that this simple act of being in bed with her scares the hell out of me. Daisy and I—well, we couldn't. Not even if I liked her.