Shattered ✓

T W E N T Y - T H R E E

Alexa

Our brother is gone. It didn't feel true until we stepped into our house and we didn't hear any sign of a baby being there. No tears, no laughter, nothing.

Zach was in the kitchen, preparing lunch. As we got closer, I noticed that he was making macaroni and cheese. Poor Zach. He probably didn't know how to make much, never really had a reason to.

We lost three family members in the span of 24 hours. It still felt so unreal, it felt like a dream. A nightmare. But I know it's not a dream. This is really happening.

"Do you need any help?" I asked Zach.

"Can you just set the table, please?"

I nodded and grabbed bowls, setting them around the table. Andrew grabbed spoons and put them in the bowls.

Zach had finished and placed helpings of Mac n cheese into all of the bowls. "Alexa, can you go get the others?"

I nodded and went to go get everyone else.

***

We were all sitting around the table, not saying much of anything at first. Andrew was picking at his food. Jason and Cameron were both eating. Justin's fave was sullen. Ryder ate slowly. Zach was glancing at all of us in between bites.

Zach sighs. "Isn't anyone going to talk?" he questioned.

Cameron scoffed. "Talk? Talk about what? Our mother's death or her killer? Why don't we talk about Noah—"

"Cameron," Zach said with a warning tone.

Jason and Justin exchanged looks. I stayed silent. I didn't want Cameron's anger to be turned on me, like it had been in the past.

Cameron gritted his teeth.

Ryder pursed his lips. "Hey, guys?" Everyone looked at him. "I know what happened suck but... I don't know... we should still try to... I don't know... just, be a family or whatever..."

I had no idea what Ryder was trying to say but I agree.

There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Zach said and went to open the door.

I couldn't see who was at the door and I couldn't hear anything. I was anxious, though. I hope things are calming down... I don't know though....

Zach came back into the kitchen a minute later, a grin expression on his face. "Alexa, Andrew, he—he said that.... Your uncle has a higher claim than I do.. Ryan wants to take custody of you...."

My heart dropped.

"What? We can't lose them too!" Ryder exclaimed, furious tears in his eyes. "Zach, do something!"

"I don't know what I can do!" Zach said, his voice cracking at the end. "I don't want them to go either. Fuck!"

Andrew stood up, his fists clenched. "No! We can't go with him. That fucking bitch raped our sister."

My face turned red in embarrassment. Why did he have to tell everyone of that?

Cameron, Zach, Justin, Jason and Ryder all narrowed their eyes. They looked scary.

"He did what?" Jason said, his voice flat.

"I'm going to fucking kill him..." Zach said, a humorless laugh leaving him.

"When was this?" Jason asked, teeth gritted.

Justin elbowed him. "Don't ask that."

Cameron wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly, as if to protect me. "We can't let them go to that man," Cameron told Zach. "Isn't there anything we could do? We're both adults and we've been in their life longer. That has to count for something, right?"

Zach stayed silent for a minute. "I—I don't know—maybe? I tried to convince that guy to let the twins stay with is, but he wouldn't budge. Said their uncle is priority because he's blood..."

"Zach!" Andrew exclaimed.

"I'm not going to let you go now!" Zach said. "Not after what you said. I'll figure something out. I'll protect you both, okay?"

"Hey, couldn't we just tell cps or the cops what Ryan did?" Ryder asked. "Because he'll end up in jail, right? And even if he didn't, he'll be on a list and sex offenders can't adopt kids."

"I wish it was that simple," Zach said. "Rapists don't always... get the... punishments they deserve... so I don't know if telling them what we know, would exactly help us. But I will figure singeing out. Sit tight." Then he left, to go to talk to the man from CPS.

I didn't say anything since Zach announced the news. I didn't want to go back to him. I didn't want Andrew too, either. I wasn't even mad that Andrew blurted out my business like that, though we will definitely talk about that later.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Cameron whispered into my ear. "I'll fight a cop before I let them take you guys away."

I crack a smile, even though I was nervous beyond belief. "Please, do not do that," I say.

Zach returns. "Okay, they're going to do a background check on him, so that does give us a little more time with Alexa and Andrew, and in the meantime, I will figure something out."

Cameron hugged me tighter, and everyone else breathed sighs of relief that Andrew and I aren't getting taken right now, but we're not out of the woods just yet.

"I have an idea!" Jason said. "Why don't we plant drugs in his house!"

Everyone, including his own twin, looked at him in confusion.

"What?" Jason asked.

"Where would we even get drugs?" Zach asked in a way that said he probably didn't want to know.

Jason shrugged.

Cameron laughed. "If we did get our hands on drugs, then I'll be all for that plan."

"I—I feel like this plan is all kinds of illegal," I said, but Andrew grinned.

"Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do," Andrew said.

"Honestly," Zach says, "it won't be that bad—not saying that's what we'll doing, lets put it as Plan B. He'll get charged for a crime because he certainly won't be charged for a crime he did commit, and he does need time in prison."

"So my plan?" Jason asked hopefully.

"I'm digging it," Justin said with a lightheaded shrug.

Zach sighed. "Plan B, okay?"

"What's Plan A?" Ryder asked.

"I'm still thinking, shhhhh."