Good Luck Anna

Graveyard

   On Saturday, as promised Alex takes me into town to pick something for my birthday. I on multiple occasions told him that it didn't matter but he wouldn't hear of it, insisting that he still had plenty of money saved from his old job to get me something nice.

  We wander around for hours with no success, until my eyes land on a Teal halter neck dress in Zara's window. Dragging Alex in store scanning for the dress, I find it hanging in the back corner dashing straight for it.

  The dress is gorgeous smooth satin, with a tight folded waistband and a floaty skirt that – due to me being a short arse – will sit comfortably at my knees, the plunging neckline is made more modest with a panel of small silver beads.

  "Very pretty, do you want it for your birthday?"

  I spin round to face Alex startling myself with the bruising still lingering one his face. Fucking hell not sure I will ever get used to seeing him so consistently completely exhausted.

  We did our homework together this morning giving me a first-hand insight the struggle he has with focusing and memory. We could chalk it down to the sleep deprivation but sadly I think the accident has fractured something in his mind that he will never recover from.

  Clutching the dress to my chest I flip over the tag horrified at the eighty-pound's staring back at me, -Alex and I have just got each other little cheap joke gifts for the past few years.- Putting the prettiest dress I've seen in a long while back on the rail, I couldn't possibly expect Alex to spend that much on me.

  Especially when all I got him for his birthday was a poster of Iron Man doing the ironing. I'd wanted to get him something Batman themed but the puns weren't nearly as good, since it made him cackle, I took the gift as a win.

  "What are you doing? You clearly love the dress, I will get it for you." Alex has been using his "parental" voice a lot recently, as much as it doesn't suit him, it's kind of comforting at the same time.

  "Nope, it is not as nice as I thought up close" Alex gives me a look expressing that he obviously isn't buying my bullshit. Sighing loud I admit "Fine, the dress is too expensive. I refuse to let you spend that much on me." Crossing my arms, attempting to look intimidating, but it just gains me another lip twitch from Alex.

  He has the cheek to roll his eyes at me then leans clean over my head plucking the dress from behind me. Damn that giant. As if to add insult to injury he dares wink at me before turning toward the cash desk.

  Trailing after him while frantically begging Alex not to buy it until we stop in the queue, "Have you got shoes to wear with this?"

   Stunned I stammer, "Ye... yeah, the silver ones with the wings on the back... they will be cute with it."

   Alex nods once then steps forward to the gorgeous auburn cashier, sexy cat eyes impeccably lined, sharpest cheek bones I've ever seen in person and full deep plum stained lips. She is my type to a T but it's not my attention she is trying to attain.

  Fluttering her eyes at an oblivious Alex, she lets out a flirtatious giggle when he miss speaks but he is completely blind to every single one of the signals she is chucking him. Awkwardly paying for my dress without so much as glancing at her face.

   Yet another thing that's changed since the crash, Alex has always been popular with women – people in general - but now he is unsure, unfocused, detached and on edge the same way as he is with all of us.

  He thanks her and we leave the shop in the comfortable silence I've grown accustomed to with this new version of my brother. We are heading toward the car park when we come face to face with Mr and Mrs Patrick. AKA dad's best friends and the humans who spawned that gremlin I stupidly gave my virginity to.