Falling for a Storm

Chapter 8: Liam

I'm standing in the hallway of Lexi's house. Lexi from the side of the road is the widow of my enemy. I stare down at the photo of what looks to be a courthouse wedding, Lexi is smiling but it looks forced while Sabastian looks like a broken man trying to smile through the pain. I see the look of shock on Ron's face when he too noticed how broken Sabastian looked on their wedding day.

Sabastian grew up at our home after his parents died when he was in high school and his uncle lived across the country. We've seen all his emotions and he was trying to be happy in this photo but we had seen his true happiness.

The man she called Grandpa who introduced himself to us as Mr. Williams told Judge to go check on her and the dog growled low before running after her.

Turning to us he cleared his throat, "She has been struggling with learning about this for a while now. She did not have an easy life and while I am grateful to know that Sabastian was the first person to ever show her kindness it does not excuse how he never allowed her to know the truth. Y'all have every right to be angry at that boy," he points to the photo, "but Lexi is innocent in this. She wants for all parties involved to be at peace and has talked about not wanting to disrespect y'all the most. Understand that before you judge her." Then he turns his attention just to me, "I held that girl as she sobbed for being angry at Sabastian for marrying her without love then when she met you and after one date she felt like a hypocrite. I haven't seen her as happy as she has been the past few days." He whispered as his eyes filled with tears.

"I understand sir." I whisper.

Opening the letter I read it over and tear up. I can't imagine how she felt not having known, then to read this letter and see those photos and love letters in that trunk. I could see the pain and resignation on her face when she found out my last name. It was like the life in her eyes was being extinguished forever, never to allow herself to feel joy, happiness, or peace again.

I thought I wouldn't feel those things again when we buried Lil but then I met Lexi and now what do I do? How can I have such strong emotions for a woman that was married to the man that killed my sister?

Breaking me from my thoughts Ronnie said, "Let's go. We have a Board meeting to get to." How is my little brother so full of disgust at a woman that just wanted to pick up the pieces of her life? Nodding, I set the photo down back by the urn looking around her office remembering our texts. This is where she was when I just wanted to feel like I was right there with her. Walking out taking one last look at the stairs I could feel an empty hole deep in my soul. Will she be okay?

I am mostly quiet as we go through the information Lexi dropped off at the meeting with my uncle and brother. Apparently, Sabastian paid off the cops to say he was driving so Lil's image wasn't damaged. Sabastian blew just under the legal limit so when they told us he had been drinking it was so easy for us to believe he was immature and reckless when in fact it was our carefree Lil that was reckless that night.

Ronnie slams his hand down on the table, seething "I don't believe this! Call this officer. I want to hear from him why he lied to us!"

"Ron, you saw their wedding photo. Bash was a shell of the man we knew. He looked like he was going through the motions." I said.

Grandad looks at me with tears in his eyes and with a look I recognize. We can believe this. Lexi wanted the truth, she didn't have a dog in this fight. We aren't reading journal entries from Sabastian, we are reading official police reports. The police lied to protect my sister because the man she loved, loved her so much he destroyed his reputation in this state, for her.

Thinking back to Lexi and how she must have felt getting this information and learning about how much her husband loved my sister. I know she didn't feel that same level of love from him cause she said as much. I didn't even know she was struggling with so much, she seemed so happy when we were texting. At our date she seemed so full of life and not like someone struggling with a betrayal.