What Broke Us

Chapter 11

"Taylor, can I ask you a question?" Garrett asks, turning his head towards my face. I can see the reflection of the setting sun and the ocean in his aviators. I wasn't sure which was more beautiful, the view, or him. "No, it's too early for marriage." I grin.

"Oh, but babe!"

"I'm sorry, but we have to take it slow, I got a kid for heavens sake!"

"Together! We can raise her together."

We start laughing. That's the thing I love about him; he gets my humor. He knows when I'm joking and he knows when I'm serious. "Really Taylor, I feel as if I'm missing something about you."

"What did you want to know?"

He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and slowly begins, "I know...I know it must be tough for you. Having to raise Charlotte on your own..and I've put the pieces together. I've figured that your parents have passed, or they left you. And I know, it's none of my business, but I care about you."

I knew he was going to ask this, I tried avoiding it, but there's no way escaping now. But I always end up breaking down when I talk about this subject, do I really want him seeing me in tears? "If you really must know, yes, my parents are dead."

"I'm so sorry," he whispers, wrapping his arms around me.

"A week after Charlotte turned two, my mom got in a car crash. She died in my father's arms at the hospital and whatever she said to him, changed him. The first year was the worse. He was never really the same, sometimes I would hear him cry, and he never cried. I mean, he smiled and laughed, I still had good times with him, but you could tell he was depressed." I take a deep breath, continuing this 'autobiography.' "I took Charlotte under my wing. She would tell me everything, everything on her mind. 'TJ, what's wrong with daddy?' or 'TJ, do you think mommy is happy up there?' I never knew how to respond, so I just kind of, well lied." The next part was the hardest part. My voice started to crack and I bit my lip, trying to avoid the tears. Garrett looks genuinely sad, the warm touch of his hands comforting mine. "You don't have to finish." He said.

I shake my head and continue. "The first week of college...I...get this phone call, a phone call telling me that my father,that, um...that he was dead. He committed suicide Garrett." It hurt to say those words. Crawling into his arms, sobbing helplessly,he soothes, "It's okay Taylor, it's okay." I wipe my tears as I calm down, "Is it really okay? Because I can't live a life having to always take care of Charlotte."

"But you've done so well!"

"Because of you, you're keeping me sane Garrett."

____________

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So sorry I'm slow at updating and the chapters are so short, I've been busy and stressed. Just wanted to thank you guys so much for over 1,000 reads, I really thought that I'd be the only one reading my story. thank you and please forgive me.

:)