Is This Real?

Chapter XXIII

Amber was sobbing at this point.

"Hey." I said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What kind?" She sobbed out.

"Bone, lung, breast." I said. "A tumor larger than they've ever seen."

Amber continued to sob.

"Four years ago." I added.

Amber whipped her head up. "Four?"

"Yup."

"That was..." She couldn't finished because another sob racked her body. "That was two years after we went separate ways."

"She started to drink two years before." I said, a puzzle piece coming together piece by piece.

"I made her do that..." She wailed in despair.

"No. It was her choice. Everything was her choice." I said, also to convince myself.

"What do you mean everything?" Amber hiccuped.

"Abuse." Was all I could get out without breaking down myself.

"Oh god... She... No... She couldn't have turned into him... No... No..." She held her head.

"They did it together."

"I can't... I'm... I... Try.... She said..." Amber wasn't able to string the words together. "You look so much like her."

"Thank you." I nodded. "You should I go to bed."

Nat nodded and carried her up and into her bed.

When she came back down, I held my arms out for a hug.

"Small world huh?" I said into her ear. "Thanks for staying with me."

"Always." Nat replied.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" I asked.

"Sure. Let's go." Nat carried me to her room and I got comfortable. Nat lay down and I wrapped my arms around her.

"You did well. My mom needed to hear that." Nat whispered.

"I hope so." I nodded. Nat turned around.

"Hey. We'll talk later okay? Whenever your ready. I'm here." She rubbed my cheek with the pad of her thumb.

"Okay."

"Okay. Good night." She said and wrapped her arms around me, being careful of the collection of bruises I have on my body.

She has such a perfect life. And here I am ruining it.

And I fell into dreamless sleep.

~

Next morning, I got up and saw that Nat was already awake.

"Good morning sunshine." Nat said in a easy voice. Oh god her morning voice is hot.

"Good morning to you too." I said back and got up because I smelled food.