Kayden Van Din
Once Kayden and Brannon dragged Norman inside, the weight of the situation finally landed on the Van Din siblings (excluding Norman, who was unconscious at the time).
Kayden sat cross-legged in a chair beside her brother who held his head in his hands, rubbing them on his scruffy beard. He was muttering a vibrant assortment of curse words relating to Angelica and the current situation. Norman was lying on the couch with an ice pack on the growing bruise on the back of his head. Kayden put it on there when she laid him down.
The tension from the break-up buzzing in the air was as known as the hole in the wall left by the knife. Kayden waited until Brannon broke the silence.
"I'm sorry." He said rubbing his eyes.
Kayden was surprised by the words. "For what?" She asked. Obviously, Brannon was sorry for the lack of respect he'd shown his siblings ever since they were born.
"Everyday of my life, mom told me that I was gonna be the Van Din that everybody knew. That no one, not even my family should get in my way. And I listened." He sighed. "I was young and naive when she told me that and it stuck. Even when I was old enough to make my own decisions, that thought brewed in the back of my head. Ever since then, I have put myself first."
Kayden was on the edge of her seat. "I don't blame you. If mom told me that I would be 'the Most Famous Van Din', I would've done the same." It was lie. Kayden wasn't that easily influenced by her mother. At least, she didn't want to believe she was.
"Well, I'm trying to fix it. Losing Angelica was the first step." He sighed again. They were silent again until a thud sounded, followed by a groan. Kayden and Brannon scooted from the table and peeked into the living room.
Norman was on the floor. He was holding the back of his head gingerly. He slurred a few curse words.
"Norman!" Kayden wrapped her arms around her brother.
"Kayden, let your brother get off the floor before you strangle him with hugs." Brannon stood over the two almost smiling down at them. Norman was unsure of what happened while he was out, but the smile on Brannon's lips and the silence floating in the air gave him mixed signals. Kayden helped him up.
Norman looked down at his feet, ready for the things Brannon had to say. Instead, Brannon wrapped his arms around his brother and pulled him ink the most awkward hug in history. Norman could put his chin on Brannon's head. A laugh escaped the oldest Van Din's lips.
Kayden joined in the hug and smiled into the moment of happiness. She knew all too well how this would end.
"You're not gonna yell at me for being an idiot or anything?" Norman asked once they all let go and returned to the dining table.
Brannon rubbed his palms together. "Well. I know all about making mistakes, Norman, and I see no point in lecturing you about something you're already aware of."
At the end of the table, Kayden smiled to herself and nodded at Brannon. He was trying to fix things. Norman tried not to be suspicious of Brannon's new behavior, but his instincts were pulling at him.
"Okay..." He trailed off and looked to Kayden for answers. She shrugged. Inside, she was grinning to herself. For once, hope for her brothers was on the horizon. It filled her with unexplainable joy.
