{COMPLETED} ✔ December Bloom

twenty'eight

Suddenly, it dawned on me.

It was clear as crystal glass.

I got up wordlessly and bent down next to the drawers sitting next to the TV, pulling out a photo album before getting up again and sitting on the couch, closer to where Norah was.

"Take a look." I told her and she did.

Flicking through the photos, everything came back to me, the vivid memories so clear that it made my head hurt.

When she was finally finished, she let out a long breath.

"I didn't know." was all she said.

"Yeah, it's hard to believe, isn't it?"

"So, Braden had a sister?"

"Yep. Her name was Antonia. Everyone loved her except for Braden, really. Long light brown hair, light green eyes, quite tall, slight traces of freckles across her face…sound familiar? She should. Antonia was quite the opposite of Braden, in the appearance I mean. She took a lot after their dad, Braden took after their mom. Antonia was only 14 when it happened, you know."

Norah was quiet for a while before answering.

"How…?"

"Well, it was really late at night. Antonia had just been to s friend's house and their dad was meant to go pick them up, only he couldn't. Buried under mountains of paperwork, that's what he said. Their mom was out of the country, visiting an old friend. That left Braden alone. So, he had to pick Antonia up. Everything was pretty fine on the way there but on the way back, that was when all the problems started.

See, Antonia was fiddling about with the radio and Braden got annoyed. They started fighting in the car, not a good thing when Braden's driving. So, for just a few seconds, Braden had torn his eyes away from the road to shout at Antonia who was screeching at him except what he had been about to say died on his lips. As he turned his head, he saw bright lights coming through the window on Antonia's side and before he could utter anything else, the truck hit them.

Antonia died instantly upon the sudden impact, that was that. It was an instant death, quick with no pain. It was what the doctors kept telling their parents although they never believed them.

Braden fell into a coma and didn't wake up until 3 months later. 3 whole months…I was a wreck. My best friend almost died and I was so scared for him. He didn't believe the doctors either.

They all thought she'd suffered and blamed themselves, Braden blaming himself the most though.

Antonia and Braden were never close to each other, for some reason, I don't even know this, Braden resented Antonia. I guess it was because she was just…Antonia. Smart, pretty. Kind, friendly. She was like perfection.

Anyway, the two would always fight about everything. Every day, always bickering…it was tiresome to hear them. They would never get along, not even for a second. They were just…them.

Braden blames himself the most because he resented her so much. He's moved on though, everyone has moved on but deep inside, I guess Braden still thinks loads about it.

He regrets not having any proper brotherly-sisterly memories with Antonia to cherish or look back on or even tell his kids about." I finished quietly.

More silence.

Boy, tonight's turning out to be a lot weirder than I actually expected.

"I know, you should've heard it all from Braden but I guess I just had to tell you." I shrugged.

Norah nodded, a very small gesture before turning to me.

"Nichols?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks. I feel really sorry for Braden and all but I just want to say, thanks."

"Okay…"

"I'm going to sleep now…can we not…can we just…"

"Forget about it?"

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"Night."