What We Kept Secret

Chapter 22

"So you did see the pictures of me and two other girls." I said looking down at our intertwined hands.
"Nate is the oldest at thirty-seven, Rosaline would have been thirty-three this year, and Shelby is twenty-one." I said sighing
"When I was eleven she was seventeen and Nate was twenty-one and away at college. Shelby was five and doesn't remember much of what happened but we explained it more when she was older. Roz killed herself and I was the one who found her in the bathtub." I said wiping tears away.
"JJ..." he started to say before I cut him off
"Please let me finish." I said as he nodded
"The night before she gave me a necklace that I always wanted. I was always so excited for her to go to college so I could take it when she wasnt home. She came in and gave it to me and gave me a hug and told me she loved me. I didnt think anything of it, I was just so excited that I had it. She left my brother a signed baseball that they always fought over but my dad told Nate to be a man and let her keep it. She left it on his bed with a note telling him how sorry she was and that she loved him. Shelby got all her colored pencils. She was an artist and kept them under close watch so we wouldnt use them to color. Shelby never used them because even at a young age she understood that they were special. Nate and Shelby keep their gifts in Rozs room but I wear the necklace when I miss her." I said as tears went down my face and continued on
"It was a Thursday morning and she always woke up before me to get the bathroom first. The light was glowing from underneath the door and I banged on it yelling for her to hurry up. The door opened and I walked in seeing her laying in the bathtub all bloody. I screamed and my parents ran in. My dad immediately picked me up and took me down stairs. The rest was a blur. Nate came home and was angry, he found a journal that explained everything. She was bullied at school and lied to our parents about getting into NYUs art program. Nate started smoking to relieve the anger, Shelby started to be carefully monitored by my parents, and I went to a therapist until I graduated high school. Roz became a topic that my family chooses to ignore. We stopped talking about her altogether. Shelby asked about her when she was around twelve and we told her and understood why we stopped talking about her." I said looking at our hands than into his eyes
"Is that why one of the doors upstairs was locked?" He asked and I nodded
"My dad closed off the bathroom and turned the hall closet into a new bathroom so we would never use that one again." I said remembering the month of using either my parents bathroom or the one downstairs.
"Tell me what you are thinking of right now?" He said bringing me back into reality
"That Shelby is stupid and not sure how I will ever explain that to my kids if I have any." I said watching him smirk
"Dont punish Shelby. And for the kids we can tell them when you are ready and when they are old enough." He said pulling me into a side hug and I rested my head on his shoulder
"We?" I asked with a smile
"Well yeah, we are going to have kids arent we?" He said with his grin
"If you want to actually be with me that long." I said with a small laugh
"Darlin, I wanna be with you forever. Now lets go see her." He said helping me up and kissing my forehead

We get back up and see Nate talking angrily to a nurse.
"What do you mean a seventy-two hour hold?" He asked when we walked up
"Whats going on?" I asked
"They wont let Shlbs leave." He said looking at me
"Its protocol for all suicidal patients." The nurse said looking at me
"Shes not suicidal. And shes going home where a detective and an FBI agent will be with her." He said defending Shelby
"Nate, she needs to stay in." I said agreeing with the nurse as she walked away leaving it to be just us and Will
"Jennifer are you crazy." He said getting closer to me and I could smell the alcohol
"Nate you need to go to a hotel or my place you have been drinking." I said taking a step back
"You need to stop acting like this." He said taking another step as I watched Will straighten up more
"Nate please for moms sake. Shelby needs to stay here and talk to professionals. And you need to sober up before you see her." I said putting my hand on his chest to keep him back
"Whatever. You have always been the favorite maybe thats why Roz did it and why Shelby tried." He said breaking my heart
"Dude, you need to calm down." Will said grabbing on to my hand
"You shouldnt be here. Shes just using you. Thats what she does. She attracted to the accent and the badge." He said squaring up to Will as I gripped his hand harder
"Nate, I am one of your friends and dating your little sister. Now go before I help you leave." Will said
"Thats right your fucking my little sister." He laughed before lifting his arm to punch him
"Nathan." My moms voice said behind him as she put her hand on his fist
"Go to a hotel or Jennys. I dont want you back here until you sober up." She said in a calming voice as he hung his head low and walked away.
"Hey Sandy." Will said pulling her into a hug
"Shelby woke up and fell back asleep." She said pulling away from him as we walked back into her room.