House Arrest

Chapter 6

"Your sister was murdered? And she used to sleep right here?" I asked, my voice trembling.

He sat down next to me, enough space for me to feel the heat radiating off of him but without actually touching. He stared down at his feet and I could see his jaw tensing. He ran a hand through his hair almost nervously as he began to speak.

"She was three years older than me. She was so... She was so radiant. She could make anyone smile. When she got with her ex for the first time, I could tell he wasn't good for her. But I didn't want to control her. I didn't want her to break up with him just because I had a bad feeling. At the time I mistook it for jealousy. We had always been so close." He paused for a second, running his hands through his hair a second time.

"She had that personality, that desire to help every person that walked into her life. She thought she could fix him. When that didn't work after two years, she broke up with him. She was so upset, so distraught, but I knew it was best for her." Another break. He fidgeted with his fingers. "That was until she found out she was pregnant with his baby. She refused to let her daughter grow up without a father. So they got back together. I shouldn't have let it happen. I should've stopped her."

He looked at me for the first time since he had started speaking but then turned away again, "He didn't care about their child. He was abusive and manipulative, and only wanted to be just that. She stayed with him for four years after she gave birth to Miranda. That's her daughter. My niece." His voice grew quieter and quieter as he continued to talk. "He killed her. He fucking killed her I know it. He would accuse her of stealing things and cheating on him but she was the most loyal and faithful person I know."

"That's why I could never blame you for what happened to you." He looked at me, his knee coming closer and touching mine, "Jacob could've done the same thing to you that Steven did to my sister. And I wouldn't have met you, and I would've looked at it as just another terrible occurrence. And the worst part about it is Steven never got any jail time. He tried to say she fell. That she just slipped on her own but I know she didn't. I'd kill him if I could find him."

His voice became dark as I finally saw where the pain he had came from. He was alone because he lost someone he deeply cared about. He lost someone he loved to an abuser. An abuser who broke someone beautiful. I had killed an abuser. Maybe Jacob did the same thing.

He broke me  out of my thoughts by resting his hand on top of mine, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dumped all of that on you right now. I just, I want to help you and I want you to know that I understand. I lost my sister to a terrible person. I'm lucky though, because I was able to meet you. Yeah it sucks that it happened, but we wouldn't be sitting here if it hadn't."

I nodded gently and gave him a small smile. I had been so focused on his words that I didn't even notice that I had been unable to stop crying. Tears still streamed down my face, and a puddle had formed in my lap. He pulled me against him, my tears dissolving into his shirt. He held me like this for a while, neither of us saying a word. My soft sniffles were all that could be heard.

"I'm so sorry, Alex." I said, breaking the silence with my blubbering voice, "I had no idea you'd been hurt so badly. I had just assumed you were a pretty stable guy."

He let out a chuckle, "I wish I were. However, I feel more stable with you around. I didn't realize how lonely I was in this giant house."

I pulled back, looking at him, "Can I ask a question?"

He nodded, wearily, "Is it about Miranda?"

I gave a small smile, "Yes. Is she at least okay?"

He looked down at the ground, his eyes glistening with moisture, "She uh, well. After Anna died, Steven was found unfit to raise her. Go figure. But I was too young at the time to adopt her. I lost track of her in the system. I don't know where she is. If I did, she'd be here now."