The Wait (On Hold)

Day 1

I woke up to my phone vibrating obnoxiously against the small table beside the bed. I groaned, turned around and slapped my hands on it, searching for my phone. I pick it up, squinting at it blearily.

Jake.

"You suck." I say as soon as I pick up.

A warm familiar chuckle that reminds me of home comes through the speaker and I smile despite the unGodly hour he's called at. I miss him terribly.

"I miss you too," He says as if he's read my mind.

"Get back here already," I say in response.

He sighs in my ear, "I'm working on it."

Then he gets straight to the point, "How's he?"

"He drove. Fell asleep."

"Good." He pauses and I squeeze my eyes, expecting what he's going to say next, "This may not end well for you."

"I know."

"You're an idiot."

"I'm aware how it makes me look."

"If I didn't know him so well, I'd say he doesn't deserve you." My brother says.

I smile, "Thank you."

He lets out a huff against the phone and becomes quiet for awhile. I sit up, wondering what's happening.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"I should be there." He says, and I can hear the anger in his statement.

"You're right," I tell him, before I add, "Don't beat yourself up about it,"

"Can't help it." He says.

Loyalty, friendship and family ran deep with the four of us. Had the break up happened before he'd left, my brother would've moved hell and earth to stay. But it had happened after he'd left.

There was no escaping the Severs once they had a hold on you. But he was still trying to work his way out of the punishment our parents had coerced him into.

"That bitch." He swore and I nodded in agreement.

"That bitch." I respond, my voice no less angry than his.

"I didn't think she'd be capable of it." He says.

When I don't respond, he becomes quiet.

"You guessed?" He asks.

I let out a breath, "I had a hunch."

His breathing turned choppy, "But you didn't tell me because you'd thought I'd what? Brush it away as petty jealousy?" He asks, fury fuelling his every word.

I hesitate, "No... I didn't want to plant a seed without knowing for sure." The mind was fertile ground. Especially for doubt.

He understood, because he became quiet.

"We shouldn't have let it get this far." He says.

"It wasn't our choice to make." I say, even though I wish what he said was possible.

"No, but we should've at least told him we hated her."

"I think he knew. He rarely brought her around us." I say.

He becomes quiet again and I straighten, "What?" I ask, heart pounding.

"I think that had more to do with you." My brother says.

I suck in a breath. He didn't bring her around for me? So that I wouldn't have to go through having to see her and him...

I press a hand to my mouth. How did I miss that?