The Good, the Bad, and the Crazy. //+//A Complicated Love Story//+//

Chapter 34: Branson.

“No!” I screamed, my hand struck out in front of me, catching her by the arm.

“Branson! Don’t let me fall!” She begged.

“I won’t! I promise.” I pulled at her arm but when she screamed out in pain I laid down on my stomach and wrapped my other arm around her waist. “Grab onto my neck.” I told her.

“What? I’d have to let go to do that.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you, just do it. Now!”

She looked unsure but then she let go of my arm and reached her arms up. There was a moment, just one moment, when I thought I had dropped her, when I wondered in that was her in my arms, when I was scared I had let her and she was falling right then. But then that moment ended and her arms wound around my neck. With a great heave and then a sigh, I lifted her up beside me.

“Mary.” I whispered in relief. “Please tell me you’re not hurt.” I begged.

“My wrist, but it’s nothing. It will heal just like I will…with you.” She buried her face in the crook of my neck as I stood. I guided her safely down the bridge.

The second we were on land a group of people ran at us, all catching us in hugs. They were all crying and laughing and speaking loudly, but it was all a louds hum in my ears. All I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat as Mary clutched herself closer to me.

A man in a white colored shirt with the mental hospitals name on it grabbed Mary by the arm but she pulled back from him and hid her face in my arm. He sighed and motioned me to come as well. I climbed in the large van with Mary in my arms, Miss. Catch coming in behind us.

I held Mary’s hand as the doctors gave her a checkup. But the second they were done with her I pulled her close to me once more. I was never letting her go, never again.

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We arrived at the mental hospital only for them to hand Mary her things.

“What’s going on?” She asked.

“Well,” Kitty—one of the nurses—said “the manager and some witnesses from that McDonalds set the record straight about what happened that night in the parking lot. We’ve come to a decision that while you will remain on suicide watch and you have to go see Dr. Williams every other day, and you’re not allowed to live alone, we are releasing you.”

“Well, I told you she was lying.” Mary said trying to pull her bag onto her shoulder. After one attempt I took the bag and put it on mine. Pulling her close to my side. She willingly wrapped her arms around me.

“We know you did. She was arrested about the same time you were brought in. She’s going to court soon. The judge will decide if she spends six months in jail or just has to do community service.” Kitty informed us.

“Who’s sewing her?” I asked.

“I am.” Miss. Catch said “You two might have to speak at the hearing. They might ask you some questions. No big deal. You can do that right, Mary?”

Mary nodded eagerly.

I laughed “Come on. Let’s get you home.” I said taking her hand.

Once we were inside I disposed of all the alcohol in the house. That took a while. And then I secretly got rid of all the knifes I found laid about around Mary’s room. I sent Miss Catch to bed with one beer and then carried Mary to hers.

“You must be tired. Almost dying and all can do that to a person. Also finding out you’re pregnant and shooting a man have that same affect.” I said stroking her hair; she looked a little worried for a moment “Shh,” I said when she tried to speak “don’t worry about any of that. It’s all in the past now.” She nodded and closed her eyes, leaning her face into my hand. “Bryan and I took care of it. No one will ever suspect you.” I said leaning down closer to her “You don’t ever have to worry about anything ever again. That’s my promise to you.”

She cringed then tried to cover it up. I knew what she was thinking, that I would let her down again. Ever promise I’d ever made her I’d broken.

“Branson, I-”

“Stop. I know you’ve fallen more than once and every time I swear I’ll catch you I never do. But no more of that. No more lifting you higher just for you to fall even farther. No more broken pieces scattered all over with no one left to pick them up.” I stared down into her black sea eyes “You don’t have to be strong anymore.”

“Strong? If anything, I was weak.” She said.

I laughed “Do you remember that night when I came over here and found you in a lump on your floor bleeding?” I asked, she nodded, “Do you remember what you said?” She shook her head “You told me that you were melting again. You said that you were melting right into me.” I let out a small laugh “That was the moment when I fell in love with you. I didn’t know it then, but it was.”

“I still melt into you.” She sighed “It’s my weakness.” She smiled and then her smile slipped away “Have you figured out why I was so upset that day?”

“No. Can you tell me now?”

She nodded “That was the day Layla told me I had to stay away from you. That was the day it all really started. She said that I had the rest of that day to say goodbye.”

I thought for a long time. It had been going on that long? And I never even knew. “No more goodbyes. Not for you and me. Only hellos.”

“Hellos?”

“Yeah. To the baby, to love, to us.” I mumbled against her hair and she smiled.

                                                          The End.