To Brooklyn, With Love (Completed) - Finding You Book 2

Harrison

I wake to the sound of Metallica. Rubbing my eyes, I sit up and take in my surroundings, slowly remembering I'm in Brooklyn's childhood bed.

She's not here.

It's almost 10 pm. Shit, I've been asleep for hours. 

I slide out of bed and make my way down the stairs slowly. I pause to look at the photos on the wall on my way to the kitchen. Brooklyn was a beautiful child - those same big brown eyes and gorgeous smile. She's so happy in these framed moments; I hope one day she can find that type of contentment again.

She's sitting at the kitchen table with a stack of photo albums in front of her and a glass of red wine in her hand. The lights are off, except a small hanging above the table. The music is still blaring from a boombox on the counter, and her lips move with lyrics she clearly knows by heart. She hasn't turned, hasn't noticed I'm here. This moment is eerie and mesmerizing; I want to remember it forever, because it's a piece of Brooklyn I've never seen.

The song ends and she drains the last of the wine from her glass. She never drinks wine.

"Metallica, huh?" I smile, sitting beside her at the table. My eyes float to the page she's looking at, but quickly return to her.

"Yeah. My Dad's favorite band," she says softly. "I heard a lot of these songs long before I probably should've, and I instantly loved them. Probably because he loved them so much," she smiles. "How many four year olds do you know that rock out to Enter Sandman?"

I let her question hang in the air for awhile, measuring this moment with care. She seems to want to share more, and I'm more than happy to listen.

"How long you been up?" I ask.

"Never really fell asleep," she says. "My head is cluttered, Harry," she says sadly. "I know what I should do. What makes sense. I should sell, so I can finally move on," she says, but I hear the hesitation in her voice. "But I can't. I just want to hang on a little longer,"

She rests her head on my shoulder. "Is that crazy?"

"No," I tell her softly. I open my mouth to tell her I'll support her in any way I can, but my phone buzzes in my pocket and I never get the chance.

"It's Jack," I frown as worry brews in the pit of my stomach. "It's late," I say, before lifting it to my ear.

"Harrison," he says quickly. I know instantly something is wrong. "Something's going on with Sophie..."

I can't breathe. My ears are buzzing. I need to focus.

I squeeze my eyes closed and switch to speaker phone so I can set it on the table.

"Harrison?" he says again.

"Jack. Hi. What's going on?" Brooklyn says quickly.

"Sophie. She's been crying for hours. She's had 3 nose bleeds today. Autumn just took her temperature and it's 103. She's throwing up, man,"

I'm lightheaded. I shouldn't have left her like this. Brooklyn's hand grabs mine. I can't find the words to thank her for saying what I can't right now.

"You need to take her to the emergency room," she says. "We'll book a redeye and be home as soon as we can," she squeezes my hand. "Can we talk to her quick?"

The phone goes quiet and I meet Brook's eyes.

"Thank you," I say quietly. I must look as sick as I feel, because she presses a kiss to my forehead and holds my hand while I stand up. In the background I can hear her crying.