Scattered and Broken, Book 3 of Wingless Series

Grief is grief

The phone burst through my sleep scaring me awake, my body nearly hitting the ceiling. I fumbled for the phone groggy unable to even open my eyes.

"Get to our house now!" Gray yelled into the phone in sheer panic.

"What?" I asked my brain delayed before I moved.

"Ok I'm on my way." I tossed the phone shaking Evan awake. He didn't fight it just threw on some pants and his hooded sweatshirt heading out into the dark foggy night. Outside it was cold and icy, winter was starting up and this time of year was never fun for driving, but it didn't matter because something was going down back at my old place.

"What do you think it could be?" Evan asked me groggy slowly making his way down the expressway, snowflakes slowly fell making me nervous that snow was ready to come bombard us with more chaos.

I stared at the side of his head knowing if it were death, he wouldn't be confused this made me feel totally calm. I knew at least that it wasn't a life.

"I have no idea Gray didn't explain anything just said to come." I sniffled my nose cold and running, holding my hands to the vents to warm faster.

"Holy shit!" Evan exclaimed as he came to a quick halt on my street, my heart dropped as I saw our house up in flames, the fire ate away the house like a ravenous beast, and I could barely tell it was my house at this point.

I hopped out of the truck running up to Gray who was standing at the curb his arms crossed his body shaking and cold. He hugged me instantly touching my head trying to keep me from looking.

"I'm so sorry." He said holding me tight.

"Where is mom?" I asked pulling my head up, Evan went close taking this all in.

"They have her in an ambulance. Making sure she's alright, I can't believe this." He said more to himself shaking.

"What happened Gray?" I asked moving away to see his face.

"All our things, our whole life is in that house."

"Gray! What happened?" I yelled annoyed at his tone. To me it was simply a house, and to me as sad as it seemed in a way it wiped away a large amount of bad memories, a house could always be replaced, lives couldn't.

"I don't know, they seem to think Mom might have set the fire, she's denying it. I think she lost it." He looked at me with a pathetic look on his face.

"What do you think?"

"I think she torched it, she's been really down since Dad, I don't think she wants any kind of memories around anymore. She barely talks to me now, it's just too confusing." He rambled. I looked at my childhood hell, some might say it was an ideal home to me it was stress, and anger, sadness. The bad memories definitely outweighed the good here at this home.

"Why don't you come sit in my truck with us?" Evan asked Gray taking my hand. He pulled me to him keeping me warm. Gray nodded totally bothered; I could see it in every part of him. He was about to lose it, to him it was his home full of memories, he had lost a lot.

"Why weren't you at the ambulance with her?" Evan asked gray finally breaking our silence. Firemen ran back and forth fighting the flames, it slowly was dying down, but it put up a fight.

"You ever feel like there's nothing that you can do?" Gray asked us. I nodded, Evan shrugged.

"I just don't think there is anything anyone can do for her. She's too far in grief to get to her." He sighed.

"She is letting things get the best of her, there's nothing you can do for her." I said reassuring Gray he wasn't a bad son, I knew that was what he was thinking.

"Some people they just can't handle death and it consumes them." Evan offered Gray turned to look at Evan upset.

"What are you guys some sort of experts on death?" He snapped at the both of us.

"Gray he didn't mean anything by it; he's trying to be nice." I said touching his arm.

"Yeah, I apologize that was uncalled for." Evan agreed.

Gray stared at the both of us. "Why is it every time there is something going on that is life altering you're the calmest one out of the bunch? I just find that really odd." He said looking at Evan. Evan blinked raising his eyebrows looking confused.

"Um I don't know, difference in lifestyles?" He asked I almost laughed.

"Have you even lost anyone near to you?" Gray pressed.

"Gray stop." I warned.

"Actually yeah, my mom died a few years ago. I know what grief is, I feel it all the time. I didn't mean anything by it." Evan said looking out his window and all fell silent again. I glared at Gray he rested his head against the window.

"You know I didn't know if I should call you, I thought maybe you wanted to see your house one last time before it was ash. Do you have anything to say Eve?"

I gave Gray a weird look; this wasn't the time to get all emotional.

"Everything about Marcus was in there. All his things, his pictures, clothes, shoes, his books and writing." He trailed off.

"Those were things your brother is more than possessions. He's with all of you no matter if you like it or not." Evan spoke up his words clinging to my heart and helping it get even more over the moment. I kissed his cheek looking to Gray, Gray's expression seemed to lighten, and he opened the door.

"I suppose that is right, alls anyone needs to do to see my stubborn brother is to look at her she is just as stubborn as he was. I'll see ya later." He waved walking away.