Face To Call Home (Love Came In #1) ✔️

Chapter 24

"What?" Reece's face lost all its colour as I noticed that Matt was right behind James.

"We need to leave, now." James was turning to walk away.

"Hold on James, Matt and I are coming as well." Cole stepped forward and tried to grab the keys James was clutching in his hand.

"Are you crazy? No, stay here, Reece and I should sort this out. Only us." He said angrily, and I could sense the impatience in his tone, mixed with fear and stress of the situation.

"James, shut the fuck up and go to the car. We're coming, and you can't do anything about it." Matt said, getting all in James's face to emphasise his point.

Matt and Cole stared with serious expressions as James's jaw clenched in tension as he glared right back. After a few seconds he threw his hands up in frustration. "Fine. Your fucking funeral. You really don't want to see this." He muttered darkly.

"I want to come as well."

Five pairs of eyes looked at me with surprise and anger.

"No way, Brooke. No way." Matt said.

I stepped forward to James. "I want to be there for both of you. Please."

This time, Cole stepped forward. "Brooke, stay here." I started to protest. "No. Absolutely not." he said in a final tone. He looked at Liam, who stood silently behind me with a pale look.

"Liam, hold down the fort here for a while, make sure everyone's fine, I'll call you once we get there."

Liam nodded, as if in a daze, and then everything happened quickly. Cole, Matt, Reece and James left quickly in Matt's jeep, their exit not gone unnoticed by the other guests.

"Where'd they go?" One of the basketball players asked me from across the yard as everyone looked at me.

"They're just going to get beer." I announced quickly, swallowing the lump in my throat as everyone resumed their activities.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Amanda, April and Cameroon approached us and asked in quiet, concerned tones. Of course, they weren't fazed by my excuse. I filled them in quickly, a tenseness taking over my body. They left to make sure everything was okay at the party, and since it was getting late, people were already leaving, making our work easier.

Just as I was about to leave and help the girls I noticed Liam's face and stopped dead in my tracks.

"Liam? Are you alright?" I asked, concerned. He was standing still, staring into space, face pale and eyes far away. Those eyes met mine, still lost and deep in thought, and the pain in them broke my heart.

Now very concerned, I pulled him and made him sit on the small couch in the corner of the yard. "Liam, sweetheart? What happened?"

"Their dad, Mr. Jenkins?" I nodded, encouraging him to continue. "He treated me like his own son, since I was little and became friends with the brothers. It's just," he sighed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees with his face in his hands. "He's the last person I thought something like this would happen to. And I can't help but think how I wish someone else would go through it, like my dad, who should've been arrested, or deserves to be, more than theirs." he said darkly.

I sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Liam, I know your dad is the worst parent anyone can wish for, and I know he's afflicted more pain then anything I could imagine on you, but we can't decide what happens. All you can do now is go support your best friends, and the man who was more of a father to you than your own." Liam raised his head as he listed to me and looked into my eyes. "Go, Liam. You should be there, with them, not here."