BROTHERS, THAT'S WHO WE ARE

Chapter Twelve: Peter

"WHAT DO YOU mean he's missing?!" Mom screams as a young boy, maybe about Wade's age with short blonde hair and blue eyes, stands in front of us. He said his name was Chris and that he's friends with my baby bro.
"That's it! He went his way to his next class and then after I finished with mine, we usually meet up in the middle of the hallway! But when I got there, Wade's usually done before me, he's not there! I'm sorry, Mrs. Reynolds! I-"
Mom storms upstairs to his bedroom, slamming the door shut. Uncle Harrison sighs heavily, telling me he'll go check on my mother, and left. Leaving me and Chris alone in the living room.
My eyes begin to water. No. No. Not again! Please! Please don't let it-
"So, uhm...you're Wade's big brother, huh?" Chris asks, his eyebrow raised.
Right now, it's just me and him in the living room. Wade's gone...again...Mom left to go upstairs upset and all and Uncle Harrison ran after him to comfort him. I stare at him and gulp.
"Y-Yeah," I stutter. "I am...why do ask?"
He shrugs. "Just curious. I know he has a big brother. You're Peter, aren't you?"
"How'd you know?" I ask.
"Wade's told me a lot about you," he says, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. "You're beautiful. You look a lot like your mother."
I quickly take my hand away from him and blush, looking down. I gulp. Is he flirting with me? Probably. This is beginning to become uncomfortable.
"T-Thanks..." I stutter. "I get that a lot. Especially from my...fiancé."
"You're engaged?"
"Wade hasn't told you about that part?" I ask him, my arms over my chest and my brows raised.
"No. Not yet. Wade and I...we've been friends for as long as I can remember. Since kindergarten. We've grown up together and all that. But he's...different...you know? Special."
I nod and look down. "Yeah...he is isn't he..."
After I say that, Uncle Harrison comes back with a sad look on his face. I gulp.
"How's Mom?" I ask.
"He's...he's something," Uncle Harrison replies, opening a beer.
I take the beer quickly from his hand. He looks at me, shocked, with his eyebrows raised.
"Hey!" he shouts.
"You know Mom wouldn't want you drinking, Dad! He hates it!" I remind him.
Uncle Harrison sighs. "You're right, Pete..."
I smile a bit, but it's just a small smile. "Aren't I always?"
"So uhm...how are we going to find Wade?" Chris interrupts.
"Good question," I say, lifting a finger. "That I don't have the answer too..."
"Really?!" Chris's eyes go wide. "Really?! You're brother's missing and you have no way in finding him?!"
"As of right now!" I protest. "I may think of something later!"
"And how long is later?!"
"I don't know!"
Chris stands up, fury in his eyes. He loves Wade I can tell. Wade's his best friend. I look down, feeling ashamed and guilty. I broke it. I don't care what other people think but I broke the promise I made to my baby brother. I failed. I failed at being a big brother. I failed!
"You better find him!" Chris shouts through gritted teeth. "Cause if you don't...then...I don't know what I'd do with myself if I lost him."
His voice is dangerously low and he's staring hard at me. I gulp.
"You love him? Don't you?" I ask, an eyebrow raised.
"He's my friend. Of course, I do. I'd do anything to protect him. If something happened to him...then...I'd shoot myself. If I can't save him...then I'd find away to do so," Chris says.
I smirk. "I can see why he liked you. You're loyal to him. You're always there for him. If you end up dating my baby brother, just heed my warning: hurt him, physically or mentally, you're dead."
Chris grins too and held out his hand. "Deal?"
"Deal," I say, smirking, shaking his hand.

A few hours has passed. I sit in the living room with Mom pacing the floor back and forth, back and forth. Chris hasn't left yet. Uncle Harrison sits next to me, scrolling through his social media as if nothing really seems to matter at this point.
I watch my mother pace back and forth, hands running through his hair and mumbling soothing words to himself. He's wearing his causal clothes this time: a grey t-shirt and blue jeans and a navy blue jacket.
"Mom," I say, "relax. I'm sure Wade's fine-"
Mom turns around sharply. "IT IS NOT FINE!"
I jump at Mom's outburst and so does Chris and Uncle Harrison. I gulp and look down as my mother continues screaming his head off.
"MY SON IS GONE! HE'S MISSING...AGAIN!!! HE COULD BE HURT O-OR WORSE!" Mom screams, eyes wide with fear and worry.
He's scared. I can't blame him. This must be hard for him. Especially since he's my mother.
"Mom, calm down-"
"I CAN'T! I CAN'T CALM DOWN!"
Mom screams. He freezes, his eyes wider than before; about the size of golf balls. "What if he's back..."
Chris turns to look at me, confused as heck. "What? What's he talking about? What does he mean 'What if he's back...'"
"Advent," I answer, my voice a whisper and my eyes never leaving Mom's chocolate brown ones.
"Who?"
"Advent," Mom says before I can open my mouth to say something. "The man who took my boy in the first place when he ran out. The man who made my son the way he is. The man who tortured me. The man who used Wade for bait. The man who...who kidnapped me...and...controlled me and nearly made me killed my sons. The man...who wanted Peter dead..."
Mom's voice is cracking. His lips trembles as he says the information. His eyes are glossy with wet and then do I realize that he's crying.
"H-He's always been the family's arch nemesis..." Mom whispers, hugging himself as tears stream down his cheeks. "Wade and Peter did save me...b-but Wade...h-he killed Advent a year ago. Everything's been back to normal ever since..."
Mom wipes his tear-stained cheek with his palm, quickly, hoping no one wouldn't notice. But I did. I noticed.
"I'm sorry," Mom says, meeting our eyes. "I just...I need some fresh air..."
Mom grabs his phone and bag and walk out the door, slamming it shut, leaving us three to sit there and listen to the quiet in the room and staring into empty space.
You must protect your mother...you must stay with Wade...
I failed. I failed. I'm a freaking failure.