Reviving Aspen

Part 7

Eli

The shadows in her eyes reflected the ones in mine.

I hadn't felt in so long. Emotions deserted me the same day my mom ran. She'd left a note."You both are better off without me Eli, darling. Rise above and conquer, for your sister. For yourself."

I had always taken good care of her. She didn't need to worry about anything. She didn't need to do the things that she did. I would have kept them fed, kept the lights on. I had already been paying the rent for years. It wasn't that big of a deal.

She had broken my heart when she up and left me. I was seventeen and Bailey was just twelve. She hadn't been affected so much when mom left since I was the one raising her anyway.

When I walked into the apartment that morning, after working a night shift I found Bailey still asleep in her room. When I read the note that had been pinned on the refrigerator, my heart froze over. I had done everything I could to help her and it still wasn't enough. In that moment I made a decision to never care for anyone again. Of course I still adored my little sister, but even she was ready to get as far from me as possible when she turned eighteen. I had been so cold in those first few years and I think she just needed to separate herself from the ice.

I swore that I would never feel that way again. I avoided women at all cost and I forced the business world to have to keep up with me. No one else would ever leave me behind. I worked hard to make that true.

I had nothing, no one and I was blissfully stupid for so long.

Then there she was. Making my heart beat again for the first time in forever, pumping warm blood through my veins. People that knew me well had started asking questions as to my new mood. I laughed and smiled like an idiot all of the time now it seemed.

She was so fragile, so tender. Maybe she was just as lost as me. Maybe we could find comfort in each other as we both stumbled.