Lovers at War - (A.R.)

Chapter 21

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Reawakening the Past

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Four Years Earlier:

I WAS GIVEN less than 24 hours respite. Not even 12 hours after laying my parents to rest for the final time, I had received a call from the government that an official would be coming by to sort out the matter of my brother. Gosh, I knew that my neighbours had been granted temporary custody over Wesley but I had hoped that temporary meant something closer to a month than it did a week. I still had no idea what to do about my brother (considering that I was a minor myself), but there would be no prolonging the matter.

Especially when the very next day, Mrs Forester (my neighbour) found herself forced to welcome the government official - a potbellied middle-aged man - into her home. Wesley had eyed the man suspiciously and I was forced to take matters into the room that I was staying in. There was no need for him to worry about things until I had everything sorted out. Once I had closed the door behind me, the man began to tell me what he planned to do with my brother.

Perching on the edge of the bed, I listened in horrified silence as Mr Browning announced that the government would be taking custody of Wesley effective immediately. As I was closest to an adult, in the eyes of the government, I would be given the option of returning to my family home - or to what was left of it. Clasping my hands in my lap, I stared down at my knuckles which had turned white from the force of my grip. Browning had the audacity to ask me if that suited me.

Any person with a heart or with a sibling would know that such a plan could never suit me! But what other option did I have? It wasn't as if I could ask the Foresters to petition for the custody of my brother; even if they were the closest thing we had to an extended family. But there was no guarantee that they'd be granted it and gosh, I couldn't ask that of them.

The hopelessness welled up inside of me, clogging my throat and rendering me unable to breathe as Browning pushed the papers toward me. He expected me to sign away my rights, but I shook my head adamantly. Browning sighed in annoyance and tried to make me think rationally, and less like an 'overly emotional woman'.

I just glared at him, summoning all of my hatred and it was enough to have him averting his gaze with a grumble. Only that certainly didn't stop him from pushing to form towards me again. Eyeing the file, I contemplated ripping it open just as the door was thrown open. It slammed against the wall so loudly that I jumped in my seat.

Browning and I turned towards the door, and just the sight of Mr Forester standing there in his intimidating entirety had my spine straightening out.

"Mr Forester," Browning tried to reason, drawing closer to the other man.

"You are not separating him from the only family that he has left." He pressed his finger to the centre of his chest, forcing him to take a few steps back.

"I have my hands tied!" the older man insisted and Mr Forester, not impressed, clenched his jaw tightly. "There aren't many options!"

Mr Forester held my eyes for a tense moment. I almost thought that he would shrug my gaze away and risk it all. But, mere seconds passed before he sighed and reluctantly released his tense posture. Content that he had managed to calm himself, I sat further back against the bed. Browning eyed Mr Forester with more than a little fear, even as he straightened out his suit.

As if he had a death wish, Browning hesitantly added, "An orphanage seems to be the most feasible option."

Mr Forester silenced him quickly with a single glare. His hands flexed at his side as if he was contemplating grabbing the man. But he restrained himself. "May I have a moment with you, Sir?"

Browning's eyebrows shot up in complete surprise, shocked that Mr Forester would ever speak to him in anything less than a violent tone. "Uh . . . Sure?"

I watched as the two men started a quiet conversation which they continued as they made their way out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Not even ten minutes later and I'd been called outside. Browning could not have left the room quicker; he edged around the fierce older man and Mr Forester watched his retreat before letting out a deep breath and setting his gaze on me.

"Two things: One, unfortunately, they're not allowing Marie and I to be your caretakers. Something about legal disputes." I frowned, silently beckoning for him to continue. "And secondly, since you are almost an adult, you're . . ."

"Yes?"

". . .Allowed to be Wesley's legal guardian. Taken that you agree to those terms and a few others."

For the first time in a while, I smiled. Of course, I agreed.