Consequences of the Heart

Chapter 20

Quinn's POV

Once my friends have taken off I make my way into my room and the moment I open my bedroom door the sound of light snoring is heard. "Sounds like someone was tried after their morning adventure." I say out loud too myself then walk into my room to see Brenton passed out on my bed wearing only his gold chain necklace and his black basketball shorts that aren't sagging anymore.

I walk over to my bed before laying down next to him and place my head directly over the scorpion tattoo on his back which seems to get a reaction from Brenton. "Your friends left already?" Brenton mumbles still half asleep, "Yeah, they all had their own plans today." I say in a hush tone of voice then cuddle into Brenton which gets him to stir a little, "You know that you can always hang out with me." Brenton smiles and I start to trace the scorpion with my finger,

"Where did you go this morning?" I ask and this question gets Brenton to wake enough to turn over that way he is laying on his back with my head now on his chest listening to the sound of his heart beating. "A friend called me this morning and needed me" Brenton says taking in a few deep breaths then lets them out. "Which friend?" I ask lifting my head off his chest and looking to his green eyes.

"My buddy Ridge, he really hasn't been the same since he got back and all of us are kind of worried about him." I run my hand along his jaw feeling like down right stupid for even entertaining the idea that Brenton would do to me what I can never forgive myself for doing to him. "Was Ridge with your team?" I ask and Brenton shakes his head and I know just by the look in the eyes that he is doesn't want to talk about this anymore.

"Ridge actually saw combat for a few months but then got hurt in the line of duty." Brenton starts drifting off but soon pushes whatever he was thinking about away and comes back to reality. "I am glad that we are alone because there is something that we need to talk about." Brenton sits up which causes me to sit up as well and Brenton rests against the headboard. "Whatever it is seems very important to you because if I didn't know any better I would say that you are shaken up." Brenton scoffs but I am not buying it.

"I wanted to talk to you about the two of us going back to Wisconsin." Hearing this completely catches me off guard but I also knew that this conversation was going to happen sooner or later, I just thought it would be later.

"We need head back Marshmallow, you are going to be starting your senior year at the university soon, and I am sure that it will take a while for the two of us to adjust back to life in Wisconsin." I nod my head agreeing with him as a part of me does miss the life that Brenton and I have in Wisconsin, but I also love my life here in Nevada.

"I know that we need to head back at some point, but I don't know if I can put myself through saying goodbye again to my family and friends." Breton sighs placing his arm behind his head and looks up at the ceiling. "What about school or our apartment or the life that we built there?" Brenton slightly snaps at me which is very out of place for him to do. "School doesn't starts still the spring Brenton, and our apartment and life will still be there when we return." I lightly snap back at him moving away from him on the bed.

"What about the job that you applied for here or your Marine buddies and even your family?" Brenton and I just stare at each other, "The job I applied for can be transferred to the department in Wisconsin and my buddies along with my family would understand." Brenton looks deep into my eyes almost like he is looking for something. "I am starting to get the feeling that something else besides family, friends, and a job at a local diner is what is keeping you here." I get off the bed giving him a look like he crazy. 

"What is keeping me here is the life that I was forced to come back too when you left. You have no idea what it was like for me all alone in Wisconsin, and now out of the blue you just want me to drop everything and move back." I shake my head at him before walking out of the bedroom and right into the arms of my beaten up and bruised older brother. "What has you on the verge of tears?" Jared asks wrapping his arms around me giving me a much-needed hug.

"It sounds like Brenton wants to move back to Wisconsin already." Jared sighs tightening his arms around me. "I knew that the two of you would be going back, I just didn't think it would be this soon." I bury my face into my brothers chest as a few tears fall from eyes, "I don't know what to do Jared because the way I see it is that I lose either way." Jared pulls out of the hug and looks down at me.

"I need my big brother." I have relied on Jared more I think than any normal little sister would on their normal big brother, but after our mom passed away and our dad was working unpredictable hours, Jared was the one that really stepped up and took care of me which makes me see him more than just a big brother.

"I think this calls for a big brother and little sister serious talk." I wipe the tears from my eyes while Jared walks over to his bedroom door and opens it. Big brother and little sister serious talk are high important conversations that Jared and I have had over the years, it means that you drop everything that you are doing and be there when you are needed the most. "I got the time if you need to talk." I take a deep breath getting myself under control before slowly making my way into his room with him right behind me.