Beyond The Broken Glass3: Finally Mended [complete]

44.) Wherever You Go...The Rain follows

I woke up with him wrapped around my body. His head on my shoulder his harsh snores woke me up. I laid there longer even though I had to pee. I just wanted to stay with him for as long as I could. The sun was up and I wish it wasn't, I wanted to pause last night where we just laid up. He didn't talk too much but he did listen to me.

We talked about things that typically were ignored, the conversation of my mother and Kyra, and the sadness I felt because our wedding wasn't the wedding I had in mind. I was beyond happy to be marrying him but I wanted a wedding with my family and friends and my sister as my maid of honor. But you don't always get what you want. I learn that every day and it scares me because I want Brandon, but what if I can't have him? That thought hurts me so much.

He stirred a little bit but settled back into his sleep, I turned my head away from him so I could yawn without blowing my breath in his face but I placed my hand on his arm. While I was staring out the window he caught me off guard by kissing me on my neck. When we locked eyes he kissed me with his morning breath fresh on his lips and sat up.

"You ready?"

"No. but I don't think it matters. Does it?" I pouted as I finally stretched the way I needed to. He ran his hand down his face and then scratched his head.

"Nah. Yo ass is still going home." He said as he got out of bed and put on a t-shirt. I really didn't want to leave him I wanted us to leave this city together, but I know he won't leave until the dust is settled and the situation was handled.

Drew stayed behind, locked in a room. He didn't come out to say goodbye. Brandon told me that he must have still been asleep but I could have sworn I heard movement on the other side of the door.

"Can I say bye to Ralph?"

He stopped walking toward the door and turned to face me. He looked so—I can't even explain it but it made my stomach drop because it wasn't a good face. I swallowed but it didn't help. I hope he finds the words to say because I had no clue what to say. His reaction was a little heavy. I know I'm stalling but I wasn't expecting this reaction out of him.

"He's dead, Bri." I heard his broken voice behind me. I spun around to see his pale cheeks flushed red, the rims of his eyes as red as roses. He looked tortured in the face as he wore nothing but sweatpants. I could see his tattoos and scars.

The tears that were building up had finally blinded me. I blinked and they trailed down my cheek and landed on top of my breast. I didn't know who to comfort first. They both look so sorrowful. I dropped the bag that was in my hand and went to sit in a nearby chair.

Brandon walked toward me all the while looking at Drew who now had a bottle of scotch in his hand. He threw the bottle back and guzzled the brown liquor like it was water. Brandon got on his knee in front of me and pulled my attention away from Drew. Only when I locked my eyes on Brandon's face did I notice he had tears rolling down his cheeks. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I didn't want to tell you like this."

I wanted to be mad that he wasn't going to tell me until after I boarded a plane or worse when he got home if he even came home. My anxiety added that last part and it punched me in the chest when I realized it's because it was right. He wrapped his arms around me and that's when I realized his body was jerking as he cried. He's crying—in my arms. He's crying because he's hurting.  

And last night, I spent all night talking about not having my mother and sister and friends at my wedding, when his father figure departed. I didn't speak, I just held him. I didn't know what to say to him for him. I just don't understand. Ralph was so cautious, so calculated, how did this happen?

"See why I need you back home?"

He said to me as he pulled away from my embrace. My body felt extremely heavy now but I know I have to keep it together for him. I wiped the tears on his face with my thumbs and kissed his cheek. It's best that I go home, he doesn't need to deal with the stress of losing Ralph and the duty of protecting me.

"I'll wait for you," I told him as I looked him in the face. The tears have now ceased and his features returned to normal.

He took me by my hand and led me to the car. The ride to the airport was quiet, heavy, and uncomfortable. I held his hand and every now and again I'd give it a light squeeze. Everything was normal until the shots rang out. The sounds of glass shattering rang in my ears causing panic to rush through me.

He instructed me to get down and I obliged, but not for long, once again we were swerving through the streets dodging bullets. I remembered the gun in the glove compartment. I took it out and climbed into the backseat.

"The fuck are you doing?"

"Clearing out the problem."

I did my best to steady myself on my knees, I scanned behind us and found the culprit, a blue truck. I aimed and squeezed. The kickback was a little much but I made it work. The windshield shattered and the driver began to swerve. I aimed again and shot toward him, I don't know if I hit him but he did slow down.

He swung around a corner like a mad man and I fell to the other side of the car. I know he did that on purpose to make me fall.

"When I say get down that doesn't mean try to be billy badass and shoot." He told me as I remained lying flat in the backseat. As I stared out the window from my reclining position I spotted a familiar building, the church we had passed a few minutes ago. Is he taking us back to the house?

The answer was no. but he didn't take me to the airport either. He drove us to a bridge and switched cars. He reached under the hood of the car and when he found what he was looking for he unlocked the doors. Now holding his phone and a gun he texted someone. A one-word response.

Then he pulled off.

"What now?" I asked him.

Silence.

The silence I was met with was cold. His face was stiff, with no emotion, no wrinkles, nothing. and that's dangerous. When Brandon is in this state he's unpredictable. Before we could fully get from under the bridge a car came ramming into the back of us. Making us both fly forward. My head connected to the dashboard and I blacked out. Why didn't I immediately put on my seatbelt?