Always The Second Choice

Emma

I wake up to the sound of glass shattering, yelling voices and items being thrown. I wonder what they are arguing about this time around. Sometimes I really want to know how my parents even lasted being together for twenty years under the same roof, sleeping on the same bed and sharing every breath they take.

TING. I hear my phone ringing from receiving a text. It's 5 am.

"Sorry Emma. I can't do it anymore."

It was my brother. He has many things he needs to apologize to me about but why is he right now? At 5 am in the morning? On a Wednesday? Whatever, he's probably high or drunk. All this will be over by the time the sun rises.

With that I closed my eyes to fall into a deep sleep while there was still yelling voices in the background.

If I knew how my life would change by the morning.

If I knew how my brother changed my entire life with one choice. With one text.

If I knew how I wasn't going to be the second choice anymore but the only choice.

If only I knew.