Truth

She sighed through the phone. “No, this is all the information I have, Reid. Just try to sit tight, okay? We’ll get this figured out. I just wish you were on better terms with her parents so we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Why won’t they just tell me? What do they want? How is keeping me in the dark benefiting them?” The hold on my emotions was slipping like sand through my shaky fingers. She’s in a mental institution? Did I really fuck her up that badly? I could feel my heart shattering in my chest.

Her voice dropped. “Honestly, Reid. I don’t think they know what they want other than for things to go back to the way they were before.”

“Well, it’s too late for that,” I mumbled, running my hand through my damp hair. Exhaustion and frustration were both wrapping around my entire body, causing me to feel more tired than I ever had before.

I just wanted things to be over with.

I just wanted the truth.

And now that I was getting some of it, knowing that Angelina was in some psych ward, I wasn’t sure I wanted it any longer.

My mouth opened at the same time I heard someone outside my door.

“Is she at least okay?” The words flew out of my mouth before I realized that Brooklyn was standing in my doorway. She looked angry at first, no doubt from me saying something about seeing her naked in front of Jackson and Finn, but then her brows furrowed as she saw I was on the phone.

I continued to stare, my eyes driving right into hers, because for some reason, I felt at ease. I was afraid to hear what Darcy was going to say, but looking at Brooklyn, I

felt a little more in control, like the hold we had staring at one another was the only thing that was keeping me grounded.

“I don’t have any specifics. Her parents’ lawyer only gave up the information because of legal purposes, spewing that she was at Bloomsdale, where all medical information would be private unless speaking directly to a family member.” Darcy paused for a moment, my hold on Brooklyn staying put. Her face softened, her round eyes almost speaking to me, asking me if I was okay. “Now the million-dollar question is if she was ever pregnant to begin with.”

I held onto my phone as Darcy said she’d be updating me as soon as she found out more information but for me to remember that I mustn’t interfere in any way whatsoever. I understood that, but it didn’t really make it any easier to deal with. On one hand, I was concerned for Angelina and the possibility of us having a child together, and then, on the other hand, I just wanted it to be over with.

Guilt was eating away at me like maggots on rotting roadkill. I felt sick as I tried to brush it away to focus on something other than it. It was all too much. I felt like I was seconds from passing out. But then, all I saw was Brooklyn in front of me, looking so innocent and worried—worried for me—and it made me feel like I was an entirely different person.

I’m all over the place.

I couldn’t get my shit together, and I desperately needed to.

The phone slowly fell away from my ear after Darcy said goodbye and hung up. Brooklyn stepped another foot inside my door and shut it quietly behind her. I just continued to stand in my room, phone in my shaky hand by my side, staring at her.

Just focus on Brooklyn, only her, just for another second.

Brooklyn inched a few more steps toward me, and I stayed still, trying to think of nothing but her.

She treaded lightly on her way over to me, almost appearing afraid that I’d bark some insult her way. She blinked several times between each step, her guard up, ready to take whatever it was I’d throw her way. I could tell she was afraid to come any closer to me, but she kept coming anyway.

Then something happened.

My eyes started to gloss over as she stood right in front of me and wrapped her arms around my torso. Her warm body was pressed against mine, her head resting gently on my chest, which caused air to finally escape my mouth. I gasped loudly for oxygen and tried to calm down.

But it was all too much.

The guilt. The worry. The wonder. The anger. The memories.

And then the feeling of Brooklyn’s tiny arms wrapped around my large body.

I didn’t want to fight the feeling inside of me. I didn’t want to push it away. I couldn’t, because I needed it. I needed some type of outlet for everything I’d been feeling.

Her arms circled around me made me feel like I wasn’t so alone, even though I knew I was.

I’d always be alone until I found out the truth and actually faced it. Did I do this to Angelina? Did I make her this way? Was it my fault?

My heart pounded in my chest with each rise of Brooklyn’s. Then, she pulled back and raised those wide depths of sparkling green irises up to my face. She still stayed close…so close I could smell her soft scent.

“What was that?” I whispered, my voice breaking.