Falling For My Best Friends Brother

Chapter Twenty

The weeks had come and gone, and graduation was only a few days away. Bryson and I had been hanging out non-stop, and I was doing everything I could to spend time at Emmys house. Chemo had been working at first, but it seemed like momma C was getting worse as the days went on. It broke my heart to see practically the only motherly figure I've had suffer so much. Bryson had been taking it pretty hard. The worse she got, the more distant he seemed to get.

"Bryson?" I asked as he stared at his lunch. He hadn't said anything the entire lunch block, and it was very unlike him.

"Yeah?" I met my eyes, and I could see the pain he was feeling.

"Are you okay?" He looked back down at his untouched food.

"Just worried, you know?" I knew exactly how he felt. I had gone through it when my father passed. I wouldn't wish that pain on my worst enemy.

"I do." Bryson knew that my father died, but no one really knew what happened. I hated reliving the night, so I never bothered to tell people.

"You know, you can talk to me about it." The death of my father had traumatized me a lot, but I had finally started to get over it. I knew he was in a better place. I hadn't felt the pain like this in a long time.

"I should be saying that to you. It's your mother that's sick." He shrugged his shoulders, scooting closer to me.

"I know, but I also know how much of a mother my mom is to you." I rested my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around my waist. This was the most PDA we had shown in school since we started dating, and I'm still pretty sure half the school hadn't noticed yet.

"It was one day when I got home from school," I started out, thinking back on that night.

"Dad? Angela? Anyone home?" I yelled as I ran into the house. It was unlike my father to be home when I got out of school. He worked late most nights, and I had his days off memorized by heart because that was the only time I got to spend with him. I ran into the kitchen, checking the calendar.

November 15
Leo: 4-12 office
Angela: 8- close dinner

They would always write their schedule down so I knew when I needed to fend for myself for dinner. Today would have been one of those days, except dads car was in the driveway.

"Dad?" I yelled again, but got no answer. I walked into the living room, throwing my backpack on the couch. The TV was on, but it was muted, and there was a half full cup of hot coffee, still steaming, on the coffee table. I walked up the stairs and to my dads room. What if someone broke in? I opened the door to my dads room and saw nothing. I sighed, feeling defeated even though I had only checked three rooms in the whole house. I went into my bedroom and the crumpled piece of paper on my bed caught my attention. I walked over, grabbing the ball of paper and flattened it out. A tear rolled down my cheek when I saw my dads handwriting.

Riley,
I'm so sorry I haven't been there for you like I should have been. I'm sorry for all the long hours at the office when I should have been at your softball games. I'm sorry for leaving you with a woman who never wanted children. I'm sorry that I didn't keep your best interests in mind. I'm sorry that I was only doing what made me happy, and I wasn't thinking about you. I'm sorry, Riley, for not being the father that you needed. I love you, and I want you to always remember that. Know that I will always be watching you, and you'll always be safe with me.

The tears streamed down my face as I re-read the note. What was he telling me? He had always been a great father. It never really bothered me that he worked late because I knew that he was doing it for us. He had always been able to give me anything and everything that I ever wanted. He was perfect.

"Dad," I yelled, tears running down my cheeks uncontrollably. I ran out of my room, checking the closets, the dinning room, and the bathroom. Nothing. Was he even here? I didn't know what his note meant. Was he just saying sorry, and that he would be around more? The last place to look was the attic. The stairs were already pulled down, which should have thrown a red flag, but being thirteen, I didn't think anything of it. I slowly climbed the rickety stairs that creaked with every step. I looked around the attic when I made it to the top steps and immediately dropped to my knees. There in front of me was my father, hanging from the attic ceiling.

"I thought it was my fault for the longest time. I didn't have anyone to turn to, except for Emmy, but I never told her what actually happened. Angela had gotten into drugs worse after she got the call, and things had never been the same after that." Bryson rubbed my back as a few tears fell from my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Riley. I had no idea." I shrugged my shoulders.

"It is what it is. You never know what you have until it's gone, and this whole thing is just making me think of everything that I'm going to lose again if momma C dies." Bryson pulled me into a hug, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"We'll get through this together, Riley. I promise."
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You have finally learned what happened to Riley's dad. What did you think?

I'm sorry the chapter was short, but I wasn't planning on writing that in the chapter. It just kind of came to me. I figured it would be better just to end it there.

Teaser: momma C takes a turn for the worse, and the kids can't handle it.