Into Your Arms

16. where I can't follow

"Maxie..." she tapped on the closed door and slowly started to ease it open, to reveal her big brother laying on his bed and flipping through the channels. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah," he sat up on his bed and patted a spot for her to sit. "I didn't know you were here."

"Yeah, I got here a little while ago. Was talking to Colton," she explained as she shuffled her feet into the room and eased down on the bed beside him. "What are you doing?" she tossed a glance over at the TV and felt her heart race. She was nervous, she didn't want to disappoint him and was so afraid he would respond like their father and if that was the case, she would avoid telling him as long as she could.

"Nothing," he clicked it off and threw the changer on the night stand. "What's up, Sis?" he pulled her attention back to him and twisted his head to the side when he caught the panic in her eyes. "Ten..." he reached to touch her hand and felt it shaking. "Are you ok? Is it Colton? You said you were talking to him, he upset you?"

"No, no Colton...Colton is being so amazing right now," she told him honestly, knowing that hadn't talked since she and he had gotten back together. She had been so chaotic with everyone else; she forgot to talk to her brother about that. "He and I are in a real good place right now."

"That's good, right?" his dark brow arched confused. "I mean, you two are good, worked out whatever had happened."

"I...I mean as well as we can work out this," she let out a dry laugh, because this wasn't something you worked out. This was something that would continue the rest of their lives.

"What do you mean?"

"Something happened, Maxie. And...I'm scared and nervous about it, but it happened and there is nothing I can do about it now, but deal with it head on."

"Ten, I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean," he apologized, feeling so guilty he didn't get it. He knew something was up with his sister, he wasn't stupid to that, but he wasn't going to push it until she came to him. She always did.

"I broke up with Colton, because I was scared," she started from the beginning and he slowly nodded, but she knew he was confused. "I was scared, because I want all these things for him. I want him happy. However, I knew I was stopping him from doing this. Then I saw that email and it just confirmed that I was doing just that. Then...then I found something out and it was going to keep him here. No matter what happens it will keep him here and I feel so bad about that. I don't want him to feel like he is forced to be with me."

"Why would he feel forced?" Max questioned, not sure how he would ever feel forced. "I mean no one has to stay with anyone. When feelings stop, not that I'm saying his feelings ever will, but you just break up. The only reason any would feel stuck is if..." and he trailed off as his eyes slanted on his little sister and she shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "Ten..."

"Please don't be mad at me," she begged, knowing as soon as his eyes trailed to her stomach it clicked to him. "I didn't mean too..."

"Oh, Sis," he shifted on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because I got pregnant..."

"So?" he tugged her back to look at him and whipped the tear on her cheek. "Tenley, that isn't a bad thing."

"You sure, because not many people are agreeing with you," she sniffled and voice cracked. "Dad may never speak to me again."

"Don't be dramatic," he rolled his eyes at that, their dad was crazy about his little girl. He would get over it. "He might be freaking out, but he isn't going to never speak to you again. You're his little girl; it's just a lot to take in. And who cares what anyone else thinks."