“I know, okay. I know what a mess he’s in, the Manager informs me. He has to work this through himself.”
“He needs his brother, Robert. He needs you.”
“I rang him. Once I knew you had been there, I called. He didn’t answer his phone.”
“He probably couldn’t find it, the place was trashed. Try again, please?”
He rubbed his hands over his face, I pulled them away and held them in my own. Tilting my head to one side, I smiled. I was eventually rewarded with a smile back.
“Where did you come from, huh? He says some shitty things and you forgive him. I wish I could be more like you, Brooke.”
“You could if you wanted to be. Will you at least listen to what happened today?”
He nodded so I told him how angry I had been, I wasn’t as forgiving as Robert thought, I just went about things in a different way. I wanted Travis to listen to me and I hoped that some of my words might have sunk in.
“We’re going to a funeral tomorrow, it’s going to be a horrible day and if he’s there, he isn’t going to feel elated. Just give him a hug, let him know you care because I know you do. I know you’re hurting and not at what he said but this is the longest you two have been apart, ever,” I said.
We were interrupted by the front door opening. Both of us looked towards the stairs to see a weary Evelyn walk towards us. I got up from my seat, she looked like she needed a cup of coffee.
“Ev, have a cup of coffee and have you eaten?” I asked.
“Thanks, a coffee would be wonderful. I’ll make myself something in a bit,” she replied.
“Let me grill a steak for you, you look worn out.”
She smiled and nodded before taking a seat. Robert placed his hand on her back giving her a gentle rub.
“How did it go today?” he asked.
“Okay, everything is organised. I just wish Travis would make an appearance. Harley is really missing him. I’ve tried calling but he doesn’t answer.”
“Brooke went to see him today,” he said.
He repeated what I had told him and the fact that Travis hadn’t answered his call either. All we could do was hope he showed in the morning. As Evelyn ate her meal she told us the arrangements. Robert and I had already decided we would head straight for the church, there would be too many family and close friends meeting at Elaine’s. Evelyn would travel with us.
***
Robert and I were quiet the following morning as we showered and dressed. I had tied my hair into a bun at the nape of my neck and sat finishing off my makeup as Evelyn came through the front door. She called out as she made her way upstairs. Slipping on my shoes and collecting a black bag from the closet, I made my way up to meet her. Robert was already sitting at the breakfast bar sipping a coffee.
“Elaine called this morning, Travis showed up. He spent the night at her house,” she said as she pushed a cup of tea towards me.
“That’s great news,” I replied.
“I would have kicked his ass had he not,” she said, causing a smirk from Robert.
We heard a car make its way up the drive. Gary had brought the Range Rover to a stop by the front door. Collecting our coats, we made our way downstairs. Although the sun was out, there was still a nip in the air. I pulled my coat around me and climbed in the back of the car with Robert, Evelyn opting to sit up front.
A line of cars snaked their way through the gates of the church to a car park at the rear. Gary dropped us off before finding a spot. As we joined the party of mourners Robert was approached by a few people wanting to shake his hand and stop for a quick chat. He introduced me and Evelyn to a few. We stopped chatting when two black cars drove up to the church. The first carried the coffin and the second was occupied by Elaine, Travis and Harley. We stood to one side as they climbed out and were immediately surrounded by people wanting to offer their condolences.
Travis looked sober, clean shaven, and wore a black suit with a matching tie. He clutched the hand of Harley who was dressed the same. Harley looked so scared, his cheeks were chapped from the many tears I imagined he had shed. Travis took Elaine’s arm and they followed the coffin into the church. Robert, Evelyn and I took a seat in the back pew.
The service was simple but beautiful. A photograph of a smiling Caroline stood on a stand next to her coffin and some of her friends stood to say a few words. I watched Travis as he placed his arm around Harley’s shoulder, pulling him close and comforting him. Too soon the service was over and we made our way outside. We followed the Priest and the coffin to Caroline’s final resting place. It was heartbreaking to watch Travis give a single white rose to Harley and then watch him step forward with it. He was trying to be so brave and he laid it on his mother’s coffin as they lowered it. Travis, Harley and Elaine then picked up a handful of earth each and threw it onto the coffin. I never really understood the significance of that, but then this was the first burial I had ever attended. My brother had been cremated, his ashes still stood on the mantel in my parent’s house.
As people started to make their way back to their cars, I saw Travis look over to us. His eyes focused on Robert. He gave a single nod of his head before taking Harley by the hand and leading him back to the car. I wasn’t expecting him to come and talk, he was being interrupted by people constantly but the nod was a start.
Mourners were making their way to Elaine’s but we had decided to head off. It was not to be disrespectful but Elaine’s house was very small and we felt she needed her close friends around her. Robert was also getting agitated by the amount of people wanting his attention. He had hissed to me that a funeral was not the place for that. Instead we took the bridge out to Arlington and made a visit to the home.
The kids were on school break and happy to see the car arrive at the gates. Some had been playing football and with muddy hands and faces they embraced me as I climbed out of the car. Gerry was among the throng around my legs and I was happy to see he still had a smile on his face. I took his hand and we walked into the house. Robert and Ted went to the office while Evelyn and I sat listening to tales of woe. The Playstation had broken, school was awful and finally, was there a bear in the woods that Gerry had chased off.
“Tell ‘em, Brooke, me and Robert beat that bear off with a big stick, didn’t we?” Gerry said, his face animated.
“Oh it was huge, massive. I didn’t see it but I saw the paw prints when I took a walk the following day. I was really scared,” I replied, winking at Gerry.
I would have a word with him about telling tales but this was him gaining a little popularity among his friends. We chatted for a little while and when Robert came back into the room, they repeated all they had told us. Robert regaled them with the story of the bear, how they had fought it off and I worried a little. Between them they started to detail how to make a bear trap. I envisaged cuts and broken arms coming over the next few days. It was a nice contrast to the morning though and when it was time to leave I gave each a hug, a kiss to the forehead on those that didn’t squirm away and we headed off home.
Robert wanted to head into the office for a couple of hours, so after Gary dropped Evelyn and I off, they headed back down the drive. I changed from my dress into something more comfortable and checking the time, settled down for a chat with Sam. He told me he felt he was in total limbo at the moment. It must be awful just waiting around for his dad to die. Brian had been moved to a hospice and his condition had worsened. Scott had taken extended leave to stay a little longer. It was lovely to talk to him and we spent over an hour catching up. While I had been on the telephone to Sam, I had missed a call from Taylor, I called her back.
“Hey honey, how did today go?” she asked.
“Okay, we only stayed for the service. Robert was getting annoyed at the amount of people wanting to chat with him,” I replied.
“Was Travis there?”
“Yes, sober and clean shaven thankfully.”
“Did they speak?”
“No, there
really wasn’t the time, but Travis nodded so I guess that’s a start. I went to see Trav yesterday, I couldn’t sit around and let this go on any longer. I’m not sure what good it will do, I ended up shouting at him,” I told her.
“Well, I think he deserves it. I know you keep defending him, Brooke, but what he said was so wrong.”
“I have to believe it was the grief, Taylor. I don’t think he meant it but I guess time will tell. If he keeps his distance Robert will be devastated, although he’s being as stubborn as Trav at the moment. I can’t believe after all these years they’re acting this way. I’ve seen kids be more grown up than those two.”
She laughed. “How about lunch tomorrow, let’s get the girls together.”
“I’d love to, let me know a time and I’ll be there.”
After saying goodbye and listening to my tummy rumble, I made myself a snack and sat at the breakfast bar. Evelyn had gone to see her sister, another one who was lingering on. As much as that was a terrible thought, I felt sorry for Evelyn. It had to be the worst thing to visit someone, a sister, and have that person not know you. With my thoughts whirling about Brian, Sam, Maria, Caroline, I also began to wonder about my own parents. I hadn’t heard one word from them since the day I’d arrived in America, not a birthday, a Christmas or a wedding card. Heading to the home office I settled down to write a letter, one last chance.
***
Robert arrived home in a fantastic mood. As he climbed the stairs he held something behind his back. His grin spread from ear to ear.
“What are you smiling at?” I asked, grinning back.
“I have something for you,” he replied.
“Oohh, what is it?”
“Sit and close your eyes. Hold out your hands.”
I smiled, held out my hands and felt something placed on them. Robert told me I could open my eyes and when I did, I stared at a white envelope. I looked up at him.
“Open it,” he said.
I slid my thumb under the flap and opened it. Inside I found something that looked like a green driving licence. It had my photograph on and I remembered that Robert had made me take some passport style photos. After studying it for a short while, it dawned on me.
“Oh my God, this is it, isn’t it? How did you get this so quick? I thought it took a year or so.”
“Someone owed me. It’s all perfectly legal, don’t worry. Just processed a little quicker than normal.”
In my hand I was holding my Permanent Resident Card, the proverbial Green Card. I was now officially a resident in the United States of America. I silently thanked God for the people that owed Robert, that process should have taken at least one year. I slid off my stool and wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Thank you. I can’t believe it,” I said before kissing him.
Sitting back on my stool I studied the card. A tear formed in my eye. The front door opened, Evelyn made her way upstairs carrying the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers, white lilies. The scent filled the room before she had even handed them over to me.
“Congratulations, Brooke,” she said.
‘Oh wow, thank you, Ev. They’re beautiful.”
I brought them close to my face inhaling their perfume. Evelyn had taken a vase from the cupboard, filled it with water and together we arranged them. After the day we’d had, this was a lovely surprise. The three of us sat for dinner and chatted about the day. No one had heard from Travis, we weren’t expecting to but both Evelyn and I urged Robert to at least send a text message. Just something to let him know we were thinking of him.
As the evening drew in and after Evelyn had left, Robert and I sat with a bottle of wine on the sofa. I had snuggled into his side while he told me how he had obtained the residency card so quickly. I wondered how far his contacts spread as something came into my mind, a conversation Evelyn and I’d had some time ago.
As I was contemplating whether to bring that conversation up with Robert, the noise of a car drew our attention to the window. We watched the Range Rover swing into the drive and stop. Travis got out and after closing the door he stood for a while, looking towards the house. It was clear to see the deep breath he had taken, his shoulders rose in the black suit he still wore before he strode towards the door. Robert and I looked at each other.
“Shall I go downstairs?” I asked as the front door opened.
“No, this is your home, Brooke. Let’s see what he wants.”
Travis didn’t climb the stairs at his usual pace, he took his time until he rounded the top and stopped for a moment, perhaps unsure of what to do. He was wringing his hands, a sign of nervousness and something I had never seen from Travis.
“Hey, bro. Want a beer?” Robert asked to break the ice I guessed.
“Sure, I’ll get them. Brooke, you want anything?”
“Thanks, Trav, but I already have wine,” I replied.
He made his way to the fridge collected two beers and snapping off the caps, came and joined us on the sofa.
“How did the rest of the day go?” Robert asked.
“Okay, I guess. Thanks for coming, I wasn’t sure you would,” he replied.
“Of course we would be there. It was a shame we had to leave but we saw reporters at the gates and didn’t want it to turn in a fucking media circus,” Robert said.
“I, err, I’m...” Travis started to say something. He rolled the bottle between his hands and didn’t look at us. “I’m sorry,” he added quietly.
“Brooke, do me a favour. Go get my phone for me,” Robert said.
Before leaving the sofa I looked at him wondering why he needed his phone. I collected it from the breakfast bar and handed it to him. He played around with it for a few moments.
Holding his phone up, he said, “Travis, say that again.”
Travis looked at him and then laughed, Robert laughed and I looked between the pair of them.
“Fuck off, bro, you heard me.” Travis said.
“Brooke, witness this moment. That is the first time, ever, Travis has said sorry to anyone. I wanted to catch it for posterity,” Robert told me.
Suddenly everything seemed okay, the boys laughed and I joined in. I loved to hear that word ‘bro’. That word signified all that they were and I was pleased that finally their feud was over.
“Brooke, I needed to hear what you said. I’m sorry you found me that way,” Travis told me.
“It’s fine. I’ll be honest, I thought you were dead.”
“I think I was kind of hoping for that, until you mentioned Harley. He needs me, Elaine won’t manage on her own and I want to be there for him.”
“What happened with his dad? You said you spoke to him,” Robert asked.
“He’d heard what had happened. To be honest he sounded a decent enough guy. He was willing to come and meet Harley and see if a relationship would work. But he lives so far away and it would mean taking Harley out of school and away from Elaine. We said we’d see how it goes for now.”
We had been chatting for about half an hour when the front door opened again. Evelyn made her way up.
“I saw the car, I wanted to check you were okay,” she said, making her way to the sofa.
As Travis repeated what he had said, I looked at the three people sitting in front of me, my family, the four musketeers.
Chapter Twelve
Standing in the bathroom and looking in the mirror, I shouted for Robert. He was buttoning up his shirt getting dressed for work in the bedroom. I could see his smirk through the open door.
“Robert, I called you,” I said.
“I heard you. What do you need, baby?” he replied.
“Don’t baby me, look.”
Standing behind me still with that smirk on his face, he studied me in the full length mirror.
“I see a beautiful naked woman who looks like she had a great time last night,” he said.
“I see a bloody vampire who needs to learn to control his teeth,” I replied.
Running in a p
erfect line down my stomach was a row of bite sized bruises. He wrapped his arms around me and I tried to wriggle free, pretending to be mad at him. He was right of course, I’d had a great time the previous evening. Robert could switch personalities as quick as anything. One minute Mr. Playful, the next he was Mr. Intense. I giggled as his lips sought that place on my neck that would send shivers through my body.
“We are going to be late,” I said tilting my head for better access before moaning at his touch.
“You’re right,” he replied, stepping away from me.
I looked at him opened mouthed. Never before had he been bothered about being late for work. I turned to face him. As I did he grabbed both wrists, stepping close enough to force me back onto the mirror and he raised my hands above my head, holding them against the cool glass. He laughed as his mouth found mine. His kiss was deep, his tongue probing and his body pushed hard against me. I struggled to drag enough air into my lungs through my nose such was the intensity of his kiss. Then he did it again, he stepped away with a wicked smile on his face. I slumped against the mirror.
“How do you do this to me? I’m a mess,” I said, trying to catch my breath.
Those black eyes full of mischief stared straight at me.
“Because I’m good, baby. Now get your ass in gear, we’re going to be late.”
Robert had never lacked confidence and I laughed as I shook my head and gathered myself together. I dressed and we headed upstairs for a quick cup of tea, strong black coffee for him before Travis pulled the car out of the garage. I guessed he was back to driving us and I was pleased. As much as I had loved to travel to work with Robert driving, his aggression behind the wheel sometimes made me a nervous wreck. Stan gave us a broad smile as we walked past his security desk. He had noticed the absence of Travis over the past few days.
As I settled at my desk the telephone started to ring. Answering it I was connected to a very disgruntled tenant who believed there to be some paranormal activity in her apartment. Her pipes were gurgling and the floorboards creaked at night. So my introduction to the rental department started.
Fallen Angel, Part III Page 24