Page 94 of Fragile hearts

“And why do you have a doorbell camera then? For decoration?”

“I thought it was the delivery guy.”

“Well, he was a delivery guy indeed. He was planning on delivering your death!” He steps closer until we’re almost touching, and I can see how much he wants to pull me to him, but his battles are larger compared to mine. He’ll go into a full-blown panic attack if I wrap my arms around him, so I settle for the next best thing: I wrap my pinky around his.

“I’m fine.” I peer into his eyes. “I promise, he didn’t touch me. He just screamed at me how much he hated my mother and me and that I should have never lived. Just ordinary stuff.”

“Your mother? What does she have to do with this?”

I sigh. Carson moves away, giving me and Asher some space. He lifts my head, kisses my cheek, then walks over to the couch. I hop on the counter, patting the spot next to me. “Come sit. This is a long story.”

“Wait, so he’s your biological father?”

I nod.

“And he killed his wife and own son and tried to kill his daughter?”

I nod again.

“Just because he didn’t want kids?”

“Yes.”

“What the fuck?” Asher looks up at the ceiling. “What a piece of shit.”

“I know.”

“How are you doing? Now you know the truth.”

I shrug “I mean, I didn’t know him. We might share the same DNA, but he’s never been my father. He was my foster parent who killed my brother. I don’t have a father. Real fathers don’t kill their children.”

“They don’t. I’m sorry about your mother. She didn’t deserve to die like that.”

“She didn’t. All she wanted was her kids back. Unfortunately, she had kids with a monster.”

“What will happen to her?” I stand up from the counter, pushing my shorts down so my bare legs don’t stick to the granite stone.

“Her aunt is handling her burial. She’ll be buried next to her parents.”

“Are you going to talk to her?”

“Her aunt?”

“Yeah.”

I purse my lips. Carson asked me the same question, but I don’t know yet. I have never had a family apart from Micah, and now I do. It’s something I have to get used to.

“I don’t know, I’m not ready yet.” Asher is quiet for a moment as he stares at Carson, who’s playing with Colton on the floor. “I know you have Carson now, but you know you can talk to me, right? If you ever need anything.”

I hook my pinkie around his. “I know, you’re my best friend, and you will always be.” He smiles appreciatively, then nods over to the couch, where Carson’s coworkers are staring at us with wide eyes. “I’ll talk to them before they pass out from shock.” He winks, then hops off the counter.

Carson joins me a few seconds later. He sits next to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I lean my head against his shoulder. “You okay?” he asks gently, his voice soft like it always is when he talks to me. “Yeah, never been better.” I stare at the new family I made. My own may be fucked up, but I’m proud of the people I can call my own. I had never imagined that I would meet all these amazing people.

I moved here so I could get closer to my brother. But I’m staying here for him and my new family. “Hey, Cars?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”