Finding His Sun

Chapter Fourteen

The truck pulled into Erin’s driveway, which to her surprise only had a few cars parked out front. There was trash littered all throughout the lawn, with empty kegs toppled over and a large amount of red solo cups following. The sun was setting now, and Erin knew more people would show up at the house she couldn’t even call home anymore. 

Adam walked her to the front door as she opened it. They walked into the living room and were greeted with a shocked look from Ryan. He ran to her and Adam stepped in front of her. Ryan’s face looked hurt when he saw her bruises she had long forgotten were there. 

“Erin, what the hell happened?” Ryan asked, looking drunk, like every other day. 

Erin stepped on the other side of Adam and gave him a quick reassuring smile, and he backed up. Erin took Ryan into a hug, he reciprocated. 

“I’m sorry I was gone for a couple of days. I’m going to get the bills and a few of my things and head back with Adam. Will you be okay here by yourself for a while? I have the spare money in the safe” she said while trying not to cry. 

Erin didn’t know why this was so sad? Ryan was never there for her, he never treated her like family, but that’s what he was… family. 

Ryan looked at her with understanding and a little pang of guilt hit him, “I’m sorry Er, I didn’t mean to push you out of here with my partying and stuff. I need you, you can’t leave me,” Ryan said in a pleading tone. 

A sensation of grief washed over Erin as she looked at her helpless cousin, until a second feeling of clarity hit her. She knew what was best for her and for Ryan. 

“You didn’t push me out with your partying Ryan, you pushed yourself out. We went through a tragedy together, and instead of helping you get back on your feet, I let you walk all over me. I let you walk away from your troubles and use me as a punching bag, because you were hurting,” she paused, now looking him in the eyes so he would hear what she had to say, “but I was hurting too. I should have let you pick yourself up instead of letting you stay down, and for that I am sorry. But, now I have to let you figure it out, I can’t be your fall back or your punching bag. I have to let you get along on your own”. Erin let out a sigh of relief, like she had been holding in years’ worth of words that never surfaced until today. 

Ryan smiled at Erin, with tears in his eyes, and looked at her with not only understanding, but appreciation. “You were always the tough one, I’ll get my act together I swear”. Erin gave him a hug and left to pack up a few of her things. 

As Erin stood in her room all the memories, she had there came flooding back like relentless waves trying to knock her down. Images of her crying herself to sleep after her parents were gone, Ryan yelling at her through the door for something she didn’t do, bleeding on the ground from Mason’s wrath. How could she let herself be so weak? How could she let this agony take over who she wanted so badly to be? She smiled when she felt Adam’s arms around her waist, and she leaned into him. 

“You’ve been quiet tonight,” she stated worriedly, “I never wanted you to get hurt by this”.

He kissed her neck all the way up to her cheek leaving little pieces of his adoration on her skin. The action shocked her, but she liked the feeling.  

“I don’t think I could feel anything but love from you… I got mad tonight because I thought you would leave me… the thought made me angrier than I've ever been. But don’t you think for a second, I can’t handle anything you throw at me. Loving you is the easy part, getting you to stay with me is the challenge I’ll never give up on” he smiled and kissed her hard. 

Erin felt like she was floating through the air at Adam’s touch. Having him near her, close to her, so close she could taste him. She was in heaven. She reveled in the embrace of his passion and lust for her. His body against hers in an embrace she thought could never be broken. A feeling of love that went beyond what her heart could feel. She never wanted to leave him. 

He pulled back to look at her in those ocean blue eyes, he could get lost in them forever. This time though, when he stared into them, he saw a sparkle of joy and he knew she felt the same way. 

Erin grabbed a few pairs of clothes, she didn’t have much to begin with, and her personal belongings. Adam carried her bags to the truck where the men were still waiting patiently. What had she walked into? A family who cared so deeply to risk themselves for her… she didn’t know how to believe that. Just three days ago she was a girl lying on the bathroom floor, now she was loved? She knew her problems were far from over, but she knew whenever they came she wouldn’t be alone. 

Lance broke the never-ending silence on the way home, “Erin, I know you went through a lot today, but some things have come to light we need to talk more about tomorrow”.

“What kind of things?” Adam asked, obviously worried. 

“Things about… your father, Erin”.