The last letter

Chapter 4- Brunch

I walk out the front door, Aaron gets out of his truck with a bouquet of roses.

"You look amazing."

He hands me the roses and opens the door for me.

"I hope Applebees is okay?"

"Yeah" I say

We drove in silence, my head resting against the window.

I can't stop thinking about what my father did

Aaron pulls over on the side of the road

"Why are we pulling over?" I ask

"What's going on?"

"With?"

"With you, you're quiete."

"I'm sorry" I say

"What's wrong?"

"Just my parents, my dad hurt my mom."

My eyes fill with tears and I look away

"Was it because of me?"

"I don't think so" I lie

I knew it was, it was because of him, and his dad, and my father's past.

"I'm sorry" he says touching my hand

I turn around resting my head on his shoulder

He lifts he arm to hold me and I flinched

"I will never hurt you, I promise."

He pulled me closer and kissed me on my forehead

"I'm sorry" I say "I feel better now"

"We don't have to go to applebees if you don't want to?"

"No, I do."

A black SUV flew past us almost pushing us off the side of the road

"Are you okay?"

I nod "yeah" my heart is racing

We drove further and pulled up to the quiet little restaurant

"Hey Mark, table for two please."

Mark shows us to the table and gives us each a menu

"We miss you here man" Mark tells Aaron

"Yeah I miss you guys too, but this new Job just offers so much more."

"Well we can still hang out sometime? Ben is having a party this weekend?"

"I know, I will see if I can make it."

"Let me know when you're ready to order."

Mark looks at me up and down as he leaves.

"Used to work here back when this place just opened, dunno why I still need a menu." He chuckles

"It's so quiet" i say

"Yeah, new restaurant not many people will come here."

"Our applebees is always packed" i laugh

"But this is nice" I add

I ordered a fiesta chicken chopped salad with a dr. pepper and Aaron orderd wings and fries also with a dr. Pepper.

After we ate we went roller skating and got some icecream.

It was nice to be out of the house for a while.

We then went to the park.

"So you going to a party this weekend" i say

"Only if you can come with"

"Well, maybe" I chuckle

"Please" he begs

"Okay fine, I will come with."

"Good, invite Jessica aswell?"

"She will definitely go."

"So, I wanted to ask you before, was it your brother who died in the car crash?"

My heart drops, why did he have to ask me that

"Yes" I say

"What happened? Because this town is full of stories about it."

" we were here, two years ago, and me and him, we came to town, and we were supposed to be home at 10:30, like always, but there was a storm, and we couldn't drive, finally it cleared a bit, and we knew our parents would be furious, we got into the car and we went as fast as we could, we turned of on the road to my Nannas' house and the car started to slip and slide over the road, he lost control, and it was like time slowed down, the car hit the side of the road and started to roll, it rolled three times, and I remember closing my eyes, and when I opened them, he was gone. He should have worn a seatbelt but he didn't. He went through the windscreen and he was gone, forever. I just, I keep thinking, it should have been me, because we would have never been out there if it wasn't for that stupid fight me and my mom had, it is my fault, and I know, my parents think that too.

Carl was the only one who understood me, and took care of me, and I killed him."

"No you didn't, accidents happen."

We walked back to the truck as a group of boys came walking towards us

"Get in the truck" Aaron says

"Why?"

"Just do it.."

The boys were already next to the truck when I opened the door

One boy slammed the door closed

"Leaving so soon?" He asks

Another boy goes up to Aaron

"You to good for us now eh?

"Yeah, you ditched us for what? Her? "

"Pretty thing tho" another boy comes up to me

I can smell the alcohol on their breaths

"Leave her alone." Aaron says

"Oh what now, you don't share?"

Aaron grabbed the boy by hy throat pushing him against the truck

Another boy puts a gun to Aaron's head

"What you gonna do now huh?" The boy say

"Leave him alone!" I scream

"You're tough hey" the boy laughs as he puts his gun away

Aaron let go of the boy "I'll talk to ya'll tomorrow." He says as he opens the door for me.

But the boy slammed the door closed again.

"This is not the time nor the place." Aaron says

"Well then let's change that." The boy says tucking my hair behind my ears

Aaron looks at me with fear

"Fine, let's talk" he says "just let her get into the truck and we can talk."

The boy steps away from me and Aaron opens my door again, one of the boys let out a whistle as I get in "stay in the truck, no matter what, please" he says and kisses me.

Aaron and the boys walk away into an alley, it felt like hours before they returned

"My money McCarthy, I won't ask so nicely next time!"

"And tell that pretty thing I say good bye will you" another boy yells as he laughs

Aaron gets in to the truck covered in blood.

"What happened, who were they?"

"Just people." He says as he turns on the ignition

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine"

I touch his face, we have to get you cleaned up.

We drive to his grandfathers house

"Aaron what did that O'neil brothers do to you this time?"

"I'm going to sort it out okay." Aaron says leaving to the bathroom

"You must be Emma, I hear such loveley things" the old man says in a croaked voice.

I walk to the bathroom and help Aaron

"You don't have to help me you know."

"I want to." I dab his face with a wet cloth

We drove back to my Grandmothers house in silence.

He opened my door again and kissed me

"Thankyou" he says

"For?"

"Not running away as fast as you can, not judging, and the nice time we had."

I kiss him again when my grandmother came outside

"Aaron, your face."

"It's fine Mrs. Dolce"

"How much?"

"Mrs. Dolce it's really fine, I will sort it out."

"Aaron how much?"

"$500.00" his voice breaks

"Stay here." My grandmother says rushing into the house

She returns a few moments later with a roll of cash

"500 dollars, you go pay them okay. And you don't get involved with them anymore."

"Thankyou Mam"

My grandmother hugs him " I know it's hard, but we'll figure it out."

He kisses me goodbye again and drives away.

The house was empty and quiet when I walked in.

"Where is everyone?"

"Searching for that scumbag dad of yours" my grandmother answers