Life and Lemons

Andrew

I can't believe that my brother is so cruel and heartless. I should have never introduced him to her that night. The first night I saw her in that club, amongst all her friends,she was the prettiest. Her dress code was not club worthy but it sure fit the chilly weather outside. He black jeans accentuated every curve of her body. The marshmallow jacket was dramatic but cute. Something I never thought I'd say about clothes. She must have forgotten me.

Waves of anger and frustration swallow me as images of the broken women assault me. She looked skinny. So,so skinny I could count her ribs. I should have not spoken to her that night. I should have never introduced them. If only I had known that my own brother was capable of something as traumatizing as this. I throw back the remaining liquor in my glass and slam it on the table.

When he told me that they were getting married,I saw no other reason for me to stay here. f**k me for being slow while trying to get her. I loved her and watching her get married to my brother was going to kill me alive. Our father was rich . Very rich. While we were growing up,we had more than enough to spend. Now that we all grown up,we had shares in the company but he chose to sell his wife. His wife. I have to-

"What are you doing here?" the devil I call my brother roars. His face blank of any kind of emotion. And my anger? We'll, let's calm down and pretend that it's a norm to tie your wife and sell her body." Can't I visit my brother and his wife? I'm hurt bro," I say playfully. He remains emotionless for a few seconds. He takes a deep breath before making his way towards me and takes a sit on the couch.

" How are you,dude?, you look weighed down," I say,not feeling the cheery tone of my voice. If he had spent a longer time around me,he would have noticed how fake it sounded. I refrain from grinding my teeth into dust as I watch him exhale a heavy breath, scrubbing a hand over his face. Every emotion that he has been hiding coming out in waves. The one that stood out the most was guilt. Pure,ugly guilt."Andrew," he breathes out my name."My life has been nothing but a cluster of one f****d up situation to another. I feel like I'm going crazy. I might be crazy even now as we speak," he adds.

I stare at him. Surprised. I did not expect this kind of reaction when I came here. I expected a cold,cold man with no remorse or guilt. No guilt at all. But the man beside me has my mouth wide open in disbelief. " John, what's going on," I ask. Fully aware of the f****d up situations he didn't give me details about. He looks at me,his eyes full of pain and regret. I look back at him expectently. " I want to stop. I do,but I just can't do it. I'm-," he says. The end of his sentence trailing off as he takes several deep breath. I'm left even more surprised and confused by what I'm seeing."You are what," I softly prompt him to finish his sentence. " I'm in too deep," he says after a long deep breath.

Mother kept asking about John and his sweet wife. Neither me nor Scarlet knew about their lives. Now that I know why they disappeared from the face of the earth we lived in,I could not tell our mother the reason. I can not stand telling her about the monster of a man she gave birth to. I can't. Cassandra did not remember me and it's his fault. I may be sounding like a resentful brat but who cares. I resent him for doing all those aweful things to her. Even thinking about her thin body tied to that cross makes me want to throat punch him.

I stare at him,head bowed with his fingers gripping his hair. He continues mumbling but not really telling me exactly what I want to hear. Memories of the loud screams I heard yesterday when I snuck out of his house. I closed my eyes as they assaulted my poor ears that refused to stop ringing. My heart beating so fast until I feel dizzy. I take several deep breaths before I blew my cover. Unwillingly,I calm my brother down enough for me to say my good byes and heard home. As soon as I'm out his door, my fists clench in anger as I stomp my way to my house.

I'll get you out of there. Even if it costs me my life. I promise the woman who's probably tiered to that cross again. The drive to my house seemed longer than necessary. Maybe it was my racing thoughts that made it seem that way. Either way,I had a plan. All that was left was to contact the best investigator I knew. Scarlett. My little sister.

She was the only human being I could trust in this situation. I packed my car in my garage and made my way inside. My phone was out of my pocket and on my ear. I had her on speed dial so calling her was not work. She picked up on the fourth ring. Breathing heavy like she ran a mile to get to her phone. "Andrew," she breathed. I made my way to the kitchen to get myself a bottle of water. Dealing with this situation really takes a toll on me. " Hey, I need a favour," I fired out. I waited for her to catch her breath before answering me. " What kind," she asked.

I filled her in on the whole John and Cassandra problem. She either gasped in horror or barrated me like I was the one who tied my own wife to a cross and sold her body to low lives. I asked her when we could meet only to be answered by someone budging into my home."Hey," the doll eyed beauty said. Waltzing into my home like she owned it. "I could have been naked," I muse. She only chuckled before dropping her keys on the coffee table in my living room." But you are not," she retorted. I roll my eyes at her."Didn't your mother teach you how to knock before entering other people's homes," I groaned jokingly. "Unfortunately,she died, or ran away. I don't know which but no,she did not," she says with the most serious face she could master. I abandon getting some water and go to my pantry in search of some much needed whiskey.