He's NOT My Brother

Chapter Twenty

"Rose did you hear me?" my dad asks after a couple minutes of me not replying.

"Yeah"

"Rob is at the hospital now, collecting her belongings. She left a will, Rose, we just need to look at it and everything will sort out. It will be okay."

Jake. Where's my brother? He needs to hear this from me.

I turn away from my dad, and start to rush through the house as fast as possible. I shove people out of my way, looking frantically for him.

"JAKE!"

I spot him in the kitchen, leaning against the counter talking to some boys from the basketball team.

"Jake!"

"What Rose? I'm in the middle of something." he says annoyed. Taking one glance at me, his whole attitude changes. "Why are you crying? What the fuck did that asshole do this time? I swear Dylan is never going to hear-"

"It's mom."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She passed away, Jake. She isn't coming home."

Not being able to hold it back anymore, I sob into Jake's chest. He holds me close, not bothering to ask what happened knowing I couldn't reply.

"Joey go get Will."

She's gone. No more cool mom that I go to for advice. No mom to argue with. Just two dads and a brother.

"Alright the Ryan's are hugging and crying, that can only mean one thing: the world is about to end" Will says coming in. "Let's go somewhere private" he adds less jokingly.

Jake picks me up and we go to the nearest door, the basement. I was not ready to see what my dad was doing down here. I knew that it was finished but I just assumed we were storing crap but instead, I see the most beautiful thing ever. On one end of the basement, there is a mini bar, with a pool table in front of it. On the other side, there is a home theater, with what looks like the most comfortable chairs and couches ever. My dad, who I didn't realize was down here, was putting up a dart board over on the bar side of the room.

"This is what you've been doing down here?"

"Your mom wanted it to be a surprise."

"Wow"

"So she's really gone?" Will asks sitting down and burrying his head in his hands.

"Yeah" I say standing in front him. I pull his head out of his hands and pull him up so he stands, then give him a hug. After a couple of minutes of us just holding each other, he pulls back.

"What does this mean for you? I mean are you living with Rob or your dad?"

"I don't know. It's whatever she said in her will"

"Fuck this. You are my sister! I don't give two shits what that will says. We are living together. I can't lose you too."

"Let's just deal with this tomorrow. You kids go on upstairs and finish having fun at your party"

"Have fun? Are you joking? Please tell me you are. You just told me that my mom passed away and now you want me too pretend it didn't happen? If you wanted me to have fun at this party you should have told me tomorrow, when we finished cleaning and everybody left. Not right after the new year. You want to be my father? Learn when and when not to tell me news. Maybe that's why mom got full custody. Becasue you have no fucking clue what you are doing."

"Rose you have no clue what you are talking about. Just go to bed and we will talk in the morning."

"Well if you haven't noticed, there is this huge party going on in our house and people probably won't leave for hours."