What I Wouldn't Give

Chapter 9

"Okay, Ella-May Armani," Caleb said as he closed his sister's bedroom door and went to sit next to her, on her bed.

"Noah says you feel like things are complicated with Aria," Caleb said as Ella looked at her brother.

"She is avoiding me. So badly and I wanna help. I really do. But how do I do that if I can't communicate with her?" Ella asked.

"Going through everything Aria has gone through. Losing her parents the way that she did and she was the one who survived. That guilt is something that she is still carrying with her. Even two years later. Ella. Inside she is still broken. She may act like she's okay and everything, but deep inside she is still mourning them. I mean. The car went off a bridge. That isn't an easy way to go. How long was she conscious before she was out? What was the last thing her father told her? Was their last conversation good or bad? All those things contribute to how she deals with this. And maybe she isn't ready to share it with you," Caleb said.

"How do you do it then?" Ella asked.

"I make sure I'm always there for when she needs a shoulder. And I'm there when she can't handle the sadness. And the grieve. And the loss. But when guilt starts to talk, that is where we then need to involve everyone, okay? Because guilt leads to drastic measures," Caleb said.

"Okay then," Ella said.

~

Aria walked into the house that seemed empty. She knew a lot of people would still be awake. Hearing as noises came from upstairs, she smiled and knew it was Logan gaming. She rushed up the stairs as she found him in front of his Xbox while she shook her head. As she entered the room she sat down next to him and he looked at her.

"What's up?" Logan asked as he continued to game.

"Somehow I miss Mom even more today than usual," Aria said as Logan looked at her and paused the game.

"How come?"

"I don't know. I guess things are just sinking in more and more every day. I feel like that first year I was at a blank. I didn't know what I wanted or what happened. Last year I only started to know what happened," Aria said.

"Do you think that you were in denial for a long time?" Logan asked.

"Perhaps, yeah. Maybe I was," Aria said as she exhaled.

"Okay, I'm going to bed. Don't stay up to late," Aria said as she stood up, approaching the door.

"Arianna," Logan said as Aria looked at her younger brother.

"Hmm?"

"Mom would be proud of you. So would Dad. I know that I'm proud of you," Logan said.

"Thanks, Logan. Goodnight," Aria said.