Begin Again

Twelve

Three days later, Bob and I had made our way to Austin to see my family, as well as Briar and Brooks' family, for their homecoming celebration. The best part was that Brooks would be proposing to my sister and I was so excited to actually be able to call him my brother.

Along with being happy to see me, my family welcomed Bob with open arms. My sister and Briar wouldn't leave Bob alone as they interrogated him but he handled it with grace and passed their tests with flying colors.

As we enjoyed the party and it came to an end, I helped Jake and Briar to gather everybody up and get them inside while an unsuspecting Mallorie that had been making sure that everything had started to get cleaned up after the party.

"Mal," Brooks called to her and she turned around, her brows pulling together in confusion as she saw everybody standing around. "Can you come with me?"

I watched Brooks offer his hand to my sister and they stepped outside underneath the oak trees and I was quick to grab my camera before sneaking out behind them. I kept my distance so I could give them their privacy while still photographing the intimate moment between them.

As Brooks knelt down, he pulled the box out of his pocket that held the ring we had shopped for weeks earlier and my sister covered her mouth with her hands, shocked that she was being proposed to. Finally.

"Yes," Mal squealed as she got down to Brooks' level and put her arms around him.

I smiled to myself as he slid the ring onto her finger and he picked her up, spinning her around in circles and I kept snapping photos so they could have memories of this special day.

Once my sister spotted me, she ran over to me and we were quickly joined by Briar as we all jumped around in excitement.

"C'mon, we're going to celebrate!"

"Where at?" Mal asked.

"Where else? We celebrate everything at the karaoke bar."

As we went inside, Mal and Brooks were met with hugs and congratulations from nearly everybody in attendance before our parents insisted we leave and there was plenty of help to clean up the mess.

Without any second thoughts, the six of us piled into Jake's truck and we headed towards the karaoke bar that we, as a group, spent a lot of time at since it was the first job for all of us as teenagers.

Once we had arrived, Mal, Briar, and I grabbed some drinks for everybody as the guys tried to find us a table and were able to find two high tops and pushed them together. Saturday's had always been busy at the bar but the crowd had always been full of fun, friendly people so we didn't mind.

"So this is where we would come all of the time," I explained to Bob. "I used to run around this place in diapers."

"I see you couldn't stay away for too long."

A chill ran down my spine as I recognized the voice that came from behind where I stood.

"Ben," I whispered to myself before the six of us turned to look at him.

I had been holding Bob's hand and my grip tightened so he immediately knew that something was wrong.

"If you knew what was good for you, you'd exit where you entered," Brooks threatened.

"Look at you guys. You spend a little time in the Navy and suddenly think you're better than everyone. Besides, Mo and I never got to say our goodbyes," Ben replied, patting Brooks' chest as he turned towards me.

My sister shifted so she was standing halfway in front of me but it didn't make my nerves any better.

"I think our last goodbye was when you were being thrown in the back of a police car," I replied.

"It's only been a couple of months and you've moved on. Interesting," he mumbled as he noted Bob and I's intertwined fingers.

"I'm not doing this. Not now, not ever."

I moved to walk away but he grabbed me by my bicep, his grip tight enough to leave a mark. In that moment, Bob, Jake, and Brooks all moved to Ben, getting him off of me and my sister and Briar pulled me back. Every single one of us was taken by surprise when he got in Bob's face and Bob swung on Ben, knocking him to the ground with his chest heaving.

"Hey," I shouted, getting in between them, placing my hands on each of their chests to keep them at a distance.

Brooks and Jake both quickly moved to hold Bob back by his shoulders but Ben got up and swung back, getting Bob just under his eye.

Mallorie pulled me back once more as to not get in the middle of their fight, but I didn't want anybody to get hurt, especially knowing what Ben had been capable of. I pulled back and stood between all of them again, not wanting the boys to get into trouble over my past.

"Get out," I said through gritted teeth.

"It's a public establishment, Morgann," Ben replied as he wiped the blood from his nose.

"That my parents own. Now get out before you find yourself in the back of another cop car."

Ben took a look at me and then Bob before turning to walk out.

"You okay?" Mallorie asked as Briar looked at the red mark on my arm.

"I'm fine," I replied as I turned my attention back to the boys.

"Damn, Floyd. I didn't know you had it in you," Brooks joked, patting Bob on the back.

"Seriously. Who knew that our baby on board was a closet alpha behind the glasses," Jake added with a smirk before they rejoined Mal and Briar.

I rolled my eyes as I turned to look at Bob, noting that the rings Ben wore skinned his face.

"Come with me," I said, pulling him by the hand to the office that was just beyond the kitchen.

I had Bob sit down and I disappeared to the bar to get some ice before returning back to the office.

"It's already swelling," I muttered with a frown.

"Hey, it's fine," Bob said as he grabbed my free hand. "It doesn't hurt."

"Well you're definitely going to have a mark," I replied as I leaned against the desk, gently pressing the ice against his cheek. "I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting that."

"Neither was I," he replied with a low chuckle.

"I could've handled it," I frowned, feeling bad that he was hit because of me. "I always have."

"I know but now you don't have to face your problems alone. Not as long as I'm around."

"I know but I could've dealt with it without you having to get hurt."

"I know you think you're little miss toughie but he could've really hurt you," he added as his fingers ran over the mark on my arm.

"Ay, dios mio, Roberto. What am I going to do with you?" I sighed before placing a soft kiss on his lips. "C'mon, let's get back out there."