An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 32: A Much-Needed Closure

AHVI TAKEDA

"I'm not going anywhere. And you aren't hurting me." I put my hand on my brother's shoulder, stroking gently. I consoled him the way he used to console me when we were just kids. "I just want to learn to be independent. I can't always live with you." I pointed out.

"Why not?" Ren asked, his tears stopping for a moment as he looked at me. I smiled because he looked so innocent in the moment, so naive. It seemed as if I was the older sibling.

"Let's be realistic, Ren. You are going to meet someone. I might meet someone. We will need our space then. I don't think your girlfriend or wife would appreciate your little sister hanging around the house." I chuckled even though my heart constricted slightly at the thought of moving on in life. Without Ren.

He didn't speak for a moment, mulling over my words. I patted his shoulder again, adding, "You will always be a part of my life but we need to build our lives outside of our little apartment. I need to become my own person. I can't have people driving me around my whole life. I can't be calling you every time I need something, or need to go somewhere."

"Tariq said the same thing." He responded, making me roll my eyes.

"And we really need to stop telling the guys my business. I like them. They are family but not everything I do or can't do should be known by them." I muttered, grimacing. Other than Ren, the guys are the only people I consider family and Eman, of course. But my brother and his friends understand me in a different way than Eman ever would.

They had seen me grow up. They were there for my art exhibition in school when my mother couldn't attend. They threatened the first guy who kissed me. And they were there for me when I had my first break up. Every one of them, except Jace, were brothers to me. I never saw Jace as an older brother, no matter how hard I tried. He was too carefree, too cocky and flirty to be put in that category.

But the guys and I had grown up and I needed my space. I deserved it. I had the right to keep things private if I needed to.

"So, you want to learn how to drive?" Ren asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yes. I am going to sign up for driving lessons as soon as I come back from New Mulliton." I replied. It was only when the words left my mouth did I realize that I had not told Ren about my trip to our hometown yet.

"What?" My brother's face paled. The sorrow was gone from his face but in its place was shock and if I was not wrong, hurt.

"I meant to tell you about it. I made the plan only yesterday. I am leaving for New Mulliton in two weeks," I said, my hand dropping from his shoulder.

"But why?" Ren cried, holding out his palms in front of him. There was panic in his words and I understood his reluctance to let me go but I couldn't not go.

"For closure." The words tumbled from my lips on their own accord. I hadn't even been thinking about them.

"Closure?" A frown settled on his brows and he looked at me with confusion shining in his dark eyes. I hesitated only for a moment before speaking.

"There are things I have not come to terms with. Mom's death was so sudden and then I left for London soon after, I never got to heal. Hailey's appearance shouldn't have unnerved me the way it did. It made me realize there are things I need to heal from and the only way to get over them is by facing them." I inhaled. "I have been terrified of our hometown and the memories for a long time. I want to be free of them. And to do that, I have to go back, face the things I left behind, face my fears." And my guilt. I thought to myself.