Turning A New Leaf

Thirty-Five

"You definitely need to try to get him into treatment," Bill said grimly as he stepped out of Brad's Tesla, "Look inside his car."

Reluctantly, Linda peeked into the car, saddened to see the car's interior littered with multiple small plastic bags. Some were completely emptied and turned inside out, as he had gone so far as to lick the remaining specks from it. Others had varying amounts of meth crystals, including one that was close to half full.

In addition to the bags, there were pieces of burnt foil, straws, and a broken pipe. Her heart hurt to know Brad had fallen down the same path his brother had. He'd had so much potential just to smoke it all away.

Eyes bleary from the tears that were forming, Linda sighed and shook her head. "How did he even get to this point?" she wondered aloud.

Bill pulled his wife into a tight embrace, "I really don't know. It's sad to see him throw his life away."

Linda broke down in Bill's arms, "I...I feel so heartbroken. What happened with him? What went wrong? And Krist is furious with me...and Brooke, poor Brooke," she wept.

Bill stroked her hair, "We will try to get him some help. And, honey, you know how Krist gets. He throws his tantrums and gets over it."

She wiped her eyes, "I hope so."

"Go take a bath. I'll deal with his car, ok?"

****

Brad called around nine that night to let his mom know he was released and waiting in front of the jail for her. He'd taken down Jonathan and Daniel's contact info to hit them up after the dust had settled.

He had several unread messages from everyone from Kali to Fernando to Lainey and Madison. He updated everyone that he'd just gotten out of jail and would get back to them once he was at his mom's house.

Linda had pulled up in her all-black Suburban shortly after he'd called. He opened the door, head low to avoid her eye contact. She didn't ask how he was, and he didn't say anything.

Finally, Brad asked, "Did you pick my car up?"

Linda nodded, "Brooke put your things in there as well."

"Did you see her?" he wanted to know.

"No, she wasn't up for company."

"Oh," Brad muttered, opening his text messages.

He messaged Madison, "I have to check in to the probation office tomorrow. I want to see you after."

She responded almost immediately, "Sounds good."

"Just you though, cool?" Lainey was hot as fuck, but all she did was talk about Krist and ask a million questions about him. He was confident that Lainey had literally only messed with him because he was Krist's brother. He wasn't trying to entertain her weird fantasies.

"Sounds like a plan 😍"

Linda glanced at her son. He seemed like a complete stranger to her. Even the way he looked was not the Brad she'd known. His face was gaunt and grey, his skin was covered in an oily sheen, and his hair was greasy. When she looked into his eyes, it was as though the light and soul of him was gone.

She'd only gotten a brief description of the extent of Brooke's injuries, but what she'd heard had been enough to frighten her. How had her mild-mannered son been capable of such violence? Yes, it was apparent that drugs had fueled it, but not every addict breaks their spouse's face in a blind rage.

Linda felt as though she didn't know him at all. After all, he'd been living a double life for how long?

She wasn't going to bring up drug treatment that night, but it would be something they spoke about in the morning.

****

"You know I have an hour lunch. I can always pick up Rocco, and he can just hang around here with me," Atira told Krist as they lay in bed together.

"I appreciate that. I'm just worried he will distract you when you're working or be loud," Krist told her.

"He's totally fine; he isn't loud, and even if he is, most of my work is spent in Zoom meetings or emails. I can just mute myself, no biggie."

"When are you going to be able to eat, though?"

Atira rolled onto her side, resting her face in her arm, "Krist, you worry too much. I can always eat as I work, and regardless, Rocco's school is barely ten minutes away. By the time I get back, I would still have close to a half hour to eat."

"Are you sure?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I'm your wife. These are things I should be doing," she assured him, "Everything is going to be fine. Stop worrying."

Krist propped his head up with his forearm, "I love you, baby," he rubbed her still taut belly, "I still can't believe you're pregnant."

She clasped his hand with hers, "I know, right? It doesn't feel real. Well, beyond this freaking morning sickness."

He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "You feeling any better at all?"

"I do. I feel like that soup helped settle my stomach some," she told him, turning to lie on her back, "So our baby is going to have a cousin close to the same age." Krist looked confused. "Brad's...girlfriend. She's pregnant."

"Ugh, for that kid's sake, I hope it ain't actually his."

"That's assuming this girlfriend or any other possible fathers are any better," Atira remarked.

"I wonder if she's the same chick he had down at the club that night."

"Gosh, I'm not sure. It's weird to imagine him being some kind of player," she said.

Krist laughed, "Brad may have found some skeezy chicks, but he definitely ain't no player."

"You would know, huh, Mr. Player," Atira teased him.

Krist playfully bit Atira's earlobe, "Those days are behind me," he grinned.

"They better be," Atira told him, letting him slip his hand into her (well, his) sweats and into her panties, lightly teasing her clit with his finger.
Atira's breath deepened as he quickly worked her nub, her hips rising with every sigh.

They hadn't messed around in a few days, which meant Atira's climax came fast and hard. She could barely hold in her moan as she was hit with a wave of pleasure.

Krist pulled her sweats down, guiding his member into her glistening sex, and began to thrust. He pulled one of her legs over his shoulder to be able to hit deep.

"Goddamn, baby," he whispered, "you got me wanting to cum already." Atira reached down, gripping his hips, urging him to thrust deeper.
He had to pause for a moment, trying to hold back his nut. "Fuck, you feel so good."

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in to kiss her, her tongue exploring his mouth. He began to pump again, causing Atira to whimper with pleasure.

"Baby, I'm bout to bust for real," he sighed, pinning her wrists down above her head. He kissed her deeply as his cock began to pulsate, his seed filling her.

"I love you," She whispered, kissing him again.

"I love you too, baby."