Clandestine Entaglement

What Hurts the Most

The sound of Rascal Flatts filled the house.

Dean sat in the living room in the dark. He was on the uncomfortable couch drinking a beer, wallowing in misery, listening to What Hurts the Most. Yesterday, his life was normal.

He sucked down the rest of the beer and put the empty bottle on the coffee table. He grabbed a full one and twisted it open. He rested his head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling. He felt a tear roll out the side of his eye, down his cheek, and rested on his ear. He took a long drag on his beer.

Fuck my life. Actually, my life is already fucked up, so that's actually been taken care of.

He heard the garage door open. Natalie was home. He didn't want to talk to her about this, but he really needed her right now. She put her keys in the bowl and made her way through the kitchen. She walked into the dark living room.
She heard the music playing.

"Hey, Tink," he said

"Holy mother fucking bitch! Dean! You scared the crap out of me!" she yelped. "Why are you sitting alone in the dark listening to one of the world's saddest songs?"

She turned the lamp on. He squinted as the light hit his eyes. She looked over at him. Empty beer bottles surrounded him. Two full ones were sitting on the couch next to him.

"Bean, what is going on? You look like shit. Did your horse die?" she asked.

She put the beers on the table.

"Did you drink these all on your own?"

She took a seat next to him, folding her legs underneath her.

"Yeah. I also finished off my bottle of Remy Martin Cognac Louis XIII."

That's a special occasion bottle. You never just drink it. And this doesn't strike me as a special occasion," she said, looking around. "What the hell is going on?"

"I talked with Allison. She said she couldn't be a part of my life anymore. She asked me to do something that I refused to do."

She could tell he was hammered.

"I couldn't tell you the last time I saw you this drunk. I think it was when your horse did die."

"I really loved Biscuit. He was such a good horse. Tink, I really love you."

He drained the beer. He went to grab the last one.

"Whoa! Hold up there, Cowboy! I think you've had enough.

"So, what went down?" she asked.

He sniffed heavily and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"I feel like I am going to die. My heart literally feels like it is breaking."

Sarah rose to her knees and held as much of her big brother as her little arms could gather. He leaned his head onto her shoulder and began to sob. Natalie rested her chin on the top of his head.

"Remember, your current situation is not your final destination. Time really does heal. I remember when I broke my back, I was convinced I would never get back on my feet. Do you remember what you told me?"

"That you really suck at poker," he quipped.

"No. That you can never let your emotions control you; you control your emotions."

"If I remembered that yesterday, it would have never happened. And yesterday should have never happened."

"What did she ask you to do?"