Amnesia// C.H.

Chapter 35: Childhood

Brooke's POV

"Good you are awake." I say while giggling. Calum opens his eyes to be face to face with me.

His smile fades as I say the words that I know he is probably happy to here though. "I need to tell you some stuff."

Calum looks curious as he nods for me to continue. I slowly look down before his hand gently brings my face back to look at him.

"When Max was fourteen, me being thirteen, he went to football camp for the summer. Our mom had to go take care of my aunt that lived several hours away. That left me and our dad for the whole summer. At first it was really fun, just father-daughter bonding. That was until dad's twin brother died. That broke him, losing a twin."

I close my eyes to try to prevent or at least postpone the tears that I know are struggling to break free. Calum takes my hands in his. His thumb rubbing circles on the back of my hand in comfort. I remember telling Marie this and I completely broke down.

"Mom couldn't come back right then and Max couldn't leave camp. So my dad and I went to the funeral together. I tried so hard to help him and take care of him. But, it wasn't enough, I wasn't enough."

I can see the memory replaying in my head every time I think about them.

"He started drinking to numb the pain. Then, he would have all this anger bottled up, and he had to have a way to release it. He did find a way to release it. I dropped a plate while washing the dishes one day, and then he... he was so angry so he... hit me."

Calum pulls me into his lap, while I sob into his chest. Tightly grasping at his shirt. I could tell that he is angry. His jaw is tensing and he keeps gently kissing my cheeks and head. It's his attempt to try to lift away the pain of my childhood.

"Shh. It's okay, I got you." He whispers in my ear.

"When mom and Max came home, Max was furious. He then tried to come in between me and dad when he would drink. Max couldn't stop him every time and I didn't want my brother to suffer when I was clearly the target. I just didn't understand why."

"I know. It wasn't your fault, it sounds like you did what you could for him. The darkness of his brother's death took him over though." Calum says into my ear while trying to calm me down.

We sit in silence, besides the sound of my sobbing and Calum whispering words of comfort in my ear.

--

There's a knock at the hotel door after I have almost stopped crying. Calum made sure I was okay before going to open the door.

I can't really hear what is being said or who the person is, but I know when I see Max rushing in to see me.

He sits down beside me and pulls me into his chest. "You told him?" My slight nod answered his question.

"I still wish that I hadn't asked to go to football camp that summer." Max whispers.

I shake my head and give him a kiss on the cheek. "He still probably would have been angry and started drinking anyway."

"Ya, but I could have let it been me instead of you." Max tells me as I shake my head.

"Didn't your mom try anything to stop it when she found out?" Calum slowly spoke while getting closer.

Max scoffed, "She said there was nothing she could do."

I can feel Max tense under me. I can also see clearly that Calum is pissed.

"Where is he now?" Calum asked while sitting down beside us.

"I don't know. Mom finally thought about it last year to divorce that son of a bitch." Max answers his question before continuing.

"As soon as I turned eighteen and got accepted to college, I took Brooke with me. There was no way I was leaving her there. We stayed in an apartment until she graduated high school and then I got into the fraternity and she got accepted to the same college."

"I... I am so sorry," Calum said.

"We don't need your pity." Max scoffed again.

"Good because I wasn't giving it. I know that you don't want it, okay? Did...does Luke know?" Calum shyly asked.

I spoke up this time, "He had his theories, but I made sure he didn't know for sure. I wore thick make up and long sleeve shirts. I did anything and even telling him that I just fell or something like that."

-

We sat in silence for a little bit. I sat between Max and Calum while I tried to pull myself together.

I know that Calum doesn't quite like the fact that I'm getting more comfort from Max. He isn't able to comfort me like he wants.

"Hey, why don't we go get some ice cream?" Max spoke abruptly.

I nodded my head and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I could here their quiet voices.

"Now you see why I am so protective Calum."

"I get it, but I don't want to hurt her either. I am gonna go and let you two go get some ice cream." Then, Calum walks into the bathroom and I pretend that I wasn't listening.

"Hey babe," I hm in return. "I'm gonna let you go with Max and I'm gonna go clear my head, okay." I nod my head still not trusting my voice.

He leans over and give me a passionate kiss that says what words can't.

--

*Edited*

Okay, loves. You now know Brooke and Max's past.

Thanks so much for reading. Please vote and comment your thoughts. I would really appreciate to know what you think about Amnesia.