Worth The Fight ✓

Alternative Ending

Banner by amazing claudiaoverhere ❤️

If you are in a happy mood, think nothing can ever destroy your mood, DO NOT READ THIS.

If you want to remember Jack and Calvin happy, DON'T READ THIS.

I'm warning you.

I don't want hate comments in my book -- I prevented this as much as I could but some wanted a closure from me and here it is. My ending.

So, please don't make a fuss about it and don't read it if you can't handle this.

I'm serious. DEAD SERIOUS.

Are you still reading these lines?

Here you go, then.

I want to make him happy.

Taking the book in my hands, I smiled at the cover. Finally, it was the time for him to be happy—for us to recover from all the wounds. We were going to do this together, as we always did. I was going to publish this, because he wanted it, and he was going to smile.

In this book, he wrote his memories, his autobiography and her. He once said, he wanted everyone to know about her—because she was worth knowing. Even if it was for a short period of time—and his eyes would water saying this, his hand quickly would brush his hot tears. As a kid, it was hard to see my brother like that.

Nothing has ever been the same after her death. I don't know how she managed to get under everyone's skins and change our lives. First she stayed at hospital for days, and Calvin also there waiting for her to wake up or simply give a reaction to treatment. It didn't happen. She didn't wake up. We were all there—we all saw it. But for days, in fact months, he didn't want to believe it. Even after attending her ceremony, he didn't.

Honestly, neither did I, because death seemed the furthest possibility for a ten year old kid. Something quite complex to comprehend. Especially when your brother refused when you asked if Jackie Cookie died. But her parents cried, my parents cried and Calvin cried. Oh, Richard did, too. He'd been there all the time. I hated him when he looked at Calvin like he was the one to blame. I hated the police when they arrested Calvin, my brother. And I hated Calvin when he didn't do anything to release himself.

I remember it so clearly, him being taken by them, him behind the fences. My family slowly tearing up. Jack's parents looking at us like murderers.

At those times, I hated Jackie Cookie the most. She ruined my life, Calvin's life when she promised me she would never hurt me. When she was gone, she took my brother with her as well. He'd never been the same.

When she died, there was no one else to blame but Calvin and the truck driver. My family did everything to save him—hiring lawyers and all—but Calvin took the blame. When we said him not to, he said he should've been more careful and he was the one to blame. He wanted to be arrested, because there was no point of living when she was gone.

Finally, they took him. For fifteen years. You can't imagine how hard it's to live without her brother for a little girl. All the judgmental looks of people, how they think you have the potential of being a murderer because your brother is in jail.

My brother isn't a murderer. Calvin Gilmore, he is. He can't even hurt someone, let alone the one he loves.

I went to her grave sometimes—to rant. To ask her why. Why did you love him? Why did you die? Why did you not give up on him? Why did you let him go to jail? So many questions, no answers. I wanted my brother back from her. She didn't answer, she didn't move. I hated her. I had every right to hate her.

"Sue," someone called after me. It was Kevin, an acquaintance. "What're you doing?"

"The last checks," I murmured, glancing at the book in my hands. He took it and examined with a smile.

"Worth The Fight, huh?"

"Yeah."

"What's it about?"

"My brother." I remember when he told me he needs a pen and paper. Why, I'd asked. I need to do something to ease the pain. He'd thrown his life for nothing. He was going to be a successful doctor, he'd even got admitted but he chose death. "His life."

"Did you write it?" I was an author—had a book published recently.

"No," I said, smiling. "He did." She was worth the fight, he once said, I should've fought for her as I promised—she'd have lived now—and he would break into tears. I'd caress his shoulders to ease him but he'd cry until he was too tired. Then, he'd say I let you down, sorry. I'd say it was okay—it was always okay, brother. As long as you're okay.

"Weren't he..."

"He's being released today."

"Oh," Kevin said smilingly. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks."

"Sue." His voice. I turned back to look at him, Calvin Gilmore.

"Calvin." He stood at the middle of office, a bag in his hand. His face was unshaved, also freckles around his eyes—he was more than thirty now—like the map of his life. He took his part from life's twists, pain but not happiness.

It was what I aim: make him happy. For once. Like she once did, maybe even more. To make him forget—move on.

He didn't know this when I hugged him with his book in my hand. He didn't know it when he looked at the book and hugged me more because I achieved his goal—I made him the happiest.

No, brother, this is the beginning. This is our beginning.

I'll finally show you that you're worth a fight, too.

A/N: Sorry, Jack never lived for me -- and Calvin couldn't be justified. I'm so sorry again.

Thanks for sticking up with me through everything. I love you all. xx

If you want more works from me, you can check Butterfly Jars or Revamp.

Farewell,
Sev xx