Her choice

Hairbrushing

Brandon carries me to his bed and I fall asleep. I am too drained. When I wake up it is dark, I sit up and go downstairs to the kitchen. I drink some water and sigh.

"You ok?" Anne asks from the door. I smile at her and as tears fill my eyes I shake my head.

"Awe." She says and hugs me. I let the tears fall and I dampen her silk nightgown.

"I'm sorry." I say. She gives me a small smile and sighs.

"Come with me." she says and takes me upstairs to her room. "I will get you something to wear. Have a shower. That always helps me." She says. I nod and climb into her large shower. The feeling makes me numb. Too tired to feel.

I step out and wrap myself in a towel. I get dressed into the clothes Anne has gotten for me and I look in the mirror. I am pale and my eyes are bloodshot, probably from the crying.

"Come girlie, sit." Anne says. I sit on her bed with her and she gets out an antique looking hair brush, she slowly brushes my hair.

"My mum used to brush my hair with this when I was sad, and her mum before, and hers before. I never got to with my daughter. But I'm glad I can with you." She says. I smile and the gentle pulling of my hair is comforting. I can feel the blood return to my cheeks.

"I don't mind that she found someone, I actually am happy but she lied to me. She left me." I say sadly. Anne keeps brushing my hair.

"I understand. You feel betrayed. She left you when you needed her." Anne says.

"I wouldn't say I needed her, I wanted her." I say. Anne kisses my shoulder.

"You will find the right thing to do. Go back to sleep, tomorrow is a new day and I know you will be ok." Anne says. I hug her and I climb back into Brandon's bed.

He cuddles me and kisses my neck lightly. He smells my damp hair and snakes his arm around my waist.

"Are you ok?" he asks.

"I'm a bit better now, I just need some sleep." I say. He hums and we drift off.

I wake up quite late. The sun is shining strong through the window but it brings a sense of peace. I smile a little as I sit up. I sit by Brandon's desk which is in front of the window and I just look outside.

"You're awake." Brandon says happily as he walks in. He passes me a mug of hot chocolate and I smile.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" I ask.

"Only if it's with you." He says I smile and drink my hot chocolate as I get ready. When I am ready Brandon and I walk hand in hand down the road towards the fields which lead to the woods.

"It's nice out today." I say.

"Yeah it is, especially because you look a lot better." He says I smile a little and sigh.

"What would you do?" I ask.

"I would probably be angry for a while, a long while, and then I would listen to them and take it from there." he says.

"Will you come with me?" I ask.

"Sure." He says. I nod and I pull out my phone. I plug in earphones and I give one to Brandon and I play some songs. When we get to the edge of a field there is an old birdwatching tower. We climb it and sit there together. I watch the nature in front of us and I smile. I feel at peace.

"Aimee?" Brandon asks.

"Hmm." I say.

"Before your mum left, she said you had certain issues, mental health issues. I was going to wait for you to tell me but I am a bit too curious." He says.