Gentle Cowboy Take My Heart (Maxwell Love #2) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 12

Brooke flops back on her bed as tears uncontrollably begin to pour down her cheeks. Gary's words play over and over in her mind. The sadness in his voice, the regret she can feel that he feels, the cracks in his voice. It all breaks her heart.

Almost immediately she thinks of how she would feel if she were to loose her best friend, Jaelyn. No doubt she would be in just as rough shape if not worse. It's not a good place to be, she thinks. "And that's why I'm going to do something to try and help him!"

"Umm, Brooke, you sound like you are going to do something stupid," Jeremiah calls as he peeks around the corner of her door.

As she begins running around her room resembling a chicken in panic mode she shakes her head at him. "Would you stop doubting your little sister? I don't do stupid things. Ever."

He coughs and raises his eyebrows at her. "Oh really? Well, how about you tell me what you are planning to do and then we can decide if it is stupid or not."

"Okay, okay," she settles onto the carpeted floor of her room and begins to fiddle with her fingers. "So,  I told you about how Peter's doctor's decided that with life support is the only way-" she hiccups from the tears building inside her. "For him to stay, so his mom decided that- that she didn't want to keep him here like that. Well, they pulled the life support this morning and I know Gary is really torn up about it. As is expected. So, I though I would make a meal and stuff and take it to them."

There is a long silence before Jeremiah nods as if everything she just told him reached his brain. "Are you sure that is such a good idea?"

"Well, why wouldn't it be?" Her eyebrows are farrowed together in confusion as she looks at him sideways.

He takes a seat on her bed and takes a long breath. "Maybe he isn't ready to face people or even eat. You know us guys don't process things the same way."

"I know, but still. I don't want him to think I don't care and just think about how long he and the others have been sitting around the hospital. Don't tell me they couldn't use a good home cooked meal." She raises her eyebrows to challenge her brother.

He sighs and rolls his eyes. Arguing with Brooke has always been something he lost at quite frequently and this one seems to be no different. Although he would never admit it she has a knack for bringing up solid points. "What are you planning to make that will survive the drive?" 

Cocking her head sideways. "I hadn't really got that far. Jaelyn would know some of Gary's favorite dishes and then I could see about something that would travel well from that." She continues to rattle off things that are running through her head until suddenly she stops with her finger in mid air and says, "Oh Jeremiah, would you care to come with me?" Her eyes are bright and hopeful as she studies him expecting a response.

Finally he throws his hands in the air. "Oh I don't know! You know I have to work and somebody should keep things up around here."

Her face falls as she nods. Everything he mentioned is true, but it wasn't what she was hoping he would say. Not one bit. "That's true," she mumbles. Although she tries to hide her disappointment she knows she isn't' doing a good job of it.

Placing a hand on each of her shoulders Jeremiah looks into his little sister's eyes. "I think this is something you should do on your own." He sighs. "As much as I really don't want to admit it I'm not the most thought about male in your life now." The look on her face makes him nod and hold his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I know I sound like Dad, but you have to admit it is true."

"I guess you are right," she admits. "I guess I'm stuck between changing with my life and clinging to the way it was. I always thought the day a guy seemed like the one I would be over joyed, but I like life the way it was." She quickly shoots her eyes to meet Jeremiah's and adds, "Don't get me wrong I enjoy Gary's company and the way it is head it's just-" stopping for a moment she throws her hands in the air and shakes her head. "Oh! I don't know what I am trying to say."