My brother's best friend

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I watch as Aiden plays with his toys. I hand him the toy Abby and Daniel got him. The one with all the buttons and lights. He really likes playing with it. There's a knock on the front door and I slowly get up to answer it. I keep an eye on Aiden as I walk to the door.

I open it and see Taylor standing in front of me, "You have to come and talk to him." I frown, "Talk to who?" I ask. She rolls her eyes, "Santa Clause. Who do you think? My brother." I shake my head, "No thanks. I'd rather stay here." I walk away and sit down with Aiden again. She comes to sit across from me, "You have to. He doesn't want me to talk to him." "And what makes you think he'll want to talk to me?" I ask raising a brow. "Besides, isn't tonight the big night? The night he's asking Abby to marry him?" She sighs, "She stormed off about two hours ago. I heard them arguing and then, there she went: gone."

"But he was going to ask her to marry him?" I say again. "I know. But I think she might have left. You know, for good." I don't respond to Taylor. She left why? She loves him. He loves her. Why did she leave? What did he do?

"Lindsey, I need you to talk to him." I shake my head, "No, he doesn't want to see me. If she left, I'm the last person he wants to see." Before she can say anything else I add, "And I'm watching my son play for a few more minutes before putting him to bed." "I'll do it." She says, softly touching Aiden's one foot.

"T, please-" She holds up her hand to stop me from speaking, "Linds, I am asking you as a friend. I am asking you to help my brother. Not because I'm nosy, but because I care. I know he'd rather talk to you than to me. So, please, just go over there and talk to him."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. After holding a breath for a moment, I let it out. Once all the built-up air is out of my lungs, I use the last of it to tell her I'd do it. I kiss Aiden's head before leaving the house.

I mentally curse Taylor for making me do this. If she left, he'd like to be alone. I know I wanted to be left alone when he told me he was going to do it. I make my way to his room. I knock softly on his bedroom door. When there's no answer I turn the nob and peek around the door.

He's sitting on his bed. Just starting in front of him. I watch as he moves his hands slightly, rubbing them together slowly. I step inside and close the door, trying not to make a sound. The door, however, made a noise at the very last moment. I look over my shoulder at him, it doesn't look like he noticed.

I walk to his bed and sink down next to him as quiet as I can. I take a deep breath and let it out. I have no idea what to say. Sorry, she left you. I decide not to go with that line. I don't need him angry at me too.

Instead, I just sit there. Waiting. Not sure for what, but I wait. It feels like hours have passed and at the same time, it felt like no time has passed. I look around the room and settle on the closet. Images of him purposefully leaving the half-naked woman out for me to see. I then picture him in here. It's clean, no weird strangers half-dressed on the walls.

"So, you asked?" are the words that I finally form. It's short, not too invasive and not too aloof. I wait for a response. I fight the urge to look at him. "I didn't even get to that part." He mumbles. I frown, "What?" He lets out a cynical chuckle, "She didn't even let me ask her." I want to say something but stop myself. He's not done. "She just kept chatting. All the time. And you," he looks at me, "you were making me crazy." I frown, "I wasn't there, Daniel." He laughs, "Oh, but you were. You were in my mind. All the time. I was out with the most amazing girl, I was going to ask her to marry me, and all I could think about was you." I'm speechless.

He gets off the bed and faces me, "She's beautiful and smart and funny and she's just amazing. And you were ruining it. You were just running wild." He glares at me, "Why are you here?"

"Taylor asked me to check on you." I say I hope I don't anger him any more than he already is. "You're not here for you then? Not here to screw with my head again? Not here to kiss me again?" I bite the inside of my cheek, "No, I am here as a friend. I am here for Taylor. I am here for Aiden."

He leans down, his face inches away from mine, "Not for you?" I swallow but don't respond. Am I here for him? Am I here to see if I am the better one? "You're not here because you need me?" he asks again. I shake my head, "I'm here because your son needs you."

He leans down, even closer now, "I don't need you here." I clench my jaw as I wait for him to speak again. "I don't need you." He repeats. I suck in my breath, this is bad. He's never looked at me that way before. His eyes are dark and cloudy. Angry. But why? Is he angry at me?

"I don't want you." It's a whisper. A loud whisper. When I don't respond he pulls back. "Get out. Leave! I don't want you!" he yells. I flinch at his harsh words. "I don't want you! You ruined everything!" he yells again. I stumble to my feet and head to the door.

"It's your fault! It's you! It's always been you!" he yells. I fall over my feet as I reach the door. I quickly step outside and shut the door. I lean against it and listen to him raging behind the door. My heart is hammering in my chest. Does he blame me? As if I had something to do with Abby leaving. But I don't. I wanted him to be happy. I take a deep breath to try and calm myself.

When I decide I have pulled myself together, I walk across the street to my son and friend. "How'd it go?" Taylor asks. I crouch down and pick up Aiden, "Let's go put you to bed." I look at Taylor, "Apparently I am to blame for Abby leaving." She frowns, "What?" I shrug, trying not to get too emotional at the thought of his words and the way he looked at me, "He yelled and chased me away. He hates me."

I leave the room and go up to Aiden's room. I put him down and kiss his forehead. I wait a moment for him to close his eyes before leaving the room. "He doesn't hate you. He's just hurt." Taylor says when I join her in the living room again. "You weren't there, he hates me. And even if he's hurt, he has no right to hurt me." I start putting away the toys. "Are you alright?" She asks softly. I take a moment before I nod, "I don't have time to think about this. I have other things to worry about: Aiden, the dance recital in a few months and Catharina decided to invite her friend who helped her choreograph the Swan Lake ballet Anina was part of, no pressure there." I put on a smile and look at her, "Much more important things to worry about than your brother hating me." She doesn't respond, but I can see she doesn't believe me.

I do have other things than Daniel to worry about. As long as he shows up to take care of Aiden, I don't have to worry about him. He is not my problem. I am not to blame for the horrible breakup that he seems to be going through. I am not to blame. I won't be his punching bag.