The Aftermath

James (2)

Sucker For Pain
We gon' go to war, yeah, without failure (ooh, yeah)
Do it for the fam, dog, ten toes down, dog
Love and the loyalty that's what we stand for
Alienated by society
All this pressure give me anxiety (anxiety)
Walk slow through the fire
Like, who gon' try us?
Feelin' the world go against us (against us)
So we put the world on our shoulders

............

I followed Winston inside. I knew that he was hurting. But I also knew to not push him to talk about it. Instead I was going to try and help him get back into normalcy. I lead him into the living room. "You hungry?" I asked him. He just shook his head. Winston was way too silent for my liking. "Win?" I asked. He turned to look at me. "I'm fine." He simply said, "I'll make some dinner for us." I shook my head. This wasn't Winston. Not the Winston I grew up with. He was a bit psycho at times and always loud. Sometimes screaming through an entire normal conversations with everyone. Now...now he was quiet. He was very reserved and shy. This wasn't my brother. I was very worried. What medication did they have him on? I could only wonder.

"Win I'll make dinner, you relax." He sighed but nodded. He went upstairs. I didn't trust him alone but I knew he was going to be okay. I started making mac and cheese and some chocolate pudding. I knew it was Win's favorite. I went upstairs after the mac and cheese was finished. I found Winston looking in an old photo book.

"Hey." I said, "Food's ready." He looked up at me and I was surprised to see tears in running down his face. But he was smiling. "I'm glad they were my friends." He said, as he stood up. I hugged him. Then he went downstairs a few minutes later. I looked at the photo he looked at. It was an old photo of the team. I sighed. I knew how much Winston missed them. I eventually went downstairs. We ate in silence. "You didn't tell them did you?" He asked, breaking the silence. I shook my head. "I promise you I wouldn't so, I didn't tell them." I honestly said, "I'll always keep my promises."

"How have you been?" I was asked and I smiled. I was happy that he was asking. To me, that was a good sign. "I've been good. Autumn's worried about you." I told her, "All I said was that you were probably getting some therapy or something. That, I haven't seen nor heard from you."

Winston

"I never wanted to make them worry." I told him, "I wasn't sleeping well. Or at all at times. I needed some help." I took a bite of mac and cheese and thought for a moment of when I was a different person. Of when I was truly myself.

Flashback
Winston...
2 years ago

I was running around laughing. We were playing with Leo's twins. Cadian was chasing me around. He was just like Leo. Just as rambunctious and full of energy. While Elijah was like her mother. A bit shy but at the same time a bit outgoing. She was currently chasing her daddy around the porch. I tripped and fell. I was laughing like a maniac as I sat up. Cadian fell into my arms and I hugged him. He was giggling too. "Win are you okay?" He asked. I kissed his forehead and nodded. "Yeah I'm okay." I told him. We got up and all of us went inside.

End Flashback

James snapped me out of the flashback. "...Winston?" I snapped my attention to him. "Hmmm?" I said, "What?" I saw the concern in his eyes. "I was just saying how maybe we could invite Autumn over." He told me. I nodded. "Yeah that's fine." I said. Honestly I wanted to see Autumn. I missed them but I knew I'd have to answer their questions.