All the Aches in the World

Chapter 1 : The Letter

 It had only been two days.

Two whole fucking days.

Two days since his mother died, and the world already seemed like it was ending. Which it might as well have been with everyone running around like headless chickens trying to keep afloat what mother left behind: a whole company just finding its footing in the world after three years. And she left Elliot behind too, with his siblings and a step-mother who has locked herself in her room ever since finding his mother dead.

Everyone and everything was falling to pieces.

"Sir, we have Tokyo on the line about the recent agreement your mother made with them. They need your approval now as the new–"

"Tell them I'll sign and agree to whatever they need later. I'm kinda busy right now."

Katherine, his mother's assistant, now Elliot's, gave him a nod. Though the look of irritation on her face did not go unnoticed. But he dismissed her with a wave of his hand and turned back to the door in front of him.

Twenty minutes of this already. He told himself if he didn't get Emma to answer the door in another five, he'd just give up. But he wasn't one to give up on anything. Elliot was now head of the house, not just the company. That meant he had to look after his sister and brother. They were his responsibility now. He knew his mom would want him to do whatever it took to keep their family together and sane.

Two days. And he was carrying the weight of everything his mother left behind.

Two days. That was all it took for Elliot to be drowning in the wake of his mother's death.

All he wanted to do was curl in his bed with a bottle of gin and just sob. His chest constantly felt heavy with the effort of holding everything back, throat feeling raw as well. Mom always encouraged them to let their feelings out, hold nothing back, never to push anything down. But he was always mom's rebel child, never listened to her much. Elliot could never tap into his feelings like his siblings could. He couldn't tell if that was a good thing, or a bad thing. Couldn't tell much of anything these days.

"Emma Marie Charles. Open this door right now and come out. The florist is here and we have to go over their options for the funeral."

Music softly played from the other side of the door. He couldn't pinpoint the exact song, but it sounded like something their mother would play. His chest constricted a little, but he swallowed it away, and continued on.

"Emma, please. I nee– I know you want to be a part of the preparations. Mom would want your hands in this. A little touch of Emma Charles is all I ask."

This time, movement was heard, and Elliot took a step away from the door expectantly. A moment later the door creaked open and Emma came into view. A pair of dark sweatpants and a bright yellow tank top that he knew she was wearing for the last two days. Hair pulled into a messy ponytail, eyes dark and red, Emma looked tired. She easily raised her eyes to him, only two inches shorter than her brother – which she liked to remind him of that fact continuously.

He didn't hesitate to pull her into his chest, wrapping her in his arms as she fit her nose in the crook of his neck.

"How come you didn't bug Luna like this?" Her voice was muffled, scratchy and out of use. He could almost hear how much she cried over the last few days. Guilt crept in with easy steady breath. The thought of his lack of presence for Emma, or their brother, or even their step-mother. He had been so occupied with the company, even the funeral preparations rather than being there for his family.

Elliot pressed his cheek to Emma's hair. "Because Luna is a grown woman. You still need to be checked on periodically." He pulled away, hoping the laugh in his voice was enough to make Emma at least smile. But when he looked at her, that sadness took over, stronger this time. "And when I tried to earlier, she threw something across the room and it shattered, so I decided not to push it right now."