True Wonders

Chapter 3

Numb.

That doesn't even begin to cover the emotions that I am feeling. 

The world fell silent, the voices around me were muffled and didn't even sound like English.

By the time I had snapped back into reality, my father had hung up, assuming that I needed time to process and he was right. I picked up my phone and unlocked the door to my room. At this moment I was thankful all my roommates never showed up and I had the whole room to myself.   

I pushed my back against the door as it closes. and I slide to the floor. I can barely feel the cool floor underneath me. I couldn't cry, because this isn't really happening. How the hell does something like this happen at all? I am angry, so angry but my muscles are too weighed down to move. I remember his last letter. Everything seemed so well and happy and suddenly that was all shattered. I don't even know what exactly happened because the world around me froze and faded.

There was a knock on the door.

"Brody? It's me." Genesis's familiar voice rings in my ears.

I slowly get up and open the door, my only friend standing there.

"Are you okay?" she asks, "When you called you seemed so upset."

I blinked with a blank expression, I don't even remember calling. I let them in and we sit on the floor.

"No," I say softly, "My dad called...and my brother died last night."

She looks at me with sympathy, "What can we do for you?"

I am so grateful for her and I didn't know if she could do much of anything but I am glad she's here now, "Come home with me."

Gensis is silent for a minute and looks back at me, "Of course."

We talked a while later, then she left to start packing, and as they left Genesis put a comforting hand on my shoulder. I called my parents and told them I was bringing  a friend for support and that we would be on a plane in the morning. We planned to stay for a week, because this was a huge shock to the lives of my family. I am not sure I am prepared for the events that will follow the events to follow this stillness but I don't think that anyone ever is.

I took a seat on the plane and my breath was shaky. I don't like flying and I wouldn't be if I didn't have to be in time for the funeral.

"Everything is going to be okay," whispers Genesis, "even when it feels like it will never be okay again."

"I needed to hear that." I say, she puts her hand on mine.

There is a sense of guilt that washes over me, when Genesis is around, the pain lessens. I haven't even cried over Aiden yet. She speaks to me as if she's been through this before and maybe she has, I am not sure. The flight was nowhere near the time it would've taken to drive. When we arrived at the gate, my parents were there to pick us up. I ran to them, which surprised me. My mother sobs as she holds me and a finally feel a release of emotions. I look at Genesis apologetically, for leaving her behind, and she waves it off as if it was nothing.

"Mom, Dad, this is Gensis Walter. She's my friend I told you about." I present her to my parents.

It's nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Collins," she says, "I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for having me."

"Thank you for being there for our son." My mother says with a small smile.

The car ride was silent and as we turn the corner on to the street, my chest becomes heavy with the pain of seeing Aiden disappear in the mirror of my car as I left for college. A few tears fall and I quickly wipe them away as we pull into the driveway. When we get inside, I put our bags upstairs. 

Genesis stands in the doorway of my room, "You can sleep on the bed," I say, "I'll sleep on the floor." She hesitates but agrees.

The house was eerily silent, so I went to my parents room. I needed to talk to them, we needed to talk about everything even though it would be painful. Probably more painful than anything I have been through.

I had a plan but I didn't follow it, "How did he die?" I blurt out.

My mother is surprised but she pats the bed for me to sit, "Your brother got sick about three weeks ago, the doctor said the infection was too much for him and he left us."

I felt the anger rise inside of me, "Three weeks?!? Aiden was sick for three fucking weeks and no one told me? Now he's dead, I  didn't even get to say goodbye mom! Who the fuck does that?"

My mother tenses at my harsh words. For a moment, I regret them. I couldn't believe what had happened, of all the ways I imagined this conversation going this wasn't it.

I can see the pain in her eyes and what happened next was equally as shocking.