You Don't Have to be Alone
Chapter 5 - An Accident
Disclaimer: Hey guys! I do not own Summerland or anyone affiliated with them! I do, however, own all the fictional characters, the story line and the title. No stealing! I don't own NSYNC's song, You Don't Have to be Alone.
Genesis laughed as she watched Bradin struggle and try to free himself from the tangled mess of green garland. He shot a glare in her direction. "Do you find this funny?" He asked and she nodded laughing even more. He mumbled something under his breath and continued to try and figure it out.
Genesis tried to stifle her laughing, seeing how frustrated he was becoming. "Would you…would you like some help?" She asked, managing to speak without laughing.
"That would be nice, considering that I'm decorating all by myself, at someone else's house," he said sarcastically, only to put Genesis in another fit of laughter. Seeing her laugh made him smile. Even though he was tangled and frustrated, he was smiling. Genesis grabbed some of the garland and helped him to crawl out of it. Since it was quiet, Bradin decided to speak up. "Where are your parents?" He asked. He saw her face become serious.
"They flew out to Hawaii this morning," she said softly as her long skinny fingers worked to untangle the messy garland. Bradin watched her fingers and then looked up to her eyes.
"Why didn't you go with them?" He asked. He watched as a tear ran down her cheek. She let the garland go untouched for a second to wipe away the tear, and then continued to work.
"Go with them?" she laughed sarcastically. "They never take me. They always go with other adults. They always tell me that I'm not supposed to be with them. I'm too young." She sighed and continued to watch the garland. "Plus…" she said more softly. "I'm just a mistake that they enjoy showing off for business purposes. Why would they care if I enjoy myself or not?"
"That's not true," Bradin said all-too-quickly. He couldn't bare to listen to her speak so terribly of herself. He was under the impression that she was a goddess.
"You don't know me or my family," Genesis said firmly and finally took her concentration off the garland and up into Bradin's green eyes. He was taken back from her firmness and just watched her. Her eyes reeled his in.
"I-I'm sorry," he said softly and watched her. "I didn't mean to make you upset. It's just…tomorrow's Christmas Eve, Genesis."
"I know what tomorrow is," Genesis sighed. "It's no different than any other day of the year. On Christmas I'll come downstairs and see over a hundred presents in this room," she started. "On one of them, there will be a note from my parents that says something like, 'Gen, your dad and I are terribly sorry. We missed Christmas this year, again. We promise that things will be different next year. We love you. - Mom and Dad." She sighed.
"At least they remember you," Bradin said, trying to find the optimistic side of things. Genesis shook her head.
"They must think I'm nine--let's see--I opened up a Barbie doll last year," she sighed. "I'm sixteen, Bradin! I stopped playing with dolls when I was ten! The only one in this house that really cares about me is our maid, Clarice. And she's not even around all that much anymore. Her daughter got married and lives in France. She's moving away in a month," Genesis said and felt more tears well in her eyes. "And who knows where I'll be by then. At this right, I could be in Africa." She cried softly. She shook with every breath she took.
"Come here," Bradin sighed with a whisper and pulled Genesis to him. He let her cry. Right there. He wanted her to feel safe…and feel loved. He wanted to prove to her how much she really meant to him and that she wasn't just some "accident". He just didn't know how.