Chapter 8When Life Comes Crashing Down

It was almost two months after the hospital incident. Jes sat on her bed in her one bedroom apartment thinking about how much everything had changed, there were times that she barely recognized who she was. This wasn't a bad thing however. In fact Jes had never been happier in her life. She had her brothers, Haley, Brooke, Peyton and Jake, life was good. But no matter how good life was there was nothing that could have made her feel better today. Today was the 10 year anniversary of her sister's death. Today was a day that dropped the past down on her head like a an anvil hitting the coyote in the cartoons. Jes got up off her bed and went to the back of her walk in closet. She stared at the guitar for a long time, and finally decided that a little music was exactly what she needed. She back down on the bed, took the guitar in her hands and began to play.

In the fall of the night
I am walking alone
Searching for that one thing
That one special light to lead me home.

You take my heart
And lead my hand
Guiding from above
In the promise land
Never forgotten and always loved
From me to you, from me to you with love.

She took a deep breath about to start the second verse when she looked up to see Haley standing in the doorway to her room. "Haley, sorry I didn't hear you come in."
"Oh it's alright. What was that song? It was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. Jes I didn't know you could sing!"
Jes looked up at Haley "I don't sing anymore."
Haley looked at her extremely confused, "What do you mean you don't sing anymore? That was amazing Jes."
Jes closed her eyes in order to blink back the tears. "It's a long story Haley and one that I really don't feel like getting into right now. I'm actually not feeling well, so I think I am going lie down and take a nap ok?"
Haley realized she had touched a nerve and didn't want to push her any father. "Of course. Just call me if you need anything alright?"
Jes gave her a half smile "Thanks. Oh and Haley, can we keep the singing thing just between us?" Haley nodded and then let herself out of the apartment. As she stood outside the door she could hear Jes sobbing. It broke her heart that there was nothing she could do, or maybe there was. Haley pulled out her cell phone "Nathan, I'm at Jes' and there is something wrong her but I she won't tell me." "Don't worry Hales, Luke and I will be right there."
Lucas and Nathan arrived a few minutes later. Nathan took the key to Jes' apartment and let them in. "Little sister," he called out. Upon hearing Nathan's voice Jes got up out of bed and walked into the living room. It was obvious that she had been crying, her hair was a mess and her eyes were red and puffy. The sight of her like this almost broke Nathan's heart. He knew she had been dealing with a lot these past few months and hated to see her upset. But he was about to find out that her life had not been the fairy tale she let everyone believe it was. Nathan and Lucas looked at each other and then to Haley, none of them able to find the words to say. Finally, Lucas found the words "Jes, what's the matter?" he said leading her over to the couch. Jes shook her head "It's nothing really, I am just in a funk today." The other three Scotts sat there looking at her in disbelief. "I'm not buying, tell me what's really going on." Nathan said. "I can't, I just need to be alone." "Not in that shape you don't," Lucas said answering before Nathan or Haley got a chance. The four of them sat in silence, waiting for her to be ready to talk. "Fine, I'll talk, but you better get the others over here too because I am only telling this story once and I want them to hear it from me."

A half hour later...
Jes sat in the middle of her brothers, which was tradition whenever they had one of these type of gatherings. Everyone knew this was going to be something big, but none of them knew how big. Jes felt Haley squeeze her hand and knew that it was now or never. "Today is the 10 year anniversary of when my sister died. I told you before her name was Amy, Amelia actually, and she was two years older than me. Amy was my mom's pride and joy. So, it really was no suprise that when she found out she was pregnant with me, she was less than thrilled. She was actually going to have an abortion and not tell my grandparents that she was pregnant again, but my grandparents found out and stopped her. They told her that she was going to have the baby but that they would raise it. So, when I was born my grandparents took me and my mom didn't look back, at least not for two years. When I was two my mom decided that maybe she wanted me to be a part of her life. She started taking me a few weekends a month. But by this time Amy was already really spoiled and didn't want anyone else taking away her mom. So, I didn't see my mom again for another 3 years. By this time Amy was 7 and had figured out that she loved to sing and was pretty good at it. My mom put all of her time and money into making Amy a star, and she was quickly realizing it. I had begun to sing in church and was pretty good too, but my mom didn't care, she never cared. There was a local talent show that my grandparents let me enter, Amy was in it too. That was the first time I had seen my mom in 3 years and she didn't even pay attention to me until the said that Amy placed second and I had placed first. Then she threw a huge fit, I remember running to my grandparents asking them to protect from the mean woman, at five years old I didn't even know my own mother. My mom then started to come in and out of my life for around the next three years. I just sang in church and in local talents shows while Amy climbed her way up the Radio Disney charts. Then 10 years ago today my mom invited me to watch Amy perform. My grandparents were thrilled that my mom was making an effort. But the entire time Amy was singing my mom just told me how I was never going to be as good as her. We got in the car after the show, Amy called the front and I jumped in the back. I remember crying myself to sleep and waking to the crunch of metal on metal. A drunk driver had run a stop sign and crashed into the passenger side. Amy was killed instantly and it was all my fault. I knew the back seat was safer but I didn't say anything. I went back to living with my grandparents and my mom put all of her energy into WEG. I didn't speak to my mom until my grandparents died when I was 16. My grandparents had struck it rich off the oil industry and left everything to me on the condition that I lived with my mom until I was 18. I haven't sang in front of anyone since that day." When Jes finished everyone had tears rolling down their cheeks. Her brothers pulled her into a hug, each of them promising to protect her as long as they were around.

Song is called From Me to You With Love
Written by Me!