Disclaimer: I do not own any one who was in Four Brothers, I do however own any character that wasn't…
Disclaimer: I do not own any one who was in Four Brothers, I do however own any character that wasn't…
Author's Note: So I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Here's another one…
Bryant woke up the next morning to someone yelling downstairs. She rolled over, shoving the pillow over her face. She knew exactly what was going on. She couldn't help but laugh as she heard Bobby rant over Sofi being there. She tossed the covers off of her and opened her door.
"What's wrong with you?" Sofi yelled
"Baby just go back upstairs!" Angel yelled.
"Why do you let him talk to me like that!" she yelled.
"Was I speaking Spanish?" Bobby asked.
"Hey! Stop talking to my girl like that!" Angel yelled at Bobby.
Bryant came into view on the stairs and saw Sofi standing there. She couldn't help but laugh as she made her way down.
"Are you running this?" Angel asked
"Yes, I am running this shit Angel. This isn't no freakin homeless shelter. La Vida Loca is not staying here." Bobby yelled.
"Excuse me." Bryant whispered as she tried to get past Sofi, but Sofi didn't move.
"Get the fuck out of my sister's way!" Bobby yelled. Sofi looked to her right and saw Bryant standing there.
"Hi, I'm Bryant." Bryant stuck her hand out.
"Don't touch her!" Bobby yelled. "She's so la vida loca."
Bryant laughed. "Don't mind him. It's nice to meet you." She made her way towards the kitchen. "Who's cooking?" she asked walking in, there she met Jack with an apron on.
"Wow." She replied walking to the refrigerator.
"You don't actually think I was going to let one of them touch the food we were going to eat do you?" Jack asked bending down to look at the turkey.
Bryant laughed "Point taken." She replied. "Do you need any help?"
"Yeah, you can start making the salad. Everything is in the frig." He never looked up from the turkey.
She walked to the refrigerator and pulled out all the stuff to make the salad. "So how's New York?" she asked. He looked over at her.
"It's good. Busy, but good."
"You going to go back after all this?"
"After all of what?"
"You think I am stupid don't you?" she replied turning around. "I know you guys are going to go find out who killed Ma."
Jack sighed. "Bry…"
"Just answer the damn question Jack." She began cutting the carrots up on the table.
"My life is in New York. Everything that I own is in New York."
"You're family's not." She whispered.
"I know that. My music is there. We are doing very well."
"Yeah, I heard one of your songs on the radio the other day. It was pretty good…for a boy band." She giggled.
"What?" Jack replied standing up. "Did you just associate my band with a boy band?"
"Well you guys are…" she smiled.
"Not hardly." He replied with a smile.
Suddenly a loud band came from the living room. "What the hell?" Bryant replied dropping the knife and walking to the doorway of the kitchen.
"Yeah, get him Jerry! The gorgeous black ladies of wrestling! Nitro and Midnight! Nitro's got Midnight in a headlock! Get him, Jerry! Midnight's trying to be up, but Nitro's on him!" Bobby yelled sitting over on the couch. Bryant couldn't help but laugh as she saw Angel and Jerry on the ground wrestling.
"Wow!" Bryant replied walking back over the table.
"What? Did you actually expect things to change?" Jack asked laughing.
"No, I was saying wow about Angel. He is a freakin marine and he let his big brother win a wrestling match."
Jack died laughing. "Hey Angel, Bry's questioning your manhood!" he yelled from the kitchen. Angel's face appeared in the doorway.
"Excuse me?"
"I was just wondering what they heck they taught you while you were a marine." Bryant smiled.
"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked walking all the way into the kitchen.
"Nothing, you just got your ass kicked by Jerry that's all." She moved away from the table and towards Jack.
"Don't come over here." Jack replied.
"Come on lets bring out that bird!" Bobby yelled from the living room.
"Yeah cracker jack, lets bring out that bird!" Angel replied still staring at Bryant who was smiling.
"Get the hell out of the kitchen and I will." Jack replied pushing Angel towards the door. "Salad!" he yelled pointing at the table. Bryant laughed before returning to her job of making the salad. She began humming to herself as she picked up the cucumber.
"You still sing?" Jack asked.
"Not really." She replied
"What made you stop?" he asked.
"I don't know. I haven't sung since…" she stopped. He looked over at her. She laughed it off. "I don't really like to anymore." She replied.
Jack nodded his head. "You know this might be the best turkey we are ever going to eat." He replied. Bryant laughed as she gently wiped a tear that escaped from her eye. Jack got up off the floor and walked over to her.
"Bry." He replied softly in her ear. "It's ok."
"We need to get everything ready before they start a riot." She replied pulling away. She moved over to the cabinets and pulled out a bowl.
"You forgot the onions." He replied walking back over to the oven. She rolled her eyes before going back the table and cutting up the onions.
"Have you talked to Bobby about it?" Jack asked suddenly.
Bryant cut her finger. "Shit!" she yelled pulling backwards. She immediately moved her finger to her mouth. "I don't want to talk about it period Jack!" she replied moving to the sink.
"What did you do?" Bobby asked moving over to his sister.
"Nothing, she just cut herself making the salad." Jack replied.
"You ok?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah, I'm ok. It just stings a little. I'll be fine." She replied pulling away. "We aren't going to have a lot of onions in the salad." She replied with a laugh.
"Is it almost ready?" Angel asked appearing in the doorway.
"Yes." Jack replied.
"Great! Let's bring out that bird!" Bobby yelled.
Bryant laughed as she saw her three older brothers gather around the table as Jack brought the turkey over.
"This looks good. You guys did a great job." Jerry replied looking over the table.
"It was all Jack." Bryant replied.
"My little fairy." Bobby retorted with a laugh.
"Shut the hell up." Jack replied sitting down, but standing back up when he noticed no one had sat down.
"Dear Jesus thank you so much for this day and I pray that you will bless this food we are about to eat. Amen." Bobby prayed holding his brothers hands. Bryant sat down, refusing to look at the empty chair at the end of the table.
"Can you pass the salad?" Jerry asked Jack, but Jack was in a trance. "Jack!" Jerry slightly yelled. "Salad."
"Yeah." Jack replied picking up the salad and passing it to Jerry. He looked up at Bryant who gave him a gentle smile.
They ate in silence for a few minutes until Bobby jumped up. "Screw this, lets go get game in." he replied.
"Naw man it's too cold." Angel replied.
"Come on ladies I want to see some quick sticks and tight passes." He replied moving to the door. No one had an opportunity to object. Bryant just sat there.
"You coming?" Jack asked getting up.
"No, you guys go. I am going to clean up some." She replied with a smile. "Go hang out with them. You guys need to catch up anyways."
"Ok, I'll see you later." He replied taking a sip of his beer before moving to the back door. She smiled again as she watched him leave. She looked down at the table and noticed no one hardly had eaten anything.
"Wow." She replied before gathering all the food on the table. "I guess we will be eating leftovers." She replied to herself. She pulled the tinfoil out of the cabinet and began wrapping up the food before moving all the dishes to the sink. She didn't bother doing them, she just wanted to go lay down for a little bit. She kept thinking about what Jack had told her last night. She walked up to her bedroom and just laid down on her bed. She didn't expect to go to sleep, she only wanted to lay down for a little bit.
"Love in This Club" was playing as they walked into the two story house. There were people all around, mostly from Bryant's high school. She smiled as she walked in with her friend Kiera. "I am going to go find Benson, you alright?" she yelled in Bryant's ear so she could be heard over the music.
"Sure." Bryant yelled back with a smile on her face.
Kiera smiled before letting go of Bryant's hand and walking towards what looked like the living room.
"Hey there." Someone whispered in Bryant's ear. She smiled knowing who it was. She turned around.
"Hi." She replied.
"Drink for the most beautiful girl here." He replied.
"Cheesy. Thanks. "She replied grabbing the drink.
He laughed at her comment. "You want to dance?" he yelled.
"Sure." She replied. She sat her drink down on the table before reaching for his hand. He pulled her to the dance floor.
"You look beautiful tonight." He whispered.
"Thanks."
"Was it hard for you to come tonight?"
"Not really. My mom said it was ok."
"Your brother's were ok with it?" he laughed.
"I don't think Bobby knows." She replied.
He laughed again. He moved her closer to him as he pressed his lips into the back of her head. She smiled as she moved his hands down to her thighs and they moved to the music together.
"I'm a little thirsty, can we go get something to drink?" she asked moving away from him.
"Sure." He replied with a smile. He grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. She looked down and smiled. They walked into the kitchen where all the drinks were being made. She looked down at the table, knowing she had promised her mother she wouldn't drink.
"Um can I just have a coke or something?" she asked.
He looked over at her "Yeah let me see what they have." He replied walking to the refrigerator. She saw him reach in and get out of a coke before walking back over to her.
"What are you going to drink?" she asked opening the can.
"Um, I think I might have some punch. You want some? It's pretty good." He replied.
"No thanks, I'll just stick with my coke." She replied taking a sip. He laughed a little before pouring some punch into a plastic cup.
"You want to go outside and get some air?" he asked.
"Sure." She replied. He grabbed her hand as they moved through the crowd to get outside. She breathed in the cold air as they sat down on the porch. "It's beautiful."
"Yeah, so are you." He replied looking at her.
She blushed as she turned away from him so he couldn't see her. He squeezed her hand so she would look at him. He began moving towards her. She could feel her whole body shaking as his lips touched hers. She smiled a little as he began to deepen the kiss. Suddenly her cell phone began going off causing her to jump.
"Sorry." She replied reaching in her pocket and pulling it out. She looked down "Its Bobby." She replied. "I should take this."
"No you shouldn't." he replied taking the phone from her and closing it. "He will just be worried about you if he knows you are here. Its better that he doesn't."
Bryant nodded her head. "Now where were we?" he asked moving towards her again. "Oh yeah I remember…" he smiled before pressing his lips on hers again.
"Come on try this. It's really good." He replied lifting the cup up to Bryant's mouth.
"Ok, just one sip." She told him.
"Ok." He replied with a laugh. He was getting drunk by the minute. He had refilled his cup at least five times since they had been at the party. Bryant took the cup from him and took a sip.
"It's good. What is it?" she asked.
"Fruit punch with vodka. Nothing special." He replied. "You want some? I can go get you a cup."
"No thanks, I should probably go look for Kiera." She got up off the couch.
"Wait, stay with me a little longer." He replied grabbing her hand.
"I really need to go look for her. We need to be getting home soon."
"No you don't. Its only 12:00. They party is just starting." He slurred. She couldn't help but laugh.
"Ok, just a little while longer." She sat back down on the couch. He gave her his cup with a smile. She smiled before sipping on it. She didn't want to disappoint him or make him think she was a loser, so she drank it.
"Bryant!" Jack yelled pushing her on her bed.
Bryant's eyes shot open. "What?" she asked looking around.
"You ok?" he asked.
"Yeah, what time is it?" She asked sitting up.
"7:00. How long have you been sleeping?"
"I don't know. I just remember laying down when you guys left. I didn't mean to go to sleep, but I guess I was more tired than I thought."
"You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm just tired."
"Were you dreaming?"
"I don't know." She lied "Why?"
"You were just tossing and turning when I walked in."
"Oh, yeah I guess I was. I don't remember what it was though."
Jack nodded his head. She knew he didn't believe her, but he didn't press it.
"What are you guys fixing to do?" she asked.
"Bobby wants to go to the bar to get some drinks."
Bryant laughed. "Typical Bobby."
"Yeah, do you want me to stay with you?" he asked.
"No, its ok. You go on ahead. I think I might take a shower and go back to bed. I'm still a little tired."
"Are you sure you are ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied with a smile. "I just need to catch up on some sleep."
"Ok, well I guess I will see you tomorrow then." He replied getting up off the bed. "You know you can talk to me, whatever is on your mind."
"I know Jack. Thanks." She replied. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before leaving. She threw herself back against the mattress and sighed. "What the hell was that?" she asked herself.
She lifted herself up and walked to the bathroom. She ran the water in the bathtub before taking her clothes off. She looked in the mirror at herself and noticed the scar above her neck. She ran her hand over it before looking away. She moved to the shower and climbed, letting the hot water hit her body.
She laid back down in the bed hoping she would go straight to sleep and not dream anything. Why was she having dreams about the party? It was so long ago. She opened her eyes and just stared towards the window. Suddenly she heard the door slam. She slowly sat up not wanting to know who it was…
"Come on." Sofi whispered.
"Come on baby, my sister is in the other room." Angel replied.
"Oh lord!" Bryant sighed. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and threw open her door. "That's disgusting!" she replied before making her way down the stairs. She heard Bobby whispering to Jack.
"Jack, it was a questionable kill." Bobby replied
"What makes you think that?" Jack asked taking off his jacket.
"Boy, it's sad, you growing up without a father. Nobody taught you anything, did they? Maybe I should've stayed around longer and held your little hand, huh sweetheart? Sometimes pros will cover up their shots with another crime, like a burglary or something, and then pay a witness to throw the cops onto the wrong suspect."
Bryant moved closer, hoping not to be heard.
"Why would any want to kill the sweetest woman in the damn world?" Jack asked.
"I don't know Jackie, I don't know. But I do know tomorrow morning, we are going to the grocery store. They had to have something on camera or something. We are going to figure this shit out. We know someone killed her on purpose, now we just got to find out who." He looked to his left and saw Bryant standing there. "Shit!"
"Someone killed her on purpose?" she asked.
Bobby nodded his head. "Yeah."
"How?"
"We don't know yet."
Bryant nodded her head.
"Hey, we are going to figure this out." Bobby replied walking towards her.
She nodded her head again. "I'm really tired. I was just coming to see who was in the house. I'll see you guys in the morning." She turned away. "Goodnight." She replied before walking back to her room.
"We going to take her with us tomorrow?" Jack asked following Bobby into the kitchen.
"Do you think we should?" Bobby asked.
"Bobby, I don't think we need to leave her alone."
"Why?"
"I don't know." Jack sighed. "I feel like she is going to explode any minute."
"Jack, what the hell are you talking about? Our mother just died. She is having a hard time just like the rest of us."
"That's not it Bobby. I know she is having a hard time. She is going back into her little hole she created two years ago."
"Don't start with that shit Jack. That was a long time ago and you don't need to bring it back up."
"She hasn't healed from it."
"You don't know that."
"Bobby, maybe ma dieing brought back bad memories. Ma was everything to her."
"Stop!" Bobby yelled. "That is enough, you will not bring that shit back up." Bobby pointed his finger in Jack's face. "She will go with us tomorrow, but she will wait in the car or something. Jack, you need to wise up before I beat the hell out of you."
"Whatever Bobby, whatever." Jack replied before walking into the living room. Bobby slammed his beer on the counter.
"Come on, I want to show you something." He grabbed her hand and lifted her up. She almost fell back down, but he caught her in his arms. She began to laugh.
"I think I've had too much to drink." She replied.
"Yeah me too." He replied. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see. Its upstairs."
She began to laugh again. "I know what this is…I'm not like that"
"Like what?"
She looked at him. "Come on." He replied moving her towards the stairs.
"No!" she said pulling away, almost falling backwards. "I need to go home." She replied.
"Come on, its ok." He replied grabbing her hand again.
"I need to go find Kiera."
"I saw her go up here. Lets go get her, then you can go home." He replied.
She looked up the stairs, then looked around the room. She didn't see Kiera anywhere. She shook her head, boy she was drunk.
"I don't feel too good." She replied. "I need to sit down."
"Come on, let me help you." He put his arms around her waist and helped her up the stairs. "I saw Kiera go in here. Come on, there are seats so you can sit down."
Bryant nodded her head.
Bryant stood up and walked to the door of her bedroom. She opened the door but just stood there. What was she doing? She turned towards her mother's room and opened the door softly, not to wake anyone. She stooped down and opened the bottom drawer of her mother's dresser. She founds books and photo albums, but that wasn't what she was looking for. What she was looking for was at the very bottom.
"Bryant!" Bobby yelled. "What the hell are you doing?" She didn't move. She began rummaging through until she reached the bottom of the drawer. "Bryant!" She opened the book and tons of pictures and newspaper clippings fell out. Bobby jumped off the bed and ran over to his sister. "Bryant!" he began shaking her.
Bryant turned her head and looked at him before realizing where she was. "What's going on?" she asked looking around the room. "How did I get here?"
"I was about to ask you that same fucking question." He replied. He sat down on the bed to catch his breath. "What are you doing?"
"I don't know." She replied looking down.
"Were you dreaming?"
"I don't remember. I don't remember anything." She lied. "I was just laying in bed, then I woke up here."
"What are you looking for?" he moved over to her.
She quickly closed the book and put it back. "I guess just pictures of us when were little with ma."
"I miss her too." Bobby replied. "Its ok to…"
"Yeah, um…I better get back to sleep before we wake everyone else up." She jumped up. "Sorry I woke you up Bobby."
"Bry…" he called after her.
"I said goodnight Bobby." She replied at the door. She turned away from him.
He sighed. "Goodnight." She shut his door before letting out the breath she was holding in. What was happening to her? She hurried to the bathroom and shut the door. She leaned back against it before walking over to the sink and running the cold water.
"Snap out of it!" she replied throwing water over her face. "You have over came this!"
Bobby stood outside the door and listened to his sister. He sighed as he lifted his hand to the door, but Bryant opened it.
"Whoa!" he said catching her.
"What are you doing?" she asked pulling away.
"I was just checking on you." He said
"I'm fine, I just needed to throw some water on my face."
"Why don't you cut the bullshit and tell me what is really going on?" Bobby snapped.
"Nothing is going on Bobby. I was just sleep walking."
"I was talking to Jack earlier today and he said that maybe you might be remembering…"
"Jack doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." She snapped.
"Bry, it's ok to talk about it."
"It was some stupid freakin party almost two years ago Bobby. What is there to talk about?" she started shaking. Yes, she wanted to talk about it. She wanted to yell about it, make sure everyone was listening. She wanted to know why it happened and why she was dealing with it now.
"You never really talked about it with me, you never talked about what happened after we…"
"Bobby stop!" she told him. "There is nothing to talk about it. Leave it alone. What's done is done, so leave it in the past." Tears began surfacing in her eyes. "I am going to bed now because I am really freakin tired. I will see you in the morning."
She wiped her face before turning away to her room. Bobby stood still in the hallway as he watched her slowly walk to her room and shut the door. He slowly walked to his mother's room before looking back at Bryant's. He sighed before slamming his hand on the door to push it open.
Bryant laid in bed for what seemed like hours not wanting to go back to sleep. She just knew she would finish the dream. She kept her eyes open and looked at the clock on the side of her bed. She wanted so badly to be back in West Virginia. Everything seemed like it would be better there. Maybe she didn't need to be in Detroit anymore. Maybe her mom dying was a way of telling her it was time to leave. She wiped her face as tears streamed down her face. Her mind kept going back to that cold winter night at Benson's house. It had started snowing around one that morning and Bobby had tried to kill Jack to get him to tell him where Bryant was. He sped the whole way there, not realizing he was too late. He arrived at the house, noticing all the kids around, mostly drunk. He never saw his sister, the whole night until around four. She had started to walk home never making it. What was the cause of something like that happening to her? She just wanted someone to like her, was it too much to ask for? It was just a party. It was just a little too much to drink. Now she was laying her bed, wishing it never happened. Wishing she could change what happened. Maybe if she could change it, he would still be alive.
"BRYANT!" Jack yelled. "I've been calling your name for ten minutes. Get up!"
"Go away!" she yelled back. She opened her eyes. When did she fall asleep? She looked down at her clock as it read 9:12 AM. She groaned throwing the covers over her head. "Its too freakin early!" she yelled.
"We have some business to take care of and you are coming with us, so get up it before I get you up!" he threatened with a laugh.
"Whatever." She replied closing her eyes.