Damaged Beyond Repair by Kashmira Kamat (KittyKash) (best short books to read TXT) 📗

As Drew made his way towards Rowan's apartment, he wasn't sure what he would find when he opened that door. He just wished his brother hadn't taken that step.

Drew grasped the door knob and turned, which gave in easily. He walked past the foyer and into the living area. "Rowan."

At first Drew wasn't sure what to expect but what he saw was still better than all that had crossed his mind. Rowan appeared to be hunched close to the couch on the floor, crouched into a fetus like position. A few bottles were empty and broken. The table wear was tugged down with the entire placed cutlery. Rowan cradled a hand-gun in his hand. He'd told his father numerous times to take that license away, but his father wanted his son to be safe. As far as Drew could tell, Rowan wasn't safe from only one person. Himself.

"Rowan." Drew called out to him. "It's Drew."

He had to thread through the situation with caution, one wrong word out and Rowan would pull the trigger. Drew walked slowly towards him and lowered onto the ground, taking in his brother's condition which had worsened. He wondered if Rowan was taking medication or if the bitch had also made sure he didn't get those. He was leaning towards the latter.

For a few minutes the silence continued to waltz in a slow dance. Rowan's eyes leveled with Drew's, he said, "She left me."

"I know."

A tear grazed Rowan's cheek, "I love her..but..she said she doesn't love me." He pulled the gun closer, like it was a little dolly he needed to hold for assurance.

Drew hated to pity his brother, but his heart broke every time he saw him like that. He knew part of mental instability was all their parents fault. If his father had given Rowan the attention he deserved, if he had relied on Rowan the way he did with Dwight, maybe he wouldn't have grown with lack of love. There was so much a brother could do. Their mother wasn't much of a help either, she'd only been terrified of Rowan which was the last thing he needed.

"You're stronger than this, Rowan. You don't need that woman in your life." Drew told him.

"Am I crazy, Drew?" Rowan asked. The innocence in his voice proved he wasn't crazy.

"Is that what she told you?" Drew asked.

"JUST ANSWER ME! Am I crazy?"

Drew looked straight into his eyes, "No. You are not."

Rowan pulled himself in a sitting position. "Are you going to throw me in the asylum again?" his voice came off as choked.

The last time they'd done that mistake and Rowan was tied to the hospital bed and sedated. He'd improved with time, but that improvement was an illusion. A temporary illusion.

"No. You're going to stay right here and I'm going to visit you every day and we are going out like we used to do before. You and I." Drew continued, "Do you want to come live with me and Stephanie?"

Stephanie had been Team Rowan for a long time, and Drew knew how pleased she would be to have her brother-in-law over. Rowan was a difficult boy, like his teachers used to say but he wasn't the bad guy. He was only mistreated and misunderstood.

"I want Lauren back." Rowan said.

While Rowan was lost in his thoughts, Drew took his chances and took the gun slowly out of his hands. "You don't deserve her."

"Why does everyone leave me, am I that bad, Drew?"

"You just met the wrong person." Drew pulled Rowan closer and hugged him; Rowan willingly put his head on Drew's lap.

"I can't live without Lauren, Drew..."

That wasn't true. She was never the person for him. And even though Drew hated how she'd broken his brother's heart, he was also glad she'd left.

"You have me. You have Dwight and Stephanie and Claire. We love you, maybe Dwight just doesn't say it but he wants to see you stronger."

"I'm going to be alone, right?" Rowan asked, "For the rest of my miserable life."

"I don't believe that. There's still a long way to go, Rowan. You're giving up too fast. People come and go, but life goes on. I believe there's someone else who is going to walk into your life like a hurricane and sweep you off your feet. She is there somewhere, Rowan. She will find you, eventually and love you just the way you deserve."

Drew wanted to believe that there was still that someone out there who wasn't Lauren. She was yet to step into the story and take Drew's place. He was looking forward to that day.

"I don't think so."

"You wait and watch."

For days, and nights Rowan tried to peel off the plaster of the walls. Drew knew that taking him to their parent's house wasn't the smartest decision, but Rowan needed to remain under surveillance. It was the same old, but Lauren had said some vile things that had disturbed him more. Bottles were hidden, the gun taken, leaving Rowan more frustrated than ever. Drew would walk into his bedroom after midnight when he'd wake up screaming and ask for Lauren.

Two weeks later, Rowan calmed down. He took his medication, didn't speak a word, just continued with his daily routine, putting the rest of the family members in awe. That was improvement. What was even better was the fact that he'd applied to a good university for an Economics professor's job. Their father was going to make sure that Rowan's history with drug abuse wouldn't get out.

Another week later, something else happened that took a turn in the story. It was the most mindboggling twist that nobody had seen coming in a million years. Lauren walked into the Masters' house while everyone was still at home. Her declaration choked a few windpipes.

"I'm pregnant." Lauren was nervous, and from what Drew could tell, she wasn't happy with it. She'd declared it in front of everyone. His father's morning tea cup hovered in mid-air, his mother's kitchen knife still on the cake.

Rowan had a different expression on his face. First confused and then happiness. Sheer happiness. Drew wondered if he was already dreaming about white picket fences and St. Bernard's. Rowan's family dream was going to be a reality soon. Not so fast.