Chapter 22: Be Her Comfort

\[Leo’s POV\]

I watch silently as Rue quickly escapes the chaotic scene that is taking place. The urge to go after her hits me, but I stay in place.

“Look what you did." Mykel grumbles, drawing my attention back to where he sits. “You chased her away.”

“Me?” I huff, letting my gaze travel over him. “Have you seen your condition?”

Who was he to say such a thing when he was a mess?

“I didn’t do anything,” Mykel counters, slowly attempting to rise and then falling. “Fuck, what is this?”

“A table,” I sigh, holding out a hand. "Here, let me help you.”

Nodding, he takes my hand and allows me to help him get up and then takes a seat while I head to the bathroom to grab a first aid kit.

As I do, I eye myself in the mirror, taking in for the first time just how exhausted I look.

How could things turn out like this?

It is the only question that rushes through my head as I stare at the man in the mirror staring back at me with swollen red eyes with dark circles beneath them and pale olive skin.

“Fuck,” I growl, tearing my gaze away. “Get it together, Leo.”

Now wasn’t the time to be zoning. There was still so much to do.

I needed to take care of Mykel’s wounds. I needed to prepare Darlene’s things for her viewing. And I needed to make sure that Rue was okay.

Of course, I knew that she wasn’t okay in the mental sense. How could she be after losing her only family?

But even then, I wanted to make sure that she didn’t try to do anything again.

“This is exhausting.” I murmur, turning and heading back into the living room where Mykel silently sits. “Show me,” I tell him, taking a seat and opening the first aid kit.

“Show you what?” He asks, fixing his bleary gaze on me. “Are you asking me to strip…Ouch!"

Before I can stop it, my hand is moving and connecting with the back of his head, and as he hunches forward, I grab the back of his neck.

“Listen,” I say slowly, my patience running thin. “I’m not in the mood for your antics. While you were out getting shit-faced, we lost Darlene.”

“What?” Mykel gasps, turning his gaze toward me. “What did you just say?”

“Darlene died,” I say slowly, testing the words and hating the way it felt. “She’s gone.”

As I speak, I feel a knot forming in my throat and the sides of my eyes prick with tears.

“Fuck, man,” Mykel murmurs as I release him. “I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t,” I sigh, forcing myself to keep it together. “How could you when you were out drinking?" Growing quiet, I stare at my brother, wondering why the hell he would push it like this. Sure, I knew back on the island. Mykel liked to go out and have a good time, but he never once got like this. “Why the hell did you drink so much anyway?”

For a moment, he doesn’t speak. Instead, he just stares at me while anger starts to form on his face.

“Lucky bastard,” he spits, his gaze narrowing.

Frowning, I stare at my brother while trying to figure out exactly what it is he is trying to get at, but he doesn’t say anything more.

“You gonna doctor me or not?” He says after a long pause. “If not, I’ll do it myself and then go to bed.”

“Sorry,” I say, snapping out of it. “Give me your arm.”

After that, neither one of us says anything, and once I’m finished, Mykel stumbles to the kitchen and grabs a broom and dustpan.

“What are you doing?” I ask as he starts to sweep at the glass that still scatters across the floor. “I can take care of it.”

“No,” he snaps, shooting a look of warning. “I’m the one that caused this, so I should be the one that fixes it. And once I’m finished, I may go find a hotel to stay in.”

“Why?” I ask, confusion rushing through me. “Why on earth would you need to do that?”

“Because I was rejected.”

It is all that he says before continuing to clean up his mess, and once he finishes, he pulls out his phone and starts scrolling. As he does, I just stare at him, wondering what exactly happened since I know that the one he says rejected him is most certainly Rue, but why?

From what I saw, they were getting along pretty well.

I was almost certain that they would become something soon, and then I wouldn’t have to worry about whether or not Rue still harbored feelings.

If she no longer had feelings for me, then we could act like an actual family without any awkwardness.

Could you? The small voice in the back of my head asks, startling me. “Just look at the way you were craving her warmth earlier.

Flinching, I try not to remember the way Rue felt against me and how much I actually enjoyed the way that warmth felt.

It was just a lapse of judgement from stress. I tell myself before I can start spiraling. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Keep telling yourself that. The small voice says, only adding more to my shitty mood.

“I found somewhere,” Mykel announces, saving me from spiraling too deeply. “I’m going to pack my things and head out. Keep me posted about the viewing and funeral, alright?”

“Sure,” I nod, wanting to convince him to stay but not having the energy to do so. “Stay out of trouble until then, alright?”

“No promises,” he smirks before turning and heading up the stairs. “You do the same.”

It’s the last thing he says before disappearing so that I’m left completely alone with my thoughts once more, and when they start to consume me, I collapse on the couch and bury my face in my hands.

“What’s next?” I ask myself as I realize that now that Darlene was gone, there was only me and Rue. Would we be able to actually act like family, or would she reject me and go on in life alone and spiraling?

I didn’t know, but if it was left up to me, I wouldn’t allow her to be alone. I would remain beside her and be the rock that she needed me to be.