Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Brianna's point of view.

When I walked into the living room, I found Brenda slumped on the couch, looking sickly and frail. I noticed she shunned my gaze; something was awry.

I took a few steps toward her, trying not to cause a stir. "Hey, Brenda, what's wrong with you?" I felt I had to ask, as gently as I could.

Brenda did not answer, as she stared out blankly at the wall. I sat down beside her, trying to get her attention.

"Brenda, I know we weren't really seeing eye to eye yesterday, but I just want you to know I'm here for you," I added, putting my hand on her arm.

Brenda flinched and jerked her arm away from me. "Just leave me alone, Brianna," she said, almost unheard.

I felt rather hurt and concerned. What was wrong with Brenda? Was she still holding anger from our previous discussion?

I tried again to speak with her, but she pushed me away. With desperation, I said, "Brenda, please talk to me. What's happened? You can tell me anything."

"Just need some time alone, okay?" was all she managed to get out, her voice breaking.

I nodded, feeling as if I were defeated. I felt totally lost in how to help my sister, got up, and walked out, leaving Brenda alone.

Wandering off now, I couldn't help but wonder what had just gone wrong with Brenda. Was she probably regretting her decision to marry Logan? Or was something else cooking in there that I had no idea about?

I let Brenda be alone with herself in hopes that such a time would come when she could speak to me, but when I left, I still had the nagging possibility that all was not well, and Brenda was hiding something from me.

I walked towards my room with a lot of unease and concern for my sister. I lied there on my bed trying to process everything that had happened. But my mind kept wandering back to Brenda, and I couldn't help thinking of what might be going on with her.

I was lying there when I noticed a very feeble noise coming from the outside of my room. I went outside to check and saw Brenda standing there in the hallway looking completely lost and frightened.

"Brenda what's wrong?" I asked, rushing towards her.

Before she could answer, my heart skipped at the sight of something that froze me in my spot. Brenda was clutching a piece of paper in her hands. It looked like a letter.

"Brenda what's that?" The tone was calm, I could say, relating to what I saw.

But she shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "I don't know what to do, Brianna," she said in a voice so soft that I could scarcely understand her.

Panic started rising up in me. What could be the matter with Brenda? And what did the letter contain that would upset her so?

I stared at the letter in Brenda's hand with rage and betrayal. "What the hell is going on, Brenda?" I demanded. "You're still seeing Josh, aren't you?" 

Her eyes widened with spine freezing fear as she retreated a step. "Brianna, please-"

I cut her off. "Don't lie to me, Brenda. I know you're still seeing him. How could you do this? You told me you broke up with him months ago." 

Her face crumbled as she began to sob. "I'm sorry, Brianna. I-I didn't mean to hurt you: I just... I don't know what to do." 

I felt guilty, but I was still angry at her. "You should have thought of that before you started sneaking around behind my back," I said. 

Just then, into the room walked our father. "What is going on here?" he thundered into the room. 

Brenda and I exchanged a glance full of fear and uncertainty. We knew we were in trouble.

She is still going out with Josh," I said, sounding as unruffled as I could.

The fire of rage burned through our father's face. "You are still seeing that boy?" he roared at Brenda. "After all that I've done for you, you're still sneaking behind my back?"

Brenda shrank under that wrath. "Sorry, Dad. I really didn't want to make you feel like you are not being disappointed."

But father was beyond reason. "You are not only disappointing me, but you're also embarrassing me," he said. "And you, Brianna, are not much better." You always have to put your nose where it doesn't belong.

Anger welled up within me at his words. "I am just trying to protect my sister," I said.

But didn't he hear? "You both," he said, "go to your rooms, and stay there until I tell you you can come out."

Defeatedly, Brenda and I shared a cash glance. We knew we were going to be in serious trouble.

As we trudged to our rooms, I had this horrible feeling about what was going to happen to us. What, really, was our father's reason for all this fury?

In bed, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something not right. And I knew I had to get to the bottom of it.

So I decided to sneak out of my bedroom to get answers. I tiptoed down the stairs stealthily as if making no sound.

Once I made it to the bottom, I heard something coming from my dad's study. So I crept closer to try to listen.

But just as I reached the door, I realized he was on the phone. And what he said made my blood turn cold. 

"Yes, I know it's been a long time," he said. "But I've finally got everything in place. The wedding will go ahead as planned, and nothing will stop it." 

I felt an ice-cold ripple of fear as I understood what father was planning. He would use Brenda's wedding to push forward his own interests and stop at nothing to reach his goal and what he really wanted.

All that I knew was, I must act fast. I must find a way to stop the wedding and reveal our father's true motives. But how?