Brooklynn was letting silent tears roll down her cheek, thinking about Scott. She’d never imagined him leaving having such an effect on her. She knew she’d be hurt, but she never knew how hurt. Just like while they were together, she knew she loved him, she just never realized how much she loved him.
Draco’s crying pulled the girls out of their silent stupor.
“It’s almost lunchtime,” Taylor checked her watch. “He’s hungry.”
“So am I…let’s order a pizza,” Brooklynn sighed.
The day went surprisingly fast despite the drama and worry. Not to mention the heartache and pain.
Both girls were emotionally exhausted by ten thirty when Scott stopped by.
“How is she?” he asked quietly as Brooklynn let him in. “Where is she?”
“Up in the guestroom with Draco, and she’s fine,” Brooklynn replied, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
“FUCK! GOD DAMMIT!!” suddenly came down the stairs.
Scott and Brooklynn hurried into the guestroom to find Taylor looking frazzled and upset, and Draco looking absolutely miserable.
“What’s wrong?” Brooklynn questioned, noticing that her friend had seemingly thrown all the contents of her and Draco’s bags all onto the floor.
“His drops…he has an ear infection and he needs his drops, and I fucking forgot them at the apartment,” Taylor put one hand on her forehead and kicked her suitcase in frustration.
“Okay…does he need them tonight?” Scott pressed calmly.
“Yeah, or we’ll be up all night listening to him screaming…the one’s from this morning are starting to wear off…look at him, he’s miserable…I feel bad….I’m an awful mother…I remember all of my shit but I can’t think about my son for two extra seconds and his needs…”
“Shhh…you aren’t a terrible mother and you know it…it was an honest mistake. I’ll just take you over real fast and we’ll be in and out,” Brooklynn replied.
“No no no…I’LL take her, you stay here with Draco,” Scott jumped in quickly.
“Can I talk to you downstairs?” Brooklynn asked Scott with sickening sweetness in her voice, but anger flashing in her eyes.
“But of course you can,” Scott replied, using the same tone.
Taylor, silently cursing herself for her stupidity, paid them no attention but began searching for her shoes.
The two left the guestroom in a huff.
“What is your problem?” Scott asked quickly.
“Why do you feel like you’re in charge? ‘Help her pack’, ‘Don’t do anything stupid’, ‘I’ll take her, you stay here’. Jesus Christ, Scott…I don’t even know why you’re here,” she shot back nastily.
“First off, I’m the one that found her and took care of her until she calmed down…me. The only reason I called you is because she didn’t want her family involved, otherwise I would have called Bella…not you. And as far as going over there now, you can’t handle him if he’s there…I’m not about to send two women over and risk him getting all wound up and possibly hurting both of you…that’s just stupid.”
“Oh, yeah…you can handle Sam. I forgot how bad ass you are, Scott…a real heavy weight champ…all 75 pounds of you,” Brooklynn rolled her eyes.
“I stand a better chance than you…and I’d rather him hit me then you…I can protect Taylor better if he goes after her.”
“Why are you so concerned with being the knight in shining armor? When did you get this hero complex?”
“Did it ever occur to you, for one second, that I care about Taylor just as much as you do? That I’m just as worried? I may not be as close to her as you are, but she’s my friend too. Don’t give me this ‘knight in shining armor’ bullshit—and I don’t have a hero complex either—I just want to make sure Taylor doesn’t get hurt any more than she has already.”
Just then, Taylor came walking down the stairs. “Ready?”
Scott nodded, then ushered the blonde out the front door. After throwing Broolynn one last cool glance that clearly said ‘this isn’t over’, he followed.
“I’m sorry,” Taylor sighed quietly as Scott parked outside of the apartment building.
“What for? None of this is your fault, Taylor,” he assured her gently.
“I can’t believe I forgot Draco’s medicine…”
“Hey…it was an honest mistake,” Scott smiled. “Come on…”
She let out a sigh, then they both got out of the car.
“He’s home…” Taylor pointed out his truck in the parking lot.
“It’s okay…that’s why I’m here,” Scott protectively put an arm around her waist and urged her forward.
Every step towards her apartment filled her with both rage and fear. Scott never let go of her, which she was thankful for. His touch was the only thing holding her together. The only comforting thing she had.
When they reached her floor, they could hear loud throbbing music coming from behind Sam’s door.
“You have your key?” Scott asked quietly holding out his hand.
Silently she handed it to him.
“Are you alright, Tay? Do you not want to go in, cause, if you’re scared, just tell me and you can wait here,” Scott spoke gently.
The word scared brought her out of her zone. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d truly feared anything. And Sam Mullholand would not get the best of her.
“I’m fine,” she replied fiercely, a new strength showing in her eyes.
“You sure?”
“Definitely,” she grinned taking the key back and inserting it in the lock.
The two cautiously walked in, only to find that Sam was nowhere in sight.
The music was even louder inside, and Taylor felt her eyes well up as she looked around the room.
Two empty bottles of Jack Daniels, as well as a dozen or so beer cans were strewn all over the floor.
On the coffee table were four neatly cut cocaine lines. A credit card and rolled up dollar bill lie a few inches away.
“You think he’s alright? Where is he?” Taylor asked nervously, still surveying the room.
Scott turned the stereo off, then turned to Taylor. “Go get Draco’s medicine and anything else you think you’ll need—quickly.”
She nodded.
A loud bang made her jump and was soon followed by Sam storming out of the bedroom.
The sight of Scott and Taylor stopped him in his tracks.
”The fuck are you doing here?” he eyed his wife suspiciously.
“I forgot Draco’s medicine,” she answered nastily, then went to move past him, but he grabbed her arm and held her there.
Scott went to advance, but Taylor held up a hand, silently telling him she was fine.
“Let me go, Sam,” she said quietly. “Let me get what I need, and leave.”
“You are such a bitch,” Sam practically threw her away from him. “Why do you think you can just walk in here after you packed up and left?”
“I forgot my son’s medicine. Trust me, I’ll never fucking come near you again after this,” she replied viciously.
“And you’ve got Scott with you…what, are you two fucking now? First he comes to defend your honor this afternoon, now he’s coming with you to the apartment as a bodyguard…Ya know, Scotty, I don’t ever remember you siding with this bitch over me…obviously she’s sucking you off or something,” Sam grinned.
“Maybe he’s just fucking realized what a worthless fuck up you are…I mean, I finally have,” Taylor chimed in.
Sam’s threw her a disgusted look. “Fuck you, bitch.”
“Is that the best you can come up with? Fuck you, bitch?” she mocked him. “Even I can do better than that…you limp dicked pussy.”
Sam lunged at Taylor, but Scott grabbed her, pulling her safely behind him.
“Look, she just wants to get her shit, and get out, so knock it off. You’re drunk and stoned, you don’t know what you’re doing,” Scott reasoned.
“Baby, who’s here?” a female voice cooed from the hallway. “I miss you…”
A tall, leggy woman with short auburn hair walked over to Sam with a seductive grin. She turned her eyes to Taylor and Scott, and the smile faded.
Scott’s face fell with shock. Taylor fell very still, her eyes as wide as saucers.
“Bella?!” she gasped, looking at her sister, clad in nothing but a pair of black panties and Sam’s Ramones tee shirt, in shock. “You’re fucking my husband?!”
“No…I mean, yes…but it’s not…” Bella stammered in terror.
“YOU FUCKING WHORE!” Rage took over and Taylor went for her sister, but Scott tightened his grip on the woman.
“Calm down, dammit! They aren’t worth it!” he shouted at her
“Who are you to judge my worth?” Sam questioned dangerously. “You, who lost the love of his life to me? All I had to do was kiss her and whisper a few seductive ideas and she was all over my dick. You who is so fucking insecure that you had to dump this same woman, just to feel a little bit better about yourself—“
“This coming from the man that had to hit his wife, in front of his son, to prove a fucking point, then fucked her sister the same night, you, are worth—“
Scott was silenced by a hard, unexpected blow to the cheek. He didn’t think after that, only reacted. Sam, still being drunk, was at the disadvantage, but got a few more good hits in before Scott knocked him to the floor.
“I don’t know why I stayed with you for so long…” Sam smirked pathetically, his attentions turned to his wife. “You’re a pathetic, nagging bitch…I never really loved you, you know…It was all about sex…the only thing you were ever good for…”
Sam would have continued, but Scott had heard enough. He grabbed Sam by the head and threw it forcefully against the wall. The impact left a hold in the plaster, and Sam unconscious on the floor.
Bella was sitting on the floor bawling as her sister screamed insults at her.
A loud bang on the door, followed by a loud, booming voice yelling “OPEN UP…POLICE” silenced Taylor.
She flung the door open. “Can I help you, officers?”
“Yes ma’am…we had a complaint from the neighbor, loud music, shouting,” he answered boredly, then looked past her, into the living room. “Holy hell…” he breathed catching glimpse of Scott then Sam. He then turned to his partner. “We need an ambulance and back up.”
The second cop nodded, then got on his radio and walked a few steps away.
“You wanna tell me what happened here, miss?”
“Well…um…”
“It was me…I hit him…” Scott piped in darkly.
“Uh huh…you’re comin with me, son…” the cop ( Officer Roberts as Taylor read on his name tag) sighed, grabbing Scott by the arm and pulling him up and handcuffing him.
“No…it was my fault…I brought him here…” Taylor protested, trying to pull the cop off of Scott.
“Then you can come too…” the second cop (Officer O’Malley) grabbed and cuffed Taylor as well.
“Grab the other girl, too…” Officer Roberts instructed and the third cop, a woman (Officer Jensen) gently pulled Bella up off the ground and put her in handcuffs.
Once all three were cuffed and ready to go, Officer Roberts said loud and clear: “Okay…You all have the right to remain silent…”