The World Is Outside
Chapter Four
Jared's POV
I held the chilled glass of bourbon against my forehead as I stared ahead at the blank television screen. They were dead. I still didn’t know what Uncle Mark’s lawyer wanted. The idea that I was in the man’s will was laughable. With a sigh, I downed the drink, instantly wanting more.
Standing up, I walked towards the kitchen where I kept the bottle. My eyes landed on a picture taken three months prior. It was held against the refrigerator.
Anna had come up for a visit. She was on break from school. Despite how happy we looked in the picture, I knew the visit was far from happy. Her and Elise had argued constantly. I didn’t know who to side with. If I went to comfort Anna, Elise would get angry with me. When I tried to explain, she simply ignored. After the third day, into the five-day visit, I gave up. There were a few moments though, like this one.
We’d been down at the beach. It had been cold and rainy all day. There had been a moment though where the sun broke through the clouds. Elise was willing to break the argument the two were having, long enough to capture the three of us on film.
With a sigh, I brought a weary hand over my face. There probably weren’t going to be any more rainy days at the beach. Anna would probably go to Uncle Mark’s side of the family. I still had no idea why his lawyer contacted me.
“Baby, open up!” I looked over at the door to my apartment with a small smile. Elise was here. Putting the empty glass down on the counter, I went to let her in.
“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” No hug, no kiss, just wondering why she couldn’t get a hold of me. That was her style though. She knew what she wanted and she went after it.
“I turned it off.” I kissed her cheek before pulling back and stuffing my hands into my jean pockets. She frowned as she looked at me before pulling one of my hands out.
“What’s wrong?” I wanted to lie, but this wasn’t a thing I could lie about. Squeezing her hand, I laced my fingers with her’s as I looked at her.
“Do you remember my cousin, Anna?” I did my best to keep my voice strong.
“Yeah…why?” It was obvious she wasn’t comfortable talking about her. I still didn’t get the dislike she held, neither one ever explained it.
“Last night, when I got home…” I paused to take a breath and swallow before pulling her to the couch. This couldn’t be done standing.
“Jared, what is it?” She squeezed my hand. Looking down at our hands, I squeezed back.
“There was an accident…Anna…she…she was the only one who survived.” It was silent for a moment except for the noises outside and our breathing.
“Jare, Baby…” She lifted my head so that I was looking at her. I swallowed, really not wanting to break down. Then suddenly I felt her fingers moving gently around my face and through my hair. I closed my eyes.
“They’re dead, Elise, she’s alone.” I didn’t have to guess what the sudden wet streaming down my face was, I knew.
The soft pad of her thumb brushed away a couple of the tears. Opening my eyes, I took her hand and kissed it before resting my head on her shoulder.
“When’s the funeral?” I glanced up at her.
“I dunno, why?”
“Because I want to be able to take off. I’m coming with you.” I moved my head a little and kissed her shoulder.
“Thank you.” I couldn’t do this alone.
I held the chilled glass of bourbon against my forehead as I stared ahead at the blank television screen. They were dead. I still didn’t know what Uncle Mark’s lawyer wanted. The idea that I was in the man’s will was laughable. With a sigh, I downed the drink, instantly wanting more.
Standing up, I walked towards the kitchen where I kept the bottle. My eyes landed on a picture taken three months prior. It was held against the refrigerator.
Anna had come up for a visit. She was on break from school. Despite how happy we looked in the picture, I knew the visit was far from happy. Her and Elise had argued constantly. I didn’t know who to side with. If I went to comfort Anna, Elise would get angry with me. When I tried to explain, she simply ignored. After the third day, into the five-day visit, I gave up. There were a few moments though, like this one.
We’d been down at the beach. It had been cold and rainy all day. There had been a moment though where the sun broke through the clouds. Elise was willing to break the argument the two were having, long enough to capture the three of us on film.
With a sigh, I brought a weary hand over my face. There probably weren’t going to be any more rainy days at the beach. Anna would probably go to Uncle Mark’s side of the family. I still had no idea why his lawyer contacted me.
“Baby, open up!” I looked over at the door to my apartment with a small smile. Elise was here. Putting the empty glass down on the counter, I went to let her in.
“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” No hug, no kiss, just wondering why she couldn’t get a hold of me. That was her style though. She knew what she wanted and she went after it.
“I turned it off.” I kissed her cheek before pulling back and stuffing my hands into my jean pockets. She frowned as she looked at me before pulling one of my hands out.
“What’s wrong?” I wanted to lie, but this wasn’t a thing I could lie about. Squeezing her hand, I laced my fingers with her’s as I looked at her.
“Do you remember my cousin, Anna?” I did my best to keep my voice strong.
“Yeah…why?” It was obvious she wasn’t comfortable talking about her. I still didn’t get the dislike she held, neither one ever explained it.
“Last night, when I got home…” I paused to take a breath and swallow before pulling her to the couch. This couldn’t be done standing.
“Jared, what is it?” She squeezed my hand. Looking down at our hands, I squeezed back.
“There was an accident…Anna…she…she was the only one who survived.” It was silent for a moment except for the noises outside and our breathing.
“Jare, Baby…” She lifted my head so that I was looking at her. I swallowed, really not wanting to break down. Then suddenly I felt her fingers moving gently around my face and through my hair. I closed my eyes.
“They’re dead, Elise, she’s alone.” I didn’t have to guess what the sudden wet streaming down my face was, I knew.
The soft pad of her thumb brushed away a couple of the tears. Opening my eyes, I took her hand and kissed it before resting my head on her shoulder.
“When’s the funeral?” I glanced up at her.
“I dunno, why?”
“Because I want to be able to take off. I’m coming with you.” I moved my head a little and kissed her shoulder.
“Thank you.” I couldn’t do this alone.