I know you did it

Drake's POV (flashforward)
“I’m so sorry Josie.” I said holding her bloody hand. I brushed away her auburn hair out of her face. “You were right.” I whispered.

I swam in her tearful blues eyes while she took her last few looks at me. Just then I saw everything in her eyes: the accident, I saw her holding her mom waiting for the ambulance.

“Drake…” She struggled to speak. “I love you.” She whispered then closed her eyes and laid her head back.

Then the door swung open…

Josie's POV

How could this have happened? She knows I don’t like dressing up. She promised she wouldn’t get married.I told her I didn’t want a step-dad let alone step-brothers. Yes that’s right it was plural. They are twins.

But here I am; dressed up in some dumb bridesmaid dress standing at the altar across from Drake and Landon. In a few minutes my mom will be kissed and then Drake and Landon will be my new brothers.

“You may now kiss the bride.” Father Jim said.

I grimaced and my “step-brothers” smiled at me.

We marched out while everyone clapped. I helped my mom with the train of her dress before we got in the limo.

“Please! Stop!” Landon complained in the limo when my mom and their dad, Nate, kissed.

“You two look so handsome.” Mom squealed while pinching Drake and Landon’s cheek.

“Please, we are seventeen.” Drake said pulling away.

“No need to pinch our cheeks.” Landon finished. “Why don’t you pinch Josie’s cheeks? She is your daughter.”

My mom leaned towards me with her hand extended but I slapped it away.

“And that is why.” My mom said proving a point.

We pulled up to where we were having the reception. My mother decided to have it on a yacht. Let me tell you, boats are not my things. Especially when floating on water. And waves making it go sideways…yeah, my stomach doesn’t agree with that.

While we made our way into the doors the DJ announced, “Now please welcome Mr. Nate Flech and Mrs. Rose Flech.” Everyone applaud as they drifted in together…

Seven Months Later…

“Nate. Josie. Drake. Landon. Friends and family of Rose.” That's how Father Jim always started funerals. i know because so many years back I used to serve them with him. He always started his homilies with that. Who would have thought I’d be in the congregation and not in the serving robe.

The rest of the homily Father Jim went on about how sad it is that he had just married them, how it can be hard to lose a mother or someone so close to you, blah blah blah.

I felt someone squeeze my hand next to me: Drake. I turned to smile at him. But I really didn’t need the comforting, not anymore. It’s Nate that is a complete wreck. I couldn’t look at him this whole time, afraid I might lose it also.

I didn’t notice Father Jim was done with his homily until I was being yanked up by Drakes hand.

At the end of the funeral Nate, Drake, Landon and I walked out with a hand on the casket.

We slid into a mini-limo that was taking us to the graveyard…

We got home from a late night of remembering my mom. I went straight to my room and changed out of my dress clothes and laid in my bed to finally drift away into nightmares.

Mom you okay? Watch it you just swerved into the other lane. Mom? Watch out!

Then I jumped out of my bed screaming at the top of my lungs. I landed on my butt and I was sweating up a storm.

“Josie?” An urgent voice came from my door that was opening.

And without warning tears were rolling down my face.

“Josie!” The voice was more anxious and was now next to me.

“Drake…” I sobbed as he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

“Its okay, it’s okay. Did you have another nightmare?”

I nodded in his chest while trying to wipe my eyes.

“Do you want to tell me about it?” He asked pulling away.

“My mom…she swerved…” I couldn’t get it all out. But Drake knew what I was talking about. He’s the only one I told about the actual accident.

“It’s okay Josie. It wasn’t your fault.” Drake said. “Come on, let’s get off the floor.”

Drake helped me up and I sat on my bed. He sat next to me and wrapped his arms back around my waist and laid us down.

“Don’t leave.” I whispered.

“I won’t.” He whispered in my ear.

I woke up with my eyes all dry from crying the night before. Drake still had his arms around me and I felt better. It’s funny to think he would be the one comforting me. He wouldn’t have done that seven months ago…

“Ugh! Drake! Landon! I said to stay out of my bathroom!” I screamed running out with a wet bra in my hand. When I got out in the hallway I heard two snickers run into a room and close the door.

“Real mature guys.” I grumbled while banging on the door.

“Honey can please stop the screaming I have a bad head ache.” Mom said coming out of her room.

“Mom, look what they did!” I said holding up my bra.

“They’re boys what do you expect.” She said rubbing her temples.

I groaned.

“Okay, sorry.” She knocked on Drake and Landon’s door. “Boys, please open up.” Mom said.

“Yes?” Drake poked his head out.

“Can I help you?” Landon asked in a sweet voice.

“Please stay out of Josie things. I can’t handle all this yelling right now.”

“Okay. Sorry Rose.” They said together.

“Alright, now that that’s settled I am going to take a long nap. No one bother me please.” Mom said over her shoulder shutting her bedroom door.

“You awake?” Drake asked bringing me back to the present.

“Yeah.” I croaked.

He waited, braced for more tears.

“No, its okay. They’re all gone.” I informed him.

We both sat up in my bed and I just stared at my blankets.

“Thanks for staying again.” I whispered.

“Any time.” Drake said.

There was a knock on the door and Landon came in.

“Hey,” He whispered.

“Hey.” Drake and I said.

“I can’t smell pancakes.” Landon said sitting with us. “Rose always made pancakes on Sunday.” Landon said a matter of fact.

It’s true. She never did that before Nate. But when they got married every Sunday she made pancakes then we would go to mass. (That part I wasn’t too thrilled about.)

We all just sighed and looked down.

The door bell rang and we waited for Nate to answer it. But it just rang again.

“I’ll get it.” I sighed.

I opened the door for more mourners giving us food.

“Rose, was. Well, she was really something. I’m so sorry honey.” Mrs. Stone our neighbor said. “If you need anything dear I’m always here.”

“Thanks.” I mumbled and took the food.

“More food?” Drake and Landon asked coming into the kitchen where I was setting the bowl down.

“Yeah.” I said placing it next to all the other plates wrapped in foil. “Where’s your dad?” I asked looking at them now.

They shrugged. “I think he said something about going into work.” Landon answered.

“Wow. So soon.”

I heard my phone ringing from up stairs but just let it go to voicemail. It was probably Stacey. She’s been afraid for me ever since the wreck. She has been super sad too. My mom was practically the only mother she has ever had.

“I think I’m going to have Stacey come over.” I said wondering what they thought about that. Drake didn’t mind Stacey anymore they acted like brother and sister more than we did. Landon adored Stacey though he would never admit. They flirt nonstop that’s why usually I don’t have her over when he is. But at this point, who really cares?

They both nodded and I went up stairs to take a shower. I changed into random skinny jeans and a t-shirt that laid on my floor while calling Stacey.

“Hey Stace.” I said when she answered.

“Hey,” She simply said.

“Wanna come over?” I asked.

“Yeah.” I heard her sniffle in the back ground.

It took her five minutes to get here and when I opened the door she attacked me in a hug. I hugged back afraid that if I don’t I might fall apart.

“I really miss her.” She whispered into my ear.

“I know.” I said pulling away. I wiped under her eyes where her eyeliner was smudging.

The rest of the day Landon, Drake, Stacey and I just laid on the couch talking about mom. How her food tasted, and how everyone always loved her. Which was true, you couldn’t hate her. It wasn’t possible. It’s like she was some freaky vampire who could control your feelings towards her. But I wiped that idea out of my mind. If she was a vampire she wouldn’t have got in the car accident that day.

“She always seemed tired. Which was fun because we could get away with stuff.” Landon chuckled. We all chuckled too. Though I never really remembered her tired. Not until after she had been married to Nate.

We heard an annoying vibrating sound coming from another room. It kept going off all day but we ignored it. But this was the millionth time. I decided to go searching for it.

I went to Nate’s office door and opened it. The noise was surely coming from here. I searched around by his desk when Drake came in.

“Josie, you know not to be in here. Come on. Let’s go before dad gets home.”

That was the one rule of the house. Don’t go into Nate’s office. Which I thought was stupid. Why would he care? All he is is a doctor. It’s not like he hides dead bodies’ places.

“Just a second.” I said trying to open a Durer. All of them were locked except the middle. There was a tiny phone when I opened it.

“Ha! Gotcha!” I said retrieving it.

“I see you have.” Nate’s voice came from the door, and it didn’t sound nice.

“Sorry dad.” Drake said. “Josie heard an annoying sound and went to find it.” Drake rushed. “We will get out.”

Nate eyed the phone I was holding and had a mean face going on.

“Sorry.” I mumbled and sat the phone back down confused at why he was so mad.

Drake grabbed me by the arm and escorted me out while Nate closed the door behind us.

That was odd.