Almost Forgotten

Chapter 23: Paint It All Gray

This could be the end of everything.

Landon has less than four days left.

He is losing his life and I am letting it happen as I walk through the path of my brother's garden.

He said dad called him and told him I was in the country, so he invited me to visit him. Brooks informed me a while ago that dad was safe and except for following him around to find Caitlin, Landon stayed out of his way.

Same thing goes for Michael. Landon mist knew all about him, yet he stayed far away.

As far as I would if he didn't find out I am here.

The thing is, Micheal and I have a great relationship, it slipped some ranks down since we live so separately, but not much has changed. A bond between two brothers is something a few people could understand to the core.

I love him and Caitlin the same amount, yet as much as I am closer to her, I feel the need to be approved of by him.

Disappointment that comes from a parent is not a rare thing, but an older sibling can break you much more than any other adult.

I never told him about Landon, not as much as Caitlin knew. I couldn't bear him looking down at me with distaste.

"People still knock," I flip my head to the side. "In case you forgot."

Micheal is standing leaned on the pillar next to stairs, smiling as I can tell how long he looks and waiting for me to knock. But instead I stared at the wooden door for at least five minutes.

"Yeah," I speak, walking towards him. "But the wood looked so old, I was worried it might break."

He laughs, hands clasping my back when we hug. He is much taller than Cate and I, so we both look more as his children than his younger siblings even though he is two years older.

"How considerate." He says, pulling back as he keeps his hands on my shoulder. "Should I be offended that you didn't want to visit."

I clear my throat, looking around for an answer. "It's not that I didn't want to visit, I just had some business to take care-"

"Like lying to your brother." he throws an arm around my shoulder, leading us into his grand house. The whole bloody mansion he has is nothing Cate and I can't afford, yet we love modest rather than...well this.

I chuckle. "I am the one with the actual important job, Mike."

He gasps in fake offendence. "I beg your pardon, teeth health is just as important as finding serial killers."

"Sure."

The usual chit chat continues all the way through the long hallway, until one of the maids, that I remember to be called Miranda, opens the door to the living room with a nod.

As soon as I enter the room, the sight makes me pause.

Leah is jumping around the furniture as Caitlin runs around her, both of them playing some sort of game of cat and mouse.

I don't have time to process what is happening until Micheal whistles and their eyes snap back to me.

"Dad!" Leah is yelling and jumping from the armchair to a table, then back at the floor as she throws her arms around me.

I am too shocked to do anything at first, but then my instinct takes over as I lift her in my arms, and look back between Micheal and Caitlin.

Caitlin is smiling at Leah, but the mask over her face is evident to anyone that knows her. She is hiding a fear of sketching, concern washed over her as she hugs herself while Micheal looks half guilty, half confused, but determined.