Something Else Entirely

39 - I never realised just how much I'd gained through all that I'd lost.

Logan's absence didn't go unnoticed at dinner, but no one mentioned anything about it, not even Tanner who always has something smartass-y to say about everything, or my parents who worship her.

Madden on the other hand, never being one to shy away from a difficult conversation, crawled into my bed once everyone else left and I decided to call it a night. I didn't bother locking my door tonight. There was nothing in here that he couldn't see.

"You want to talk about it, big brother?" he asked, propping himself up on his side and leaning on his elbow. "I saw Logan crying, and you've been quiet all night."

"There's nothing to really talk about, mate. Logan was upset with something and she just wanted to be at home alone for a while." At least, that was what I was trying to convince myself.

"What was she upset about?"

How do you explain to your almost-thirteen-year-old brother that your girlfriend was abused and almost raped by an evil, pretentious degenerate over a year ago? One that she coincidentally ran into today because her dumbass boyfriend just wanted to surprise her with the perfect date? If I had told her in advance where we were going and what we were doing like she'd asked, none of this would have happened, and Logan would have been sitting next to me as I celebrated my birthday with my family, and she would be lying where he is now, her warm perfume coaxing me into the sleep I know I won't be having tonight without her here.

"Someone hurt her pretty bad once, buddy. And she saw him by accident today at a gallery I took her to. I didn't know it was him so I didn't get a chance to help her feel any better, and she didn't tell me until we got home and was already really upset about it."

"Oh," Madden said quietly, watching me carefully. "Is she okay?"

"I hope so. She asked me to give her space for a while." . . . in a text, saying she would talk to me soon and just needed some time to herself.

"Do you want me to go get Mum?" he said, and I chuckled, asking him why. "She's Mum . . . She used to get hurt by men she knew all the time when she was younger, just like Logan. Maybe she might have some advice about what you should do to help Logan feel better?"

"Thanks, bud," I smiled, appreciating how wise and helpful he was trying to be for me and for Logan both. "But I think I'm just going to try to get a good night's sleep and hope Loges has the same, and we can talk about it all tomorrow."

"Okay, Jetty. I'll let you get to sleep then," he hugged me and wished me one last happy birthday. Before he left, he stopped at my bedroom door, turning back to face me. "You don't remember Mum sad, Jet. She's been nothing but happy since you and Dad came into our lives. But I do . . . I remember it all, and it sucked so damn much.

"Mum is beautiful inside and out, just like Logan is, and she never deserved the bad things that happened to her. But sometimes they do happen, and we just have to find a way to help them remember what it's like to be happy again in the times when they start forgetting. You're really good at making Logan happy, Jetty. Everyone can see that. Maybe you just need to find a way to help her open her eyes a little and see it, too?"

He's pretty clever, my brother.

- - -

Logan wasn't ready to talk the following day. Nor the next or the one after that. I went past her house to pop in and see her, just in case she was willing to talk to me, but she wasn't home, and her mum either didn't know where she might be, or was just not telling me.

Logan texted me when I finally begged her to let me know that she was okay, after panicking when I hadn't heard from her and when not even Byron had any idea where she was or how she was doing. She promised me that she was fine, and that she was so sorry; but wouldn't really say too much more than that. Just that she would come see me when she was ready.