A Bundle of misfortune

As I turned a corner, only a few minutes from my house, a hand shot out! A putrid, moist smell immediately told me he was drunk, very drunk judging by how strong the smell was. I turned to see a man in his late thirties, his plump cheeks were flushed and we're raise because of a sloppy yellow grin slathered across his face. He wore a dirty dress shirt that was now only half tucked into his pants, a tie was carelessly shoved into his pants pocket, most of it hung out of it, and I spied a gold ring on his left hand. He fumbled towards me looking confused and perverted. He leaned towards me, grabbing my hand with sweaty palms, asking if I was free for the night and how much I cost; he talked about how his wife wasn't expecting him home till three. I glared at him pulling my hand away and proceeded to slap him in the face. “Go home to your wife you drunk!” I quickly turned, my legs carrying me even faster down the street, leaving him standing with a pulsing red handprint on his face. He looked angry but equally confused staggering on the sidewalk, fighting a losing battle to stay on his feet and not pass out, forgetting the most basic of motor skills.

I reached home to be hit with more sickening scents. The smell of sweat, men and cheap perfume. My brother's bedroom door opens, revealing a young full-bodied woman dressed in a tight black dress that barely covered her thighs and holding lacy blue panties. When she turned to face me, I saw a medium sized bruise on her cheek. She smiled at me asking how I was and if I was thinking about my future. Hers hadn’t gone so well, but at least -money wise-, she was good enough. However, her tired eyes and sagging smile told me that money came with a lot of strings attached. Her smile deflated as my silence continued. She wasn't specifically a hooker she was actually an escort; sometimes customer got handsy and couldn't figure out what no or stop meant. Sapphire Love, broke the silence “I'm sorry about coming over unannounced, I hope your brother gets better. Remember to call me if you need anything at all.” Then, she grabbed her things gave me a quick hug and left.

I felt bad for her; she still cared about my brother even now. Back during their high school and young adult life, they'd dated. My brother had even proposed to her, but then everything had been ruined in an instant. Our lives were torn and warped until they were unrecognizable. There was the crash then what happened to Beth; a devastating one-two punch. First Terence had to fight to keep me with him he had to prove to the court he was capable of taking care of thirteen old me; even though he was only nineteen himself. For years, he managed to care for the both of us and raise me mostly by himself. He'd started being careful with money and quickly got a job that a friend of his had hooked him up with.

Five years ago felt like forever. Waking up in a hospital, being unable to see anything, being unable to move anything aside from my pupils; I had no strength. The next time I woke up, I could lift my eyelids, I could make out three blurry figures. The figures seemed to be arguing, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. A few days later, I could finally make out what they were saying, it was much easier because one of the them was shouting in this constantly silent room. “So what if I'm only nineteen, I'm going to take care of my little sister. No matter what!” At that time, he was a brother I felt nothing but pride and love for.

Healing from the accident was exhausting, once I could feel everything all I could feel was pain. Terence had to tie rubber gloves on me so I wouldn't constantly scratch my skin. I had a large scar right against my hairline on the left side of my face. My tongue and lips we're so swollen that I couldn't be understood for weeks. He was with me through all of it, helping me eat and staying with me whenever it had night terrors. I looked up to him, I knew he would always take care of me.

However, three years later, he was sentenced to two years in jail after assaulting an officer. The officer had used his position to try and force Beth into a sexual relationship at the age of seventeen. I still remember when Sapphire had called him at first he'd been happy asking how she was till he heard her sobbing. When he heard those sniffles his face instantly paled and his expression was laced with concern. He stood motionless, with tears falling on his own face, as she described her rape and begged for his forgiveness. "Saph, I will never not love you" With that we both got in the car and rushed to see her.

In her bedroom her sheets had been thrown into a pile and... an offending white substance had been placed in a baggy for evidence. Silver Spark hugged her, placing his chin on her cobalt blue hair, she cried into his shirt while his tear rolled down his chin and into her hair.

After spending hours comforting her he left me with her at our house and went to the police station with the evidence. Where he had a run in with the police officer who Sapphire had described, and immediately punched him in the face. He broke the cop's nose before he was pulled off him.

While the officer was discharged once the allegations were confirmed Terence still went to jail. When he was released he was different than I remembered him. He often drank and got into skirmishes with others. I felt disappointed in him; it felt like he had abandoned me, as if he didn't care about me or Sapphire anymore. The worst part was watching him destroying himself, I wouldn't believe this was my brother.