BRUISED & BROKEN

1. Gone

SEQUEL TO SINFUL INDULGENCE

CHAPTER ONE

“Bloom please come back or at least tell me you are okay,” My voice was slurred and bit hoarse too, “ I can’t sleep in peace or eat or…function. Just tell me you are okay,”

The voicemail cut and I almost threw my phone at the wall in utter aggression. Gripping at my over-grown, unkempt hair, I grunted. It had been two months; two whole months since I last saw her face. Why would she leave me like that? She ditched the party without informing me and completely cut me off from her life.

Two months ago,

“You are kicking the wrong person out. Trash like her belongs to the dirty part of the streets, ” I hated the sound of my own mother’s voice and to hear her sound so vile about the woman I cared about, made me angrier.

“I’m meeting you for the first time and I can ascertain that you don’t know me the same way I know nothing about you. I’m sorry if you had some idea about me but I’m not trash,” Bloom beat me into answering my mother, her voice controllably softly, her hand falling instinctively on her small baby bump. The protective instincts she had towards the baby were the same as the ones I had for her.

“Lets see. You had a shitty childhood with an irresponsible mother, ran away from home to move in with a lowlife thug and you cheated on him with some other guy. You didn’t even step in college. Barely a month working for the Callaghans and now they are divorcing because of your affair with Vincent. Before I could even breath, you are married to my son and carrying a child. I wonder which man that poor baby belongs to. Now tell me what’s trashier than a shameless slut, easily going through men? Is it for the money? Is to break marriages? Or is it just fun breaking hearts?”

“It was certainly nice to meet you, mother in-law,” Bloom cooked up a smile, quickly stepping out of the room and blindly rushing along the hallway before I could stop her.

When I attempted to go after her, mum was quick to stop me, standing at the door to bar my way out. Was she really doing this now when I was already beyond pissed at her words against Bloom?

“Get out of my way, mother, “I tried to keep the anger out of my voice but failed miserably at that.

“I’m not going to watch you waste away your life, Brandon, “she countered stubbornly.

“Waste my life?” I thundered, chuckling sarcastically, “You really have the nerve to say that on my face. If there was a time I wasted my life, was when I thought you and dad could be redeemed. If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self to run away from home so he wouldn’t have to deal with two shitty excuses of people calling themselves his parents!”

Her hand connected with my cheek hard, nostrils flaring. So she was angry about the truth? Why was she never this angry when she and dad ruined my childhood for me?

“I’m your mother. I could have aborted you if I wanted,” She countered.

“You know what? That would have been better,” I snapped back, pretty certain the veins on the side of my head had appeared now.

“Margaret, this is my house and Brandon is my grandson,” grandma spoke for the first time, “So you better step the f**k out of that door before I have you thrown in jail this time,”

Mom’s eyelids flattered. She was intimidated by grandma, always has. That’s why she didn’t dare object when grandma took me under her care when I was fourteen.

“I’m saving his life. That woman is only seducing him for his money,” Her voice was considerably softer now.

“That money belongs to me and my grandson. If Bloom, which is her name by the way, wants my grandson for the money, I’d be the one to kick her out, not you. I don’t know where you came from or who you are screwing now but if you ever dare show your face into Brandon’s life again or if something happens to Bloom and her baby, it’s me you are going to have to deal with. So now, while I’m asking nicely, get out of my house and I won’t have security drag you out,”

All the boisterousness she had been flaunting around suddenly left her. She looked at me, almost as though she wanted to say something abrasive then turned on her heels, walking out of the room. Chills shuddered through me and urge to let out a loud grunt was almost overwhelming. I sat down, grandma’s hands massaging my shoulders.

“What did I do to have her as a mother?” I whispered, trying to choke back the pain.

“You are nothing like her and so is Bloom,” she whispered back and I wanted to believe her words. No, I needed to believe her words. I was nothing like my parents and I could never be. I was just me; Brandon Montero who was actually liking a woman he has never f****d.

“You know I like Bloom, right?” I peered at her, smiling.

“I know that but I also feel like there are things you haven’t told me about the two of you. I obviously want to know everything but first, you need to find her. Go talk to her. God knows that poor girl is devastated by Margaret’s words,” She patted me on the shoulder as I nodded before she left me alone.

I wondered what Bloom thought of me now. Did my mother ruin whatever tiny chances were there of her liking me back? I stepped out of the room and I could hear grandma trying to restore party to its former excited order. My eyes scanned the crowd wildly but she was nowhere to be seen. The more I searched and not found her, the higher my anxiety hit me. Vincent hadn’t seen her either and I’d almost given up on it, thinking she probably went out to clear her head when Jenner walked in from outside.

“Hey, what’s with Bloom?” she asked, looking somewhat confused.

“What do you mean? Where is she?” I fired one question after the other.

“Well, I was out to clear my head and I saw her in the back of a taxi. I called her but she didn’t even turn to look at me. D-Did I upset her?” she questioned.

“Taxi?” I questioned.

“Yeah, I think it was almost ten minutes ago since it went away. Everything is okay, right?” she asked, looking at me.

“Yeah, everything is alright. My mum said some shitty things but I know Bloom will be back. She just needs some time,”

Except she didn’t come back. She left me just like that. No goodbye, no last words. Bloom Sullivan, just like every person I’d trusted would stay, left me. Two months later and I was barely a shadow of myself. I couldn’t eat or sleep without thinking of her. Had I been too much to handle? Had I scared her off when I asked her to stay? Was it perhaps my mother that made her leave? Only she held the answer to all these questions.