Chapter 11

                                    

                                          
"Michael, please talk to me," Holly pleaded.
"I am talking to you."
They were coming from a meeting where they'd discussed everything taking place at the ranch and he'd been all business about it. She figured he had been mad at her for too long and was desperate to put an end to it because she could not take it anymore.
"As my business associate? I want my brother back. I want the guy who gives me bear hugs when I'm sad or teases me about the music I listen to or bullies me when I do something stupid. I want that guy." 
His expression softened. "It's always been about you, Holly. Everything, it has to revolve around you. It didn't start when we found out the truth about you, no. It started when you were born, only back then it was cute and we all loved doting on you." 
Holly watched him as he spoke.
"It's not just about Nick or your marriage to him, it's about everything else in between. You left us after Cassie and I asked you not to. She lost Lana, her best friend, but because you were hurting, no one turned to comfort her, no." 
The truth in his words tore her apart and made her feel completely selfish.
"Did you ever ask her how she was doing?" he asked. "Would you like to know what I went through?" He went and sat on the desk of the study and faced her. "My friends started talking smack about you and because I was your big brother, it was my responsibility to protect you. I was an adult and I was getting into fights and for what, so that you could run away? Neither Cassie nor I wanted you to leave. We may not have voiced our reasons back then, but you should have known."
He released a soft laugh as he gestured with his hands.
"You went to New York, you got married and never cared to tell any of us. You left us all here to deal with the mess you'd left behind and moved on as though we were no longer part of your life." 
It pained her to hear him say those things.
"You came back and like the prodigal son, we all welcomed you with open arms. How long will you stay this time before you leave again? What will you do now to mess it all up again so that you can run away and leave us to fix it for you?" 
He got up at that point, took his things and walked out.
Holly felt tears burning her eyelids and replayed everything he'd just said, word for word until it hurt too much to think about it. She'd known she'd hurt her family, but she'd never imagined they'd been so negatively affected by what had happened. 
She wondered if Cassie was just as hurt and was waiting for the right moment to let it all out.
"Holly?" 
At Nick's voice, she straightened up and pushed away the tears. 
"I need to talk to you," he said.
"Not now, Nick." She didn't want to hear anymore about how much she'd hurt all those around her.
"Please, Holly."
She took a deep breath and motioned him to speak his piece.
"I've always loved you." He started, and the tears she'd forced away started finding their way through her tear ducts.
"I came here with the intention of winning you back, but I realize now that won't happen. I've been thinking, and I realize now that I've never said that I'm sorry." 
The tears had nothing stopping them now.
"I'm sorry we lost Ryan, and I'm sorry for the pain his loss caused you."