ing the solemn stare on his face. He looked down at her, recovering with a small smile. S

head. "Just thinking...few t

brother trying to stuff wha

prised for a moment before he chuck

ied in a teasing manner before her smi

but just like any other person, Linkoln had his demons that he had to work through. The worst

e times. As far as she knew, he had still been attending AA meetings but

lf, was confirmation of her fears. With great exasperation, she leaned over the second-floor balcony looking over the f

her say. "Everything is goin

ed her head again in further consideration, her golden-green gaze staring out of the window in the di

ed up at him, her intense stare alone seeming t

has that been?

g," King qui

he was too emotionally drained to drag it out of him. Her concern at th

g," Dallas expressed. "You know how ba

way with words, naturally able to charm his way out of or into anything, and because of this, he was quite popular. With that popularity came very questionable d

was worse than the rest of them-one that he was still f

I think

to be drinking like this. It'll only make things worse and...and the last time he went down

. "Well, then it's a good thing that I am

when they were younger, this making it easier for Linkoln to drag King down a dark hole of alcoholism with him. Dallas knew that it wasn't intentional; Linkoln was lonely on his path

y tough time right now-Linkoln particularl

r could lead to

let it," He said. "I have be

you stopped him,

and I cannot fully control what he does, Dallas.

ng his conscienc

may be tipsy but this hasn't been his norm since pop left." He continued down the hall toward the last room on the lef

ow what we have to

ontlines of problems with dad will d

to be," Dallas laid her head on her brother's arm, wrapping hers around hi

make thin

Dallas

l never know what

so much over the last few days but the dark cloud of grief looming over her would not let u

bedroom door and King wrapped his a

I know that you think that you should have been here but everything happens for a

s words as well as his warmth. After a few deep breaths, she calmed dow

rry," She

Time calls for it, so I'l

spot as if it'd make it any better.

eased. "Speaking of sloppy criers," He opened the do

th pink and purple accents surrounding it. There was a small sound coming from the cradle and immediate

" King said in a low voice. "G

d over and immediately noticed a small h

rried stemming from their Blackfoot heritage. Her hair was thick and dark in its wav

l in Portuguese. "She has the birthmark," She smiled loo

er changed, there was always another platinum blonde mark to be found somewhere in their hair. Beatricia's grew on each side of the nape of her neck, and while it too

ing smiled as he too found himself

na," She cooed. Dallas picked up the one-week-old infant and held her close to her heart,

es

alone when he op

because Dallas knew that King was well aware that it had never left her mind. Dallas always gave things

be there when

older brother and