Damn Dress: A Love Story Ch. 04

Brandon couldn't remember where the fuck he was. He woke up in the back seat of someone's car. It looked slightly familiar, but his head was pounding and he couldn't think straight. His stomach felt like it was twisted in several knots and he started to feel the tell signs that whatever was in, was about to come out.

He swiftly forced open the door and vomited outside of the car.

He looked down and all he had on were his jeans and shoes. No shirt. He clumsily got out of the car avoiding his own puke and rubbed his eyes. He surveyed his surroundings, not recognizing anything. In the distance, all he could see was a house and some figure sitting on the steps with a blue light flashing across their face. Maybe a cell phone light?

He glanced around again and finally recognized his Jeep. Then he turned back around to the house and realized it was his. 'Fucking hell, I must be wasted,' he thought. He staggered across the driveway and up the steps.

Darren closed his cell phone as Brandon approached and sat down beside him. Darren passed him a cold bottle of water. He poured some in his mouth, spit it out and then poured some more and swallowed. The water felt so cool against his burning throat. He slid the rest of the liquid over his head flattening out his hair and running over his body. He felt like his skin was on fire, so the water was a welcome treat.

"Are you okay now?" Darren asked patting him on the back.

"Don't I look okay?" Brandon teased, flashing him a weak grin.

"You know there's going to be some questions about tonight, right?" Darren continued.

Slowly the memory of tonight's events came pouring into his head. Now he remembered what the hell was going on. 'Fuck,' was all he could think.

**************************

Sienna and her father were still not on speaking terms. And the presence of this new guy, Chris Warner in their home was upsetting her even more. She was still shocked that her father's plan had lasted this long.

The last time she had seen Brandon was over 3 weeks ago when he had stopped by to see her father. She had been so excited to see him. She had planned to wait for him outside of her father's study, but figured that would give their little secret away.

So instead, she waited upstairs. But about 10 minutes later she heard the front door open, then close, then open again and close a final time. She scurried to her window as Brandon walked quickly to his Jeep, got in and tore out of their driveway.

A few minutes later Jackson had come upstairs and laid down the law. No cell phone, no laptop, no car, no credit cards! Nothing!

"You can't do that!!" Sienna had screamed at him.

"Yes, I can. Until you can pay for those things, then you will live by my rules in my house! I mean it, Sienna. You are to stay away from him," Jackson warned her.

Sienna was trying her best to not cry, but tears started to spill over the rim of her eyes. When he walked out of her room, taking her cell phone, laptop and car keys with him, she had thrown a porcelain dolphin at her door, which loudly broke into several pieces.

She and her father argued for a week straight about her relationship with Brandon. Her father tried to explain to her why he wanted them apart. He's too old for her, he has personal issues he has to deal with, blah blah blah was all she heard. She didn't give a damn if Brandon was an alien and had a wife and kids on another planet. She loved him, and her father was not going to keep her from him.

She had tried to escape on several occasions, but it usually ended with Jackson picking her up and carrying her back to the house with her kicking and screaming like a little girl.

Finally, her dad pulled his last high card. He told her if she didn't control herself for these next few weeks, then he would pull her tuition at Spelman College. That stopped her in her tracks. She had dreamed about going to Spelman ever since she was a little girl.

And to prove to her that he was serious, he had his money for her Stewart Living and Learning Center refunded. Instead of her privileged housing, she now was forced to some random dorm on the far side of campus with no air conditioning.

She and Lori would be traveling together a month and a half from now for school. Lori didn't get into Spelman, but she got into Clark Atlanta University which was only a few miles away. The two of them had been planning everything together since freshman year of high school.

The thought of many years of planning just going down the drain made her sick. But she wanted Brandon. She hated her father.

And she didn't make life easy at their house for Chris either. She resented him being there. Chris Warner's father and her dad were great friends who had served together. Chris was 19 and had just finished up his first year at Annapolis. His dad thought it best if he spent a week or two with Jackson to see what it takes to make it in the Navy.

Sienna had to admit that he was a nice guy. And good looking. His dad was black and his mom was native Hawaiian, and he had grown up in Hawaii. He had beautiful eyes and a beautiful smile. He seemed to smile all the time, actually. She wondered what kind of soldier he would make. He definitely seemed like the kind that you see in those news stories that have the soldier giving the little native children a piggy back ride.

But she didn't feel the need to talk to him. Or get to know him. She knew she was being a bitch, but she didn't care. She wanted to make her father and anyone else around as miserable as she felt.

But it had now been close to 3 weeks and she hadn't seen Brandon. She was going stir crazy in that house. She tried to keep herself busy so her mind wouldn't wander off to Brandon Temple. Her heart seemed empty without him. Her body seemed numb without his touch.

But today she was fed up and she had devised a plan. She stomped down stairs towards her father's study. She opened the door and walked in not caring if she was interrupting him.

"Daddy, if you want me to go to this Veteran's Ball next week, I need to buy a dress and get my hair done. If I can't have either of those, I'm not going," she said to her father while tapping her feet.

The Commander looked up and sighed at his daughter. It was the first civil words she had spoken to him in weeks. He leaned back in his chair and took his glasses off.

"Alright," he said. "Can you tell Chris to come in here?"

Sienna couldn't believe it was that easy. Yes! Finally she could see Brandon. She would use her Dad's car and drive over to his house immediately.

She went running out of the room and up the stairs. She barely passed by the guest room to yell at Chris that her father wanted to see him before she ran into her room and threw on a pair of cute, ass-hugging denim jeans and an off the shoulder yellow shirt.

On her way back down the steps she saw Chris standing there with keys in hand.

"Hey, there you are. Ready to go?" he said with a smile.

"What? I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Um, well your dad said that I could take you around today and keep you company," Chris said with a smile.

Sienna deflated right there in front of Chris. Her father was too much. She didn't need a fucking babysitter! But she figured it best to try and get out of the house, shake Chris and go find Brandon.

"Fine, whatever," she said stomping past him.

Chris followed her out. This was going to be a long day.

*******************

Brandon knew that the Commander had Sienna on lock down, but he was determined to see her. He had driven by their house several times trying to catch a moment when Jackson was gone and he could sneak in. But Jackson rarely left.

He had called her cell phone leaving countless messages until a few days ago when it had been disconnected. Then he tried calling the main house line, but the Commander would just hang up on him.

But he caught a break today while on base. He saw the Commander pull up in his car and grab some papers out of his front seat and walk into his office.

Brandon dropped everything he was doing and ran to his Jeep. He drove in record speed to Jackson's house, pulled up and jumped out of the Jeep. He ran to the door and knocked. No one answered. He knocked again and called her name, but still no answer. He looked through the glass window to the right of the door. The lights were all out.

'Where the fuck is she?' he thought to himself. Now he was starting to get pissed. He had thought all this time that she was being held prisoner, but maybe that wasn't the case. He was losing it. Slowly, but surely. He needed to talk to her. He needed to hold her. He needed her.

***********************

"Oh, baby girl, your hair is so beautiful," Miss Mona raved over Sienna's full mane.

"Thanks Miss Mona. Um, can I ask a favor?" Sienna asked as she bit her lip. She was nervous for some reason.

"Sure honey, what is it?"

"Can I use your phone for a moment? My cell phone battery is dead," she lied.

Miss Mona smiled down at Sienna. She had been coming to her hair salon ever since her mother left years ago. "Of course, just go in the back. You don't have to dial anything to get out."

Sienna jumped up, "Thank you!" She ran to the back room and was about to pick up the phone and dial when out of nowhere, Chris jerked it from her hands.

Sienna stood there for about 2 seconds with her mouth open before she launched into him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she shrieked at him.

Chris stood there for a moment looking uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry Sienna, your father told me to watch you. He said you weren't allowed to leave my sight and that you weren't allowed to use any phones. I really hate doing this, but I don't want to let the Commander down," he stated with a tiny smile and shrug of his shoulders.

Sienna was in hell. Officially. She broke down right there in front of him. She slumped to the ground and pulled her knees against her chest and sobbed.

Chris was stunned. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know everything that was going on, but Commander Branson had told him that Brandon Temple or BT as everyone called him, was to stay away from Sienna and she was to stay away from him.

He really liked Commander Branson. His father had always spoken so highly of him over the years. And he seemed like a great guy. It made Chris feel like a burden though, coming in on their family during this stressful time.

His first day there, he never even saw Sienna. She was locked up in her room, and she refused to come down to meet him. Over the course of a few days he caught glimpses of her here and there. Mostly he just heard her. In screaming matches with her father or breaking something.

He'd never seen someone act that way. In his house back home, his father was all about discipline. He nor his sister could have ever behaved that way.

But seeing her like this now, crumpled to the floor and crying, he felt so sorry for her.

"I'm really sorry, Sienna. Trust me, this isn't what I want to be. I just want to be your friend. Not some kinda of freaking warden. I'm, well I really am very sorry."

Sienna wiped her face. She hadn't meant to cry in front of him. She was sick of crying. She stood up and walked out of the back room and Chris followed.

She quickly paid Miss Mona and walked to Chris's car. She leaned up against it and sighed.

"So...where to next, princess?" Chris asked trying to lighten the mood.

"I don't care. Home, I guess," was her solemn answer.

"No, today's your one day of freedom. You still have to get a dress and if you want, we could stop by a friends house or something. Anything you want to do. I'm at your beck and call."

Sienna stared at him for a second. He had to be on drugs to be this chipper all the time. But she thought about it. She really didn't want to go back home. She was sick of that house.

"Okay, well, do you mind if we pick up my friend Lori, and then go dress shopping?" she asked trying to slow her sniffles.

"Sure, anything you want," he said with his classic smile.

"Okay. Just keep me out as late as possible. I just don't want to go home yet."

Sienna got in the car and turned to him. "Oh, and thank you," she said quietly.

He nodded and they drove off.

*************************

"Goddamn it!!" Brandon screamed as he hurled the cell phone across the room. It shattered against the wall.

"Shit, Brandon, what the fuck?!" Terry said, after watching his cell phone fly through the air and smash against the wooden paneling in their usual dingy bar. "You're paying for that shit man. And you know Alice freaks out when I don't call her every 15 minutes when I'm hanging out with you guys."

Brandon ignored him. That was the fifth cell phone he had used that night trying to get in touch with Sienna. He still was upset with the fact that she wasn't at home earlier that day. If she wasn't with her dad, she could have found some type of way to get in touch with him. But nothing. No emails. No phone calls. No visits. Nothing.

Brandon let his head fall against the table with a loud thud, knocking over the several bottles he had drained earlier that night. He was losing his fucking mind.

This was miserable. Fucking torture. He felt homicidal. Who the fuck did the Commander think he was? He didn't know Brandon if he thought that he would just turn his back on this special young woman who held his heart. Mind. Soul. No, the Commander didn't know him at all.

That was it. He had to see her. Tonight. Fuck anyone who tried to stop him.

He knew he was drunk but he didn't give a shit. He grabbed his keys and walked toward the door of the bar.

Darren followed. "Where the fuck are you going?" he asked.

Brandon didn't answer. He just hopped into his Jeep and sped off. He prayed he wouldn't get pulled over. He would be in so much trouble if he got a DUI. And as much swerving as he was doing, a cop would definitely stop him. And since it was only about ten o'clock, he figured every officer was on the road tonight. But whatever.

He didn't know what he was going to do, but he had to see her. She was his family. The only family he now had since Jackson had disowned him. That day had hurt. A few weeks back when the Commander had considered him a disappointment. That had stung like nothing he had ever felt before.

He pulled up in their driveway for the second time that day. Or what he thought was the Commander's driveway, and almost fell out of his Jeep. It had been a long time since he had been this shit faced. Women could cause a man to do that from time to time. Never him though. Until Sienna 'fucking' Branson!

He slowly and not so gracefully made it up the steps and beat on the front door.

At first, no one answered. He was about to pound again when Commander Branson answered the door wearing his black robe and reading glasses, his face sporting a frown.

"Brandon, go home," he said to him as he opened the door.

"No. I need to see her now. Right fucking now!" Brandon slurred.

Jackson took in the state of the young man. His eyes were red, his hair disheveled and he was having a hard time standing straight. He had obviously had a rough night of drinking. Jackson sighed and started to close the door.

Brandon stuck his foot through the door and kicked it back open. The Commander's eyes widened.

"Brandon, go home now, before you get yourself in a lot of trouble!" Jackson warned.

Brandon shook his head. He knew he was losing it. He kept scanning over Jackson's head looking down the hallway for Sienna. Then he looked back at Jackson.

"If you don't want anything to do with me anymore, then fine. Fuck you! But I swear to God, you try and take her from me..." Brandon trailed off with his threat.

"You'll what?" Jackson asked. He was so tired. Physically and emotionally.

Brandon looked around Jackson again. "Sienna?!" he shouted.

"She's not here," Jackson answered.

"Where is she?" Brandon pleaded.

"Brandon, go home!" Jackson told him as he slammed the door in his face.

Darren pulled up in the Commander's driveway when he heard Brandon yelling a string of profanities against the door.

"Where the fuck is she?!" Brandon screamed again while kicking the door. "Ten fucking years and you want to kick me out of your home like I'm nothing?!! You try to keep her away from me and I will fuck your life up! You hear me, you piece of shit?!!"

Darren sprinted up to the door and tried to calm him down.

"Come on man, let it go," he tried to persuade Brandon and pull him away.

Brandon shook his arm off and started kicking the door again.

"Fuck him! Open the Goddamn door you son of a bitch!"

"Jesus, BT come on man. Fuck!" was all Darren could say.

"Goddamn it!!! Sienna!!" Brandon shouted again pushing away from Darren and kicking the door.

Inside the Commander blew another sigh. He didn't want to do it, but he grabbed his telephone and called the Shore Patrol. He'd rather turn Brandon over to them since he had some pull with that department as opposed to the local police. He was sure Brandon had woken up everyone in his neighborhood.

And he knew Brandon. He had total control over his professional life. He was the kind of guy you wanted next to you in a jungle of some hostile country or some remote desert crawling around amongst the enemy. He had insane accuracy and was extremely disciplined.

BUT...in his personal life, his emotions got the best of him. He knew that Brandon could keep this up all night and possibly hurt Darren in the process.

Even while on the phone, the Commander could still hear his muffled voice through the door.

"You don't want me as a part of your family anymore, huh?! Well, I just might be in nine months, MOTHERFUCKER!!!" Brandon screamed while kicking the door as hard as he could, and it flung forward.

Darren wrapped his hand around Brandon's mouth trying to get him to shut up. He pulled him back as hard as he could but Brandon was pulling him toward the partially open door.

Darren had to practically wrap his lower legs around Brandon to slow him down. That's all he could do. When Brandon reached level 10...you can't stop him. You can only slow him down. Like the fucking Tasmanian Devil he thought to himself.

"BT, get a fucking grip!" Darren yelled at him while trying to tackle him to the ground, ripping Brandon's shirt to shreds in the process.

"Where the fuck is she?!" Brandon tried to yell but came out as more of a hoarse whisper. Suddenly he felt weak and light-headed. The alcohol, mixed with anger and lack of sleep started affecting him.

Shore Patrol showed up just in time. Officer Silas and Officer Kent pulled Brandon from Darren and handcuffed him. Brandon felt his stomach churning. He couldn't hold in any longer when he threw up on the lawn as they were walking him to the Patrol car.

Once they had him securely in the back seat, Officer Silas walked back up to the Commander's door as Jackson was coming out. He stopped to survey the door and shook his head.

"Hey Commander Branson, we're sorry for all of this. We tried to get here as quickly as possible. What would you like us to do with him? Maybe a day or two in holding?" Officer Silas asked.

"No, he just needs some rest tonight. And I'm fine, so no harm done. Other than a new door," Jackson answered while trying to get it back on the hinges. "I just didn't want him to harm himself or anyone else. Darren, could you take him home?"

"Of course, sir," Darren replied when suddenly there was a loud crash of glass. All three men looked toward the SP car and they saw Officer Kent jumping out of the car.

Darren took off running towards it. "You fucking idiot! BT, chill the fuck out man! Christ!"

"Motherfucker," Silas muttered under his breath. He walked over to the car to find his back seat, left-side window completely gone. All that remained was the glass scattered on the driveway. Brandon had kicked the window out and was now passed out.