Brenna and Laura’s relationship continued to develop over the months as did Sonny’s resentment. She often whined to Erin about it, but soon Erin had finally had enough.
“Oh why can’t you be fucking happy for her Sonny? After all the crap you put her through she deserves someone who will respect and love her.”
“Well thanks for the support Erin. I don’t know what the fuck Bree sees in Laura. She’s lame, boring…”
“She’s romantic, charming and it’s good to see a smile on Brenna’s face again. Maybe the thing she sees in Laura the most is she is nothing like you.”
Sonny eyes started stinging “what ever” and leaves the club.
--
Saturday night just after 7pm everything built up to a head. Brenna came down stairs with a bag packed. She handed some keys to Erin.
“Just go….. I can handle things.”
Sonny bounds in and sees Brenna and her bag “what, have you evicted yourself?” she laughs at her own joke.
“ha ha... No, Laura is taking me away for the weekend.”
“Ummm in case you didn’t know, it’s Saturday. You never take Saturday nights off.”
“Well things have changed, priorities change... I trust you guys to do the right thing.”
“So does responsibilities it seems.”
“Shut up Sonny” growled Erin.
“No I will not, this is your business perhaps you need to be reminded of that.”
Brenna face changed “why are you treating me this way Sonny? What is so wrong with wanting to have a life outside GirlZone? And why can’t you give Laura a chance? I really like her and we are so compatible...”
“Oh well that’s good. I guess that’s something you and I never were.”
Erin felt sick and Charli got in “hey come on Sonny let go get some air outside.”
“No” says Brenna “let her say her piece, come on Sonny get it all off your chest.”
“It doesn’t matter” she turns her back to walk away when Brenna grabs her arm.
“Don’t you dare fucking walk away from me. You want to know why we weren’t compatible, it’s because you never wanted to be. You always had some excuse why things between us never worked out.” Brenna was in tears “I loved you so much but you kept breaking my heart and now, I’ve finally met someone and you still manage to break my heart.”
Laura walks in “ready” and sees the wreckage of Brenna.
Brenna ran out, Laura eyed Sonny off, shook her head and went after Brenna
Sonny looked at the silenced room “well I’m glad that clears everything up” and went over to her equipment.
Charli sat at bar looking at Erin “wow what a power struggle”.
“More like Sonny having separation anxiety.”
--
The following week went by slowly. Neither Brenna nor Sonny talked much unless it was work related. Sonny felt guilty and couldn’t bring herself to look at Brenna.
Brenna was devastated that their friendship was falling apart after all their years.
Saturday had turned into Sunday and the girls all finished their usual after work drinks. The girls started to leave when Brenna spoke up.
“Umm Sonny can you stay back for a moment please?”
Sonny stopped, her stomach doing back flips, unsure of what was to come. Whether Brenna was going to fire her or maybe say something positive like her and Laura have split.
Sonny stood waiting and when Brenna looked like she was about to speak Sonny spilled.
“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry Brenna. I was out of line. I had no right to talk to you in that way. I’m a fucking jerk just please talk to me because I can’t stand this distance between us.” She said, her eyes stinging
Brenna nodded “I know... I’m just finding it so difficult with you. I guess we’ve just grown apart.”
Sonny kicked the floor “no we haven’t... really it was just me being stupid.” She reaches for Brenna and was hurt when Brenna backed away from her.
“I’ve always been there for you Sonny. I’ve supported you, loved you and I just can’t do it anymore. I’m not going to do it anymore”
“Are you giving up on me?”
Brenna avoided the question. “I need some balance in my life and Laura gives me that.”
“Oh so you’re choosing her over me, your best friend of how many years.”
“I don’t want to, but you are forcing me. If you would just try and get along instead of acting like a jealous lover.”
“Are you giving up on me?” pushes Sonny again, trying to hold back tears.
Brenna tears flowed freely “I don’t want to…. But I have to.”
Sonny felt like she had been hit in the stomach hard, she couldn’t breathe. “Oh jesus Brenna, don’t do this.”
Brenna cried “Please go upstairs and pack what’s yours and go home. You can’t stay over anymore.”
Sonny felt her head spin, she ran up the stairs to Brenna’s apartment slamming the door. She slid down the door crying.
Brenna sat at the bar, head in her hands crying as well. It was just like that night she found Sonny in their bed with another woman. The pain like something had been physically ripped from her. She wasn’t even convinced she was doing the right thing and never did when it came to Sonny.
Her thoughts were disturbed by a knock at club door. She ignored it until a voice called out claiming a mobile phone had been left behind and they needed it for work. Brenna broke her own policy of never opening the door once the club has shut.
Sonny slowly packed her bag. She looked at the photo on the TV of her and Brenna when they were together. They were on holiday in New Zealand and had just been white water rafting. As she put it down she heard a loud bang from down in the club. Sonny froze as it replayed that sound her head.
“Oh fuck”
Sonny raced down stairs and crashed through the door to the club to find Brenna on the floor, blood pooling from a wound in her chest.
“Brenna noooo” Sonny fell next to Brenna and held down the wound. She was yelling at Brenna but got no response. Sonny grabbed towels from behind bar and the phone, she also noticed the bar money tills were open. She called for ambulance and pressed the towels down hard on the wound.
Sonny was crying and yelling “Brenna please... Come on don’t give up on me... Don’t you dare leave me like this, please, please. Oh god please don’t let her die on me.”
Brenna was rushed into the ER, her limp body transferred to another bed. Sonny watched helplessly as they worked on her. They then rushed her out. Sonny went to follow when a nurse grabbed her.
“You can’t go, they’re taking her to surgery.”
Sonny could hardly hear the nurse.
“Let’s clean you up a bit, get rid of all that blood.”
Sonny looked down at her shirt and hands stained with Brenna’s blood. Her legs gave out and she crashed to the floor.
--
Sonny slowly sat up with the nurse’s help. She had a clean shirt on and her hands no longer had blood on them.
“It’s ok you just fainted. You’re alright now” she reassured.
It all rushed back to Sonny in one image “Brenna, where is she? I need to see her” panicked Sonny.
“Calm down, she’s still in surgery. Is there anyone I should call for her?”
Sonny shook head no, then yes “I need to call her girlfriend.”
Sonny sat in the waiting room when Laura came to the nurse’s desk.
“Where is she? Where is Brenna?” demanded Laura “is she alright?”
The nurse looked up and was about to say something
“Laura”
Laura turned around to see Sonny. “Is she ok? how did this happen?”
Sonny slow got to her feet. “I don’t know…. We locked up, I was upstairs when I heard the shot, and-”
“Upstairs... In the apartment. You were in Brenna’s apartment?”
“She must have let them in for some reason... I can’t understand that. Who ever they were stole all the nights takings and shot her.”
“Why were you in Brenna’s apartment?”
Sonny stared at her in disbelief “you are fucking kidding me right? Brenna nearly died in my arms tonight and all you’re worried about is me being in her apartment? Jesus Christ, I was packing my bags alright? She asked me to leave.” Sonny’s breath came in laboured pants.
“It was fucking lucky I was there or she would be dead right now…. You really are a fucking imbecile. She still could die and that’s what you are most worried about. You make me sick.”
Laura dropped her eyes “I’m sorry... Just... I’m a little insecure.”
“Why?? She’s given up on our friendship because of you... What the fuck have you got to feel insecure about?”
Sonny, shaking, returned to her seat and dropped her head into her hands. Laura went to the opposite side the room, both waiting for news.
3 hours later doctor came out looking for Brenna’s family. Laura and Sonny all but pounced on the doctor.
“It’s too early to tell but her condition is extremely critical, she lost a lot of blood. It will be at least 24 hours before we know for sure.”
Sonny eyes watered “What do we do now”
“You just need to wait, be patient, and pray.”
“Can we see her?” asked Laura.
“She can have only one visitor and it can only be family at this time.”
“Well that’s me. I’m her partner” stated Laura confidently.
“Hang on” said Sonny “I’ve known Brenna most of our lives, you only 3 months. You can’t just go and pull rank over me.”
“Sonny you are just her friend, no more and no less” Laura followed the doctor to Brenna.