"I just assumed you wouldn't go unless she did."
"I'd go, just not tonight. I'm not really in a party mood with Dean in the hospital and Jake still missing."
"There's nothing you can do about that. Sitting home worrying about it doesn't make it better. C'mon, Brook, just go out for a couple hours. We'll come pick you up."
"Thanks, but I'm going to stay home. Maybe some other time."
"Okay. Talk to you later."
I turn on the TV and flip through the channels. I'm really bored. Maybe I should've gone to the party but I'm really not in a party mood. And being around all of Dean's friends would just make me miss him more.
I hope Dean gets out of the hospital soon. When he does, he'll be going home to a mess. When Danny went over there to get Dean's phone, he said Joe had trashed the house. He said stuff was thrown all over the floor and there was blood on the kitchen counter.
I can't let Dean go home to that. I need to go clean it. Maybe I could get the guys to help.
I call up Danny.
"Hey, it's me again," I say.
"Change your mind about the party?"
"No. I was calling to see if you'd help me clean up Dean's house. Didn't you say it was all messed up?"
"It was a disaster. His dad must've been looking for money because he tore the place apart. And that was just the living room. I didn't see the bedroom but I'm guessing it's a mess too."
"I don't want Dean coming home to that. Would you and the guys be willing to help me clean it?"
"I think we could do that. I'll talk to them tonight. When are you thinking?"
"Maybe tomorrow?"
"It'll have to be in the afternoon," he says with a laugh. "After the hangover wears off."
"That works. Just let me know what time. Oh, and can you pick me up?"
"Sure. This is a good idea. I wasn't thinking about his house. I'll text you in the morning."
"Great! Thanks, Danny."
This will be good. We'll get in there and clean, and maybe we'd even have time to fix the walls. And we could get Dean a new couch as a welcome home gift. The old couch is ripped and stained and the cushions sink down so low you can feel the springs. It's not good for Dean to sleep on that, especially when he's healing from his injuries. If we all chipped in some money, we could afford to get Dean a new couch. There's a discount furniture store near his house. I pass by it on the bus and there's a couch in the window that would be perfect. I'm getting excited just thinking about this!
I spend the rest of the night making a list of things that need to be cleaned or fixed at his house, including work that needs to be done on the outside. I don't know if we'll get it all done but we can try.
The next morning I wake up even more excited about this last-minute project, wanting to go over there right now to get started. Danny texted me saying the guys would be over there around two. It's later than I was hoping for but at least they agreed to it. Eve shouldn't give those guys such a hard time. They're not as bad as she thinks.
"Brook?" My mom knocks on my bedroom door.
"Yeah?" I call back.
"Are you almost ready?"
"Ready for what?"
She opens the door, looking shocked when she sees me still in bed. "Why aren't you ready?"
"For what?"
"Brunch! We have to leave in five minutes!"
