“So, you’re giving up on us?”
I exhale, letting my head fall back on the headrest. “Sure. If that’s what you want to call it.”
The line goes dead, and I look up to see Gabe still staring at me before I pull out of the parking lot.
18
ASH
MAY PRESENT DAY
When I enter Gran’s house, Shane’s lounging on the couch, flipping through channels.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, closing the door behind me.
Being away from Maggie was eating me alive, so I took the weekend off and went home to Raleigh to be with her.
“Nik’s pissed at me again. I stayed here last night. Probably be staying here again tonight,” he says without looking back at me.
“You do realize I’m selling this place. You can’t use it as your oasis from reality anymore.”
“Well, you haven’t sold it yet, have ya?”
That’s when I notice the credit card and straw sitting on the coffee table. “Are you kidding me?” I smack the back of his head from behind the couch.
“Ow! What?” He grabs his head.
“Please tell me you didn’t come here to do drugs. What the hell is wrong with you?” I point at the evidence on the table.
“What?” He suddenly realizes he’s left his shit out. “No. It’s not like that. I—” He cuts off as I stare at him with crossed arms.
“You what? Knew Nik would have your ass if she knew you were high, so you came here to do it instead?” I flop down next to him. “Shane, this shit has to stop. When I talked to Nik a couple days ago, she said you were really trying this time. What happened?”
“I was! I mean, I am. I fucked up. But I swear, everything’s fine.”
I shake my head. “You can’t keep doing this. We love you, but this is hurting everyone, including you.”
He hangs his head. “Yeah. I know.”
I stare at him for a moment, wishing I could will him into staying clean before standing from the couch and clapping my hands together. “Okay, well, I’m not gonna pretend I’m capable of kicking you out, so let me make you some dinner, and maybe we’ll try again tomorrow. Yeah?”
He nods without making eye contact.
“Shane, you can do this. I know you can.” I briefly place my hand on his knee before heading to the kitchen.
The rest of the evening we watch movies and eat spaghetti on the couch in front of the TV. It’s like it was when we were little and we’d spend the summer with Dad, but this time, I’m the one taking care of Shane.
“Are you gonna at least call and tell her you’re here?”
He shakes his head. “She knows.” He flips through the options on Netflix.
“I know she worries, though. She might appreciate knowing that you’re okay.”
He shakes his head again.
“God! Do you even give a rat’s ass about her?”
“Don’t start, Ash.”
