Chapter Three

A small flame grew, feeding on the dry grass. At first, it was more smoke than flame, but it grew quickly. Soon a trickle of flame spread into the deeper grass, finding a feast of dry tinder. It only took moments for the flames to spread along the roadside, incinerating everything they touched. The stars came out to watch the pretty flames dance along the side of the road, their silent light pale compared to the orange and red glow.

***

I got off my shift at 2:30, so I headed over to our usual meeting spot. I pulled my car into the back corner of the West Hardware Store parking lot and walked along the edge of the crumbling asphalt toward the main building. My feet followed a worn path along the wall of the building, my hand trailing behind me on the warm plastic siding. The back lot of the store was deserted, piles of lumber sitting under big blue plastic tarps. I was the first person there, so I claimed a spot in the sun, pulling back the tarp to sit on the wood.

The sunshine was warm on my face, the day unseasonably nice. I had worn a light fleece jacket, one that I hadn't worn since coming home from college. It felt marvelous to just sit in the sun, soaking it up like a cat, losing myself to the blue sky. I could smell the sweet earthy perfume of wood and dirt mixed with scent of the warm plastic tarp. This was one of my favorite places. We used to all play hide-and-seek here when we were younger. It always felt safe here, like I could hide under these tarps and the world would disappear.

I put my hands in my jacket pockets and felt a hard plastic rectangle. It was my university's student ID card. My carefree mood slipped away like water through my fingers. I stared at the smiling person on the card, and her brown eyes stared back accusingly at me. Her smile mocked me; it was so confident, so ready to face any challenge. That girl had no idea what was going to happen.

I wanted to fling it across the lumber yard. I wanted to burn it. I wanted to throw it in a pit of fiery lava and watch it melt into black smoke that would just blow away and never bother me again. The girl in the picture ridiculed me because she was still innocent.

The sound of footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Luke towering over me, his thin frame dominating my vision. I sat up and he sat down where my feet had been. Luke was only a year older than me, but today he looked like he carried the weight of a much older man. His dark blonde hair was disheveled from running his hands through it, and the knot on his tie was crooked. I had a feeling he had tied it himself this morning and no one had fixed it for him. He sat hunched forward, his eyes focusing on a straggly weed trying to find a foothold near the back entrance. His hazel eyes held only defeat.

“You okay?” I asked, tucking the id card back in my pocket. I didn't want anyone to see it.

“Nope,” he said flatly. The custody hearing must have gone badly. My heart sank. Luke loved his little brother something fierce. He was seven years older than Tyler, but the two of them were always together. Luke was extremely protective of his little brother, and Tyler practically worshiped the ground Luke walked on. If Barb won custody, Tyler would be moving to California, and Luke would never get to see him. The thought broke my heart.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Nope.”

We sat there quietly, waiting for the others to arrive. I scooted closer to Luke, putting my head on his shoulder. His warmth was comforting, and he tipped his head to rest against mine. I could feel the worry emanating from him, his shoulders tense with anxiety.

Luke was the most loyal and trustworthy person I had ever known. He was always looking out for the little guy, making sure that no one ever got hurt. He looked out for me like a big brother. In seventh grade, when I had the misfortune of getting glasses and braces at the same time, Luke, the big strong eighth-grader, threatened to beat up all the kids who teased me about it. I had loved him after that. We went out on a date once in middle school, but it never went anywhere. He became the older brother I never had, but had always wanted.

He continued to look out for me in high school, always including me and helping me make new friends. There were six of us my freshman year. Luke, Britney, and Eli were a year older than Andrew, Jen, and I, but we all ate lunch together and hung out after school. I thought we were going to be friends forever because we were all so close, but that didn't work out.

Before we made the promise never to date within our group, Jen and Eli became a serious couple. For a while things were great, but then, as is common among high school couples, the two of them had a fight. It resulted in a bitter breakup, and made it awkward to be around either one of them. They refused to be in the same room as one another, and their split forced us to choose sides. The only reason the five of us were able to stick together was because Jen moved. After that, we all swore to never date within our group. Our friendships were too important to risk.

Our agreement worked. None of us dated and we all were still friends years after graduation. It was hard, and we had all been tempted to break the promise at some point, but we never did. It was what made our friendship so strong. I never thought we would change.

I felt Luke sigh underneath me. He felt shaky, like he was holding in sobs. I hated seeing him like this. Since Luke was my adopted big brother, I became Tyler's adopted big sis. I was worried for Tyler. The kid was the shyest person I had ever met. The only time he came out of his shell was if he was on stage. The kid could sing, act, and dance. Tyler said he could do it because he wasn't himself on the stage- he was the performer. Unfortunately, he was terrified of auditions and people he didn't know. This wasn't a problem in small school like ours; most of the cast of the school plays came from the drama teacher walking down the hallway and assigning parts to students.

If Tyler went to a bigger school, one where auditions actually mattered, he would retreat further into his shy little shell. He had made such progress this year. I worried what would happen to him if he was forced to go someplace new.

Luke shifted, and I raised my head to see several people walk around the corner of the building. Andrew was in the lead, looking tired and worn, with Eli and Britney following close behind. Our little gang was all here. Eli and Britney's faces fell as soon as they saw the state Luke was in. He wore a mask of awful disappointment. I knew how much he wanted to be the strong one, but his face betrayed his hurt.

Britney rushed forward and hugged Luke, whispering, “Aw, honey. It'll be all right.” Britney is the only person I have ever known that could get away with calling people “honey” and making it genuine. She smiled at him, sitting on his other side as Eli walked over and handed him a beer from his backpack. Luke popped the top and took a gulp. His hands shook slightly, but from what emotion, anger or disappointment, I wasn't sure. He let the half-empty can rest on his knee as he took a deep breath in, letting it out little by little.

“The judge said my dad wasn't as good a parental option as my mom,” he said slowly, his voice full of heartache. “He said that my dad works too much, that there isn't a strong paternal presence. He said I don’t count. The fucker said I didn't factor into 'the child's opportune growing environment.’ Bullshit! I practically raised that kid myself!”

Luke's voice continued to raise and started to crack as he continued. “Who does Tyler go to when he needs help with his homework? Me. Who drives Tyler to school? Me. Who cooks and does his laundry? Me! Mom is too busy with her little side business, and Dad's too busy with his store to even notice the kid. Grams and Gramps pay attention to him, but they are occupied with their retirement. That's why they fucking moved to California in the first place. But Mom has to go be near them and drag Tyler with her just because it will hurt Dad. Not a single person in that whole fucking courtroom gave a rat's ass what happened to Tyler!”

Luke screamed at no one in particular. He was breathing hard, his face turning red and highlighting the dried tear streaks.

I put my hand on his shoulder, feeling the rage burn through him. He lifted the can up to his lips and downed the rest of the beer. I wanted to cry, to yell in mutual frustration. We all sat quietly, unsure of what to say. Luke was usually the most grounded and calm of all of us. I could count on one hand the number of times I had heard him curse until today. This wasn't a side of Luke that we were used to seeing. I could see Britney biting her lip as she watched him, her face contorted with shared pain. Eli stood off to the side, his arms crossed and his eyes intentionally avoiding Luke. Andrew sat on a pile of wood, staring at the ground, his hands clasped before him. It was Andrew who finally broke the silence.

“I am so sorry, man. You and Tyler don't deserve that,” he said, meeting eyes with Luke.

Luke nodded curtly and stood up. He crushed the can under his foot and walked toward the store building, frowning at the weeds.

“I just don't know what to do,” he whispered. His shoulders slumped in defeat. The anger seemed to have burned through him, leaving him hollow. He turned around, his face had nothing but despair etched in it. “How do I fix this?”

Everyone was quiet. I wished I had an answer for him. I hated seeing my big strong protector so beaten. Britney stood up and hugged him, her tiny frame wrapping around his tall one like a vine around a tree.

“I don't think this is something you can fix by yourself, honey,” she said quietly. “I know that we will help you through this, though. You aren't in this alone. We all know how much you love Tyler. We all love that kid too. We will find a way to get him to where he belongs.”

Everyone nodded, murmuring words of encouragement, but it felt like so little.

“Have you talked to your mom about this at all?” Andrew asked as he fished in Eli's backpack for a beer. He found one and tossed it to Luke before pulling another one out for himself. He glanced over at Britney, his eyebrows raised in question as he opened the bag for another. She shook her head no, then released her hold on Luke but remained near to him. Andrew turned to me. I nodded, and he tossed one carefully in my direction, then left Eli's bag open and sitting against a wood pile.

“Like she listens to me. They still see me as a child. It's frustrating as hell,” he said popping, the top, but instead of drinking he just stared into the can.

“What about the lawyers?” I ventured, playing with the cold can. The weight felt good in my hands, but I had no intention of opening it.

Luke shrugged noncommittally. “My dad's lawyer said if we want to appeal, we need to prove a more stable home life, a better family structure or something. I wasn't paying much attention at that point.”

The silence hung like a cold mist among us. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't pleasant either. We all were just looking for the right words to say. Searching for words that would make this better, but unable to find any.

“Thank you guys for being here today. It means a lot,” Luke said quietly. A cloud crossed in front of the sun, making the sunny yard suddenly gloomy. He looked around at everyone, the corners of his lips curling up in an attempted smile that didn't reach his eyes. Britney hugged him again and then sat down next to me.

“Anytime, bro. Anytime,” Eli replied, setting down his can on the ground. He smashed it with his foot, the metallic crunch punctuating his sentence before he dove into his backpack for a second. I played with my own can, feeling the cool metal slide against my skin. I didn’t want to open it; I didn’t want the responsibility that came with it. Too many memories.

I caught Andrew looking at the can, unopened in my hands. His dark eyebrows twitched together, curious as to why I wasn’t enjoying the beer like I used to. I set the beer down next to me on the wood, hiding it from his line of sight. I turned to Luke, ignoring the questioning look Andrew shot toward me.

“Luke, you know we'll help you out any way we can. We are here for you,” I smiled at him. He smiled back halfheartedly, tossing his empty can to the ground and stuffing his hands deep into his pockets. He kicked the empty beer can toward a tarp covered pile. It pinged hollowly through the small space.

Britney stood up and starting walking toward Luke. “I'm really sorry, Luke, but I have to get to work. My shift starts in a little bit. Come by though, and I'll get you a drink or two on the house,” she said, giving him a hug. He held onto her, drawing from her strength. I could see her whisper into his ear, and he pulled her in closer before letting her go. She waved to the rest of us, hoisting her purse onto her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner of the hardware store.

Luke paced between the lumber pile and the back of the building, kicking the aluminum beer can every time he passed it. The repeating kick then ping seemed to tick away the moments like a clock as Eli, Andrew, and I sat there, counting the number of metallic pings. The sun began to set behind the mountains, sucking the rest of the day's warmth with it, but turning the sky brilliant shades of orange and gold. I messed with my jacket, wishing that I had worn a heavier one. Eli's phone began to sing some sort of rap song, but he picked it up before I could recognize any of the lyrics.

“Hey... yeah, I'll pick up some milk on the way home. Be there soon.” Eli hung up his phone and picked up his backpack. “Luke, man, I'll see you tomorrow. Tyler will be okay. He's a good kid.”

Luke nodded, his hands somehow going deeper into his pockets. Eli clapped him on the shoulder as he walked toward the path to the parking lot, then disappeared into the darkness.

“I’ve got to get home too. Holly, could you give me a ride? Britney dropped me off so I don't have my car,” Andrew said as he stood up. I nodded and hoisted myself up as well, grabbing the tarp and pulling it back over the wood. Andrew and Luke grabbed the other tarps, putting the space back together. It felt cold and distant when everything was back in place, our perfect spot nothing more than an illusion. It made me sad.

Luke walked with us back to the front of the store. He stood in front of the glass door, the light spilling out onto the sidewalk and casting dark shadows across his face. He looked so tired, so broken. I hugged him tightly, wishing I had a way to fix this. I wanted so badly to wave a magic wand and make his world bright again. As I let go of him, Andrew gave him a hug as well. The three of us stood there for a moment, all looking at one another, not really wanting to break apart. None of us wanted to be alone, but we had no reason to stay.

A customer opened the door and brushed past Luke, breaking the spell. Luke sighed and went inside, turning the sign to “Closed”. I could see him heading toward the register to start closing up for the night, but he turned and waved. Andrew and I waved back, and began walking to my car in the far corner of the lot. The streetlamp sputtered to life, the electrical hum filling the empty lot with light.

I unlocked the car door, and Andrew slid into the passenger seat, kicking an empty grocery bag out from under his feet. The engine whirred to life, heat slowly trickling through the vents after an initial blast of cold air and the radio playing some oldies. I pulled onto the main street and began heading toward Andrew's house. We sat quietly until I turned onto his street. Andrew’s house was the last one on the block but I stopped before I reached it.

“Do you have to get home right away?” Andrew asked, breaking the silence. I shook my head, and he grinned at me. That grin made my heart jump. “I don't want to go home yet. I haven't gotten to see you much since you got back. Can we just sit and catch up?”

I nearly slammed the brakes, but instead managed to pull over and park the car. I had forgotten the effect Andrew could have on me. He sighed, unbuckling his seat belt. I glanced over at him, wondering if he knew how much I had missed him. How much I missed just hanging out and being near him.

“Why don't you want to go home?” I asked, turning the music down to just a gentle murmur in the background. Andrew shrugged, looking out the window and playing with the bag under his feet. “Come on, Andrew. You know you can always tell me anything.”

“I got a letter in the mail today about my scholarship,” he started slowly. He stared out the window, avoiding my eyes. He sighed, his breath fogging up the window. “I didn't want to say anything around Luke. There was more than enough bad news for one day without me adding mine.”

“What did the letter say?”

“My scholarship is going to expire. They gave me a grace period, with my dad dying and everything, but they can't save it for me any longer. If I don't go next fall, I lose it.”

I exhaled slowly. I knew Andrew dreamed of going to medical school someday. Ever since he helped a kid who broke his arm on the playground, he wanted to be a doctor. He was always looking up medical stuff and volunteering at a free clinic in the city. I always thought he would be halfway there by now, not still stuck in this small town and living with his mom.

“Why don't you go? Your mom would understand.”

“I wish I could," he said. He sighed, before continuing. "Do you know what happened the last time I left my mom alone for a weekend, let alone long enough to go to school? She called the cops and reported me a missing person. She doesn't know how to be alone anymore. I can't leave,” Andrew said, sounding exasperated and tired. “She won't let me have my own life, but she doesn't even realize she's taking it from me.”

He sounded so alone in the dark. So lost and forlorn. I wished I could take the pain away from his voice, absorb it into myself so he wouldn't have to have it anymore.

“I'm sorry,” I said, saying the only thing I could think of. I could see his shadow shrug, his head slowly turning back toward me.

“It's not your fault. I'm just so frustrated. The worst part is she doesn't even realize she is doing it. I hate that I'm stuck in this stupid town because she doesn't know how to be alone anymore. I hate it here. There is nothing I want here anymore,” he said into the darkness. I was glad the night hid my features. Nothing I want here. I knew this had nothing to do with me, but I wanted to cry. The insinuation stung.

“I'm sorry,” I repeated softly.

“I didn't mean it like that, Holly. I just… I just don't want to be here anymore. I want to get away from this place. Away from the memories. I feel like I am just spinning my wheels here while the world passes me by.” He rubbed his forehead, trying to figure out how to say what he was trying to say. I stayed quiet this time, not really trusting my voice. Andrew could always tell when I had been crying, or was about to cry. It was like a superpower of his. An awkward silence started to fill the car, but before I was forced to reply, Andrew's phone began to wail.

“Hey Mom. No, I... I'm fine, Mom. I'm actually with Holly. We just stopped to talk for a little bit... Mom says hi, Holly,” he said as he leaned back in the seat. I could see his shoulders sag from an invisible weight as he spoke with his mother. “I'll be home in a little bit. Just turn the thermostat up a little... yes, please start dinner. That sounds great, Mom.” A moment later he put his phone back in his pocket and sighed.

“Tell me your troubles,” I said, turning toward him.

“What? No.” He shook his head.

“Come on. We used to talk all the time. Talk to me. If nothing else, vent. Get it out. No judging here. Everything stays in the car, you know the drill,” I coaxed. He sighed and flung himself back into the seat. It took a moment, but he started talking.

“Mom 'forgot' to get the groceries again this week,” he said flatly.

“I remember-- I saw you at the store. You said she wasn't up for it.” I nodded encouragingly.

He sighed and continued. I closed my eyes, imagining the scene he was laying out. I could see his mom, the setting of his house, the way their kitchen somehow always smelled of fresh bread.