Silent treatment

"I won’t meet with you, Ryan" I said, disregarding the concern that tugged at my shirt.

"Then I'll come to you," Ryan pressed on.

My gaze flicked from Franklyn in my passenger's seat to my wrist watch, it was 9 in the evening and we were both exhausted.

"Whatever it is can wait till tomorrow..."

"It can't, we need to meet now!" Ryan bellowed, his tone mingled with both urgency and entitlement.

I’ve heard this time before. Scratch that, I’ve heard it many times.

My mind flicked, wondering if this one of those times he was looking for someone to bail him out of trouble, and clean up his mess.

"I need to see you, now." He insisted.

"You can't order me around, Ryan," I replied, trying to sound as calm as I could. “Say what you need.”

“Why do you think I need something?” He snapped.

I palmed my face, rubbing my temples gently.

This boy would not raise my blood pressure. Not tonight, Satan.

“Didn't you say we were no longer family?” I asked him.

“Don’t ever think that I called you