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He turned out of the airport and onto the road that took us to the beach It was a forty-five-minute drive to where Garrett had moved But I hadn’t seen his new place I didn’t knohere he worked I didn’t know the guys he hung around with

The guilt ate away atabout his daily life And this was the time I needed that information the most

I stared out theas the sports car clie I looked down below at the sailboats in the ray dreary day The kind that made me want to curl under the covers and sleep until the clouds passed A day I’don crosswords A day we could lock ourselves away from the reality of my family

I wish I kne to do that How to build a wall around the cracks in my heart to spareclaws that wanted to drag me down into depths I couldn’t escape I was so lost in it until I hn He un-broke me

And it never felt ht now

Our ured out how to live with a new focus A new goal One that didn’t include Garrett’s vices and the stain he had smeared on my choices Every one had been for him I had sacrificed so hn, no one had looked out forout of my life

Finding sohn had inexplicably put ether when I hadn’t asked for it He knew I needed it before I did

My phone rang

“If that’s yourcare of this” My father’s voice was gruff

It was Mom I tucked the phone close to my ear

“Hello”

“Honey, are you here? Are you co to the house?” One word piled on the next

“I’er toto Garrett’s work and apartet there so I can try to get a handle on things”

“I want to go with you”

I closed my eyes I knew she would want to be a part of this But putting ether would only slow us down Crisis didn’t draw theether The