Page 35 of The Downside of Love
“Well, and yourself?”
Stryder nods and looks over at Bryan. “I’m doing all right. Happy to get out and do something different for the weekend. Your son has quite the arm on him.”
“Yes, he’s getting pretty good. We’re so excited that he’s ventured out to do something different.” Taking a second, she says, “How’s your new job? It can take a while to settle in after finishing years of study.”
Ooo . . . I close my eyes, wishing my mom had some kind of filter. I know she’s trying to make small talk, but come on, I just told her the other day how unhappy he is. Work is not the thing to talk about with Stryder.
Putting on a good face, he says, “It’s work,” and leaves it at that. He nods toward the field. “I’m going to go grab the balls and pack them up.”
Stryder jogs off, leaving me alone with my mom. Before she can say anything, I say, “He’s staying with me and Ryan. It’s fine.”
Ignoring me, she says, “What happened to letting him figure it out on his own?”
I bite on my bottom lip and turn my back completely away from Stryder. “Mom, he is so lost right now. He admitted to me last night that he hit rock bottom. Before we came here, he told me he hasn’t talked to Colby since graduation. He doesn’t have a relationship with his family. He has nobody. I don’t know, I just feel like there was a reason why he came back into my life.”
“You don’t have to save everyone, honey.” My mom lifts my chin.
“I know, but I can’t walk away either, not after seeing the pain in his eyes that night at the bar. He might have been drunk, but he was hurting, like he’s disappointed and embarrassed for the way his life has panned out.”I can’t even imagine what his family said when he didn’t get into flight school that drove him to hitting rock bottom.
“I can understand that, but I want you to make sure you realize you might not be able to help him. This might just be all on him.”
“I know. But maybe I can be the one who possibly helps him find his way.”
A few short seconds later, Stryder comes up to us, arms full of softballs. He stuffs them in the bag and then ties it off. Bryan is sitting on the grass, next to the bag, rocking back and forth, when Stryder squats down and says, “Bryan, I had an awesome time, man. Thanks for showing me your whip of an arm.” I watch Stryder hesitate for a second and then stand. “I will give you guys some privacy. I’ll wait for you at the car. Mrs. Oaks, it was really nice seeing you again.”
“You too, Stryder.”
When he takes off, my mom grips my shoulder and says, “I can see what you mean. His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes, does it?”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t.”
My mom pulls me into a hug, her embrace comforting and just what I need. “I love your heart, Rory.”
“I love you, Mom.”
* * *
“Are you awake?” I whisper from my bed.
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“Nothing, just couldn’t sleep. I think I’m still getting used to having a roommate. You breathe loudly.”
“What?” He sits up on his bed and looks over at me, the moonlight from the window casting light on the end of my bed, not allowing him a good look at my playful face.
Chuckling, I say, “Just kidding. But it was fun to see your reaction.”
Lying back down, he says, “You’re really funny, you know that?”
“I like to think so sometimes.” Pausing, I say, “Sorry my mom asked about your job. I know you don’t care to talk about it.”
“Ah, it was nothing.”
“Yeah, but you’ve been quiet ever since.” He was different after we left the track and field stadium. He went off somewhere after we got back home and when he came back, I might have sniffed him when he was close, looking to see if he smelled like alcohol. He didn’t, which made me feel guilty for assuming. “Where did you go?”
Taking a second, I hear him shift on the blow-up mattress and then say, “Do you really want to know?”
“I mean . . . do I?”
