Road Less Traveled

I sat at the table of the diner, fiddling with the straw wrapper. James had left to go outside and talk some sense into Mike who still refused to come in and talk to me. I sighed, knowing more than anything, I had failed my brother. My eyes flicked to my phone as it lit up, vibrations rattling through the table. I looked at the small icon of my nephew holding up a piece of paper. Opening the message from Carrie, I read the paper Isaiah held. ‘I believe in you Aunt Em’ it read with scribbles all over it. I laughed lightly, sending back heart emojis. As I locked my phone and looked up, James and Mike were entering the diner.
“Hey,” James whispered, sliding next to me in the booth. I quickly reached out for one of his hands, covered by the safety of the table. He gave me a light squeeze as Mike sat down and nodded at me.
“I’m sorry, kid.” He whispered. “Last night, that wasn’t me. You know that. Yes, I was drunk. Yes I’m under a lot of stress, but you know that I am your biggest supporter, and I always will be.”
“I know, Mikey. I also probably shouldn’t have just shown up at your house.” I stammered. James ran his thumb over the back of my hand. I turned to face him, gaining an encouraging smile. “I- um, I have to tell mom, obviously.”
“Can I just ask why you left?” Mike asked. Thankfully, a waitress came to get our orders so that gave me time to more or less compile my answer. I let go of James’s hand and began to pick at the cuticles on my right hand.
“Thank you,” Mike smiled at the waitress as she left. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting the tears roll down my cheek.
“Em?” Mike started, pulling my hands apart and holding onto them. “What happened?”
“H-he found me. Lucas- he kept telling me he would come find me. I couldn’t deal with that and with school. I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping. My anxiety was crippling and I couldn’t even leave my dorm half the time.” I admitted out loud for the first time. The tears were coming in a steady stream as James reached an arm around my waist and pulled me closer. Mike let go of my hands and dropped his head in his hands.
“Sh, it’s over now, okay?” James whispered as I let myself shrink into the security of his body. I choked on a sob and forced myself take a deep breath.
“I-I blocked Lucas on everything. I never told him I was leaving or where I was going. H-he would be too stupid to come here.” I said in an attempt to reassure myself.
“If I ever see him again, I promise he’ll be leaving town in a coffin.” Mike hissed, clenching and unclenching his fists.
A stuffy silence fell over the table, James still holding me close to his chest and Mike refusing to take a deep breath to calm down. I thanked the waitress silently when she dropped off the food even though my appetite was long gone.
James removed his arm as both him and Mike began eating the large order of food. I lifted the fork and pushed food around, making it look like here was less and less on my plate.
“Emily, eat.” Mike ordered. I sighed.
“Not hungry.” I muttered.
“Bullshit, please eat.” He ordered again, his voice more sincere.
Stabbing a piece of pancake, I forced it into my mouth and swallowed forcefully. James patted my thigh before taking a piece of food off my plate for himself.
“Why’d you let it get this far? Why didn’t you call me? God, Emily, I would’ve been up there in a heartbeat.” Mike muttered, letting his utensils clatter to the table. “I just don’t get it.”
“I was scared, Mike. I didn’t know what to do. I just- I did what I know how to do best. I ran.” I admitted. “I ran as far and as fast as I could.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m so happy to have you here and to be able to see you, but why didn’t you tell mom or use the resources at school? Don’t they have counseling and stuff on campus for students and situations like this?”
“They do, but I don’t know. Leaving just seemed like the right thing to do.” I said.
“I get that.” Mike nodded.
“See? You two flipped out on me and we’re being civilized adults!” James added. I looked up at him and rolled my eyes, making both him and Mike laugh.
“You’re gonna have to something while you’re here though. And the first thing you’ll have to do is tell mom.”

Notes