Page 154 of Always Love You More
When I answer the call, the other line is silent, and I somehow know what he’s going to say before he even says it.
“She’s gone,” he chokes out.
I sit up. “You sure? Maybe she just—”
“She left a note.”
“What’s going on?” Sam asks, her voice groggy.
I hold up a finger, keeping my focus on Billy as he says, “He lost it. You should’ve heard him. I don’t know …”
“Where is he?” I question, knowing he’s talking about Luke.
“Asleep,” he sighs. “Passed out on the floor of their bedroom.”
“I’m—”
“How could she just leave? I mean anote,” he snaps. “A fucking note, Jameson.”
“We’ll come get you, okay?”
“No, you don’t—”
“Not asking,” I say, already moving to get out of bed. “You’re not gonna be alone through this.”
Sam follows behind me. “His mom?” she mouths.
I nod as I tell Billy, “We’ll be there in ten. All right?”
“Thank you,” he pushes out. “I know you’ve already got enough of your own shit to deal with.”
“Your shitismy shit.” I grab my keys. “You need me, I’m there. It’s that simple. Always has been.”
“Thank you,” he repeats, and I can tell by his tone that he’s out of it.
I reach for the door. “We’re heading out. Want me to stay on the phone?”
“Nah, man, I’m good. I’ll see you when you get here.” His answer doesn’t sound even remotely convincing.
“Why don’t I put Sam on, yeah?”
“You really don’t have to—”
Sam holds out her hand, and I pass her the phone.
“Hey,” she says, the greeting coming out tender, careful, like she knows what it’s like to be the person on the other end of the line.
I guess she does.
I guess we both do.
“You wanna talk about it?” she asks as we step outside and I lock up. “That’s fine. We don’t have to. Just stay on the line with me, okay?”
We settle into the car, and she keeps the phone pressed against her ear the whole way over to his house, not saying anything but giving Billy the constant reminder that he has people who are here for him. People who aren’t going anywhere.
“We’re here,” she says softly as I pull into the driveway. “Okay, yeah, see you in a minute.”
She hangs up and passes the phone to me. “He went to check on Luke.”
