Page 89 of Always Love You More

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” a woman yells.

“Anything is better than fucking nothing,” Luke shouts back.

Billy goes still beside me, his attention fixed on the door that leads out to the garage.

I turn to Jameson for an explanation, and the look he gives me tells me that this isn’t anything new.

His mother’s voice drifts into the room. “I’m chained to this fucking life.”

Billy stands frozen, the casual look he always wears gone. In its place is an expression I’ve never seen on him before. A sadness I didn’t know he carried.

Suddenly, all I can think about is getting him away from this. Taking that pained look away.

I grab my bag. “I need a smoke. You wanna come?”

He doesn’t answer. It’s like all he can hear is the conversation in the other room.

“I just need a break,” his mother snaps. “Can’t you just give me a break?”

“Billy?” I prompt again.

When he still doesn’t answer, I walk up to him and grab his hand. “Let’s go outside, yeah?”

He blinks, jerking his head into a nod.

I lead him outside, his parents’ voices fading with each step we take.

Jameson moves in front of us, opening the door that leads to the side of the building. It slams shut behind us, acting as a barrier to Billy’s problems inside.

Digging through my purse, I pull out a pack of cigarettes and my lighter. I place one between my lips and light it.

“Can I get one of those?” Billy asks.

I’m not expecting him to ask, having only seen him smoke a few times, but I hand one over without question.

He lights it, takes a long drag, and says, “Thanks,” on an exhale.

“Of course,” I answer tentatively. “You okay?”

“Just the same shit.”

I’m quiet, waiting to see if he’ll give any more than that away.

He flicks the ash off his cigarette. “It’s been getting worse.”

“Their fighting?”

He nods. “Don’t know what happened to make her show up here, though.”

It is unusual that I’ve never seen his mother around the garage, considering her husband owns it.

“I’m sure they’ll get over it,” Jameson offers. “They always do.”

“Sometimes, I wish they wouldn’t.”

The side door opens with a groan, and a woman pushes through, a phone pressed to her ear. The second she sees us, she says, “I’ll call you back.”

It’s instantly obvious that the woman is Billy’s mother. They have the same dark hair, full lips, and high cheekbones. I’m taken aback by how young she looks, how untouched by life she seems.