The month of September was slowly slipping by and for Josie it was a relief. She had been busying herself with school, cheer, and work. Her father had been taking more trips out of town so it was mainly just Sidney and her mother home. Josie tried to keep her distance from home or at least stay out until she knew her mom was asleep or out about doing whatever she did that she thought she was hiding so well. But even though the month going by fast was a relief she had something else weighing down on her brain.
Josie's growing suspicion when it came to her mom was finally proven right one night when she was driving home. She had driven past the motel around the corner from the diner when she had spotted her mom's car. So she let her curiosity get the better of her. And oh did she wish she kept driving home that night because what she found out would lead to the events that would unfold two weeks later. Josie had sat in her car with it shut off as she watched the motel like a hawk. After waiting for a half an hour, her mother had emerged from a hotel room with a man following suit. But it was the man that ended up making her head begin to spin. When the light had fallen on his face, Josie knew clearly who it was. Mr. Loomis, Billy's dad. She was in shock as she watched them share one last kiss before they went their separate ways. Josie's hands gripped the steering wheel hard as her knuckles began to turn white. She had seen a flash of red for a moment before everything went back to normal. Even though her and her father didn't get along either, she still felt that hint of anger because her mom was seeing someone. Maybe her mother was the reason Mrs. Loomis had left and that made her feel bad for Billy.
• • •
Josie had left that motel parking lot but instead of going home she had to make a pitstop. It was the only way she could feel like a little bit of this weight was off her shoulder. She couldn't keep it to herself. Tears of frustration and anger were trailing down her face. She made her way over to the garage and climbed up to the top of it with help from the trash can on the side of it. And then she had crept across the roof of the garage onto the porch roof. When she made it to the right window she began to frantically tap on it.
She kept tapping on the window in desperation. She wanted them to open the window because she didn't want to just invite herself in. But then she began to overthink. Maybe she shouldn't have come here. Maybe it was a bad idea. They probably weren't even home and she was there looking like a fool. As Josie began to psych herself out, the curtains were pulled to the side and the person appeared. They opened their window and saw the crying girl there.
"Jo, what are you doing here? What happened?" Billy Loomis asked her with his brown eyes filled with worry. He grabbed her hand to pull her into the room through the window.
"I–I. Oh my god." She sobbed. He pulled her into his arms, one of his hands holding her head running his thumb up and down in a soothing way.
"Slow down and just breathe." He instructed her. Once her sobs had halted slightly he had pulled away from her slowly to look down at her. Suddenly she held a blank expression on her face which had him concerned.
"What is it, Jo?" He curiously asked.
"I'm so sorry, Billy." Josie started.
"What are you sorry for?" The boy wondered.
"I saw my mom. She was–Billy she was with your dad. I saw her car at the motel by the diner so I thought I would sit there and wait. And they both came out of a room there, they were together. I'm so sorry." She sobbed as he stared down at her and didn't say anything.
"I know you don't have to believe me and I sound crazy. But I swear I'm not. I saw it and I didn't know what else to do, so I came to you. I thought you needed to know." Josie told him.
"I can't believe she would do something like that. I knew she was hiding something, but I wanted to believe it could be anything but that. It makes me so angry just thinking about it. Billy, what if that's why your mom left? I feel so bad." She stressed out as she began to pace back and forth with her hands in her hair. Billy had stopped her and instantly pulled her back into his arms.
"Why are you apologizing for something you had no control over?" He asked her as he ran his hands through her hair.
"I know. I just don't understand why she would do this. She isn't just messing up her own marriage, she's messed up someone else's. That's not fair. She's so selfish." She spat as Billy began to quietly shush her.
"There's people like that in the world. I appreciate you telling me when you found out." Billy thanked her.
"You're one of my best friends, of course I would tell you. And you deserved to know. It was an answer to a question you wanted to know regarding your mom leaving. At least you know she had a slight reason even if she did leave you behind." Josie said to him.
"Maybe this is something we can keep between the two of us. Your sister shouldn't know about this yet."
"And let her think our mother is a saint? No way in hell." Josie snapped.
"I know you're angry right now, but you need to give yourself some time. You don't want to just throw it onto Sidney. I care about you, Jo. I want you to take care of yourself and deal with what you learned tonight before you have to deal with telling Sidney and dealing with her." Billy tried to tame the anger that was radiating off of the girl.
"You can stay here tonight if you want. You can take the bed, I'll take the floor. You need to get some sleep. " Billy told Josie, who frowned. But knowing that Billy would win if she argued with him about taking the floor instead of his bed.
Once Josie had changed into one of his shirts and sweatpants, she had passed out on his bed. Little did she know when her breathing changed and indicated that she was asleep, Billy laid there on the floor looking up at the ceiling. There were so many things going through his head right at that moment. He held a grimace on his face as he continued to think about what Josie had told him once she got into his room. Pushing himself up from the floor he had begun to pace a bit before stopping in front of the bed. Peering down at the sleeping girl who looked so peaceful. He couldn't help but adore the girl. Knowing she was too pure for all of this. But as he looked down at her he also realized that he couldn't do anything more than just comfort her as a friend. Like she had said, he was one of her best friends. And he was with her sister after all. He had wished things could have been different.
• • •
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