Autumn in Philadelphia Trilogy

The Return: Sunday, Sunday

"All the secrets of the world are contained in books. Read at your own risk."

― Lemony Snicket

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Shawn found no rest that night. The text message hounded him into insomnia.

After leaving the Skylight Diner, he and Jon went to Amsterdam's. They shot some pool and played a few rounds of darts. The awkward conversation was forgotten and he discovered that he truly enjoyed spending time with the superintendent. So much so that Shawn could see Jon challenging Cory for the title of best friend although he'd never tell Cory that.

It was only the text message looming over them that marred the evening for Shawn.

He almost told Jon about it right there at the billiards table. He wanted his father to tell him it was a joke; that there was nothing to it. What Shawn feared the most was the possibility that there was something to it. What if it had to do with the past Jon was so desperate to keep from him? The superintendent couldn't handle anything more being thrown at him. Right or wrong, Shawn was determined to uncover the validity of the text on his own. If it was some idiot teenager playing games, he could handle that. If it was more serious, Shawn promised himself he'd go straight to Jon, even if it meant confessing about the hidden app.

1 AM. He opened DeAndre's app and read the text again. It was the not knowing what it meant that drove him to the point of being physically ill with worry.

3 AM. He managed to talk himself down from the mental ledge he'd climbed out onto and ground himself in reality by writing his article on Jon for the week. With his mind on overdrive, he wrote it up within an hour. He hoped that when he went to proof it later it would make sense.

The burner phone laid on the desk. Shawn bounced his knee at rapid pace trying to distract himself from reaching for the text again. He couldn't resist the phone's call.

Dustin Crowley. 1977.

Jon would have been 15 or just about in 1977. Shawn tried to remember everything he knew about Jon's life before he met him, but it wasn't much. Most of what he knew was told to him by Eli. Very little came from Jon himself. Shawn got up from his desk and began to aimlessly wander the house as he tried to recall anything he could about Jon's past.

o0o0o

Shawn was standing in the middle of the apartment when Audrey walked in. He looked like his best friend just walked out on him.

"Shawn?" Audrey said worriedly as she hung up her purse and coat. "Are you okay?"

He stared at her. "You're late."

" I told you would be. I had a paper to finish."

"She came over and you weren't here."

Audrey went over to him and gave him a quizzical look. "Who?"

"Melanie."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, I thought Jon was picking her up."

"Are you okay this?" The teen's voice was thick with unspoken accusation.