The Almost Man

Three: Path of Worry

Ellie watched the speeding car until it turned and disappeared from her sight. She felt horrible for letting her brother leave in such a bad state. He didn't say it but she saw it in his eyes, the way he tried to put a distance between him and the rest of the world, and even the way he think. He was broken.

He used to be the man with the perfect smile, loud laugh and great sense of humor. But he had changed. Even by just the way his shoulders slumped in defeat every time she saw him, she was sure that he was in pieces.

But she still believed that he could be put back together. She hoped that the journey he was about to take could make him believe in life. She was telling the truth when she told him that she didn't want the old him. She wanted him to find himself again and be stronger than ever because the Gray she knew wasn't a quitter. He wasn't lost nor angry. He was positive and happy. She wanted him to be able to smile again.

Scooter kept barking at her side, calling out to his owner. She patted the dog's head. "Don't worry, Scooter. He'll come back." She looked at the corner where the car vanished. "I know he will. Gray will come back."

The loud ringing inside reached her ears and she quickly made her way back to the kitchen. Her phone was still sitting on the tap of the counter, vibrating. She grabbed it. "Hello," she breathed on the phone, hoping she caught the caller.

         "Hello, my dear," the cheerful voice of her mother spoke from the other line.

         "My god, mom. Why did you just call now? Gray was just here a minute ago."

         "I'm sorry. I got into a big argument with this lady at the antique shop."

         It was probably about bargaining again, she thought. Her mother never left any shop she went to without arguing for a better price. She said that a real costumer would always have the right to ask for a good deal.

        "Did he leave already?"

        "Yeah. He left just a moment ago. He dropped off Scooter and then rushed out." She didn't tell her mother about her earlier conversation with Gray.

        "I see. That's too bad. I really wanted to talk to him." Her mother's voice sounded disappointed.

Ellie sighed. "I thought you're gonna call him today before he leave?"

        "I was gonna but like I told you, I got into an argument with this lady."

        "Mom, you know it's important for him to hear from you."

There was a pause on the other line. "Did he tell you that?"

Ellie frowned. "No. He didn't."

        "Then how do you know what he feels?"

Then they were back at the same argument as the last time. It was the same scenario. Their mother forgot to call Gray four months before and Ellie told her that he was looking forward to her call, even though he didn't say it. Ellie wasn't sure if her brother was indeed looking forward hearing from their mother but after what happened last year, she became an expert about Gray.

Or at least, she pretended to be an expert about her brother. She didn't want to admit it but she felt like she failed him after he crumbled down and turned into a pile of wreck. She wasn't going to say that to her mother though.

        "I just do, mom. Did you try calling him before you called me?" She asked, deliberately changing the topic of their conversation.

        "Not yet actually."