Coming Home

To Save a Friend

Joyce had finally made it home, a bag of groceries in hand. She tried not to let herself dwell on thoughts of a certain other time she had gotten groceries. The memory of William's death still haunted the woman beyond the years. Even with David as her rock, it was impossible to forget the man who had originally stolen her heart all those years ago. The fact that she was able to keep moving forward, despite such a heavy loss, was a testament to who she was as a person. However, as a mother, she felt she was not as up to par. Although she felt far from failing her only daughter, she would be remiss to ignore how unflinchingly rebellious her only daughter has become. She wished she knew some way to make her daughter happy again. She couldn't imagine what would happen if she lost her.

God, what would she do if she lost Chloe too?

She knew that the last few years had been rough on her daughter. First, she loses her father. Then, her best friend to Seattle. To only add to the devastation, a new step-father, who, despite his best, (admittedly not great), parenting tactics had left Chloe feeling more alone than before.

Then, enter Rachel Amber.

Joyce couldn't decide whether Rachel was a good influence, or a bad influence, but either way, she had given a light to Chloe's world that Joyce had long thought had been out.

Then, exit Rachel Amber.

Joyce tried to release the stress in her system with a heavy sigh. She dropped the groceries on the kitchen counter. She wished something good would happen to Chloe. Something that could help set her straight. At this point, it would take a miracle…

Joyce cringed as she felt rather than heard the sound of a door slam. She turned from the refrigerator to spot two teenagers lumbering down the stairs. "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. Max Caulfield! Long time, no see!"

"Hi, Joyce," the teenager said in a tired voice. Behind her, to the mother's surprise, flagged a boy. Although she did not know him well, she remembered that his name was Warren Graham. He had come to the diner a handful of times. Even leaving "scientific graffiti" on one of their tables.

Still her curitosity peaked, What is Max doing with a boy? Could they be-?

Well, despite herself, she couldn't imagine Max dating. But then again, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of the girl for 5 years. Perhaps the shy, timid girl she knew had changed.

"What brings you two here on this lovely afternoon?"

She noticed that Warren scratched the back of his neck and shuffled his feet awkwardly as Max answered with some hesitation. "We were just… reuniting with Chloe."

Just as the words escaped Max's mouth, the three were bombarded by the blasting strain of Firewalk's "Breakdown" echoing through the walls of the house. "I see that it went well," Joyce couldn't help but sarcastically reply.

"You could say that," Max replied with a grimace.

"Aren't you going to tell her to turn that down?" Warren inquired, curious.

Suddenly, David burst through the garage door and thundered his way up the stairs. All the while the man muttered something along the lines of, "Told her to shut that garbage off."

"I don't think I need to," Joyce answered with a resigned sigh.

"Let me help with those," Warren said. He gently pushed passed Max and helped Joyce put the food stuffs away. Joyce thanked him with a small smile. She took off her apron and slung it on the counter.