Friends Don't, But We Do

9. Orphaned Adult

The morning with Nolan is good for my well being. My life is really in a rut recently. As Nolan's been nursing a young but successful career in the NHL, and other friends from high school are in college working towards degrees... I feel left behind.

My current job is enough to sustain me financially. But it's not something I'm happy doing. But it's more than my career, it's other aspects of my life too.

Not going to college has made me grow thin in the friends department. At this point, the only legitimate friend I have is Nolan. Which is great, except that he's gone nine months out of the year. I just feel alone.

My mother hasn't reached out to me since I moved out two years ago. She's a bartender at some sleepy bar in a part of town that no one under fifty goes near, and it's fitting because she's an alcoholic herself. I see her sometimes around town whenever I go closer to the old neighborhood, and things are... awkward to say the least.

She's cussed me out in a grocery store before. One time she asked me for money, which I stupidly gave to her.

My relationship with her is sporadic, but it's more than the one with my father. I haven't seen him since my fourteenth birthday, when he made a surprise visit complete with a card and a twenty dollar bill. He used to balance out my mother's crazy, but I guess he couldn't handle it forever. I might have forgiven him for leaving her, but how can I forgive him for leaving me?

"Teegs? You alright?"

Nolan's voice cuts into my memory, shaking me back to present. "Yeah, I'm good."

He laughs a little and starts the engine of his car. "I asked if you wanted to come with me to buy new sticks? If not I can drop you back home."

I settle into the car seat, forgetting about my tense past. It's the weekend, and my job isn't one that requires me to do any work outside of the office. I'm free all day. "I'll go with you. I have nothing else to do."

He rolls his eyes but is smiling. "Glad I can occupy you."

I laugh, "That's not what I meant." He knows.

In the sports store, Nolan picks out a couple of his usual hockey sticks quickly. He already knows what he needs, having used the same equipment for years. I trail a couple feet behind him as he carries the sticks to the register. The store is quite busy- after all it is a Saturday.

"Teegs, you good?" Nolan asks. I focus my gaze on him, he's still a couple feet in front of me. His eyebrows are raised and he has a small hint of a smile. The sticks are stabilized on the ground, one hand holding them upright beside him. I guess I had fallen far behind. I let a smile spread across my face. "Yeah I'm good, I'm sorry."

He reaches out his arm and I walk closer, until his hand wraps around my shoulder and hugs me to him. It lasts only a second, and then he drops his arm. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem kinda off."

Kinda off? I guess I have been a little dazed for the past few hours. I haven't thought about my parents in a while. It's weird that it hit me today. I nod. "Just tired I guess."

Nolan accepts my answer and we pay for the equipment before heading out to the parking lot.

I go to the passenger seat as he puts the new sticks in his trunk. Feeling his eyes on me, I glance at the rear view mirror but he looks away.