Lockjaw (Joshler)

28. Emotions

Start the song. It's The Woods by Daughter.

Tyler's anxiety got the best of him, so he spent another night with Zack and Tatum instead of heading home to find out if Jenna had left. Zack still didn't seem sure if he was allowed to ask Tyler about the situation, but he tossed Tyler a Snickers bar when he came home from work and asked if he wanted to watch a basketball game with him, so everything seemed pretty normal.

Emotions weren't really an acceptable topic of communication in the Joseph household, hence the annoyance his parents expressed when he told them he wanted to be a psychologist. Still, Tyler's little brother was doing his best to be supportive even if he didn't know how to talk about the situation at hand. Instead, he tried to help in his own way.

"I could get you a restraining order or something," Zack suggested when a commercial about a local car dealership replaced the game on the television in front of them. "Sue her for emotional damage, legally evict her if she won't leave, force her to pay you back for anything she takes from your house-"

"I think I just want to move on," Tyler informed his brother quietly, tugging the sleeves of his sweater down over his hands as he spoke.

Naturally, Zack took this as an opportunity to change the subject. "Are you cold? I can adjust the thermostat."

"I'm okay. Thanks," Tyler replied, summoning a tense nod from his brother.

Zack glanced over his shoulder at the entry to the kitchen, clearly wishing his wife would come in here and guide him through this conversation. Tatum was in there making dinner though, her voice only resurfacing when she spoke to P. She wasn't going to rescue Zack for a while.

"We don't have to talk about it," Tyler reassured Zack, who seemed to feel guilty even when his muscles relaxed slightly.

"Sorry. I'm bad at this shit," Zack told him regretfully. "I want to help, and I'm pissed at her, but I don't know what you need from me."

Tyler shrugged, smiling a bit dejectedly. "I appreciate you trying. It means a lot that you care, and I think you've done enough just by letting me stay here."

Zack let out a huff. "Yeah, well, you're always welcome here. You know that. You can stay as long as you want."

"Thanks, Zack," Tyler replied sincerely.

His brother nodded, picking up the bottle of beer sitting on the coffee table in front of him and taking a sip from it. He glanced at Tyler before looking at the bottle again and admitting, "I accidentally let slip to Maddy what happened with you while we were at the office today. There's a pretty good chance that she's going to tell Mom and Dad."

"There's an even better chance that she already has," Tyler replied when his phone immediately started ringing with a call from his mother.

"Sorry," Zack said quietly.

"No worries," Tyler replied simply. He stood from the couch and headed for the guest room as he answered the call. "Hey, Mom."

"I heard," his mother informed him bluntly in what was probably intended to be a sweet voice. "How can I help?"

Tyler sighed, pushing his hair back off of his forehead. "I'm not sure. I left as soon as I found out. I took the ring back, told her she had one day to move out, and left. I'm kind of afraid to go back home though, and I don't really know if I even want to live there anymore."

His mother, who was just as emotionally stunted as Zack, decided, "I'll help you find a new house then."

"I'm not just going to move, Mom. That's just escapism. Moving out of my house won't change anything. Besides, our budget got cut again. I can't exactly afford a new house at the moment," Tyler told her, already regretting his phrasing before she spoke up again.