Saving Scott

11: "You Ready?"

I slept almost all day, but when I woke up, Lakyn was there, curled up next to me with a book in his hands. He put it down to run his fingers through my hair and didn't ask if I was okay, because we both knew I wasn't.

I ate a sandwich and played video games and Mr. James kept his distance until around six, when he leaned in the doorway of the living room and asked, "You ready?"

No. Of course it wasn't.

Lakyn squeezed my hand and asked, "Can I go?"

I looked towards Mr. James hopefully, but he shook his head. "I don't think you should. It's likely you'll sway Scott into coming back here."

I felt Lakyn deflate next to me, and I squeezed his hand back. "I don't want you there if they're going to yell."

He didn't argue, so I leaned over for a quick kiss before getting to my feet. I gave Mr. James a quick nod and followed him out of the house. Once we were in his car, he said, "I want you to understand that I'm here for you, and I will support whatever decision you make. I am only going to be your back up. But if you need it, my house is open to you."

"Thank you," I said softly. I thought of Juliet, and the problems we theorized she had. I thought of Rick, coming back from college. I thought of Lakyn, and the hell he had been through. I seemed so small, in comparison. "But, why?"

Mr. James cracked a smile. "What do you mean 'why'?"

"I mean." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "I mean, why me? I'm not anyone special to you. Why bother?"

He sat with that for a moment, obviously thinking about how he wanted to reply. "When my sister-in-law was pregnant with Lakyn, Lily and I were both so excited. We couldn't wait for him to be part of our lives. When he was actually born though, my brother didn't even tell anyone. And when we showed up to their house, they shut the door in our faces. I think, from day one, Lakyn has always felt a little more like mine than a nephew.

"In a weird, twisted way, I was always a little happy whenever my brother couldn't manage to parent because then Lakyn got to come home for a while, and things felt complete. You're not just anyone, Scott, you're someone important to my someone. You're a kid who needs a little help. And maybe this teenage love will last, maybe it won't, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is now, and you've helped Lakyn enough that you're someone to me. Don't ever doubt that."

I wasn't going to cry. More because I could see my house coming into view than because I didn't want to. When Mr. James stopped the car, he put a hand on my shoulder and asked again, "You ready?"

"Will I ever be?" I asked back, and he gave me a squeeze before opening his door.

I followed his lead, but when we got to the door I wasn't sure what to do. Instinct said to open it, it was my house, but it didn't feel right. It felt like intruding. When I hesitated too long, Mr. James took it upon himself to ring the doorbell.

The door opened a moment later, shyly at first, before my mother realized what she was seeing and threw herself at me. She looked like she'd been crying, and even though I felt stiff, I couldn't help but bring an arm around her and hold her back.

"Scott! I knew you would come home! It didn't take that long!" She was still holding me when I noticed my father come around. He didn't look at me, but instead sized Mr. james up. I felt my stomach roll.

"Who is this, then?" he asked. Mr. James went to answer, but before he could, my father said, "Another queer influence?"

I had heard Lakyn use that word before, but it had never made me want to flinch the way it did when Dad used it. I looked sideways at Mr. James, who pocketed his hands. I hadn't noticed him go in for a handshake, but he'd decided against it by then.