My Hockey Boy

Chapter 44

Haley's POV

Tom sat idly in the back of Charlie's car. We were almost halfway home and yet no words had been spoken between me or my brother. I didn't know what to say. How could I ask my brother about what I just witnessed? Could I even call him my brother? As I peered up to look in the mirror, the brother I thought I knew sat behind me, avoiding all eye contact. It's like he was ashamed. Ashamed and regretful of his seemingly poor decision making. What could I say to him? What could I do to find out who my brother really is?

****

I hadn't even realized I had drifted off into a light sleep until I felt Charlie's hand on my shoulder, waking me up.

"Hey," He spoke as I blinked a few times to further wake myself up.

I smiled lightly at him, "Hey."

After the corner of his mouth tugged up into a small smile, I turned to look at my brother, who still refused to look back at me. His head was dropped low as he stared at his fingers dwindling between his knees. Charlie and I got out of the car as Tom followed shortly after. I watched Tom as he began walking towards the front door of our house, stopping for a second to look at mom's car. I heard a sound escape his lips, a sigh filled with worry possibly.

Charlie and I stood by his car for a second. "I better get going," I told him.

"You sure you don't want me to stay?" He raised his eyebrows, peering from me to my brother then back to me.

"No, you get home. I can handle this." I assured him with a somewhat confident nod.

"Ok, if you say so. Call me if you need me, ok?"

I nodded again as I allowed him to pull me into his chest, his lips being pressed against my forehead before he backed away, getting back into his car. As I watched his car drive farther and farther away from my house, I sucked in a deep breath, preparing myself for what lay ahead.

I turned, beginning to walk towards the porch. I noticed as I got closer that Tom hadn't gone in yet. He stood silently in front of the door, like he was waiting for me.

"Tom, what are you doing?" I asked, coming up next to him.

"What do you think mom's going to say?" He uttered the first words to me since he had left early this morning.

"I think she's gonna say 'what the hell happened to your face?'."

"I'm serious, Haley. She's gonna hate me. You hate me." Tom turned to look at me.

"I could never hate you, Tom. I'm just  . . . disappointed." I shrugged. Of course I was mad, but he's my brother and I love him because that's what families do. They stick together even when one falls off the wagon. "C'mon, mom probably heard the car drive up."

I looked at my brother one last time for permission before entering the house.

"Oh, Haley, is that you? I wasn't expecting you home yet actually." My mother called out from the kitchen, before finally coming around the corner to see Tom. Her mouth dropped along with the glass dish she was holding.

"Oh my god, Tom. What happened to you?" She stepped around the glass, rushing to my brother's side. Her hands were on his face, examining the cuts and bruises that littered his features.

I stood behind my mother, waiting for her to tell me to fetch the first aid kit. But the opposite took place. Tom began to back away from her, his voice finally finding it's way to the surface. "Mom, stop!" He yelled, which made me jump slightly.

"Tom, what're you talking about? You need medical attention!" She protested, attempting to examine him further.

"No, mom! I didn't get jumped, or piss off some guy in a bar. This was my own fault."