The One Who Left | In Progress

{ Ch. 6 }

"Lloyd," I murmur. "Get up. We have work to do before we leave for NYC." I say and the boy in question wakes up with a groan. It was early, almost 6am but if we wanted to get there early we had to leave now. The plane was 5 hours and according to the "Ugh fine, Del. Get your clothes we can pick up my stuff from my house when you're ready." I roll my eyes - stuffing my bag with clothes and whatever else I'll need for the trip. I head off to the bathroom and Lloyd looks for his keys.
Wyatt is gone... The thought hazes my eyes but I don't break down like I did yesterday. I'm under control.

"You okay?" I murmur to Lloyd as I pull my denim jacket on, tying my black hair in a low ponytail. His eyes are red and his face is blank, pale even. "Do you have to ask?" He replies and I sling my bag over my shoulders. "I'll drive, relax Lloyd." I say, taking his keys from him. "Can you drive?" "Just because I don't have a car doesn't mean I can't drive, Nichols." I remark, walking out the door. Kael taught me.
Wyatt Shaw was the elder brother of Bri - Brianne Shaw - and was the scrappy techie that we all loved. He was the engineering whiz that fixed everything that was broken. He was the best brother to Bri and one of my closest friends. He and Bri ran away from their abusive Foster mom and lived on the streets, they found a way to go to school and he even made friends with Lark and Lloyd. No one knows how close Lloyd is to Lark and I'll probably never know.
But I do know now that Lloyd, Lark and Wyatt were a gang on their own before Mom took them in - Lloyd didn't want to be adopted but stuck around... until he left.

"C'mon, get your stuff." I say and Lloyd chuckles as he gets out. "Come in Dels, my family doesn't bite." I look at him with big eyes. I didn't know that Lloyd had family. I follow Nichols into the house were a woman and a frail looking woman sit. "Morning Lloyd. Where have you been?" The old woman demands, her hands on her hips. Lloyd smiles sheepishly. "I told you, Gran, I was with her, Wyatt died - remember. I told Aunt Lu to tell you." Lloyd says. Sympathy washes over the woman's face. "I forgot - Lucy why didn't you remind me - Oh baby - I'm sorry, come inside... your friend too." "Sorry," Lloyd smiles weakly. "Aunt Lu and Gran, this is Deliliah Kade. Dels, this is my family - Aunt Lucy and Grandma Ally."
"Do be quiet Lloyd, come in for breakfast dear." Aunt Lucy ushers us inside the homey little house.

"Hello." I greet, the family I never knew Lloyd had, kindly. Aunt Lucy gasps. "You're so pale - let's get you something to eat." "Aunt Lu - I'm going to go pack, I'll be out in a sec." Lloyd rushes, whizzing past me towards the back of the house.
I watch him go blinking. He just left me.
"Here you go sweetheart." Aunt Lucy says sweetly and I smile at her. She sets a tray of bacon and eggs and toast in front of me and I dig in like a woman starved. "Who are you Miss Delilah Kade?" Grandma Ally says unflinchingly as I choke on the bacon. I cough and Aunt Lucy thumps my back. "I was one of the kids that was with Lloyd during New York." I say and Aunt Lucy gasps. I'm guessing she didn't know. The grandma says nothing, watching me like a hawk watches a fish. "I got the news that one of ours died yesterday and Lloyd came saving the day." I glaze the details a little and Lloyd chooses then to return. "Don't lie Dels, you were fine." I shake my head. "You know I wasn't."

"Well Gran, we gotta go." Lloyd says and his grandma halts him with a single look. "Son, you gotta eat." I shrug when he looks at me. "We got time. I factored in taking a break for breakfast at the airport." I explain and Lloyd gives me a dirty look and he drops everything on the floor, pulling up a chair and immediately starts digging into his plate, glaring at me all the while. "I remember when Lloyd just came back and he gave us that side eye all the time..." Aunt Lucy explains, going off on a tangent. "That's enough of that." Lloyd says, finishing his plate. He drops our plates into the sink, making the matchbox house look ridiculously small. "Bye Gran, Aunt Lu." He yanks me to my feet and I wave. "See you on Monday." "Bye!" Aunt Lu mouths and I grin as Lloyd shoves me into the car.
And starts driving to the airport.